Richmond International Raceway Crit, Cat 5, 5/6/2012.
Race on a NASCAR type track. I'd done events on an older short track, and one really old track that did NASCAR events up through the 70s, but not one at a modern track. It was pretty interesting.
Goals were pretty simple going into this one. Work on sitting 4-5 wheel as much as possible, do a little work at the front, reintegrate into the pack closer to the front when coming off the front (rather than drifting way back). I was pretty successful at all goals. I felt like I rode well, and didn't cause anyone around me any issues.
There were definitely some jackasses out there though, as to be expected in a cat 5 race. As we came around for the bell, one idiot dropped below the yellow line and almost took out the timing tent. Yes, a big, non moving tent, that had been there all day, so it's not like it crept up on him... I think he had to bunny hop over one of the legs of the lap board.
Last lap there was a crash to my inside that pushed me up the track a bit and disrupted things, so I ended up getting out of the position I wanted. Took 6th, teammate won. 35 preregistered, plus walk ups, so I'm not disappointed in the results.
That was my 11th finish in a mass start event this year, so I figure I'll be putting in for my upgrade. Only time I haven't at least had a pack finish was my first race, where I had no idea what to expect. We'll see what happens.
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