It seems like yesterday that we were still eagerly anticipating the return of our favorite bike race, the Bonjoro. Even now, as we write this, the excitement is still pretty high. There are rumors flying around that one of the big sponsors has gone bankrupt and the race may be canceled. But here we are, several months later, and we still have a chance to see one of the great American sports events that we have all been waiting for. The answer is yes, Cc Speedway is still open and there are still plans for the Bonjoro to take place this coming Sunday. So let’s go over some of the latest news about the famous bicycle race and what we should expect this coming weekend.
Cc Speedway Officially Named After Clarence Campbell
If you’ve been paying attention to the bike racing world in the last few months, you may have heard of the great Daytona Beach Bike Race. The people who run that race have been teasing us with the possibility of a name change for some time now. Well, we can finally put a name to the event that will live in infamy…Cc Speedway. Clarence Campbell, the well-known attorney who defended Ralph Nader in the 1970s and was an outspoken critic of the sport on many occasions, was the person who originally came up with the idea of the Daytona Beach Bike Race. It was named after him and, for the last 40 years, he has been trying to get rid of the name “Daytona Beach” and replace it with something more appropriate. As fate would have it, Campbell’s wish came true when another attorney, Jay Stern, tried to trademark the name “Clarence Campbell’s” in 1999 and won the legal suit. The Daytona Beach Bike Race held its last official event in 2006 and since then it has been called the Biketoberfest, due to its status as an unofficial part of the fall cycling season. The last couple of years, however, have seen a rebirth of interest in the sport, especially since professional cycling came back in 2017. The organizers of Cc Speedway are determined to keep the name and make it an annual event. They have done everything from painting the bikes a different color to making a few visual changes here and there. But the main purpose is still to celebrate the life and legacy of Clarence Campbell and his involvement in promoting and protecting the rights of Americans who own bicycles. This coming weekend’s race will be known as the Clarence Campbell Grand Prix.
The Bonjoro: Still A Mystery
One of the great things about the Daytona Beach Bike Race is that we don’t know exactly when or if the Bonjoro will ever happen again. It’s a race that’s survived wars, economic depressions, and natural disasters. Now that we’re emerging from the last two years of our longest and deepest recession in history, the need for an event like the Bonjoro is becoming more urgent. That’s mainly because professional cycling has disappeared from the sports scene, due largely to the pandemic. But even before the pandemic, the sport was in decline. In 2016, there were only 12 races around the world. In 2011, there were 26. The last two years have seen a steep drop off, with only two races taking place in 2019. Even organizers of the event have admitted that they’re having trouble keeping it going. They’ve been trying to find alternative sources of revenue, such as renting out the infield to podcasters and other companies, in order to make ends meet. It’s pretty clear that, without any major sponsorship, the Bonjoro will have a hard time surviving. But it’s not yet certain whether Donald Trump’s repeated public insults towards cyclists will result in a boycott of the race by the American public or, if anything, whether it will even be held at all.
Rookie Haas Looking For Wins
The first and only time that the Bonjoro was canceled was back in 1974, following a 7.1 earthquake that hit Los Angeles and San Francisco. A lot has changed in the last 40 years and, while the need for the event may still exist, the logistics of holding it are certainly challenging.
One of the highlights of the last couple of years has been the resurgence of interest in bike racing among the millennials. In 2019 alone, bike racing grew by 22% compared to 2018 and that was mainly attributable to a 39% increase in adult participation. One of the main reasons for this spike in interest is that millennials are taking up cycling as a form of active transportation, rather than just a recreational activity. They see it as a way of connecting with nature and a way of moving around the city, which is great because California, along with the rest of the country, is experiencing an increase in both the number of cyclists and the number of accidents due to speeding and distracted driving. This trend is being touted as “green”, since bikes don’t emit as much as cars do. That’s mainly because, as a general rule, they’re driven less, which results in less pollution. All things considered, it’s great that the millennials are coming back to bikes, since it means that, eventually, the sport will be back to what it was originally designed for…to connect people with nature and with each other.
Watch This Weekend’s RACE Live!
This coming weekend, you have a choice. You can either spend your time waiting for the Bonjoro anxiously watching the TV or you can follow the live updates on Twitter. The organizers of the event have set up a special page for fans, which will have all the latest news and information about the race. It’s a good idea and it will help reduce the anxiety that some viewers might be feeling, since they’ll know what’s going on, even if the TV coverage is somewhat limited. As always, it’s important to remain calm and follow the rules – those who are anticipating the return of the race, as we are, will want to see it staged safely, whatever the circumstances.
On that note, here’s wishing all of you who are planning on attending the race, either live or via the TV coverage, the best of luck. And if you’re not, then we hope that you’ll at least consider coming along for the ride – the excitement is almost as much fun to watch as it is to be a part of.