Pista 2008 - Rounds 1-3

Friday March 28th
The 2008 Superdrome race season opened with a bang. A bumper field of nearly 50 riders was welcomed back to the track by race officials, a smattering of cold-weather resistant fans and enough adrenaline to keep most of us warm for much of the evening. By evening’s end we had four photo finishes, some new winners, a spate of team tactics and separate races for Cat 3, 30+ men, our women racers and the largest-field-of-the-night honors going to the 35+ men!

For my own part the evening provided an amazing mix of team tactics and an onslaught of attacks, both of which were working hard against me in the form of GS Tenzing. The quartet of Tenzing riders were all competing in two categories (30+ Cat 4, Cat 4) but this didn’t stop them going for wins in both classes. In fact, they swept the podium in 35+ Cat 4 and were denied the same in Cat 4 by my solo effort for Metro VW. A collection of independent and affiliated riders, including Junior racer Cody, comprised the balance of the Cat 4 grid and provided plenty of action and close racing.

For me, race two provided the best learning experience, although my worst result. I had more fun finishing third in this race than winning the final of the evening, and worked far harder in the process. At 16 laps in duration I expected more of a slow crawl to get things started, but almost immediately I was out off the front with one of the GS Tenzing riders as we looked to lap the field. This never materialized, and only a few laps into our early push I found myself all alone at the front as the GST rider (Rob) dropped back to get help from his teammate, Jim. Out front, I pushed hard to stay out alone but ultimately made the mistake of looking back to check their progress. This kiss of death only worked to slow me down, and the pair of teammates caught me with about 5 laps to go. We slowed dramatically in a game of cat and mouse allowing the balance of the field to catch us and even things up going into the final laps. From there, Rob and Jim would alternate their attacks in an effort to break one rider away for a sprint to the finish. I responded to every attack, sometimes twice in the same lap, and found myself locked on Jim’s wheel when the bell rang and we gunned for the final sprint. Into turn three I swung wide to break the draft and slingshot past, but Rob had the legs on me and motored around the outside, closing my window and boxing me in behind Jim as we approached the line. The tactics were well executed; I immediately saw my folly and chalked it up to a great learning experience.

April 4th
Having already lost the first two races to riders half my age (14 and 16) I decided that I would need to depend on my warped sense of race tactics. I don’t normally take much pride in losing, but this week was quite exceptional. In the final race of yet another evening long battle with the forces of GS Tenzing I found an impromptu teammate in young gun, Josh Wade. Josh and his father Ron had driven five and a half hours from Kansas to race that evening as well as at several road races in Mineral Wells. Having been stomped by GS Tenzing and Cole, an impressive independent racer from Oklahoma, Josh and I turned from foes to friends in the third race of the evening and decided to work together on the fly. We made a quick plan and I told Josh to be sure and stay on my wheel, reduce his work and I would do all I could to set him up for the sprints for points.

Our plan, which was probably a better plan than any I had ever hatched for a bicycle race, ended up working quite well. In the end we stole enough points between us to take 1st and 3rd in the race, as well as in the Omnium.

April 11th
In one of the biggest Cat 4 fields of the year I found myself working alone, yet again, and fighting aggressively for track position. In an effort to work on my leg speed I successfully picked the wrong gearing for the opening scratch race. The mistake cost me dearly in the race one and I managed to go from leading the race on the bell lap to being completely out sprinted and out gassed by eight other riders. The unceremonious trouncing was enough to make me add two teeth and get back to the business of mashing, at least in track terms.

Race two brought the excitement of a 25 lap point race with sprints every five laps. The point payout is 5-3-2-1, and the challenge of enduring the event as well as sprinting hard for points adds a welcome dimension to the event. From the start four of us made a break off the start and opened a very nice gap over the field. We worked well together for the first ten laps, allowing me to take a single point in the first sprint and winning the second. From there we began to fall apart and were caught by Cole and a rider from GS Tenzing who had bridged up and brought the pack a bit closer as well. From there everything is a bit fuzzy, but I think I managed to take a few more points before a miscommunication created an interesting issue with lapped traffic. The traffic was comprised of the ever impressive women’s Cat 4 racers and Cody, who normally races as a junior. With the bell ringing 8 riders sprinted for turn 1 in a large mass and quickly ran up on three riders low in the sprinter’s lane as well as one up high above the Stayer’s line. Needless to say it was difficult to judge the gaps, and with one rider going well high on the banking for a diving sprint I managed to create an opening and then hope for the best. In the end I crossed the line sixth, taking another single point and second in the event.

Race three brought forth the lung shredding joys of an unknown distance race. This is where the referees make an executive decision that is a careful balance of their appetite, relative temperature and desire to be evil. You start the race as usual, but the bell lap can fall anywhere between 20 and 50 laps. Have fun. For this we also saw the combination of the Cat 4 and 35+ Cat 4 fields, which meant we started the event with a monster field of some 20+ riders. Having struggled with track math in the past I never tried to count, but we didn’t really all fit on the rail without some curious amount of overlap. Off the start I made a break with Royce from GS Tenzing. His lead out felt as though we’d been fired from a canon and it was all I could do just to hang on to his wheel. From there we swapped pulls every one and half laps and put an easy half lap on the whole field before the inevitable… someone’s team orders dictated that they crash. Now, I don’t know if that is entirely accurate, but it does make me smile so I’m sticking with that as my reason. We heard the hollow thwack of a carbon bike landing on the boards and were forced to slow as they neutralized the race. Sitting at the rail with 10 laps down we knew we wouldn’t get away with it again, but once they whistle blew Royce and I tried anyway. It didn’t work. In the end, after 29 laps, I think I managed a 4th in class.

Source Endurance Clinic

The first track clinic of the year was the Endurance Clinic with Stefan Rothe of Source Endurance. April 5th brought 18 riders to the Superdrome for a four hour session concerning tactics and training for endurance races at the Superdrome. Mercy teammate Mat Stephens assisted Stefan throughout the day and brought an excellent dimension to the clinic with real life examples and detailed explanations that complimented Stefan’s own accurate coaching.

After starting the day with a brief classroom session we took to the track for a long warm up. Pace lining the Superdrome with 18 people of varying skill levels is quite difficult, but the exercise taught us to pace ourselves, keep the line together and pay extra attention to those around us. From there we split the sessions into two groups to keep things more enjoyable and certainly to learn more by watching others mock race. Throughout the day I was able to gain insights regarding gear selection, proper training and goal setting for both training and racing. In particular, I learned that my impression of good track gearing was well off the mark and that I desperately need to achieve much better leg speed, or cadence, if I want to remain competitive and still have the legs to last an entire race.

To end the session Stefan and Mat took the track along with Chris and Aaron for a demonstration of The Madison. Having now seen the event for the first time in person I came away with a renewed respect for not only riders of this amazing event, but also of the tactics and exceptional timing each teammate must have to successfully compete in such an event.

All in all the Endurance Clinic provided an excellent opportunity to discuss training and racing tactics with an established track racer and professional coach. While the clinic did not reveal any dark secrets it did shed light on a number of key facets of the sport, opening my own eyes to my next set of goals while training for track racing. With several more clinics scheduled for this year, one taking place before you read this article, the opportunity to learn from true professionals should not be missed.

Track Season has Begun

By the time you read this the track season will have already begun. Evening practice sessions will be underway and the Superdrome will be gearing up for The Matrix Cup on April 19th and 20th. So, what is The Matrix Cup? Is it a massive Stanley Cup style trophy to adorn one’s kitchen counter? Is it a brilliant golden chalice used for drinking the sweet Accelerade of victory? To be perfectly honest, I have no idea.

What I do know is that The Matrix Cup comprises two full days of track racing at the Superdrome, and promises a pay out of $10,000. If that doesn’t get your attention and make you want to dust off your track bike, I don’t know what will. And if you have not taken the required Development Class yet, you have no need to worry. The Superdrome staff is holding a special Development Class on Friday night, April 18th. Not only that, but rental bikes will be available as always for anyone who takes the class but does not have the time or fiscal fortitude to plop down the cash on a track bike.

The big question now, of course, is what possible reason you could have for not attending. Even if you don’t feel like racing, you might as well make the trek north and show a little support for bicycle racing. The action is all right there in front of you, there is no gate fee for spectators and it will be a good excuse to get out of the house and do something a little different with your Saturday evening. The races are family friendly and not only offer a racing program for youths, but we’ll have apron races for the kids during intermission. What could be more fun for a kid than racing around the apron? Heck, I’m tempted to bring along my own BMX bike and join in if they’ll let me!

For those of you who are seeking to get a little more from the track than just friendly advice and weekday workouts, we’re also holding a series of clinics at the Superdrome that will provide you with a wealth of knowledge and training geared to specific goals. Here’s a brief breakdown on what is happening in the months ahead:

Track Skills Clinics
• April 5th kicks off our exciting 2008 schedule of track skills clinics with Stefan Rothe’s curriculum covering Endurance track racing events.
• April 26th continues the track skill clinic series when 2002 U.S. National Track Cycling Champion Jeff LaBauve drops into the lane to teach the finer points of Sprinting.
• May 11th brings Christian Williams’ Fitness Clinic, an invaluable resource tailored specifically for new cyclists seeking to use the track as a training and fitness tool.
• May 31st former sprint champions Tim and Suzie Goodwin welcome riders to the track for event specific training. Standing starts, flying 200s and other timed event techniques will be tailored to every rider’s individual needs.
• Later in the season we’ll have Nathan Rogut on hand to teach track etiquette to racers at all levels of experience.

Other clinics are planned as well and we’re looking forward to adding to this diverse schedule. Not only are the clinics taught by knowledgeable racers, but class size is limited to ensure more one-on-one instruction during the clinic. You do not need to be a seasoned veteran to take advantage of these clinics, and many of the skills and training techniques will also apply to other disciplines of bicycle racing.

American Track Racing Association

2008 Track Season Brings a Dedicated New Board to ATRA

The American Track Racing Association (ATRA) has been reborn for the 2008 season with a new executive board, website and National track racing calendar boasting over $100,000 in prize money at 30 events held around the United States.

ATRA’s 2008 Executive Board
President – Pete Antonvich
Vice President – Tim Goodwin
Secretary – Leigh Barczewski
Treasurer – Mike Murray

A Base for Growth
Starting with the 2008 season, ATRA’s dedicated board of executives seeks to grow track racing in North America. By offering economical insurance rates, creating continuity and opening communication channels among all member tracks, ATRA seeks to develop a base from which to build a strong track racing community in North America. In addition, marketing services will be available to member tracks for events as well as public and corporate relations. Having recently filed for incorporation, the board will also be seeking 501(c)(3) or non-profit status as a next step to securing long-term growth.

www.RaceATRA.com
The recently launched website (www.raceatra.com) has been redesigned with additional member track information. The website will also feature news from member tracks across the continent and provide information for non-member tracks who wish to join ATRA in the development of track racing. A complete listing of all 28 North American velodromes can be found on the website, along with a National track racing calendar. Encompassing over $100,000 in prize money, the calendar spans 6 months and features major races at 14 member tracks in 11 States.

Mission Statement:
The American Track Racing Association (ATRA) is formed by United States and Canadian velodromes to advance the sport of track cycling, the capital improvements of our facilities and for the promotion of track riding and racing.

2008 Superdrome Press Release

The Superdrome at Frisco Texas proudly announces their racing schedule for the 2008 season.
This year sees the return of the Richardson Bike Mart Superdrome Points Series (SPS), the Moritz Sprint Series, the Matrix Cup, Texas Cup races, a Masters Regional, an Elite National Qualifier and Collegiate Conference racing. The Superdrome Development Program encourages youth participation in the sport by including heats for junior racers during each of the SPS events. For 2008 we will also introduce a series of skills clinics taught by National track racing champions.

Development Classes
Given the Superdrome’s 44 degree corner banking and open air design, the Superdrome staff hosts regular Development Classes to help new racers understand track racing at such a unique facility. Classes are conducted on Saturday mornings by experienced Superdrome staff and create a safe learning and racing environment for everyone participating in practice sessions and race events. Development Classes are scheduled for March 22nd and April 18th as well as throughout the 2008 season.

Track Skills Clinics
• April 5th kicks off our exciting 2008 schedule of track skills clinics with Stefan Rothe’s curriculum covering Endurance track racing events.
• April 26th continues the track skill clinic series when 2002 U.S. National Track Cycling Champion Jeff LaBauve drops into the lane to teach the finer points of Sprinting.
• May 11th brings Christian Williams’ Fitness Clinic, an invaluable resource tailored specifically for new and seasoned cyclists seeking to use the track as a training and fitness tool.
• May 31st former sprint champions Tim and Suzie Goodwin welcome riders to the track for event specific training. Standing starts, flying 200s and other timed event techniques will be tailored to every rider’s individual needs.
• Later in the season we’ll have Nathan Rogut on hand to teach track etiquette to racers at all levels of experience.

Endurance Events: 4/5 Noon-4pm with Stefan Rothe
Sprint Clinic: 4/26 noon to 4pm with Jeff LaBauve
Fitness Clinic: 5/11 2pm to 4pm with Christian Williams
Timed Events: 5/31 8:30am-11:30am with Tim and Suzie Goodwin
Track Etiquette: Date TBA with Nathan Rogut

2008 Superdrome Race Schedule

March
14 Practice Race (2 pm)
21 Practice Race (2 pm)
28 SPS

April
04 SPS
11 SPS
18 Matrix Devo Class PM
19/20 Matrix Cup Sat / Sun (TX Cup D1 each day)
25 SPS Moritz Sprint (TX Cup D2)

May
9 SPS
16 SPS
17 Moritz Sprint 2
23 Festival Of Speed 1 (TX Cup D1)

June
06 SPS
07 Moritz Sprint 3
13 Masters Regionals Weekend
27 SPS (TX Cup D2) (Tx Cup D1) *Exact date TBA

July
11 SPS
18 SPS
19 Moritz Sprint 4 (Tx Cup D1)

August
15 Festival of Speed 4k Weekend

Sept
12 Race TBA
19/20 Superdrome Elite Qualifier & Collegiate Regionals Weekend (exact date TBA)
26 FCC Track Racing On Speed (TX Cup D2)

Oct
3 SPS
10 SPS (TX Cup D2 makeup date if neded) (Texas Cup makeup date if necessary)

Nov
26 Tx Cup Awards Night / Makeup Date

Never a fee for spectators, food and drinks welcome but please leave glass at home
Friday Night Superdrome Points Series (SPS) races start at 7:30 pm, registration closes 7pm.
Races for all categories, juniors, youth and apron races for kids
Race schedules, updates and information posted online at http://www.superdrome.com/

The Intentional Destruction of Muscle Fiber

The rhythmic *thunk, thunk* of the boards reverberates off the walls and ceiling as I walk with my partner through the infield tunnel toward the claustrophobic vastness of the Superdrome paddock. Silently we watch together as the track reveals itself in pieces as greater portions come into our line of sight. My partner, a freshly built EAI Brass Knuckle, is ready for the battle I am to face against this most intimidating opponent.

As I make my way up the ramp I swing my head to follow a rider, bringing me face to face with the seemingly vertical wall that makes up turns three and four. From where I stand the top rail is easily thirty vertical feet away and nearly straight up. The rider, at full song and addressing the track with an assault of brutal aggression, enters and exits my field of vision in only a fraction of a second. While the railroad clunk and bump of the boards and helicopter whoosh of carbon spoke wheels waxes and wanes along with the rider, one final impression manifests itself and strikes a deeper chord: the sound of power; real human power. If you’ve been curbside at a criterium you undoubtedly know this sound, but here at the track it comes to life like no other place.

The sound to which I refer is one of a tire trying to part ways with the road. My love for motorcycle road racing conjures visions of Valentino Rossi exiting corners with fistfuls of screaming throttle on a sliding, spinning and smoking rear tire, but here the raw sound of power translates into unbelievable speed and acceleration at the expense of the textured surface of the Superdrome as small flecks of paint pepper the apron following his concerted effort to destroy muscle sinew.

Moments later the rider enters turn three again, this time finished with his attack and riding on the apron. The only effort being made is enough to keep the bicycle upright and stop from revisiting lunch right there on the track. Turning to continue my trek to the myriad of blue benches in the paddock, I release my white knuckled grip on the bars and wipe the sweat away from my palms.

Recycled plastic benches litter the covered paddock, providing convenient spots for bikes, gear and bodies. Attendance tonight is sparse, but it is only Tuesday and the mercury is lounging in the high 90’s. That night I began the first of many utterly unfocused nights of training at the track. I was getting more joy and excitement out of simply riding around on the high banking, allaying my fears and figuring out how best to utilize the different chain rings and cogs in my improvised track bag. My layman’s vocabulary increased exponentially over the coming weeks along with my grasp of a proper warm-up and focused interval training. I would eventually become comfortable in pace lines, better understand methods of shedding and increasing speed using the steep banking and was finally able to unclip and stop without hitting a pole, bench or the pavement.

My plan was to stay out of racing until the 2008 season, but several people urged me to give it a shot while I was still fresh on the learning curve. I wasn’t sure at first, but it was quickly apparent that direct experience in a pack was the best way to learn and increase my awareness of track etiquette. The fun factor went through the roof and the little switch in my head that makes me ultra-competitive got flipped to a near permanent ON position. Inspired, informed and full of energy I began to attack my workouts with renewed determination and no loss of humor. I was still making a slew of mistakes, miscalculations and otherwise forgettable errors. Along the way I had friendly advice and encouragement from everyone I met in the paddock, which was much appreciated and listened to in great detail. I wanted information, and they had it in spades. My workouts improved dramatically and my performance accelerated right along with it. To everyone who helped me through those first five Friday nights of racing, I offer a humble thank you.

And now, come the final weekend in March, the 2008 racing season will begin at the Superdrome. Please come out and enjoy an evening of racing from the stands, or better yet from the saddle. Admission for spectators and advice for new racers is always free.

How do you Win a Bike Fight?

In December of 2006 I walked out of the local CCA (rough equivalent to Goodwill) dragging my new prized possession: a mid-80s Nishiki Sport that had been sitting outside someone’s garage for what must have been several years. The bike was complete with several baskets, all of which were full of leaves, trash and some unidentifiable –and thankfully deceased- insects and spiders. The rims were bent, the tires were flat and the drive train so rusted it refused to shift or even spin. It was, for my purposes, perfect.

I took the heap home and set to work stripping it, completing the easy part, disassembly, in a single evening. Armed with a tube of Pedro’s and a garage full of tools, what followed were several days of research and parts foraging that lead to converting the 20+ pound 4130 Tange frame into a hefty fixed gear bicycle. I started riding it, rather tentatively, at White Rock Lake. It took a few laps to stop attempting to coast and a couple of days to stop worrying myself with imminent death before I equipped it with Look pedals and became a regular fixture (bad pun intended) at the lake. I met numerous people riding that ugly little heap and became confident enough to start commuting to work on it in February of 2007.


Despite the heavy rains and curious way that my route to work became somewhat water logged, I continued to commute 18 miles each way on the Nishiki. I even learned to accept that it was not possible to keep the threaded headset (rusty, pitted and dented) tight for more than a day. I had a little rack on the bike and a bag just large enough to carry slacks, a dress shirt, socks and lunch. I left my dress shoes at work and had access to a shower so commuting was not only viable, it was amazingly simple. Unfortunately, the frame was a few centimeters too small and I decided it was time to replace it with another fixed gear frame, properly sized and equipped for commuting.


In May 2007 my task began with research for a frame and some components, but as I got into the project I started to think it would be neat to have a bike that I could, if I so chose, take to the Superdrome for some random riding. Betty and I visited the track that Friday night to watch the races and for me to introduce her to the Superdrome. By 10 o’clock that night the plan changed from building a new commuter to creating a race bike on a budget. I would continue to make due with the creaky Nishiki, after all it was just a beater for commuting, and build a track bike on the cheap.

The ad’s headline “How do you win a bike fight?” was too tempting to pass up. And at $300 it was hard to pass up the EAI Brass Knuckle as a basis for my track bike. Along with being a rather thoughtfully designed Taiwan knock-off, the bike is available in your choice of File Cabinet Grey or Sort-of Khaki. Not wanting to be reminded of work I decided to go with Sort-of Khaki, but in all honesty I think it is closer to Bamboo as the hue hints of green. Going cheap on the frame allowed me to spend some extra cash on other important bits of rotating mass like FSA Carbon Pro cranks. I also decided to equip the Knuckle with 3T bars and a Deda stem while having it professionally fitted at Richardson Bike Mart. I had also managed to locate a set of wheels in Plano for a whopping $100, which helped keep things cheap at the expense of rotating mass, snap acceleration and high strength. I know that sounds like a rather lousy trade-off, which it undoubtedly is, but I didn’t think it would matter much given my ignorance of racing. Armed with my track bike and an insurmountable amount of enthusiasm, I was unceremoniously rained out of the Development Class for two straight months.


In early January 2008, just a tick over a year since I had completed building it, I sold the Nishiki to a willing new home in Houston. I hadn’t ridden it in months and was becoming a little sad that it was missing out on a lot of potential mileage. In the seven months I used it for commuting I manage to put over 3,000 miles on the steel beast. It had served me well, started my spiraling roller coaster into fixed gear racing and needed to find a new source of love under the butt of a new owner. While I was sad to see it go I was relieved to learn that the buyer would be entering it in various Alley Cat races, which I found all too fitting for a bike that had introduced me to fixed gear riding and was largely responsible for starting my passion for racing at the track.


Flashback to August 2007 and having finally completed the required morning of instruction a few days prior, I was now ready to begin practice and training at the high banked, bowl of a circuit. Clipped in and determined to make an impression, I rolled out onto the track for only my second evening of training. But that tale will have to wait until next month.