RESULTS FROM JULY 22

Another beautiful night for track, and again some of the best racers, showed up to race, Club racers if you want to get faster, this is the place to be. Where can you do a training races against the likes of Mike Bridges (Shickluna) , Jay Skalski (Handlebars), Chris Tirone (French Meadow Bakery/Fortistar), for $3 in a fast and safe facility. I can say this and never get tired of it but the speed workout is fantastic, B riders you can train all year by your self and never get the benefit of one night of track. The reason the fastest guys in WNY come here is because this is the place to build speed and speed win races. So come out and catch the fever, no cars, and no marshals. Bring your kids, the kids riding in the in field during the racing and around the track during the breaks. So let see some familiar and new faces. And you will see the benefits in are one lap time trials later.

We started out with a 30 lap scratch race, 13 riders on the line and after couple laps of easy riding Frank Mesi decides to test the waters. An attack off the front and the chase begins the group answers the challenge and everyone bridge up. The speed never slows because everyone takes a pull and we are starting to get near the 30 mph mark. No single rider can make a dent in staying away but riders are coming off the back almost every couple laps. Four riders are left on the lead group and passing lap rider who are allowed to get back on, some not for long but other dig depth to stay on the train. The four riders are Mike Bridge, Frank Mesi (French Meadow Bakery/ Fortistar), Jay Skalski and new rider Steve Wells Ingram Micro. (Steve is one of those riders who have seen benefits from coming to track, already strong but not super fast, in a short time he in getting his body use to the effort, he is making the breaks with strong “A” riders and finished 2nd in the club B championship. “Way to Go”.) They are riding at a very fast clip for sure. Some lap riders they to make there present felt and the past is staying still near the 30 mph mark, man this is hard racing. So with 3 laps to go Jay decides that this race need to be get smaller and starts a tempo that would make Cavendish wish he was on his lead-out train. NO speedo but I am spinout and wishing for more gear, I am talking in the 35mph+ mile range here. Now we are a group of four Jay, Chris T., Mike B and yours truly hanging by a thread. Jay now determines he has made the group, sized to his liking and takes a back sit to admirer his destruction. Chris T joins him and Mike and I are a ½ lap ahead in one lap. Mike hits the line with 2 to go and swings his elbow for Mesi to come thru no doing Mesi says. So Mike set a easy tempo potting his strategy for the finish, and Mesi is too. So the bell rings for the final lap, the others riders placing their bets on who will win. Bridges starts to make the final move with a 1/2 lap to go and Mesi tries to hang on. Mesi see a opening and tries to take Mike B from the behind as they are passing some lap riders, but Mike hears the disk accelerating and hits the jets around the lap riders they go, Mesi on the outside trying to come around and looking for a opening on the inside to shorten the distance, since he is gear limited. He backs off for a moment and looks to drive beneath Mike, Mike hears or see the move and shuts the door, Frank has to re accelerate to the outside and it’s a drag to the finish, Mike hold Mesi off and wins a very tuff race, Mesi is trilled to take Bridge to the line and not having him sit up for the win and knows that Mike has to respect the old guy once again. Mike has really up his game this year, he is the man to beat at Track and as hard as they try Mike come up first almost every time. The race for third had Scott Farrell (Ingram Micro) taking it from the pack.

Nice way to start the evening huh, after a short rest, it’ Chammie burner – 6 laps of a 39/17 gear - Jason, Bridges and Chris Tirone (in a photo finish with Mike), Tim Bouchard (Tom’s Pro Bike) and Dave Kina (UB). The Chammie evens the field but good rider always find a way to win, maybe the others guys should be a little more aggressive, don’t wait for the finish if you are not able to finish it off. I bet some hard jumps and riding long before the finish may soften those sprinter legs. LOL


The last race was taken time to develop so riders started to taking one lap flyer, a good test of speed and power development, I was surprised by some of the times and saw some real improvements.

Mike Bridges posted the fastest time that I have seen; maybe of all time, a blistering 30.58 WOW can anyone do better. If the Track is a 1/3 mile, that’s near 38mph avg.

The Club has not keep great records of the ITT at the track, and flying laps were not done back in the days of Mark Castilloux. So until, I here of better I am going with Mikes. Iam all for going back to the 2 lap standing start for time.

Some other outstanding times

Frank Mesi 32.11
Joel Sally 34.14
Dave Kina 34.18
Steve Wells 34.28
Doug Bishop 36.41
Pete Nuessle 36.93
Tim Bouchard 37.83

Hope to see you again next week, where speed does not kill but makes you faster.

Flying Lap times for 2009 update

Holland Speedway Flying Lap Time

14-May 10-Jun
Mike Bridges 31.73
Joe Cooke 32.81 33.96
Ryan Nye 33.36
Frank Mesi 33.54 32.31
Jim Cowle 33.85
Ken Thomas 33.88
Scott Farrell 35.34
Justin ?? 36.38
Chris Bonn 37.35 35.93
Dave Kina 37.8
Jamie High 37.93
Keith ?? 39.36
Stephen Forrestel 39.74
Peter Ziolo 42.71
Corey Knowles 34.42
MIke Obrien 35.08
Stuart 38.1

TRACK JULY 9 RESULTS

Beautiful weather for track and a who who’s in the best from WNY racing showed up, racers if you want to get faster, this is the place to be. Where can you do a training races against the likes of Jay Joslyn( Shickluna) , Mike Bridges( Shickluna) , Jay Skalski (Handlebars), J. Cooke (French Meadow Bakery/Fortistar), Kenny Thomas (Well Fargo), Jim Cowle (Well Fargo) in a fast and safe facility. The speed workout is fantastic, B riders you can train all year by your self and never get the benefit of one night of track. The reason the fastest guys in WNY come here is because this is the place to build speed and speed win races. So come out and catch the fever, no cars, no marshals, bring your kids, Kenny had his whole family there, the kids riding in the in field during the racing and around the track during the breaks. Ok enough of the promotion.

We started out with a 36 lap scratch race, 11 riders on the line and after two laps of easy riding Mike Bridges decides to wake up the pack. An attack off the front and the chase begins, Joe Cooke answers the call and tries to bridge up, small groups are riding hard to bring it together. Sure enough the group comes together after a few laps. With a little less baggage, one thing about track the speed are high and if 30+ is not in your legs, you can be spit off the back in a hurry. But we allow you to rejoin so racing is not about you losing the pack and never seeing them again. This is the best training, like motor pacing to build your speed. So riding together is not what Mike Bridges wants today and takes off again, Joe Cooke covers the move and the 2 escapee head around the track, Jay takes to the front and sets a nice pace around 25 mph to keep the group on his wheel and let the 2 riders stay off the front. Some riders try to bridge up but Jay just welds them back, with what’s left of the pack in his wake. Jim makes a final move with 2 laps to go and is trying to hang on to 3rd place with the bell lap ringing. Joe tries to take Mike B from the front, but Mike finds the extra HP to win at the end, Jim holds off the pack, as Frank Mesi (French Meadow Bakery/Fortistar) leads the pack around the final bend, with Kenny, and Jay J. blowing by just before the finish. My speedo indicated a 36 mile top speed. I think I need a bigger gear LOL on my track bike.

Nice way to start the evening huh, after a short rest, it on to the point’s race, 24 laps of hard riding and 5 sprints in between. The first sprint has Bridges, Thomas and Joe in that orders. Regrouping the next sprint now see Kenny, Bridges and Dave Kina (UB) in the mix. Before the 3rd sprint Jay J. decides that sprinting is not how he is going to win this race and says good bye and heads up the track, with everyone looking at each other, wishing they had latched on to the Grand Island express. Jay gets the next sprint and Joe C and Kenny picks up the next other sprint points. Jay continues to motor and even as Frank tries to rail him in, all he can do is keeping the group even at a half lap behind. Jay picks up another sprint; Mike B is back in the mix and gets the sprint for second just in front of Kenny. Jay is now close to lapping the field. Jason takes Joe C up the road and they survive the insult of being lapped by Jay, in less than 12 laps. Jay picks up 10 points for lapping the field but now has to sprint with the group. Joe C wins the final sprint from Jason, and Frank finds some old magic and gets the sprint from Jay and Kenny for 3rd.

Final placing Jay (16), Joe (9), Kenny (7),

Last event for the evening a Chammie burner – 8 laps of a 39/17 gear Bridges, Jason, Jay and Jim C in that order. Even guys who can push the big gear can spin with the best of them. LOL

Hope to see you again next week, where speed does not kill but makes you faster.

First Night of Track racing at Holland Speedway

First night of track racing 2009 and a pretty good turn out, 22 riders showed. Similar to the derby we had our favorites here, Ryan Nye (2:1), Mike Bridges (4:1), Kenny Thomas (6:1), Andy Cummings (10:1) and Jim Cowle (5:2), all ready to fly around the oval. And just like the derby a few outside challengers that the bookie liked, Joe Cooke and Scott Farrell and long shot Frank Mesi.

The first race after a great warm, (funny how pace lines are suppose to go at 23/24 miles to warm up the legs and next thing, your doing 30+). Back to the first race a standard 15 lap scratch race, no primes just first to the line. Long shot Frank Mesi tried to get away early on lap 12 held the lead for a couple of laps and realized that he was in need of a TO, but no time outs in horse racing so, waited for the chasers to catch up, which they did and proceeded to pass him and keep going. WOW they did not even say hello or goodbye before leaving Frank who continued his slide back to the pack. The 2 escapee, Ryan and Jim continued to ride away from the pack for the rest of the race.

At the end Jim beat the favorite at the line for the derby win, Ryan in second. The pack exploded when Mike, Kenny and Andy, with Joe Cooke in toll escaped before the bell lap. Joe came off the train, with Kenny, Andy and Mike getting show places, with Frank finding enough energy to catch young Joe just before the finish for 6th.

Nice way to start the Track season, I think everyone was a little tired after that output.

We held a second race, that night, and you could hear a few moans, when we shouted out point race with 4 sprints in the 20 Lap feature. This was going to be a real test for the legs after the first race. And you could tell what was on everyone’s mind as we rolled around the track before the first sprint at 20 mph. Sprint lap is rung and the pace goes from 0-30 in a hurry. Everyone is fighting for a wheel into the wind, around the corner and down the stretch we go, Ryan take the top spot with Jim, Ken, and Joe just out of the places. Similar pace going into the second sprint, this time Jim, Mike and Scott Farrell take points and again Joe is just out of the points. Well, Ryan saw this as a perfect time to leave the comforts of the pack and bang up the road he goes, with everyone waving good bye as he gets a ½ lap lead in no time. Frank starts a half hearted attempt to catch him and looks back, WOW we have a gap too, since the only one to go with him is Dave Kina. Still 2 more sprints with double points at the end, lets see how this works out. Ryan is time trialing away thinking about lapping the pack, Frank and Dave are working together waiting for the explosion from the pack as the bell rings for the next sprint. No answer from the pack, except from Lance Johnson and Ben Badagliacca. The points go to Ryan, Frank and Dave. Four more laps and the finish. Ryan has almost caught the pack and Frank, thinks that will get them going and urges Dave to work hard for the next few laps, they do and the pack is about a straight away behind. Ryan wins easily; Frank takes the sprint from Dave. The pack gets a little exited know the race is near over and Joe takes the sprint from Mike and Andy. But again no points for Joe, looks like a re-occurring issue for Joe, but I am sure by the next week Joe will not be content to finishing with no points.

Speaking of that the group did some flying lap and I must say for this time of year after 2 hard races the times were outstanding. Points for the race as follows

Points race totals and placing

1. Ryan 13 points
2. Frank 6 points
3. Jim Cowle 5 points
4. Dave Kina 3 points
5. Mike Bridges 2 points
6. Ken Thomas 1 pt
7. Scott Farrell 1pt
8. Joe Cooke
9. Andy Cummings


Flying Lap times


Mike Bridges 31.73
Joe Cooke 32.81 beat his best time from last year by a second.
Ryan Nye 33.36
Frank Mesi 33.54
Jim Cowle 33.85
Ken Thomas 33.88
Scott Farrell 35.34
Justin ?? 36.38
Chris ?? 37.35
Dave Kina 37.8
Jamie High 37.93
Keith ?? 39.36
Stephen Forrestel 39.74
Peter Ziolo 42.71

Thanks to Larry Reade for running the races and Joe’s mom for hold the lap cards. As we are leaving its starting to rain, you could not ask for more, great way to start the new year.

INFO

Catch the Fever
TRACK CHALLENGE TRAINING SERIES
Holland Speedway – Holland, New York
Starting Wed May 13th 2009 AT 6:00 P.M

Open Training Session/ registration 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
May - June racing start at 6:00 pm $3.00 Entry,
July - Aug. racing start at 6:30 pm $5.00 Entry

FEATURE RACES: Changes every week
60/30 LAP SCRATCH RACE (A/B), 30 LAP or UNKNOWN DISTANCE, POINT RACE, Flying Lap, 1K TT, Pursuits & More

Calendar
May 13, 20, 27; June 3, 10 are open practice – $3 insurance fee
June 17, 24; July 8, 15, 22, 29; Aug 5, 12 - 1st-5th based on point accrued during night of racing

Special MID SEASON TRACK/CRIT Night, SAT June 20- Racing during the afternoon, with FINAL in front of the Saturday night Holland Speedway race night fans. (More to come)




HOSTED by
FRENCH MEADOW BAKERY- FORTISTAR RACING TEAM & BUFFALO BICYCLING CLUB

TRACK RACING 2009

TRACK IS BACK, STARTING WED MAY 13 at the Holland Speedway. More info to come