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2009 RACE SUMMARIES

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August 27, 2009 Races

Big doings at the NSC Velodrome tonight. Due to recent rain-outs, three state championships were on the schedule. No rain problems on this beautiful autumn evening (even though it was August).

Category 1/2 (19 Riders)

A large Cat 1/2 field warmed up with a 10-lap scratch race. James Tainter (Silver Cycling) strung things out at the gun to make sure the pace was high. Gabe Masiulis (Gopher Wheelmen) tried to go off the front with 7 to go but Brian Crosby (Speedfix) led the chasers to make sure he didn’t get away. With 4 to go, Dan Schueller (Gopher Wheelmen) upped the pace. Tainter attacked, but was quickly covered by Crosby and Peter Schweich (Behind Bars/LGR). Dan Currell (Bianchi/GP) led the chasers to bring things together. At the bell Crosby and teammate Ben Dubay (Speedfix) rode over the top and stayed out in that order to the finish. Andy Frye (Loon States) and Dan Schueller claimed 3rd and 4th.            

 

The Minnesota State Championship Points race (80 laps, sprints every 10 laps) was limited to Cat 1/2 riders due to the large field. A few riders tested the resolve of the field early but things stayed together until 2 to go the sprint when Masiulis accelerated to lead out the sprint. Crosby took the sprint followed by Currell, Masiulis, and Alex Atherton (Flat City). Schueller joined these four to gain up to 40 meters on the field but with 6 laps to the second sprint, the group was together and bunched.

 

Adam Bergman (Texas Roadhouse) attacked with 3 to go the 2nd sprint taking Crosby and Dan Casper (Grandstay). The stayed out in that order with Andy Frye leading the rest scross the line. Ben Dubay (Speedfix) bridgerd across but the four were caught by the group with 5 laps to the 3rd sprint. With 3 laps to go, Tainter rode off the front to gain 60 meters and take the sprint followed by Andy Kruse (Speedfix), Bergman, and Tom Hagerty (Behind Bars/LGR). After the sprint, the riders bunched with a number down a lap.

 

With 2 laps to go to the 4th sprint, Chris Ferris (sub/11) led things out. At the bell, Tim Mulrooney (Synergy), Crosby and Dubay rode over Ferris. Crosby took the sprint followed by Dubay, Mulrooney and Ferris. Mulrooney, Crosby and Dubay kept going with Schueller bridging to them. The quartet gained up to 50 meters on the field, but were caught with 3 laps to the 5th sprint. Bergman attacked at the bell followed by Crosby, Casper and Dubay and crossed the line in that order.

 

With 6 laps to the 6th sprint, Tainter attacked and got up to a 130 meter gap; enough to take the sprint. Bergman, Crosby, and Atherton led the field across for the remaining places. Tainter swung up to join the field which held together until 2 laps to the 7th sprint when Dubay and Crosby attacked drawing Bergman and Kruse. Bergman and Kruse were able to pass a fading Dubay but not Crosby. The lead trio was chased by Tainter, Currell, Mulrooney and Casper. Casper, Mulrooney and Tainter blew past the others. Mulrooney was able to stay ahead to take the final sprint followed by Tainter and Casper. Bergman cleaned up the 4th place in the final sprint. Brian Crosby accumulated the most points to become the State Points Race Champion. Bergman was 2nd and Tainter 3rd.    

 

Tainter kept the first few sprints of the miss and out fast with riders being eliminated by fading off the pace. As things slowed down, Kruse pipped a few riders at the line until he timed it badly and was eliminated. Dubay took a flyer off the front, gaining as much as 60 meters, as riders continued to be caught inside or fade off the back, unable to keep up the high pace. Chris Ferris took 4th place as he faded off the back. That left Crosby and Currell to match sprint while Dubay motored in front. Currell dived out of turn 2 on the sprint lap but Crosby was able to respond and rode over him.  Crosby kept on going and caught Dubay who pinned Crosby at the rail for half a lap before getting just a little too much in front, allowing Crosby to dive underneath in turn 2. Dubay was too slow to respond and finished in 2nd place to Crosby.

Category 3 (13 Riders)

Three women joined the Cat 3 riders for a 10-lap scratch race. After some quick moves at the start, things got back together with 7 to go. The riders stayed bunched eyeing each other until Mark Stewart (unattached) accelerated with 3 laps to go drawing Mario Hernandez (Speedfix) and Dan Frederick (Flanders). With 2 to go the field was stretched out in a fast line led by Hernandez, Frederick, and Matt Cimino (Bianchi/GP).

 

Lionel Space (Strada Racing), in town from his home in Arizona for a few weeks, delighted spectators by pipping no less than 10 riders at the line acting as the “devil” (taking the hindmost) in the miss and out. His last victim was Frederick who jumped too late and took 4th place for the race. Space then lost by inches at the line for 3rd place. Cimino and Jason Goldberg (Bianchi/GP) then match sprinted for the win. At the bell, Cimino jumped and Goldberg couldn’t respond in kind. Win to Cimino, Goldberg 2nd.

 

The Cat 3 riders closed out the evening race schedule with a 50-lap scratch race. Stewart rolled off the front with 46 to go and got as much as 95 meters over a field not much interested in chasing. He was back in the field with 2 to go when Frederick crashed, forcing Hernandez and Mike Hall (Behind Bars/LGR) onto the grass. All three were able to re-enter the race.

 

Meanwhile, Greg Lavick (Synergy) rode off the front and gained 130 meters. Hernandez, Cimino, and Frederick pulled the field into chase mode. With 31 laps to go, Lavick lapped the field with the trio getting their lap shortly after. Space attacked several times but wasn’t allowed to get away. With 17 laps to go, Lavick and Hernandez attacked again and quickly got 70 meters. With 11 laps to go, they lapped the field again. Space gave it one last go and got as much as 70 meters, but swung up with 7 laps to go. With three laps to go, Hernandez went down with three other riders. He was two laps ahead at the time but wasn’t able to finish the race. The final sprint was taken by Hall, Frederick, Cimino and Lavick. The race was won by Lavick, two laps up. Frederick took 2nd over Cimino, each 1 lap up. Hall took 4th based on his final sprint win.

Category 4/5 (18 Riders)                                             

The Cat 4//5 riders started the evening with a 10-lap scratch race. The pace was moderate and riders in a line until 4 to go when some of the riders in the rear started moving up in preparation for the final sprint. With 3 to go Mike Smith (Gopher Wheelmen) attacked and gained a gap. At the bell, Conrade Thomas ((unattached) accelerated off the front of the chasers and tried, without success, to bridge to Smith. The final order: Smith, Thomas, Rich Bergstrom (Gopher Wheelmen), and Nate Swanberg (Birchwood).

 

A win and out was next on the schedule. At the gun, Swanberg took off and got as much as 15 meters. A trio of Gopher Wheelmen took off after him along with Conrade Thomas. In the final turn Mike Smith (Gopher Wheelmen) rode over teammates Derek Virta and Rich Bergstrom for the win. Chris Verbick (Gopher Wheelmen) joined Thomas, Bergstrom, Virta to keep it hot. Two laps later, Thomas was able to outsprint the Wheelmen for 2nd place. The Wheelmen trio kept on going and were chased by Nathan Brennaman (Birchwood) who passed up Virta and Verbick, but not Bergstrom who took 3rd. Brennaman stayed out to take the 4th place sprint. A trio of fresh legs contested the final sprint for 5th place won by Dave Lunde (MNJRC) over Aaron Koehler (unattached) with Craig Anderson (unattached) following.  

 

The Cat 4/5 State Championship points race (40 laps, sprints every 10 laps) was contested by 19 riders. At the bell, Bergstrom attacked to push the field. He was quickly caught and the field remained together until Smith attacked at the bell for the 1st sprint. Thomas, Bergstrom, and Virta crossed behind him. The field stayed largely together until Smith attacked with 2 laps to go to the 2nd sprint. Brennaman chased and passed him. Thomas and Bergstrom brought up the field. Aaron Kohler (unattached) got a small gap followed by Verbick. At the bell, Dave Brosnahan (Big Ring Flyers) countered taking Smith and Virta. The 3rd sprint order: Brosnahan – Verbick – Smith – Virta. Kohler tried to get away again with 5 to go but was shadowed by Bergstrom and reeled in by a group of 6 led by Thomas. The eight lead riders were eyeing each other. At the bell it was Brennaman, Thomas, and Smith. At the line it was Brennaman, Smith and Thomas , and Bergstrom. The final tally showed Mike Smith to be the State 4/5 points race champion. Brenneman was 2nd and Thomas 3rd.    

Women (9 Riders)       

The women raced a 12-lap snowball to warm up. Bianca Bergman (Bianchi/GP) led things out and took the 2nd lap sprint. Bergman, Terra James (Speedfix) and Heidi Dahlmann (Gopher Wheelmen) got a 20 meter gap and kept it to the 4th lap sprint won by Bergman going over Dahlmann and James. Melissa Dahlmann then attacked out of the chase group, drawing Megan Kelly (Gopher Wheelmen) and sister Heidi. Kelly fell off the pace and Melissa took the 6th lap points. The rest of the race was Melissa and Heidi out in front by up to 70 meters. Heidi took the 10th lap sprint but Melissa took the rest and the race. Megan Lennon was placed 4th based on her last sprint finish.

 

The women’s state championship Keirin was contested by 9 riders. Two heats whittled the field down to six in the final. Bergman took the motor pace wheel but swung up when the motor left the track with 2½ to go. With 2 to go Melissa Dahlmann attacked and got a small gap, too early as it turned out. The gap was quickly closed at the bell by Linsey Hamilton (Synergy) and Bergman. Heidi Dahlman then attacked and was able to come over Bergman but Hamilton held her off to the line. The finish: Hamilton – Heidi Dahlmamn – Bergman with James coming in 4th.

 

The women started off their 30-lap scratch race at a comfortable pace. With 15 laps to go, Heidi Dahlmann attacked and got a 30 meter gap chased by Sandy Gress (Synergy). Heidi swung up with 13 to go and the field was back together. Megan Lennon (Behind Bars/LGR) attacked at the bell and took a cash prime at 10 to go. The field stayed bunched, however until Kelly led out a sprint with 3 to go followed by Gress and James. At the bell, Gress led but was passed by Heidi and Melissa Dahlmann and Bergman in the final lap. Bergman was able to pass Melissa but not Heidi. The final: Heidi Dahlmann, Bergman, Melissa with Gwen Steele (Speedfix) taking 4th.