The End of the Beginning

The last race in the USAC Tailwind series took our band back to Stony Creek where it seems like there is some sort of race going n every other day there.  By the end of August some racers are worn down from the long training regiments and traveling for races.  Others are in break mode to recharge for CX.  Whatever the reason everyone has their story.

But the Stony XC always brings so many summer stories to a close.  For some it's the determining factor of the season series because their are still points up for grabs and positions are not final yet.  For others who may have their series locked up, it gives them a chance to CAT up and see how they measure up.  Then there are those who are just looking for a good result to justify all the work they have put in to this point.  And of course you still have those who just go to ride, I mean, race their bikes and drink beer after.  But whatever the reason, the simple fact is there is always some sort of reason to do this race.

Block was there to lock in his overall series standing. He just had to show up to collect what he needed. Diesel was looking for a podium spot to help him in the overall series.  He wouldn't finish top 3 overall but a solid finish for the day could keep him in the top 10 for the series.  Dub9 was there to battle it out for 2nd overall in his series and A-Train was just looking to have a complete race and get himself back on the podium.

Expert racers were fired off the line by class as usual and as the hours passed storied unfolded.  Diesel was the first Motor to cross the line and he managed to grab a podium finish for the day as planned.  Surprisingly, A-Train was the next Motorer to cross the line which also gave him a podium finish for the day in his class.  Dub9 came across shortly after A-Train and scooped up the last podium spot in their class making them 3 for 3 in the Expert Category.  After four laps that equaled a distance of ~28 miles, Diesel rode a 2:12:09, A-Train did a 2:15:36 and Dub9 did a 2:19:56.  (Side note:  Since Dub9's main competition was a no show, he laid back to help A-Train and Diesel with a couple strong pulls in some critical areas of the course sacrificing his own race result)

A-Train in the hunt with Diesel as his Wingman

Diesel Smelling Blood

Powder with his eyes on the big picture

Block went off with his class in the afternoon.  After two laps of pain and gain he came thru at 1:20:31 which was good enough for a podium finish making the Motor Club 4 for 4 on podiums for the day!  But before the award ceremony there was some ruckus on the crowd as a rider was complaining that his time was incorrect and that he should be ahead of Block.  Since the Big Fella was more concerned about his overall in the series which he had clinched by showing up, Block let the guy have the podium spot and didn't bother to argue the result.  He was already going to receive his award for a podium in the overall series and he had also podium-ed in every other race he did in the series so no need to be greedy.  That's class however we are still counting it as a podium finish for Block.

So the four man team team walked away from the race with three (four really) medals for the race that day and two series plaques for the summer.  Not bad for a team that is only three years old.  So ends the USAC Tailwinds series in what the team would consider their best season yet.  There is still more racing and training to do for 2013 but this chapter is in the books.

The Motor Club would also like to say congratz to:

John Osgood for taking the win in Expert 30-39 for the day.  Eye of the Tiger!

Brad Lako for his series win and Top 10 finish in first Elite race.

JTP for getting married and also for the baby that's on the way....and for making it thru the season with all the crap we've given you

And of course we have to say thank you to Twin Six for the great gear again this year.  Without you guys nothing we wear would ever match and people would point and laugh at us.  You guys make looking good in pictures a lot easier for us.  

Now if we could just find a bike shop to sponsor us . . . . . 

Going back to where it all started

Maybury always brings back the old days because it's where Diesel took A-Train out for his first real trail ride back in 2004.  Diesel had all the trimmings of a weekend warrior while A-Train sported the cotton t-shirt, board shorts and white ankle socks.  It seemed Diesel had to stop at the top of every hill to wait for AT to catch up.  The rides piled on as did the years.  Fast Forward to 2013 and it's hard to believe that at one time these guys would have to stop between 4.5 mile laps to take a break.  Now Maybury is 6.5 miles long and they have been known to go out there and do 4, 5 or even 6 consecutive laps for fun, alternating at point, trying to drop each other and sometimes having to stop and deal with crazy snapping turtles or rabid raccoons that won't move off the trail.  True stories.

Diesel had this race marked on his calendar with big stars all around it.  A-Train had been on the fence about it all season but as the race got closer and he realized he'd be in town, it was hard to say he was just going to watch.  After some solid training rides leading into the event and some texts back and forth with Dub9 to get some advise, he decided it was time to re engage and help Diesel defend home turf.  Plus, this MMBA CPS race was going to be much different this year.  Over the years it has went from an XC to a TT and there have been many different lead in's and exit chutes used to add length to the course.  But this year the promoters got together and said hey, let's do the single track backwards with a brand new lead and exit chute from a different side of the park.

Friday evening racers were allowed to come pre ride so Diesel and A-Train met up with Derrick Mattice (KLM) and Karl Emmerich (Racing Greyhounds) and did two laps to get the feel for the new lines.  There were racers and volunteers everywhere as last minute preps were going on from all angles.

Saturday morning came and it was time to race.  Registration and pre rides of the lead in went smooth.  Dub9 showed up at about 8:30 to hang out and control the media.  He had just gotten back from being north of Chicago for a week so he sat this one out but it was great to have his quick draw attitude around for some morning laughs.

It's was a time trial so riders were fired off from the line one by one every 30 seconds.  A-Train started a few minutes ahead of Diesel and the plan was for them to use each other for motivation.  Diesel wanted to catch A-Train but A-train didn't want to be a mark on the wall of all the people Diesel passed that day.  The laid out course was ~9 miles long and they would have to do two laps.  They figured about 40 minutes a lap.  A-Train, or should I say Cru Jones, took off quick but it was a long lead in to the single trail so he managed his legs as to not burn any matches to soon.  Diesel fired off from the beginning wanting to make sure he passed a couple riders before the single track got tight in the second half of the course.

Each of their two laps unfolded with surges, passes, attacks and adjustments.  It's a time trial so you just go as hard and fast as you can for the distance given.  You don't back down from your pace and you don't find places to rest spin and recover.  You are in the red the entire time and pushing yourself to your limits because it's a race against the fastest foe every rider has, the clock.

A-Train thinking to himself  "Don't crash in front of the camera, especially one that Jon is shooting.  I'll end up all over the internet"

Said Diesel, "Jon will yell at me if I smile or wave."

A-Train was successful at not letting Diesel bridge up to him and crossed the line with relief but out of gas.  He did get passed by Scott Simpson (BTT) and Stephan Zierman (Stollenwuehler) on his second lap but he knew a top three was still possible with how well he rode.  However, he was worried about Greg Giles (Racing Greyhounds) as he did some race pacing with him at the Tree Farm relay a couple weeks earlier.   Diesel came across the finish with his wheels on fire.  When A-Train rolled over to talk to him the flames were out but there was still smoke rising off of them from the heat they were letting out.  After checking the monitors at the timing tent  for Expert 30-39, A-Train learned that it wasn't Greg he should have been worrying so much about.  Gus Hemingway (Foundry Cycles) had drove across the state and stole the remaining podium spot from right underneath him.  He tracked down Gus to give him his props on a good race and walked away happy nearly edging out Greg Giles for 4th place in what was a very tough class of racers.  Plus he posted the 6th fastest time of the day in Expert in a field of 50 racers.  The timing tent also revealed the man with the Golden Hammer is still worthy of it as he bested his class by over 30 seconds taking home first place in Expert 40-49 which wasn't easy to do considering Mark Spore (Cross Country Cycle) was there chasing points in the series.

So even though the team only took home one piece of hardware instead of two it was still a very successful day of racing as the Motor Club again showed it's ability to be right there in the thick of the fight for podium spots.  Big Block size thank you's to all involved in laying out the course, prepping the course and all of the day of activities that go with running a race.  Cycle to Fit, The Racing Greyhounds, the MMMBA peeps, the farm animals for putting up with our stink and Momma Nature for giving us yet again another beautiful day to race.  The Motor Club had ZERO complaints about how the event went....ZERO.

But there isn't much time to gloat and have warm and fuzzy feelings inside because this Saturday the Motorers put up their dukes against the big boys in the Tailwind Racing Series at Stony Creek for the last stop of the season for the Tailwind Racing USAC series.  This is race #8 and their are points and final standing on the line for everyone.  So tune in next week to hear the conclusion of The MOTOR Club vs The World!

Grand Master Fast