i need an aspirin

oy, too many days away from the interwebs ... it dulls the blade.

time to get some sharpening done.
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Wednesday Nite Track Racing ~

I'm getting to dig doin' the Keirin, gotta admit. It makes for a slower evening when you have so many riders at the track, but ... it's a blast watching all the action. While not "officially" a pushed start from the holders, we all needed to occupy ourselves during the downtimes, so there was some heated battles between us holders as to who could shove their rider's booty the farthest.

I'm a fan of the booties.

Last nite we had 3 fields, all bursting with some good speed and numbers. Next week is the last of the Wednesday races, and I'm pretty bummed about it. But, maybe it will open up the nite for specific training sessions for riders prepping for Natz in a few weeks (what you think, Brian?).

Last nite, the C's were led by Jules Granshaw - she won 3 of the 4 events but finally attacked herself out of existence in the Points Race. Granshaw's first win was done the hard way by coming around Beth "i'm too sexy for my Quads" Newell in the Keirin final. What a race that was. Beth hasd drawn pole in her qualifier but tore the legs off the other kids and solo'd in with style.

She ran the same gambit in the finals, but was up against a very cagey and fit Granshaw who snatched 2nd wheel behind her with authority in the bumpings and swervings of the first couple laps of the final. If Beth could have had a rider who might have allowed just the slightest gap to open when the moto swooped off ... she probably would have held her 1.5 lap acceleration and won the event. But, Jules was never more than a few inches off of her wheel and put in a big kick at 100m to come around her the hard way. You'll be happy to know Newell held on for 2nd.

In the A Keirin, I drew moto in the qualifier and didn't mind at all. I really wasn't all that interested in bumping that early in the evening so just lead it out with a bunch of small accelerations to the finish line. Steve Palaez came around easily, he's just got a butter smooth transmission running right now. You can wear him down in something like a 100 lap Points Race, but if you're talking a straight up gallop to the line ... that boy's got some 6th gear.

But in the final, Palaez drew the moto and i think everyone thought that meant there was a chance to lay some whoop on his ass. The first few laps were safe, but there was definitely some action in the moto's wake. Reaney was spitting on the need for draft and rode 2nd wheel ... on the outside. So, basically - we had two motos for 4.5 laps. We had two lines riding along at under 30mph until the moto jumped off (moto should have been faster, i reckon) and then all hell broke loose. Martinez and I bumped a bit ... which is kind of like saying i bumped against an armored-HumV. But, Matt was kind enough to giggle and give me a bit of, "oh, here you go skinny lil' guy, have a spot ... so cute!"

So then, i was sitting golden 3rd wheel, but acted the complete fool and didn't jump outside to launch my sprint. What a dipshit. Instead, I got stuck down low and the swarm went right around me to the outside. I wouldn't have won the sprint, but I'd have been in the top 2 or 3. ah well ... mistakes are good learning blocks.
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The Miss-n-Out was really enjoyable and has become one of my favorites. When I first started out on the track, i thought the race was retarded. But, since then my eyes have been opened as to how the race is great for training track awareness and positioning skills/timing.

The C event had Sabine trying to play the devil early, but found herself being out-deviled by that divine little succubus Newell. Newell loves to swing around the back of the pack and punch tickets. You can see it in her eyes - all squinty and smiling out of that black on black outfit of hers. But, those efforts ask a heavy price and eventually the debt must be collected. Newell was just pushed off the back when the speed was high enough on the last elimination lap so that she couldn't come any of the final 5. Still, a damn good race. Granshaw would win it in the sprint - ahead of that imported bit of Minnesota hotness, Karla Kingsley. Amanda S was also in there contesting the sprint ... making it 3 femmes out of the final 5 in the Miss'n'Out. Killer.

The B's saw a Davis rider, Blake Anton, solo for 2 laps to take the win. He punched it hard after the final elimination and held the gap with a good show of strength. Spine's John Ford keeps getting better and better on the track (winning the B final Keirin), but he wasn't able to close the distance to the Davis rider. My VOS bud, Steve "Sweet G" Gile was also in there contesting the sprint, but wasn't able to come around the Hammond or Ford in the final 100m. But, Sweet G had taken the earlier Scratch race ... so, we'll let him off on this one.

Our A race was pretty funny. Martinez was playing devil while a few riders switched off at the front to ride a more than decent tempo. Late in the event I shot out to finish off the final few riders before we'd get to our sprinting 5 ... but, like an idiot, never heard when we finally got there. I kept looking back trying to count riders, but boys would swish and swervle around back there and I thought i saw 6. Anyway, they rang the bell for one to go and i just did the best I could. Palaez came around with ease but i held off the pack for 2nd. Jim Ryan is finally getting his legs back as he made the selection and Joel Robertson is getting more and more comfortable in the mix as well. Fun race.
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oh kristo ... away from the keyboards for a few days and i get all blabbity-blabberfest. Got about 400 emails to answer and shit to get done, but i'll try and up the entertainment value later today.