Great Lakes - Beloit is looking to be a fun day...

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/USIL1102?dayNum=9

Oh goodie

htfu?
But if I remember I raced in short sleeves there last year.

Tough to be an early starter but the afternoon shouldn't be too bad.

Forecasts at this range are about 99% worthless anyway.

Forecasts at this range are about 99% worthless anyway.

I thought that there was a slim chance that since they are calling for rain 10 days from now, that maybe it'll be 70 and sunny.

Why is there a race in Beloit?!?

Why is there a race in Beloit?!?

Because there's a race track there.

Because there's a race track there.

Actually...South Beloit. It's in Illinois.

Because there's a race track there.

And it's not like the streets of Chicago. It is completely pothole free and smooth like a babies behind.

This is a crit on an oval track? A track race on a UCI standard bit of tarmac? what?

This is a crit on an oval track? A track race on a UCI standard bit of tarmac? what?

Do you need some assistance? (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=spring+super+crit)

:thumb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNOELcoLGSk

you're racing at blackhawk farms? cool! i spectated at a driving school there once, neat track. Saw a guy spin in front of the bleacher i was sitting in and bounce up onto a tire wall...

Tis only my 2nd race...i had to enter a 4/5...my goal is to not die. If i finish ahead or with a 4, i'm happy. If i finish in front of many 5's, i'm happy.

Tis only my 2nd race...i had to enter a 4/5...my goal is to not die. If i finish ahead or with a 4, i'm happy. If i finish in front of many 5's, i'm happy.

If you can hang longer than one lap with the field than you've already done better than me last year.
It was fast and furious. First lap my avg. was in the 26mph.

If you can hang longer than one lap with the field than you've already done better than me last year.
It was fast and furious. First lap my avg. was in the 26mph.

My first race came a few weeks after finals/graduation and i hadn't really ridden. According to bikejournal, which i think i had been keeping up to date, i had ridden a grand total of 160 miles on the road before the Winfield Twlight Crit. I finished 25th out of 32, i missed getting lapped by 1 lap. All in all, given the circumstances, i was happy with that.

I also learned that if you're huffing and puffing, and you miss the break, don't try and get it...no one will come, and you will get slung OTB faster than you think.

The twilight crit was fun too. Nasty little incline on the back stretch it was. At that race I was actually able to hang until the last lap where I was dropped at that stupid incline.

And it's not like the streets of Chicago. It is completely pothole free and smooth like a babies behind.

Blackhawk Farms? A smooth track?

Compared to streets it is smooth. Small bumps on the street are huge bumps on a race track. As a racetrtack, Blackhawk is a bumpy track. Car teams used to do testing at the track for their street (bumpy) course set ups (Michael Andretti is rumored to have done a 49 second lap time). I have been racing (motorcycles) at Blackhawk since 1991. The fast race line tends to avoid the larger bumps. Cars tear up the track over time. I actually don't like the layout, one of my least favorite tracks.

Blackhawk Farms? A smooth track?

Perhaps compared to streets it is smooth. Compared to race tracks, Blackhawk is a bumpy track. But things are different when riding a motorcycle doing times in the 1:18 range (about 88mph ave). I have been racing at Blackhawk since 1991. Cars tear up the track over time. I actually don't like the layout, one of my least favorite tracks.

Compared to Hallett Raceway in OK, BHF is smooth. :)
I've raced my car on BHF and Hallett. Hallett had some nasty bumps and turtles would cross the track as well. I've never raced on Road America, so I can't tell.

Compared to Hallett Raceway in OK, BHF is smooth. :)
I've raced my car on BHF and Hallett. Hallett had some nasty bumps and turtles would cross the track as well. I've never raced on Road America, so I can't tell.

Blackhawk is better since the last repave, but it is getting worse (again). Blackhawk has turtles also, deer and other small critters too. Never been to Hallett so can't compare. Did you drive on Blackhawk with the cement patches?

Road America is smoother, but the pavement has been torn up in some corners making them interesting on 2 wheels. I have also ridden the track on a bicycle (Tour de Road America in August). It actually has elevation changes. One of my favorite tracks.

Worst part of Blackhawk is the layout, it is flat, boring and no flow to it.

Road America, VIR, Barber, Grattan, JenningsGP (motorcycle only) are some tracks with great layouts.

Blackhawk is better since the last repave, but it is getting worse (again). Blackhawk has turtles also, deer and other small critters too.

Deer you say?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyxqTYlW1FM

Timmy:
Which 4/5race you doing? 8:15 start of the later one?

Timmy:
Which 4/5race you doing? 8:15 start of the later one?

The later one.

I thought that there was a slim chance that since they are calling for rain 10 days from now, that maybe it'll be 70 and sunny.

It's already working. Rain is no longer in the forecast...yet.

It's already working. Rain is no longer in the forecast...yet.

Looks like up to an inch of the wet and slushy is in the cards tomorrow. A day for the hardasses.

Who's in?

I'll be there early to watch that first Cat 4/5 race. Then I'm in the 4/5's and the old guy 4/5's. Possibly 3/4's if I get frisky, but I doubt it right now.

I'm in the cat5 and the old dudes 4/5. The weather forecosts snow starting to fall at noon. Should be a good day to HTFU :)

BF.net is telling me to HTFU, so i'll be there. Just for the afternoon 4/5 though.

I'll be there. I'll probably even race. I won't race in slush though.

I'll be there. I'll probably even race. I won't race in slush though.

Ditto. I may have an annoyed girlfriend on my hands if we go out there, stand in the rain, and then i don't race. But what can ya do...

I definitely will not have an annoyed girlfriend, regardless of what happens.

I shouldn't say definitely. I suppose anything is possible. I better hit the scene tonight and rustle up some leads.

What kind of 'cross racers are you???

Oh ... you don't race 'cross?

Well, HTFU !! :p

http://peloton-pix.smugmug.com/photos/428399535_2Xp2j-M-1.jpg

I'll be there about noon, running on no sleep, but amped for some great racing.

I'd maybe race cross in slush. The crits is too much with the high speed cornering. Maybe I'd talk myself into it anyway. I just really really don't want to crash.

I definitely will not have an annoyed girlfriend, regardless of what happens.

I shouldn't say definitely. I suppose anything is possible. I better hit the scene tonight and rustle up some leads.

She's got friends. :innocent:

If they're hot, drop some hints about my guads. The rest will be inevitable.

If they're hot, drop some hints about my guads. The rest will be inevitable.

She's got one that's hot...but i mean...that comes at a price, financially and cognitively.

*actually she's got many that are hot, but they are almost all spoken for.

Ughhh......its going to suck - weather wise....we'll see.

I am racing the old man 4/5 and the open 4/5. Will be getting out there early and staying pretty much all day.

I thought about bringing my cross bike just in case.....still may. I have been known to ride that bike pretty fast........

Ok.. I'm tagging Psi's wheel. This might be my chance to wheelsuck OTF for a change :)

Some of the weather prognostigators around here, are now calling for a major late winter storm, with the possibility of MAJOR snowfall Sat nite, and Sunday.....

Some of the weather prognostigators around here, are now calling for a major late winter storm, with the possibility of MAJOR snowfall Sat nite, and Sunday.....

I don't care much about Saturday night. I just want it to be pushed back to about 4pm...that would make for a fun day of racing.

The last forecast I saw had snow/rain starting around noon. I'm racing Cat5 so if the forecast holds, my race will be prior to the snow. Damn, i don't like racing in the rain (let alone the snow) so early in the season!!

Glad I'm in that early 8:15 4/5 race. Sounds like it should get in under the weather wire. Of course, we're departing around 3:30 a.m. Thus begins another season!

only 10% chance of precipt at 1pm...so that's good

Yep...weather.com pushed back the start of the rain until about 3pm. Yesterday they listed the start at 12 noon. It's gonna be cold! Barley above freezing.

It's cold out there fellas.....

I couldn't feel my toes for about an hour after the race.

10 mins after my toes hurt.

Other than that, it wasn't that bad.

Cold and windy....of course the headwind had to be on the final stretch sucking all sprint and determination from me.....

Oh well.

FYI for the other Cat 5's that might be reading this:

PLEASE stop hitting brakes into the wind and for god's sake learn to take a sweeping curve while pedaling. I can't tell you how pissed I got while taking an inside turn and trying to accelerate only to have to jam the brakes as jack asses braked right in front. Yep...if this course is too hard for you to corner then I might suggest getting a bit more training under your belt. Doesn't get much easier.

Overall impressions: Track was decent (had a nice rough patch in turn one). Well organized. Weather truly sucked. Way too many fools on bikes who had no business racing (you know who you are). My anger level needs to come down about 50 notches and I need to take more than one day off a week to spin or just chill (been on the road 6 days a week with little to no recovery...takes its toll on one's normally agressive spring).

PLEASE stop hitting brakes into the wind and for god's sake learn to take a sweeping curve while pedaling. I can't tell you how pissed I got while taking an inside turn and trying to accelerate only to have to jam the brakes as jack asses braked right in front. Yep...if this course is too hard for you to corner then I might suggest getting a bit more training under your belt. Doesn't get much easier.


My second race ever.
I agree.

I think this is part of why i ****ed up on the last lap...more on that later (later is now) (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=8618617#post8618617).

It's a cat5 race. get used to it. Do your 10 races then cat up. You'll find the same thing in the cat4s. If that frustrates you too much, try origami.

It's a cat5 race. get used to it. Do your 10 races then cat up. You'll find the same thing in the cat4s. If that frustrates you too much, try origami.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZYEvkPRJ7VI/R0NYTLhD4LI/AAAAAAAAABY/y_LiEsMrn7U/s1600/ohsnap.jpg

I think someone just got served.

Cold and windy....of course the headwind had to be on the final stretch sucking all sprint and determination from me.....

Oh well.

FYI for the other Cat 5's that might be reading this:

PLEASE stop hitting brakes into the wind and for god's sake learn to take a sweeping curve while pedaling. I can't tell you how pissed I got while taking an inside turn and trying to accelerate only to have to jam the brakes as jack asses braked right in front. Yep...if this course is too hard for you to corner then I might suggest getting a bit more training under your belt. Doesn't get much easier.

Overall impressions: Track was decent (had a nice rough patch in turn one). Well organized. Weather truly sucked. Way too many fools on bikes who had no business racing (you know who you are). My anger level needs to come down about 50 notches and I need to take more than one day off a week to spin or just chill (been on the road 6 days a week with little to no recovery...takes its toll on one's normally agressive spring).

While I agree with wholeheartedly (even to the point of openly mocking the 4/5 group doing the same stuff), I'm not sure that whining on here will get you anywhere. If it's that bad of an issue, why didn't you just move up in the pack? The farther back you are the worse it is.