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.