"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Orange County Speedway Race Report 1/31/2009

It was 35 degrees when I left my house at 9:00 am. This should keep the candy asses away. By the time I got to the Orange County Speedway, my car was registering 33 degrees. Hell, I may ride by myself today. No such luck. I got to meet truckin, said something about a petting zoo, and registered for my races.

15 seconds -the 4/5 race.

41 riders were in the 4/5 race, one of the largest fields I’d ever been in. Things started fairly calmly, a few guys kept attempting to organize a break and kept getting caught on the back stretch when confronted with the headwind. I kept moving up to 7th or 8th and then dropping back to 20th or so. With about 10 laps to go, I noticed the field had let about 4 guys get maybe 40 feet and didn’t seem that motivated to go get them. I go. My one effort to try to join a break ended up with me cooking myself trying to latch on from 10 riders back. When it was my turn to pull I had not recovered enough to help in keeping it going. If only I could have had 15 seconds more to rest…

We were assimilated and I spent the next 6 laps in about 30th place. With 2 laps to go I was fairly rested and started moving up again. The last lap I went to the out side and made up 15 places without even really attempting a “sprint”.

11th. Crap. If I had known, I mighta/coulda have gotten a top 10…. Crap.


15 seconds - the Masters race.

I line up, note truckin’s position at the top of the track, knowing what was to come. I missed getting in my pedal and am off the back before the first turn. 15 seconds. I spend the next lap and a half trying to get back on. Heart rate is ballistic. truckin and “this other guy” almost have me lapped and I decide this race would be better watched from the stands.

Hopefully, truckin will report on his race.

Nice job. I'm still waiting to hear from a few of my teammates about this one. Sorry I missed it.

wanders, sorry- I've been ridiculously busy at work and only just now got to see your report.

Masters race: Eight guys lapped the field, then a couple of teammates and I took turns attacking the threat we saw in the field to wear him down. Succeeded at that. I pulled to keep the pace high for the last few laps, then sat up to watch my teammate take the sprint. Good stuff- team had 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th in the 30+ field.

P/1/2/3: Pretty much the same as masters- 10 or so lapped the field, then put in a bunch of attacks to wear guys down. I spent most of the last 20 min off the front. Got chased down once and went again, eventually got two teammates to bridge up and assist with pulls in the last 5 laps. Came through for what I thought would be the win only to find out that the guy on the outside, who I thought was a lap down, was on the lead lap. I thought I still had gotten it at the line, but tape showed he got it by an inch or so. It was a good workout nonetheless, and we won a fair bit of our own prize money, so we didn't have to pay too much out.

I thought I heard them say 47 in the 4/5 field. Either way, it was big.

I'll be out again this weekend, hopefully not getting dropped this time after an attack. I wish it was just 5s, I think I have a chance at doing some damage there, but with 4s who should be 3s it's really hard.

My goal is to practice moving up inside the pack instead of going outisde.

I wish it was just 5s, I think I have a chance at doing some damage there, but with 4s who should be 3s it's really hard.


Wanders is a 5 who came in 11th & my teammate is a 5 who came in 12th. Just sayin'.

Yeah, I'd just like to see what just 5s is like. These are my first races, and I wish I could start out a little slower.

I guess I'll get my chance soon enough at Wolfpack.

Yeah, I'd just like to see what just 5s is like. These are my first races, and I wish I could start out a little slower.

I guess I'll get my chance soon enough at Wolfpack.

I know avg speed doesn't usually mean a lot but since this was a flat oval track I'll say this. I was in races at Ace Speedway (same kind of track), 5's only, that had the same avg speed as this race. Don't plan on it being that much slower. Wanders, correct me if I'm wrong.

ljrichar is right, you can pedal full bore around the entire track at both OCS and Ace, your going to have higher avg. speeds, which mean little.

My first race at Dixie caught me unprepared for the intensity from the start and I was lapped several times. You learn, you adapt and do better - and only get lapped once. Then you stop getting lapped.... every time.

Just keep at it flatballer, you'll see.

Wanders is a 5 who came in 11th & my teammate is a 5 who came in 12th. Just sayin'.

Your teammate is a ******. All your teammates are ******s.

Except your team captain, of course :)

Excited for Saturday yet?

EDIT: Can't believe the boards censor "doosh"!

We were assimilated and I spent the next 6 laps in about 30th place. With 2 laps to go I was fairly rested and started moving up again. The last lap I went to the out side and made up 15 places without even really attempting a “sprint”.

11th. Crap. If I had known, I mighta/coulda have gotten a top 10…. Crap.


In my first three races, I didn't know when we were sprinting. Actually, one of those was a short TT in which I didn't even know where the finish line was. :o Cost me at least one place in each race, probably several in one with an uphill sprint where I thought the guys were trying to make a break - and that they were doing a pretty pathetic job, since I wasn't even having to get out of the saddle to follow their jumps. I still got tenth. Maddening! Good work, though - if you actually sprint, it'll go even better!

Your teammate is a ******. All your teammates are ******s.

Except your team captain, of course :)

Excited for Saturday yet?

EDIT: Can't believe the boards censor "doosh"!

Haven't seen you on here in a while. I'm ready to watch you crush the 4/5 race. Hopefully from right on your wheel. :thumb:

See you guys on Saturday.

First or last ;)

Haven't seen you on here in a while. I'm ready to watch you crush the 4/5 race. Hopefully from right on your wheel. :thumb:

I'll be happy just to be in the mix at the end. Been a while since I've had to ride hard. Hope I have something left for the other races...

So many people gonna be there this weekend. I'd love to meet everyone from here, but I have no idea how to tell who is who.

Bikes? Kits?

So many people gonna be there this weekend. I'd love to meet everyone from here, but I have no idea how to tell who is who.

Bikes? Kits?

I look amazingly like the guy in my avatar.

Different bike though, it's a white/black Irish Cycles frame with SRAM Red and 50mm Gigantex carbon tubies.

I'm one of the Triangle Velo guys- just ask any of us which one Keith is. I'll probably be on a black Moto Le Champ in the masters and p/1/2/3, but during the early race I'll be walking around organizing things.

Weather is still looking promising: currently still calling for a high of 64 on Sat. Should be very nice. Sun looks like 68, so I'm going to the mountains to do some climbing that day :)

Bikes? Kits?

I'll be the smallest guy in a Paceline kit (red & black), name is Lonnie. I look forward to meeting all the bfer's.

I'll be the smallest guy in a Paceline kit (red & black), name is Lonnie. I look forward to meeting all the bfer's.

There's a few of us from Pace line coming, mostly 5s but I'm a 4. Truckin', I was Landen's teammate on Inside Out last year.

Yeah, we met at the Asheville race- I know ya. Good stuff, see you tomorrow.

Figured I would just add on to this one instead of starting a new thread. 2nd race of the series was today. My first race (and 1st hard effort for that matter) of the year. I did not come in last, bout all I can say about that. I know Flatballer did better this time and my teammate & sometimes bf poster tommyrod came in top 10 in both CAT 4/5 & 3/4. One thing I'd like to note, truckin' is an f'n MONSTER. He won the Masters 30+, I think he lapped the field, and was OTF a lot in the Pro/1/2.

You should have done the Masters race.;)

Sorry I didn't get out to take some pictures. The weather was unbelievable.

Yeah, couldn't have asked for better weather. I was looking for you. Masters race = many dropped very soon. The 4/5 wasn't that bad but the field of 47 was really sketchy. By the time I made it to the front, I ate too much wind, got shuffled to the back, and had nothing at the end just rolling across the line. This race is not well suited for little people.

truckin' OTF.

And I just have to post the crazy ***** Wake Forest (RR) kits.

Those WF kits are AWESOME. I'm so envious. They remind me of Rock Racing, is that you meant by RR?

I got 29th/49. The list said 49 were in the 4/5, maybe some people didn't start? Either way, big field. It definitely seemed more sketchy than last week, dunno why. The pace got really hot at the end there, I've got a long way to go.

Once again my teammate Brian Sain did some damage. 2nd in the 4/5 and 3rd in the 3/4, after winning and placing top 5 last week. Crazy strong.

Those WF kits are AWESOME. I'm so envious. They remind me of Rock Racing, is that you meant by RR?

Yep.




I got 29th/49. The list said 49 were in the 4/5, maybe some people didn't start? Either way, big field. It definitely seemed more sketchy than last week, dunno why. The pace got really hot at the end there, I've got a long way to go.


In one week you went from, IIRC, lapped to a pack finish. That's a lot of progress for one week. You'll do great.

any women racin' out there today?

any women racin' out there today?

I don't recall seeing any.

Does anyone have a link to the Ace flyer that was on the windshields?

I don't recall seeing any.

Does anyone have a link to the Ace flyer that was on the windshields?

http://www.ncsccyclingassoc.com/images/UserFiles/calendar/File/09Ace.pdf

It's on the Carolina's Cycling Association calender on the website. Best place to find race flyers and race info.

so, what's the Ace races like? similar to the Orange County races? i don't want to be the only woman out there racin, but guess i gotta do what i gotta do...racin with the guys...hell, i only ride with guys, so it can't be too bad. :o

Thanks FB. When I looked yesterday they only had the first date posted w/ no link. Must have been in the process of updating.

so, what's the Ace races like? similar to the Orange County races? i don't want to be the only woman out there racin, but guess i gotta do what i gotta do...racin with the guys...hell, i only ride with guys, so it can't be too bad. :o

It's just like OCS but with a slightly longer track, more banking, & smoother surface. My team, Paceline Bicycles, will be out there a lot this year. There was woman on the BMW/Bianchi team who was at every race I did last season.

truckin' OTF.

Lonnie-

It was good to meet you- sorry I didn't have more time to chat when you introduced yourself. I appreciate the picture and the mention- I had a pretty good race in the 30+ (even though I'm not actually 30 yet- racing ages making me older than I really am and all that), and the team played the p/1/2 out well, taking the win, 4th, 6th, and 7th in that field. Overall, we won three of the races we put on between the two weekends.

Do you have any other pictures of me or other guys on Triangle Velo? I'm looking for something to put on our site and/or on flyers for future races we'll be hosting.

Thanks to everyone who came out- the weather was great, and we had not a single crash throughout both weekends.

Best,

truckin/Keith

It's just like OCS but with a slightly longer track, more banking, & smoother surface. My team, Paceline Bicycles, will be out there a lot this year. There was woman on the BMW/Bianchi team who was at every race I did last season.

Yep, Ace is a little longer and a lot smoother. The Ace series is a great way to get experience and race starts (and points) for moving up among categories 3/4/5.

wolfpack, you needn't worry about coming out and racing with the guys. You'll be fine gaining experience in the C race at Ace.

There aren't any weeknight races in the area that have women's only fields because there isn't enough demand for it, unfortunately. Even some weekend races, like our early season crits at OCS, don't hold a women's field because of the lack of demand. My gf came out for our first weekend, and she was the only girl in the 41 person 4/5 field.

We would hold a race for women if we could get even a few to come out and enter, but it hasn't happened this year or last in our early season races. The Sanford crit we do in April has just about every imaginable field, though, so be sure to come out for that one.

It's just like OCS but with a slightly longer track, more banking, & smoother surface. My team, Paceline Bicycles, will be out there a lot this year. There was woman on the BMW/Bianchi team who was at every race I did last season.

Yep, there's usually a woman or three.

Yep, Ace is a little longer and a lot smoother. The Ace series is a great way to get experience and race starts (and points) for moving up among categories 3/4/5.


Truth, Ace is a lot nicer surface.

Truth, Ace is a lot nicer surface.

nicer surface is for wussy.

***...dreaming of Dixie...***

Snuff, were you there Sat?

alright...i think i might come out and do some of these races. the surface can't be as nice as Lowes, can it? that track will spoil the **** out of you. :D

nicer surface is for wussy.

***...dreaming of Dixie...***

Right-hand turn and raised manhole covers FTW.

Snuff, were you there Sat?

Yeppers, I was the guy warming up on the rollers by the fence.

Yeppers, I was the guy warming up on the rollers by the fence.

I saw you. Wish I had known. I was sitting in the stands wondering why you looked so wobbly, then I realized you were going about 5 mph at the beginning.

Yeppers, I was the guy warming up on the rollers by the fence.

I see.

I see.

:lol: I didn't know who was who. Maybe next time I'll wear a name tag.

I also haven't been on my rollers in FOREVER, so the initial wobbliness was also due to getting the feel for them again.

wolfpack, the Ace pavement isn't *too* far off of Lowe's. Older and not as smooth (the levigation done a year or two ago at Lowe's made it very smooth), but Ace is just fine for the speeds bikes can achieve.