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FSA Track Race


                            
July was host to three separate track races. The Alpenrose Challenge, the Alpenrose six-day and the FSA in Seattle, Washington. The guys and gals of Rubicon delivered an outstanding rides at all three – Brad Payne took 2nd in the overall ominun in the AVC, Dean Tracy took sprinting to a whole new level.

Dan Harm smashed all competitors in the individual pursuit, Brian Abers showed the masters he could still sprint with the best of them by winning the master’s sprints and Heather took 4th in the sprints. FSA Grand Prix also played host to the first US National Championship qualifier; top five men and top three women qualify to go to US Track Nationals and Rubicon showed up flying. Again Dan was the first to get things started by winning the 4K individual pursuit, next with was the team pursuit, which saw both Kirk and Dan qualify for Nationals.

Next it was the women’s team sprint and Heather and Donna showed they could knock out a fast team sprint, they both qualified too. Brad went on to win the miss-n-out, Dan and Brad took third in the Madison, Heather placed fourth in the women’s sprints, but it was the final event of the evening that the boys in Orange really stepped it up and showed the crowd how well they work together as a team. The points score was a 60 laps sprints every 10 laps. Brad won the first set of points, followed by Kenny Williams that set the tone for the rest of the race - Kenny vs Brad. Kenny took the next set of points, this meant there was only two points that separated Brad from Kenny with Brad in the lead. Kenny got a way in a small group of riders. Dan went to the front and brought back the break. Brad won the next set of points, Kenny took second. Another set of riders attacked and this time it was Logan to the front to pull it back. Kirk was near Brad at all times to make sure if he needed to pull Brad up to something he could. This continue on up until three laps to go, with Brad leading Kenny by seven points . . .Then Kenny launched an all or nothing attack that had a good quarter of track up on the bunch that contained Brad. With two laps to go, Kirk went to the front and drove the pace so hard that riders began falling off the back, but in one lap Kirk brought the break back and set up Brad for the fi nal sprint and Brad out sprinted everyone for the points and for the win. I don’t know what the crowd liked better the grrrr in which the guys in Orange showed up with, or the Orange booties.



FSA GRAND PRIX
by Heather

This was a fun and successful race weekend. It was a lot like our Alpenrose AVC. The first event was the team sprint. Donna and I had the 4th fastest time, which was pretty cool. Two of the top teams were international or a mix and one team was disqualified for an illegal exchange. So, we were the first place American team and qualified for nationals! The next event was the keiren. I won my heat and got 5th in the final. I was proud of my aggressiveness in the heat, riding from the back and attacking with a lap to go. A lap at Marymoor is 400 meters, so everyone, including myself was a bit surprised at my long haul, but it worked. Later I was a little disappointed that I waited too long to do anything in the final, but each race is a learning opportunity, and I learned how NOT to win a keiren. Saturday was a long one. I rode a 13.03 to qualify 2nd in the sprints. Then I rode a 39.___ (I forget the tenth) to get 5th in the 500m. I was the 3rd place American though. They took the top 12 riders for the sprints. I won my first 2 rounds, putting me in the semi-finals. Jen Featheringill and I rode. I lost. Then I raced against Anna-Brit in the final. She won the best 2 out of 3... in 2 rides. But each was quite close. Overall, I was happy with the racing and am officially qualified for nationals and left with a little extra cash for Saturday evenings dinner and beers.