7:30 am
REGISTRATION
Discounted registration expires 2 weeks prior to race date
Online registration closes the Thursday before the race, midnight
Day-of entry fees: END $75 / PRO $70 / ADULT XC $65 / U19 XC $50, CASH ONLY
SCHEDULE
8:45 am Endurance start
9:00 am Pro / Cat 1 start
11:30 am Cat 2 start
1:00 pm Cat 3 start
Registration / check-in* CLOSES 30 minutes prior to each event
*All pre-registered racers must check in
MASS BIB
Don't forget your 2026 Series Number Plate if you have picked it up at any prior MASS race this season!
(plates from 2025 CANNOT be reused).
ADDRESS
Fair Hill NRMA Parking Lot #4 - GALLAHER ROAD Parking Area
483 Gallaher Road, Elkton, MD 21921
Wrong Lot = Long Walk!
Fair Hill has several parking areas. Double check GPS is set to GALLAHER ROAD parking area.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Please sign up on the Reg page sooner than later.
Results available online at Mid Atlantic Super Series.
Woohoo, we've escaped Granogue and are ready to deliver a DYNAMITE time at the 3rd annual Fair Hill Firecracker, Saturday July 11th!
That's right! The producers of the Fair Hill Spring Fever, Big Elk Off Road, and legendary Escape Granogue & Granogue Classic Rewind have teamed up to ignite an adrenaline-pumping day of action-packed racing at the Gallaher Rd Event Grounds at Fair Hill.
Although the fuse went out with Granogue, we’re bringing the same POP - SIZZLE - WOW that you’ve come to expect from our events. It’s gonna be lit! Get ready for a rockin’ tent row, hunger-satisfying morsels from The Tricycle Truck, toe-tapping beats, fiery competition, sparkling camaraderie and lots of good cheer!
Whether you're a seasoned racer or just looking for a good time, all abilities are welcome! Spectators too. Pack your camp chair, bring your best cheering voice, show off your racing skills (or lack thereof) and join us for a day with a family-friendly atmosphere with plenty of good vibes.
We've got a super fun course, the trails are maintained regularly, and the course is fast and flowy. Think more YIPPEE-KI-YAY and less $@#&! It’s a piece of cake compared to Granogue and has less climbing - no Chuck Norris skills required!
The Firecracker is part of the Mid Atlantic Super Series (MASS), the premier mountain bike race series of the region. One does not have to be part of the series to participate, but series racers earn points for end-of-season champion jerseys and awards - bragging rights included! If you'd like to join the series, visit masuperseries.com for more info.
Be sure to score some race swag! Show off your red, white and blue as we follow the 4th of July holiday with a spirited design on a super comfy, cotton/poly blend, high quality T-shirt. If you want a shirt and can’t make the event, go ahead and purchase online before reg closes and I’ll be happy to ship it to you, if you cover shipping cost.
Let’s light it up! Family, friends and spectators welcome! Dogs, too, on leash if you clean up after Fido. Set up your camp chair or blanket under the tree in the podium area and make it a day!
Get your sparkle on - it's going to be an absolute BLAST!
Now who's ready for an EPIC day of racing?
Your fiery friends,
Heather, Tom, John
www.bikereg.com/firecracker
www.RaceFairHill.com (redirects to the BikeReg.com page, but a little easier to remember)
START LOCATION & PARKING
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Parking Lot #4 (483 Gallaher Road, Elkton, MD 21921) also known as the Gallaher Road Parking Lot.
Caution - Fair Hill has several parking areas! Make sure you have selected directions to the Gallaher Road Parking Lot.
COURSE MAP
Trail Forks Map https://www.trailforks.com/route/mass-firecracker-mtb-race-course/
A .gpx file and a pdf map are posted under “downloads”.
REGISTRATION
On-site registration will open at 7:30am and close 30 minutes prior to each event.
ON-SITE DAY-OF-REGISTRATION ADDITIONAL COST:
Day of entry fees: END $75 / PRO $70 / ADULT XC $65 / U19 XC $50 - CASH ONLY, please, so we can get you registered quickly.
Sign up early online and save!
The online registration discount price will expire two (2) weeks prior to the race. With the EXCEPTION of Endurance and Juniors, all ADULT and PRO classes WILL INCREASE $5.
Fair Hill charges a $3 per racer venue fee. This is in addition to the regular permit fee required for Fair Hill that we cover. The registration price displayed includes the $3 racer fee.
Registration prices displayed include the BikeReg.com platform service & processing fees. These are not new fees. They have always been there but prior to this year, they were not displayed until check-out on the payment page. Races outside of the state of Maryland races will display the platform fees only once you’ve placed the item in your shopping cart. We have exactly the same platform fees as the other races, it’s just that several states, like Maryland, recently enacted new “Fee Transparency Laws” which require the advertised price (reg page price) to match the total price participants will pay at check-out.
Make sure your BikeReg.com profile auto-fills your CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESS, please. We will be using that email address to communicate valuable event information to you.
Each racer will receive an email confirmation upon registering with important information. If you don't receive this, there's your first clue your email address was entered incorrectly.
RACING AGE
For ALL RACERS, yes that means JUNIORS TOO, Racing Age is determined by how old you will be this coming New Year's Eve, December 31st. Can't make it simpler than that!
For classes like U19 (Under 19), the racer CANNOT turn 19 in the current race year. Same for U15 (Under 15), the racer CANNOT turn 15 in the current year. Parents, please take note of this when registering your juniors for races. So remember, just ask yourself, how old will you (or your junior) be this New Year's Eve? Voila! That's your racing age.
This seems to trip up people, so here is an example:
Billy Bob Racer, DOB 12/02/1975, your RACING AGE IS 51 even though you are only 50 on event date.
Sally Sue Junior Racer, DOB 9/14/2012, your RACING AGE IS 14, even though you are only13 on event date.
SCHEDULE
Endurance › Registration Opens: 7:30am | Race Start: 8:45am
Expert / Pro / Cat 1 › Registration Opens: 7:30am | Race Start: 9:00am
Sport / Cat 2 › Registration Opens: 9:30am | Race Start: 11:30am
Beginner / Cat 3 › Registration Opens: 10:45am | Race Start: 1:00pm
Note: Registration closes 30 minutes prior to each event. All races will follow a mass start format. Age-groups within each race will be dispatched in 2-minute increments.
PRIZES AND PAYOUTS
The payout schedule for most MASS races can be found here MASS Cash Payouts*. We have some pretty awesome medals for the other Cat 1-3s.
Endurance: in order to be considered for the podium in endurance, you must race for a MINIMUM of 4 hours. You have until the timing clock reads 3:59 to head out for your final lap.
*For all cash fields, a minimum of 6 starters to payout 3 deep, a minimum of 3 starters to payout first place. The race director reserves the right to not pay more than 50% of the field.
WEATHER & RAIN DATE
Zip code 21921 for your weather app. This is a light rain or shine event. In the event of postponement, an announcement will appear on the MASS website by 6:00pmthe night before the race. We will also contact all registered racers using the email address provided on your registration - make sure it's accurate.
The rain date is the following Saturday. All registrations will automatically carry over to the rain date. No action necessary on your part,
REFUNDS / TRANSFERS
The event has a NO REFUND POLICY. Make sure that you have no scheduling conflicts BEFORE you register.
In the event of postponement or cancellation, registration fees will not be refunded by the event organizer unless you have purchased the $6 Refund Insurance with your entry fee. This optional purchase is offered under “EVENT ITEMS.” BikeReg.com platform fees and the insurance fee are not refunded.
NO INSURANCE = NO REFUND if we have to postpone or cancel the event.
Refund Insurance IS A SMART PURCHASE for those who know they CANNOT make the rain date!
You are allowed to TRANSFER your entry to someone else, before online registration closes, for the original transaction entry amount. You must coordinate with your replacement, who can choose any category in the event, and your replacement pays the difference in price of entry fee, if applicable. (No refund if they register for a lower-cost entry; ie an adult transferring to a junior). And perhaps they’ll reimburse you for the original amount - that is to be worked out between you and them.
RULES
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MASS Race Rules can be found HERE. This includes information regarding series rules, determining your racing age/category and upgrade policy.
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MASS Rules apply to all races.
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No e-bikes.
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Helmets must be worn at all times while riding, including warm ups.
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No earbuds permitted during pre-ride or races.
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No course pre-riding during races.
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Any rider littering the course with food packages or waste will be disqualified.
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NO ALCOHOL is permitted within park property.
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Endurance: in order to be considered for the podium, cash prizes or awards in Endurance, you must race a MINIMUM of 3 laps total.
NO WATER PROVIDED - BRING YOUR OWN
You must provide your own water. It will be hot, you will be thirsty. Even if you are just doing one lap, you will need to HYDRATE so bring water with you. You will drink more than you think.
FOOD VENDOR
Someone new! Waffle'n Joe! Sweet and savory options and artisanal coffee! Offering a variety of open-faced sandwiches served on a rosemary waffle and cooked to perfection.
Waffle'n Joe | Elkton MD | Facebook
Waffle'n Joe (@wafflenjoe) • Instagram photos and videos
PRE-RIDES
The park is open to the public. You may ride during their open hours. We may or may not hold guided rides. If you are interested in leading a ride, please let us know. There will be no pre-riding or warming up on the course during any race. If found doing so, racers are subject to disqualification with no refund. Please be off the course by 8:45am on the day of the event.
NO CAMPING
There is no overnight camping. See here for Fair Hill Rules. The race directors are not campers. Please use the web to search, not our inbox.
TEAM TENTS
We’ll have a suggested area designated for tents along both sides of the course along the gravel road between the Finish and the Start. On one side, vehicles will be allowed with your tent. You will have to cross the course with your vehicle to access this area, so please arrive before the first race starts, 9am. Once you are on this side, we ask that your vehicle remains until no more racers (ie Endurance or Cat2s) are headed out for their next lap. Since Cat 2 starts at 11:30a, I would estimate by 1pm all Cat2s have passed the vehicle crossing area.
On the opposite side, (where the registration tent and the podium are), there will also be team tents, but no vehicles allowed on this side, so as not to clutter the festival area, dude! You can easily drop off your gear and walk it into position, then park in general parking.
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FEED ZONE
Feed zone will be along tent row, either side of course, as you choose. This is the section of course between the finish line and the start. You are also welcome to leave bottles elsewhere, if you choose. However, we ask that you do not use the area just before the finish, so you don’t potentially jam up racers in a battle to the finish line. See Tent Row map above.
T-SHIRTS
Pre-ordered T-shirts can be picked up at the registration tent or purchased on-site. To ensure you get your preferred size, pre-ordering is strongly recommended on BikeReg.com. If you'd like to snag one of these sweet T's but can’t make the event, go ahead and purchase online before registration closes and I’ll be happy to ship it to you if you cover shipping cost.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Professional photography by First Place Photo. Link to photos to be emailed to you after the race.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
DELAWARE ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALISTS
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