2016 Florida State Championship Series

The weather still feels like summer although it is officially fall but at least it felt like a "good" summer day with the humidity a little down and the sun shinning on the FSC racers.  The 6.7 mile challenging race course was in great shape thanks to the Swamp Club volunteers and a timely rain on Saturday evening that really tightened up the course.  There was a new section added this year called "spitfire" and it seemed to be a hit with the racers and had the feel of a amusement park ride as it dipped and rolled through the woods surrounding "North Creek". 
On race day the Shimano youth racers took to the trails first with some exciting race action and then at 9:30 the yellow wave hit the first turn and the Protano Law $50 holeshot went to Shawn Smith this week as the riders quickly filed into a fast pace line for the rest of the four lap race.  It was one year ago that Bob McCarty – Team Stradalli - Safetti was suffered a hard fall on this trail and was hospitalized for multiple injuries while racing for the lead and on this day Bob returned with true determination and won a hard fought battle with his competitors and the course to take the Elite class win on his full suspension Stradalli carbon 29er