Okay so I think we’ve gotten the Prospect Park Autumn Race Series all figured out. It’s going to go something like this:
The races series will be 8 weeks long starting September 22nd and continuing until November 17th. The race will start at the Grand Army Plaza entrance at 10pm on Thursday nights. The entry fee each week will be $3. The winner of the night’s race will win 2/3rd of the entry fee. The remaining 1/3rd dollar will be put into the grand purse (see point system). Each week there will be one of four main races:
Race 1. Team Race: Mass start race. Teams of 2 compete in a four-lap relay style race.
Race 2. Team Time Trial*: Teams of 4 riders start out together. The final time is taken from the 3rd riders finish.
Race 3. Team Sprints*: Teams of 3 riders start out together. The lead rider is responsible to lead the entire lap. After the first lap the lead riders pulls off and the second rider assumes the lead position. After the second lap the lead rider pulls off and the third rider is left to complete the third lap on his or her own.
Race 4. Individual race: Mass start race. Number of laps will be determined before the start. Race lengths can vary from 2 laps to 5 laps.
How teams are decided:
Team Race (two riders): The riders will be split into two groups based on the previous weeks lap times. The faster riders will be put into one group (captains) and the slower riders in another (riders). Each group will assign each other numbers (starting with 1 an continuing in numeric order) at random (quietly so the other group doesn’t hear). Once numbers are assigned, the two riders from the different groups with the same numbers will be a team.
Team Time Trial and Team Sprint (3 and 4 rider teams): The captain and rider groups will be decided the same way as the team race. However, instead of assigning numbers to the rider group, they will choose numbers from a hat (this is because there will be more than one rider chosen for each team)
Point System:
Each week there will be 3 points given for a first place finish and 1 point for a second place finish. For team races, each member of the winning team will receive 3 points and each member of the second place team will receive 1 point. At the end of the series, the individual with the most points will receive the grand purse (regular attendance is a plus).
Sponsorship
We are also gong to peruse sponsorship for the race series so we can give prizes along with the grand purse. If anyone can help us with that please PM or email me.
Flyers should be going up very shortly. We hope to leave both large and small flyers in most NYC bike shops.
Conduct
The PP races were originally set up to be fun. If anyone gets out of line with a teammate, member from an opposing team, or an official, they can be subject to point deduction, disqualification, or suspension. (I’m making this sound way too official) Luckily nothing of the sort has happened so far.
*Teams are set out 60 seconds apart. Each team will be assigned a number. When the team completes a lap they are responsible for shouting that number to the timer. (This is one incase a team were to overtake another)
*If a team is to catch another team, there will be no drafting an apposing team.
*Because these races require a good number of people, if there are not enough to make at least 3 teams than we will alter the number of people required for each team.
***This is all still up in the air. We will have everything finalized before this Thursday’s race. If you have any questions or comments please let me know. Msnr, are you talking about permanent teams throughout the series?