Wente Crashterium 2008

Race: Mstrs 35+ 4
Avg speed: 24.3
Max. Speed: 45.9 (polar might be a little weird...ya think!)
Avg. HR: 159
Max. HR: 213
Finish: Alive!


As you might gather this race was unnecessarily rough. I would have though after about 3 or 4 near misses guys would have allowed more space going through the "mild" chicane, but that was not the case. I have now coined a adjective for racers that want to make his/her on line in a pack that is convergent with others. This type of racer will now be known as the "Creative" racer and should not be used in the positive term. You will know this racer immediately as he/she will "Create" a new line in the middle of the pack that nobody else is using.

So the pre-race planning was that I was to be the sprinter and that Rich would get me to the bridge and I'd unleash my fury. So for most of the race the plan was to stay in the top 20 which was pretty good for the most part with the occasional adjustment to save of ones hide. Twice down the inside of the chicane and the quick adjustment found me back to 50~60 spots back.
Quite a few times I used Rich and John to get myself back up to the front to stay safe. A few times I had to get up there myself and do a bum rush up in the wind. Going into Lap 3 I see Rich moving up the left about 4 lengths ahead and said theirs my ride. Quick acceleration and I’m on his wheel. Things are looking good. Before turn 1 I'm forced onto the Botdots and I'm loosing position trying to get off those to avoid a flat. Coming out of that turn going into the little adjustment to the left I've lost his wheel and I'm about 3 lengths back. No problem I'll catch him before the next hard right. I'm on the left of the nasty little chicane and I hear the mayhem begin, Ah crap! I give a quick look to the left to make room, no luck I'm blocked, time to brace! noise getting louder and closer. The guy to the right of me is coming over and not in a good way, He's leaned over and my next thought is hit the gas to get ahead of the inevitable then bang his head hits my hip, next thought is stay on the gas and hope his bike doesn't grab anything on mine. I felt a quick tug on my bike but I'm still up, Phew! OH OH no chain, hand up to signal those behind to go around. I reach down flip the chain back on thinking game over. Dave rolls by and we get back to the pack for the neutral lap. So my thinking is another lap of cycling verse of Talladega? Do I go up to the front or play it safe finish the race at the back get home in one piece and take on the bathroom remodeling job sans injuries.
Surprisingly we go right to the Bell lap. I'm about 6 rows back and I see DD jump to the front, I follow suit and get on his wheel my plan at that point is to streatch it out, hop wheels to the finish, good if there are wheels willing to continually move forward, bad if there aren't. I figure if Dave can get us through turn one in good shape I'll get through this in one piece. We hit that turn doing about 28, DD blows up shortly after, I then see Peter from 3rd Pillar jumping from Dave’s right, good another wheel. But I've got to jump from Dave’s left. Big old jump and I'm on Peter’s wheel, what a beast! We’re now at 31/32! But what the hell, my legs feel good but why do I feel like I'm dragging an anchor? Peter is throwing down some serious speed. I’m thinking man he's not going to get us to the straight we’re still on the back side. That animal pulled right up through the sweeper, and nobody wants to come through...duh the sprint is just around the next corner, nobody is coming through.
Photo link http://photos.abbiorca.com/gallery/4813672_YzCqe#286152371_C44Bv
Even so My legs were on fire! I pull out nothing left and finish safely at the back.
Later after talking about the race with a few others I lifted my bike and it made a clunk, what the …..My rear QR came loose I finished the race with a loose rear wheel, probably explains the lingering burning rubber smell. I just thought that was left-over from the crash. Good thing I didn’t make it to the sprint I would have dislodged my rear wheel and that would have been a whole new ball game! Crash aside I think it would have been a favorable finish but that’s racing.