News - 8/7/2000

NEW VENUE, NEW SPONSOR, SAME FUN
THE TOYOTA 24 HOURS OF TAHOE MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM RELAY
Aug. 7, 2000

TRUCKEE, CA—Granny Gear Productions, the company that produces the world's original 24-hour mountain bike team relay race series, is proud to announce that Toyota has signed on as this year's Title Sponsor for the 24 Hours of Tahoe. The 3rd Annual Toyota 24 Hours of Tahoe Mountain Bike Team Relay will be held August 26th and 27th at its new home, Northstar-at-Tahoe in Truckee, California. Toyota also sponsored the 9th Annual Toyota 24 Hours of Snowshoe Mountain Bike Team Relay this past June in Snowshoe, West Virginia.

The connection between Toyota and the 24 Hours of Tahoe event makes more sense than ever, said Henry Hansel, President of the Northern California Toyota Dealers Advertising Association. "More than 21% of all 24 Hours of Tahoe participants drive trucks. In the arena of off road performance, Toyota's full size Tundra has been named '4X4 of the Year' by 4-Wheel and Off-Road Magazine. And Motor Trend Magazine named Tundra 'Truck of the Year,'" Hansel said. "We think that's a good fit."

"Toyota also has several new models designed for people who are young at heart: the new Echo, the MR2 Spyder and the new Celica, for example. We are very interested in showing these new models to a youthful group of people like the participants and spectators at the 24 Hours of Tahoe," Hansel said.

Toyota's support means a lot to the participants and producers of the race, said Laird Knight, president of Granny Gear Productions, the sports marketing company that produces the 24 Hour Race Series. Granny Gear Productions, based in Davis, West Virginia, has been producing mountain bike events since 1983 and created the 24 Hour mountain bike racing format in 1992. Races are conducted relay-style and emphasize teamwork, camaraderie and fun. Knight literally wrote the rules on 24 hour mountain bike team relays.

"Thousands of mountain bikers have raced with us over the years. They have a strong sense of ownership about the 24 Hour Race Series. Having a great company like Toyota support the 24 Hours of Tahoe gives them all a sense of pride," Knight said. "It also says a lot about how much Toyota cares about its customers: when they say 'Making it Happen. Everyday,' they mean it."

Knight announced last November that the event would move from Donner Pass to Northstar for its 2000 edition. Northstar-at-Tahoe has plenty of lodging, an excellent selection of restaurants, and a fabulous trail system. "It's a great venue with killer terrain," Knight said. "And the folks at Northstar wrote the book on hospitality."

In addition to Toyota, other event sponsors include The American Lung Association, BIKE Magazine, NiteRider Technical Lighting Systems, Platypus Flexible Hydration Systems, Therm-a-Rest, Patagonia, Rock Shox, Light and Motion, and Cane Creek Cycling Components. For more information, you can go online with Granny at www.grannygear.com.

The 2000 24 Hour Race Series includes: The 9th Annual Toyota 24 Hours of Snowshoe (WV), The 3rd Annual Toyota 24 Hours of Tahoe (CA); and The 6th Annual 24 Hours of Moab (UT).