"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Race Report 2.2.08: Orange County Speedway

I raced today - enjoyed beautiful 60 degree sunny weather in scenic Rougemont, NC, site of the 2nd Saturday speedway race of 2008. The Tar Heels of UNC were well represented with 5 riders in the 3/4 race (field of over 30 riders). I guess I sort of counted as a Tar Heel for the race, since I haven't gotten my Inside Out team kit yet and was wearing Heels garb.

The 3/4 race got off to a decently fast start; some early half-hearted breaks were quickly reeled in, including one that I was in. About 15 minutes into the race two very strong guys, one of whom was my Inside Out teammate, attacked, and were joined by Shawn, an NC State rider. I couldn't get on it initially and ended up spending 4 or 5 agonizing laps soloing up to the break. Once I got there, we worked together well and lapped the field. I spent the rest of the race sitting in, during which time 3 other guys got around (unfortunately). I totally blew the finish, when I was supposed to be sweeping my teammate's wheel I just got boxed in and ended up 6th. Apparently he didn't need any sweeping anyway, since he won the sprint.

The 1/2/3 race started right afterward with a field of 28, a dangerous 3-man group attacked early, and I got into a 6-man chase group. Both groups ended up lapping the field and I just chilled and helped chase things down for a while after that. I was forced to set my ego aside when a group of 8 attacked again later, 7 of whom had already lapped. Since 2 of my cat 2 teammates were in the group, I couldn't chase. But I did hold on for 8th at the final sprint, with a little help from a UNC teammate.

So that's 2 successful breaks and 2 top tens in one day of racing: not a bad result, I must say. A conspicuous absence at the track was Snuffleupagus - hopefully his knee surgery went well!!!

I wish I coulda been there man! This couch sitting stuff sucks. I'm hoping I can hit a few races around April before I get cut again. Then a full on assault on the end of season races, and of course cyclocross shenanigans.

Way to race aggressively - you pulled the same results today as I did last week (6th and 8th). Did any teams come out in force this week that didn't show last week?

yeah dude, app state had a ton of people there. most of them are on my uscf team, actually. other than that it was mostly the same guys as last week.

I wish I coulda been there man! This couch sitting stuff sucks. I'm hoping I can hit a few races around April before I get cut again. Then a full on assault on the end of season races, and of course cyclocross shenanigans.

Way to race aggressively - you pulled the same results today as I did last week (6th and 8th). Did any teams come out in force this week that didn't show last week?

dude your having 2 surgeries on one knee that's already surgified?

dude your having 2 surgeries on one knee that's already surgified?

Yep. It's good old fashioned fun. Ish.

Nice work Saturday, Quentin. We had some fun in the A race, although because I didn't find out about your chase group lapping behind us I completely mismanaged the finish. The TT was good too. We had a spread of 5 seconds from first to 4th (15:54-15:59). I was 5th at 16:14 with my TT bike but no aero gear to speak of, so that's my excuse for not being right in that group. Need to get faster on the TT bike, but I suspect wheels might help a bit with that.

Nice work Saturday, Quentin. We had some fun in the A race, although because I didn't find out about your chase group lapping behind us I completely mismanaged the finish. The TT was good too. We had a spread of 5 seconds from first to 4th (15:54-15:59). I was 5th at 16:14 with my TT bike but no aero gear to speak of, so that's my excuse for not being right in that group. Need to get faster on the TT bike, but I suspect wheels might help a bit with that.

How long was the TT? I need some goals to visualize :) Being only 20 seconds off the pace, without dialed in equipment I'd chalk a lot of your loss up to positioning and equipment. Who was 1st through 4th?

TT was eight miles, or perhaps slightly shy of that. 22 laps at OCS. I think my position is fairly decent, but could certainly be better optimized. Wheels and a full aero helmet I think would make a big difference, too.

Given that my best effort in the couple of monthly 10 mile (hilly, which I'm good at) TTs I did last year was more than a minute slower than DP's time for the same TTs, and here I was 19 seconds off of a shorter, flatter TT, I think I've improved a bit. Still need more though.

A guy named Elliott, whom I don't know, was 15:54. DP 15:55, not sure who 3rd was, and then Shetler in 4th, then the gap back to me.

well all of y'all except the winner raced the A race right before that, so I bet you'd have gotten slightly better times if you had been fresh.

A guy named Elliott, whom I don't know, was 15:54. DP 15:55, not sure who 3rd was, and then Shetler in 4th, then the gap back to me.

Elliott is a pretty strong time trialist. IIRC he won the state CAT3 40k in 2007. He rode with C4 in 2006, and rides with Simple Green now. I think he focuses mostly on TTs...doesn't want to get mangled in a field sprint :)

DP is who?

EDIT: Crap, 30 freaking miles per hour for 8 miles? Anyone want to buy a lightly used Fuji TT bike :eek:

There were 4 people over 30mph? Are you sure it was 8 miles? regardless congrats.

It may have been slightly shy of eight miles- the "official" track length is 0.375 mi; we did 22 laps, which would make it 8.25 miles. However, bikes run a shorter line than cars since we stay right down on the white line (though the faster riders had to ride high a fair amount to pass the slower riders while staying out of the draft). The best time I know of for this distance was a 15:37 last year, also set by one of the guys who was in the top four Saturday.

Assuming the distance is pretty close to 8 miles, the top four were above 30 and I was just below it. Remember, this is a flat, circular TT on a racetrack so it's relatively easy to hold good speed. Not the same as Ft. Bragg, Snuff :)

I emailed one of those four to find out what distance he recorded for his run. I'll post it when I hear back from him.

It may have been slightly shy of eight miles- the "official" track length is 0.375 mi.
I had some buddies doing these races last year. Seems to me I recall some debate about track length. Lemme see if I can google it up.

Ah, here it is:

The lowest white line is measured to .31 of a mile per lap.

Hmm, that doesn't make sense either, since Derek Powers certainly TTs at faster than 25.6mph ...

Yeah, I know- I had 0.31 as the line measurement as well. But then the times make no sense. We'll see what Derek recorded when I hear back from him.

Well, Derek didn't measure the distance on Saturday, so no answer on that.