Congrats to "The Fog" for a downright fast race and great show. Training does pay off as the youngsters get a smack down. .

The EPO Racing Club, EllCYPOCROFF, or Education Program Off-road if you want to call it, began back in 2003. 

Slappy McDuner, founder of the EPO Racing Club, was chatting on line at Glamisdunes.com when he came across a thread that was titled “What quad is better in the dunes, the Banshee or the Honda 250R?”  Although there were many threads that placed bike against bike throughout the bulletin board, this particular topic was a concern to Slappy.  Why? 

Because the discussion quickly turned into rider against rider and not bike against bike.  The jabs and cracks from one person to another were getting hot and heavy.  “I’ll smoke your 250R through the dunes with my 34” carbs and Toomey piped Banshee” said one of the posters.  “My 250R handles so much better than your piece of **** Banshee, you’ll be eating nothing but my dust on your oversized couch” came another post.  Then, before you knew it, a whole herd of posters came in claiming they would smoke all of them on their CR500, Sandrail, 250R three wheeler, Odyssey, 400ex’s, and the list goes on.  You name the bike; it was showing up in the thread. 

In reality, they would never know who was the fastest.  Racing the hill was unfair; built Banshees and CR500’s would smoke most everything.  Racing through the dunes wasn’t fair because following the leader would be far too complicated and dangerous; one quick left or right and the rest of the pack would get split.  Point to point wouldn’t work, not many people know the specific landmarks and safety becomes a big factor. 

How can this work?  Well, Slappy knew.  A designed course through the dunes, motocross style, with all aspects of duning:  Transitions, bowls, drops, jumps, straights, flat turns, off-cambers, and G-outs.  It would be only you against the clock.  This would be the stage for the EPO contestants.  A grass roots, RUN-WHAT-YA-BRUNG event.  This would decide who is better.

Now, there was just one problem.  How do you get all these smack talking members to show up and test themselves against each other without having all the world know what was going on?  There was just one answer; invite only.  So, Slappy set out to find the members that were smack talking the most, and also the ones determined and confident to that they would smoke their buddy in the dunes.  The Golden Ticket was your invitation.  Anybody at any time might see one in their PM box.  A small list began, The Golden Tickets were sent out, and the first EPO was created. 

Because Slappy McDuner was an off-roading, nature loving fool, he wanted to incorporate the Glamis wildlife into the EPO program.  Very simple; the course would transition through bushes, shrubs, trees, and cones.  However, a 5 second penalty would be added to the members’ final time for each cone or bush hit.  This little tactic by Slappy was designed to teach EPO members to steer clear of the bushes, learn better bike control, and wildlife awareness; a duning education if you will. 

Slappy went one step further; each EPO member would be given pictures of wildlife with information pertaining to it.  A class in wildlife education; become a better duner; all the while having a great time.