Devoted to the auto industry – builders to enthusiasts

Automobile manufacturer sponsorship of sporting events is nothing new. But  Japanese manufacturer, Suzuki Automotive, has decided to sponsor a unique national mountain bike series.

The circuit, which began in 2006, features the niche 24-hour endurance discipline and will feature races in California, Georgia, West Virginia, Vermont, Missouri, and Utah.

"Mountain bikers are people who live life to the fullest and don't just watch it go by," said Gene Brown, vice president of marketing and public relations, American Suzuki. "Suzuki Automotive's sponsorship of the 24-Hour Series was a natural match."

The event schedule: Temecula, CA, April 26-27; Conyers, GA., May 17-18; June 7-8, Hazelton, WV; July 26-27, Killington, VT; Blue Springs, NO, Sept. 20-21; Moab, UT, Oct. 11-12.

For more information on the national series and its new sponsorship, visit: www.grannygear.com.