Raceway Park - 5/5/09

[Mike S]

Another night at Spokane County Raceway. 58 degrees F, Chance of rain 30%, sunset 8:07 PM.

[Tom M]

The current hourly forecast suggests the wind will be going this direction:



So there should be a tailwind between the two hairpins, and for the last ~1km up to the finish.

[Mike S]

Now is the time for Strategery!

[Tom M]

Yes!

My newbie-racer thoughts on strategy regarding the wind and the track layout: we've all seen how a rider ahead of us crests a hill and begins increasing their gap, because they're over the crest and accelerating while we're still on the climb.

In the same way, I see a couple opportunities with the wind and the track layout. The first riders through the first hairpin, and the bend at the bottom-left of the picture, will be the first to catch the boost from the tailwind, while the chasers are still facing a headwind. It might be something to capitalize on. The hairpins being pretty sharp, it may also be possible to put a couple of seconds on a group just by carrying as much momentum as you safely can.

Team-wise, for the B pack, Baddlands and Vertical Earth have lots of riders, so my strategy will be like last week: watch for breaks that contain both teams, and go up to work for them if they don't have an SRV rider already on board. Because neither Baddlands nor VE will want to chase down the break that contains their own teammates.


By the way, in a scenario where there is an SRV member up the road in a break, what's the right course of action if I'm in the pack? To get team points, we need two riders in the top six, so I guess this would mean covering any chase attempts so I've got a shot at the field sprint, but I don't want to contribute to the chase effort myself. Do I just suck the chasers' wheels, then?

[Mike S]

=Yeah that's a good description of the strategy at SRP. It's a flat, short course and wind is always a factor. Team work plays a big part on a course like that; when teams work together they can decide who gets to stay away in a break and which breaks will be chased down. It's hard to ride off the front of the field if every time you attack the whole pack chases you down. But when you're with a team there's not many left to chase you down.

What to do when you have a team mate in a breakaway? That probably depends on the situation. This is when it's useful to know the other rider's position in the series; who is ahead in the series points? If your GC rider is in the pack and a non contender is in the breakaway, maybe you want that breakaway to get chased down. Your rider in the breakaway get's a free ride while you and the pack work to chase them down. If your team doesn't have a GC rider then your breakaway rider might be your best shot, so don't chase him; let the pack chase and enjoy the free ride.

[Tom M]

That was some tough going, with the wind coming down the back stretch! But at least it didn't rain!

In the B pack, Monte went with a break down the dragstrip that looked like it might stick, but they got chased down as they turned into the wind and the rollers. Randy from VE unleashed several potential breaks. I worked in one break with a couple riders and we built maybe a 10-second gap, but we also got caught as we were turning into the wind and the rollers. The rest of the time, I mostly wasted energy when I should've been saving it up for some breaks or else the final sprint.

At the final sprint, Tim W thundered down the dragstrip to put us 2nd or 3rd! Nice racing, Tim!

[timothyw]

just a couple of pictures to show you guys.
1. B Pack passing through the finish line with one lap to go.


2. B Pack sprint finish.


3. A pack first lap. The fourth shadow on the side wall of the drag strip is no ghost, that's ALAN...

[Mike S]

Nice pics Tim. Thanks for posting. You were a ghost too, sneaking into 3rd place out of site of the camera! Not bad for your first race in the B pack. Next stop Wenatchee.

[aj1152]

Tim: Yes, very well done. Great finish. Thanks for the photos.
Tom: Excellent work. The wind was brutal but your persevered. Too bad they don't give medals for that.
Monte: Good work out there. You'll be winning the B pack races (hopefully with Tim, Jeff, Tom, and Ron) soon.
Ron: What an effort! It just wasn't meant to be though, huh?
Brian: Way to stick in there and fight. You're getting super strong this season.
Mike: Thanks for the ride and the pull up to the race and back.
Royce, Jeff, and Scott B.: You guys worked so hard last night and I'm really, really, really appreciative of that. I owe you all a beer. Just one beer, though. Split between you three I ain't made of money.
Dale: I owe you $20.00.
Tony: I didn't get to say hi last night. Hi.

[monte]

Nice race in the B's, lots o bumpin around!
Wind was brutal!

[DaleP]

May 6, 2009 7:10:46 GMT -8 aj1152 said:

Tim: Yes, very well done. Great finish. Thanks for the photos.
Tom: Excellent work. The wind was brutal but your persevered. Too bad they don't give medals for that.
Monte: Good work out there. You'll be winning the B pack races (hopefully with Tim, Jeff, Tom, and Ron) soon.
Ron: What an effort! It just wasn't meant to be though, huh?
Mike: Thanks for the ride and the pull up to the race and back.
Royce, Jeff, and Scott B.: You guys worked so hard last night and I'm really, really, really appreciative of that. I owe you all a beer. Just one beer, though. Split between you three I ain't made of money.
Dale: I owe you $20.00.
Tony: I didn't get to say hi last night. Hi.

Nice job guys! I for one am happy to have stayed out of the wind. By the time A Pack finished and I tallied placements, I was freezing to death.

Alan, what say I have my people contact your people? Initially, my people are very patient and they will even give you a choice between rib or femur. Choices are always a good thing.