ADVENTURE SPORTS BY WINA STURGEON 6/25
TEST YOUR DRIVING---ON A RACE TRACK
Ever wanted to know how fast you could drive when you're pitted against other drivers? Now you have a chance to race---legally.
Winners Motorsports is open for kart racing. Don't sneer because it's not a Formula One car, kart racing is how Danica Patrick got her start. These little babies can go 55 mph, so you're not exactly poking along.
The Winners indoor race track is located at 1480 North, 2200 West, near the Salt Lake City airport. Take the 215 to get there, exit at 7th North. The owners say the experience is like Formula One racing---at least, as near as most of us will ever get. For more info, call them at (801) 359-RACE.
TOP CYCLIST GETS BANNED FOR TWO YEARS
Ivan Basso, who twice podiumed on the Tour de France and won last year's Giro d'Italia has been banned from the sport for two years after admitting that he took part in the blood doping scandal organized by a Spanish doctor.
While investigations have involved the names of some of the top cyclists in the world, Basso is the first to admit he took part. He has told reporters that he accepts his ban, but will not retire from the sport. He promises to continue to train, and will return, clean and in shape, in 2009.
Others who are suspected, but not yet proven guilty of blood doping, have retired. Among them is Jan Ullrich, who was kicked off his team and not picked up by any other team.
WOMEN'S DOWNHILL COMES TO ASPEN
Women World Cup downhillers have been neglected when it comes to racing in America, even though the men have been racing Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey at for years. The last time a World Cup women's downhill was held on U. S. soil was a decade ago, in 1997. Since then, women racers have had to go to Canada to race.
Now it's Aspen to the rescue.
There will be a women's downhill World Cup December 7th at Aspen. But---will the women get a chance to participate in the world famous Aspen night life after their race is done?
AMERICAN SKIING IS NO MORE
This column recently told you that the resort conglomerate American Skiing was unloading all but one of its resorts. Only Park City's "The Canyons" remained after years of losses by the corporation.
Now the company itself comes to an end.
American Skiing is closing down as a corporation. The Canyons is going to one of the major shareholders of American Skiing; Oak Hill Capital Partners.
Spokespeople from The Canyons say that skiers and snowboarders won't see any difference in the resort this year. However, staffers are a little worried. Oak Hill says that they will begin laying off people at the resort before it opens for business in late fall.