Finally a Morale Booster Night at the Driveway

Tonites P1/2 Driveway Crit Winners

OK, I was due. Nothing spectacular but strong finish in the 4/5′s tonite. Not sure, but easy Top 15. Not just a pack finish but in the smaller lead pack. Jonathon & Omar from San Jose were there and George from ATC as well.

Set up the PA and got probably 10m warm-up laps in. Ate a Gu and a Cliff Bar about 20 min. before the race. Also drank lots of water (something I usually don’t due – it worked). Course was the long course counter-clockwise up the corkscrew (my favorite) and a bit windy (also good).

At the start I was well positioned at about 5. On the long stretch after the first downhill, George stood & went and I went with him. We got a nice gap going into the wide right-hander. Next leg was into the wind and pack was gaining slightly but Geo. and I maintained 1-2 going into the corkscrew with his strong pull. I let him pull all the way around the announcer and we stayed 1-2 until the next corkscrew. At the top I went by George to give a pull he slipped in behind me and we went by the start/finish 1-2. Me leading. Holy cr%$ !

Next down hill about 4 hit it and went around us and I had to stand and go to get a wheel (184 HR). We had a small 7 man gap. After the right sweep, we grupo compacto’d and I sat in and rested (back to 161 HR). Same the next lap, got squeezed on a turn and lost 5-6 places. Fortunately I was great on the corkscrew tonite or everyone else was just bad, cause I found an outside line that brought back 5-6 spots every lap. With 5 to go I was feeling great. Four to go still in the front of the pack. Amazing ! Three to go again another sweet corkscrew climb and I was about 8th. I was just waiting for the bonk. It’s coming I know it. But after the slow downs on the long stretches I had the power to stay put.

After the start finish turn with 2 to go the boys slammed it. I had to get up and really dig around the announcer S’s. Lost about 4 places there, but kept standing into the downhill so I coasted back into the group. At the corkscrew a guy went hard and gapped everyone, he was running away. Turns out he thought that was the last lap and croaked after the start finish only to find we had one lap to go.

I was freaking out, I still had power up the corkscrew (not as much as earlier) but still enough to gain spots. With one to go it was on. Pack rubberbanded single file thru the announcer S’s and charged down the hill. I though. Oh no. I stayed on until the last lap and I’m going to get gapped. Didn’t happen. We grupo compacto’d again on the long strait. Don’t get me wrong we were at 26-27 mph on this , but we did come back together. I was at about 171 and thinking I may try and make a run after the long right turn. Got way inside (right) and started moving up, but with no one in front and into the wind (back up to 179 HR), I wasted too much energy that late in the race.

Got in a group of 25 that slightly gapped the bigger pack. Right before the corkscrew another guy went and I thought he had it, but he was getting chased down. I hammered up the corkscrew and stayed up the rest of the way in. I had my head buried between my knees and was driving for all I had (never saw anything in front of me). I was actually out-sprinting folks I think I gained 4 spots on the home stretch, but a guy from behind nipped me on the line. What a great feeling. I think I had more. When I was moving up on the back straight I should have slid into shelter at the front. I would never have beaten the spinters, but may have gotten a point. Great confidence booster, Omar rode well too (right behind me), Jonathon was 4th.

What a night. Packed up the PA and celebrated with a Schlotzsky’s on the way home. Nothing beats the Driveway. Nothing !