Chicago Area Mountain Bikers
Palos Meltdown Mountain Bike Race Becomes Part of Illinois Homegrown Race Series
CAMBr Joins 5 Other Illinois Off-road Cycling Clubs to Form New Series of 9 Mountain Bike Races

CHICAGO, January 22, 2010 – The Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (“CAMBr”) (South Chapter) is proud to announce that the Palos Meltdown Mountain Bike Race, to be held on August 22, 2010 in Willow Springs, Illinois, has become part of the Illinois Homegrown Race Series, a mountain bike series previously known as the “I-74 Homegrown Race Series”.
CAMBr will join five other off-road cycling clubs throughout Illinois, which together expand the IHRS, to establish a series of nine mountain bike races in Illinois locations, including: Peoria, Moline, Metamora, Brimfield, Willow Springs (Chicago), Danville, Hudson, Washington, and also Davenport, Iowa. Some of the Series’ races will be sanctioned by the USA Cycling organization (USAC).
“Our goal is to provide a local alternative to the DINO (Indiana) and WORS (Wisconsin) series races,” said Burak Balkuv, President of CAMBr South. “We believe that Illinois racers prefer to race closer to home, in their own home state, and in support of their own state’s economy.”
IHRS is organized by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers, to provide a competitive, yet fun, racing series, sporting a laid-back style coupled with friendly competition. Illinois is blessed with fantastic single-track in several locations, all of which will prove a fun challenge to racers of all ages and skill levels.
“This has truly been a grassroots effort,” Balkuv said. “We have listened to our members, who have requested inclusion into an organized racing series right here in Illinois, as well as more local riding options.”
“CAMBr continues to connect and expand the Illinois riding and racing communities,” said Nancy Fallon-Houle, Director of Special Events for CAMBr South. “We look forward to expanding the Palos Meltdown Race, and providing increased value to race participants and to our CAMBr members.”
The Illinois Homegrown Mountain Bike Race Series will kick off on April 11, 2010 with the Sylvan Island Stampede, and will continue through September 26, 2010 with the Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association’s Farmdale Festival. (See list of race dates )
On January 4, 2010, CAMBr South board members applied for permits for the Palos Meltdown Mountain Bike Race, and received oral approval for them. Stay tuned for the latest news and information on this exciting race and race series.