Where were you last Saturday for the hill climb challenge?
Check my previous post in the racing forum
Mountain bike XC race series (yes, the epicsingletrack series is a XC race series) are fun. If you're racing beginner class then it'll be all the more fun. As you advance up to more advanced classifications then the competitive nature of those classes takes a 'bit of fun away from the race and replaces it with a more serious commitment to you preparation, performance and improvement. They're still fun, but with a more commited demeanor. See what I mean?
One thing you can do to really help yourself in these types of XC race series is to learn that these races are basically time trials. You go out hard from the start, find your legs and start pushing even harder. You end with everything you've got and hopefully that's a little faster than what you started with. So, practicing at hard/fast riding will help a lot to be successful in advancing to more competative classes.
Another thing you can do is to work on the technical aspects of riding. For example, knowing when to shift your weight back as you come upon an obstacle and blowing through it instead of slowing and going around it are important to staying fast and learning how to ride aggressively.
Finally, take the time to buy a book on Mountain Bike Racing. I've read
Mountain Bike Like a Champion and I have found lots of helpful hints and strategies.
I'm probably not going to continue the WP series because I'm already obligated to a team for the Summit Mountain Challenge in Summit County. I like the WP series because the first race is the hill climb. Hill climbs are fun.
Good luck