Strait Acres Showdown

Strait acres showdown
September 11-14, 2025

Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of gravity-fueled fun—Strait Acres Showdown is coming to Ride Rock Creek, September 11–14, 2025! Join us in Zirconia, North Carolina, for four days packed with racing, riding, and good times with the MTB community.

This year’s lineup includes the Michelin Bikes Ride Out, Red Bull Whip Off, Dual Slalom, and the Air DH Race. Plus, don’t miss the Dual Slalom Clinic on Friday, September 12, hosted by Kyle Strait and a special guest coach—an awesome chance to dial in your technique before you hit the gates.

Whether you’re here to race, watch, or just soak up the vibes, the Showdown is going to deliver. See you there!

Strait ACRES SHOWDOWN RACING

Michelin Ride Day

Thursday Sept 11, 2025

Join us for Michelin Ride Day at the park! First responders and the first 10 riders at the park get FREE park passes. We’ll have killer deals on Michelin tires, a raffle packed with prizes, and more fun throughout the day. In the evening, it’s Thursday Night Race League – Rock Creek edition (free entry with a shuttle pass) where you can throw down some laps with friends. After racing, kick back for a grill & chill with Kyle and Rachel Strait—good food, good vibes, and plenty of post-ride stories.

Dual Slalom Clinic

Friday, Sept 12, 2025 | Dual Slalom Track

Unlock your racing potential with our Race Academy. Designed for beginner to advanced riders (ages 12+), this clinic offers personalized coaching in a focused, small-group environment to improve your riding skills, form, and overall performance on the track. This clinic will be coached by Kyle Strait and Walker Shaw. Basic race experience is required (*Note you do not need to have ANY slalom race experience, just any mountain bike racing experience!) — this clinic is for those looking to learn how to race slalom, whether it’s your first time in the gate or you’ve competed before!

Best Whip

Friday, Sept 12, 2025 | Rodeo (adjacent to lake)

A “whip” is one of the most stylish moves on two-wheels. The maneuver consists of carving the lip of the jump and turning the bike as sideways as possible. The goal is getting fully sideways while still bringing it back straight for landing. It’s a tough skill to master and each rider will add their own personal style to their whip which makes the entire competition a treat to watch!

Red Bull Best Whip Page

Dual Slalom

Saturday, Sept 13, 2025 | Ride Rock Creek Race Finish Zone

A gated gravity competition where two competitors race head-to-head down two similar, but separate, courses. Following a qualification round, riders race against each other in an elimination format (heats) to determine a winner. Dual slalom courses often feature bermed corners, jumps, and other technical trail features.

Air dh

Sunday, Sept 14, 2025 | Ride Rock Creek Race Finish Zone

An Air Downhill race is a high-speed, jump-filled mountain bike race down a fast, flowy course. Riders compete individually against the clock, navigating a mix of berms, rollers, and tabletop jumps—combining downhill speed with some airtime. It’s all about speed, precision, and keeping it smooth from top to bottom.

Athlete registration

Athlete registration is now live! Use the link below to sign up for all events at the Strait Acres Showdown, including the Dual Slalom Clinic with Kyle Strait, Dual Slalom race, Air DH, and Best Whip. Registration closes ahead of the event—there will be no on-site registration, so don’t wait!

Pit SPace & VEndor space

Pit spaces are available for race teams & riders to have a tent/support set up in the premium pit space area of the parking zone.

Vendor spaces are available for industry members, local businesses, or companies looking to promote their products, raise awareness, and have a front-row-seat to the action all week long. These spaces will be located in the area with the highest foot traffic.

Event schedule

Want the full rundown of what’s happening all weekend? Click the link below for the complete event and race schedule—including the Michelin Ride Day, Dual Slalom Clinic with Kyle Strait, Red Bull Best Whip, head-to-head Dual Slalom racing, and the Air DH race. Don’t miss a moment!

Thursday, Sept 11, 2025

Park Open to the Public 10am-6pm

10:00am-6:00pm: Michelin Ride Day

5:00pm: Thursday Night Race League

6:30pm: BFGoodrich Grill & Chill with Kyle and Rachel Strait

Friday, Sept 12, 2025

Park Open to the Public 10am-6pm

10:00am-5:00pm: Packet Pick-up

10:00am-12:00pm: Track Walk Air DH

12:00pm-6:00pm: Open (A/B) Air DH Practice

10:00am-1:00pm: Dual Slalom Clinic

3:00pm-5:00pm: Strait Acres Dual Slalom Amateur and Pro Slalom Practice

5:00pm: Open Whip Off Practice (Rodeo Closed to Public ALL DAY)

5:30pm: Whip Off Finals begin

Awards After Last Finisher

Saturday, Sept 13, 2025

Park Open to the Public 10am-6pm

8:00 am – 12:00 pm Packet Pick-up at Ride Rock Creek (Air DH and Dual Slalom)

8:00 am – 10:00 am Strait Acres Dual Slalom Practice

10:15am – 11:30am Strait Acres Dual Slalom Qualifying

10:00am – 6:00pm: Open (A/B) Air DH Practice

12pm – 3:30pm Strait Acres Dual Slalom Amateur Finals *

3:30pm – Course Maintenance

4:00pm – 4:30pm Strait Acres Dual Slalom Pro/Open Practice

5:00pm – Finish Strait Acres Dual Slalom Pro/Open Finals

Awards After Last Finisher

*Schedule subject to change. Please stay close by in case events are moved up after Amateurs’ finals

Sunday, Sept 14, 2025
Park Open to the Public 10am-6pm

10:00am-11:00am: Group A Air DH Practice (Tumbleweed & Big Baby Closed to Public)
11:00am-12:00pm: Group B Air DH Practice (Tumbleweed & Big Baby Closed to Public)
12:15pm: Group A Air DH Seeding (Tumbleweed & Big Baby Closed to Public)

To Follow: Air DH finals starting with Group B (Tumbleweed & Big Baby Closed to Public)

Awards After Last Finisher

Volunteer SIgnup

Volunteers are the backbone of every great event—they help keep things safe, organized, and running smoothly while bringing the good vibes. Plus, there are some awesome perks for lending a hand! Sign up below and lock in your time slot.

Where to stay

At the heart of every small, southern town is hospitality, and folks in the Blue Ridge Mountains have their own wonderful way of welcoming everyone. In Hendersonville, you are sure to be treated with kindness – and maybe even cookies. With so many activities to fill your day, you will want a comfy place to rest at the end of it. Hendersonville has brand-name hotels, affordable motels, lavish resorts, comfortable B&Bs, RV & campgrounds, and any kind of vacation rental you can imagine (including cabins, cottages, tiny homes, downtown lofts, homes close to your favorite attraction, and even treehouses and geodomes)!

Preferred Lodging

WNC Mountain Rentals

WNC Mountain Rentals understand what makes a vacation home special for guests. We make it out business to find vacation rentals of the highest standard, and we go above and beyond in personal service to make every guest feel welcomed to the mountains of WNC.

Local Lodging

At the heart of every small, southern town is hospitality, and folks in the Blue Ridge Mountains have their own wonderful way of welcoming everyone.

Echo Mountain Inn

Echo Mountain Inn is the perfect place for you to stay in Hendersonville North Carolina. Whether you need a break from everyday life, a stop on your journey, or a place to enjoy one of the many events and attractions in the area, we’d love to host you. Let us become your home away from home.

Cabins, Camping & Rv Parks

Rock Creek Campground

122 W Rock Creek Rd, Zirconia, NC 28790

(828) 698-2581

Type: RV, Tent

Rate: Contact for rates

Amenities: Hookups, Water, Power, Bath house.

Proximity: .6 miles

Cold Spring Base Camp

125 Cold Spring Base Road, Zirconia, NC 28790

828-817-5258

Type: Cabins, Tent

Rate: Starting at $40/night

Amenities: rustic cabins, campsites, and a treehouse on a 38-acre property with private trails, a waterfall, and creeks. Amenities include picnic tables, fire rings with grills, water filters, and solar power.

Proximity: 5.9 miles

DuPont Bike Retreat

200 Glass Feather Dr Cedar Mountain, NC 28718

(828) 393-5655

Type: Cabins, Tent

Rate: Visit booking site for pricing.

Amenities: Hot tub, lodge porch, bike wash, outdoor shower, fire pits

Proximity: 9.4 miles

additional information

The main entrance gate will open each morning at 7 am and close each evening at 7 pm.
There is absolutely no overnight camping or parking permitted
No tents or setups will be allowed to stay set up overnight in the main parking area without pit space reserved. All parking is first come, first serve.
The bike park is open to ride Thursday-Sunday from 10am-6pm.
Please reach out to us if you have any event specific questions: info@riderockcreek.com

Strait acres showdown
September 11-14, 2025

Strait ACRES SHOWDOWN RACING

Michelin Ride Day

Dual Slalom Clinic

Best Whip

Red Bull Best Whip Page

Dual Slalom

Air dh

Athlete registration

Pit SPace & VEndor space

Event schedule

Volunteer SIgnup

Where to stay

Preferred Lodging

WNC Mountain Rentals

Local Lodging

Echo Mountain Inn

Cabins, Camping & Rv Parks

Rock Creek Campground

Cold Spring Base Camp

DuPont Bike Retreat

additional information

ride ROCK CREEK

Shop & Shuttle HOURS

Rental hours

Strait acres showdown September 11-14, 2025

Strait ACRES SHOWDOWN RACING

Michelin Ride Day

Dual Slalom Clinic

Best Whip

Red Bull Best Whip Page

Dual Slalom

Air dh

Athlete registration

Pit SPace & VEndor space

Event schedule

Volunteer SIgnup

Where to stay

Preferred Lodging

WNC Mountain Rentals

Local Lodging

Echo Mountain Inn

Cabins, Camping & Rv Parks

Rock Creek Campground

Cold Spring Base Camp

DuPont Bike Retreat

additional information

ride ROCK CREEK

Shop & Shuttle HOURS

Rental hours

Strait acres showdown
September 11-14, 2025