Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - keirin drama at t-town

http://www.eriksaunders.com/images/Crash2.wmv

I posted this in the track forum, but thought you all might like to see it as well. Definitely more interesting than the "VFP" video.

flythebike found this yesterday on cycling news.....

USA Cycling hands down suspensions for bad conduct
By Mark Zalewski

The Morning Call of Allentown, PA reported on Wednesday that Andy Lakatosh, Marty Nothstein and Leigh Barczewski have been suspended by USA Cycling resulting from a June 10 incident during a keirin race at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. Lakatosh reportedly grabbed Jame Carney's handlebars, causing Carney to crash following the final race of the KidsPeace Bicycle Racing League Finals. It was observed that Lakatosh's actions were retaliation for earlier actions by Carney that caused another rider, Ben Barczewski (Leigh's son), to crash.

At the time, race officials disqualified Carney and Lakatosh from the event. However, Carney filed grievances with USA Cycling against the four race officials, as well as against Ben Barczewski, his father/coach Leigh Barczewski, Marty Nothstein and Mike Grabowski. The officials, along with Nothstein, were charged with collusion for disqualifying Carney because of the crash. Nothstein serves as the velodrome's COO and Director of Cycling Operations. The charges against the officiating crew and Grabowski were eventually dismissed.

USA Cycling CEO Gerard Bisceglia told the Morning Call that Lakatosh's suspension is until January 2006 and that Ben Barczewski was issued a reprimand for a verbal confrontation with Carney. Nothstein received a two-month suspension, beginning in September, for violating USA Cycling's Code of Conduct.

"It was probably the strangest hearing we've ever had," said Sean Farrell, the technical director for USA Cycling. "I've never seen that many complaints go out at once, and all in one direction. Most of it came up as insufficient evidence. The majority of the people had their charges dismissed for lack of verifiable evidence." Lakatosh filed a grievance against Carney for physically confronting him after the initial incidents, but that charge was dismissed, according to Farrell, because of Lakatosh's prior transgression. Leigh Barczewski and Nothstein were cited for a section of the USA Cycling code of conduct that includes verbal and physical abuse.

USA Cycling investigator Randy Shafer did not review the video tape of the Ben Barczewski crash. No grievance was filed by Barczewski against Carney for that incident. "The video wasn't being used for Carney/Barczewski... as part of the investigation as to whether or not the officials' call was right that night," Farrell explained. "The video was used for Carney/Lakatosh. I think, regardless of what anyone thinks about what happened on the track with Carney/Barczewski, USA Cycling cannot let retaliation be allowed."

Shafer originally suggested a three-month suspension for Lakatosh, but Bisceglia lengthened that suspension. "I want to make sure that everyone understands that behavior of this type, to intentionally pull down a rider, is not tolerated by USA Cycling, no matter what the reason," Bisceglia said.

wow, that's vicious

Pretty messed up.

But really the highlight was at about 6:45 when we're supposed to be watching the confrontation occurring on the infield, but front and center is a lady racer caught slightly indelicate.

Oops!

Who was the guy that was swerving all over the place earlier? Was that Carney? If not, what did he do that was so wrong? It didn't look like he intentionally caused that guy to crash, did it?

I don't know which riders are which, but if you watch closely, you'll see that the rider on the high side of the track keeps coming down and bumping shoulders with other riders, presumably trying to break into the paceline.

I believe this is acceptable Keirin behavior, though I could see it being one of those things that you do but don't abuse. If you're jockeying for position, it's ok to bump and push a little. This was a little more like a ram...only a not so hard ram.

Anyhow, the rider that swerved got fed up with it and took a little run at him to get some breathing room, throwing himself into the swerve in the process.

But really the highlight was at about 6:45 when we're supposed to be watching the confrontation occurring on the infield, but front and center is a lady racer caught slightly indelicate.
Oops!

I wasn't sure if that was a lady racer or a guy in a kilt a la 165, so I pretended I didn't see it.

Pretty sure that one is a lady, though the last two times that I've been at T-Town there has been a kilt-wearing Scottish racer. He strips down to bike shorts just before he races - seems like a crowd favorite.

I'm still not sure how Nothstein fits into all of this. And on a somewhat side note, good god that guy is so incredibly fast. It's amazing to watch.

Marty got into a physical confrontation with Jame, which I hear is not really out of character for him (Marty). How nice- dressed in his suit, representing the velodrome, attacking a rider in front of dozens of junior racers in the infield. It was the BRL (bicycle racing league) finals that night, and all these new riders and their parents got a fine introduction to the sport.
I have heard that Marty was fired because of this, also heard that he is on "special assignment".

Ah the whole thing stinks.

I think Barczewski and Kerkhoff were the ones really slamming around during the race, with Barczewski on the bottom getting that last hit on Kerkhoff at around 2:20

I really didn't see Carney do anything wrong in the Barczewski crash, Barczewski was edging up on Carney and clipped his rear wheel then went down. Barczewski looked like an out of control jerk at 2:22 slamming into Kerkhoff. As the commentators said (I think) that was definitely a retaliatory hit, nothing to do with jockeying for position. Lakatosh was pissed that Carney had something to do with his son's crash, so decided to topple him after the race. Sounds and looks like a family of jerks from this incident.

Can't believe this crap happened at the KidsPeace Bicycle Racing League Finals.

What confuses me is why someone would ruin their carreer for a days wage.
I read stories ocaisionaly about someone who was fired from a $50G job for 'stealing' a few hundred in vouchers. Why? What were they thinking?

Wow. That's so crazy. What a bunch of a*sholes.

that bar pull was intense

I like having Don around. This is good stuff. Thanks Don!

bush league track racers are soooo cool!
yeah i know they're all faster than i could ever hope to be, but it is all that cut throat?

Maybe the sloped circular track reminded one participant of his childhood when his mother was a professional roller derby queen for the Bay City Bombers. :rolleyes:

yeah, that would traumatize satan himself

I like that it was "KidsPeace Bicycle Racing League Finals". . .oooohhhh sweet irony!