Echeconnee Unleashed
By: Ryan Webb

Once again it is time to take a look at the track that lies before us. This month we are going to examine Echeconnee in all of its’ glory. Some people like it rough and that’s just what they are going to get when they race at this track. Echeconnee is laid out on a small hillside with plenty of bumps and jumps. There was only one thing that was really missing in the mind of Doug Gust, “Where are the whoops?”. I thought that this track was laid out very well and had a good mix of speed and challenge. Everyone seemed to like the track, some even consider it their favorite of the whole circuit. Well, let’s take a look at the appeal of such a rough and ready track.

	Last fall when Team Suzuki announced Doug Gust would be campaigning a LTZ400 in the Pro Class for 2004 several of the other pro teams were laughing in silence. At press time Doug and Team Suzuki had won as many motos as all other pro riders combined this season. Who’s laughing now?
	For the record books: Tim Farr was the first rider to enter a pro moto aboard Honda’s new TRX450R. In doing so, he also walked away with the first holeshot of the season during the first moto at Glen Helen. Tim also scored the 450R’s first moto victory.
	Kory Ellis was the first rider to compete aboard Yamaha’s YFZ450 (late 2003). Kory also won the first overall in 2004 at Glen Helen aboard a YFZ450.
	Gas Gas currently produces two 450cc production level race machines; more than any other manufacture. We’ve yet to see a Gas Gas entry at the pro level this year.
	Cannondale launched the first factory supported ATV racing effort in over a decade (Team Nac’s/Cannondale). Although the effort was short lived, they can be credited with pioneering the present 450cc factory race teams. The way we see it, Cannondale took one for the team.
	The Honda TRX450R wears a Fluorescent Red color scheme, which previously has only been used on their CR series race bikes. All other Honda sport machines (ATV and Dirt Bike) with red plastic are slightly darker and labeled as Fighting Red.

You begin as always on the starting gate. This track has a nice concrete start line, but don’t try to be in the area when the pros are going to start because they will run you off quick. Only the rider and one mechanic are allowed at the start gates, which makes it a little difficult to get that beauty of a start shot.

After a short straight you go into almost a 180 degree left turn that takes you out onto the main part of the track. Then you make a hard right to head up the hill where there lies an uphill double. Then there is a bottleneck on the backside that you can’t really see from anywhere except right by it. This brings you around to the left and then right up the hill even farther. You finally make another left that brings you into a rhythym section with a double and a sharp left 180 back down the hill. Then you hit another double and hang a right to a downhill straight. Now if this sounds easy so far don’t get too much ahead, because this isn’t smooth packed dirt. This whole track is laid out on a bed of sand, and it likes to get bumpy and rough.

Now we catch almost a 180 bermed curve back to the right. This will take you to a small section that you can double and then go on to another double that will set you up for the uphill double ahead. This doesn’t look that big, but very few people other than the pros were actually clearing it. Then you make a slight left to a smaller uphill double. Following this is a left 90 that will bring you to a short drop followed by a downhill straight. Once you reach the bottom you will notice a rather large bermed right 180. Now this thing is the coolest thing I’ve seen yet in turns. There is a double berm that is so tall that you can take the inside or outside around it, but the neat thing is that you can’t see the quads as they go around, all you see is the rider.