Opening Night

Last night was the season opener for the local cross races and our host, Jeff Yielding, put on a heck of a race. We were treated with everything you could want in a race. Chip timing, large fields, tight turns, a sand pit, a mud bog, smoking fast paved sections, and the dreaded stairs. In addition, it was rockstar status for the racers with tons of volunteers and screaming fans at every turn. Toss in the live band and you've got one hell of a fun night!!

I started 12th on the grid and was thankful once I saw the twisty sections that would come early in the race. I really hadn't planned for a fast start, but was lucky enough to come out of the first section around 8th. However, the front guys were pegging it and since I was racing with some guys clearly ahead of my level, I didn't want to burst too soon so I backed the pace off a little. That allowed several people to pass me early in the race, but I was okay with that. I settled into the top 20 riders and began a tempo that would bring me to the end. My teammate Zak Hafner, passed me (from the back of the pack) around the 3rd lap enroute to his 6th place finish.

I kept tempo riding with Kent Jones and Jeremie Meitz and I think we also had Andy Schuette and a couple of other riders in a train on the last couple of laps. I was hesitant to get into a battle with either Kent or Jeremie on the paved sections as they are both strong riders, but now I wished I would have challenged them a little more in the lower field before the sand pit. I don't think I could have made it stick but it would have been nice to make the try. Kent ended up dropping his chain with 1 1/2 laps to go and ended up with a DNF.

On the last lap, Jeremie and others hit the gas in the mud bog and I was too far gone to go with them. I checked our gap to the riders behind and we were clear by several seconds, so I worked enough to stay ahead and took it to the line for 23rd place (out of 58.)

BIG BIG Thanks go out to Matt Grothoff and Robert Metz and the Team Seagal warriors as they were out in full force with cowbells and loud cheering just when you needed it most. They must have had the VIP passes as they were at all the critical sections throughout the race. Top of the stairs, mud bog, barriers, you name it they were there. Best of all, they were at the end of the race handing out cold PBR's!

James Nelson had a great race too finishing in 27th from a back of the pack start. I would see him several times during the race and knew he was certainly capable of bridging up to me, but was lucky enough to hold him back. Rich Pierce was out on the "Deer Dozer" and had a great time mixing it up in the field. James, Rich, Zak and I rode out to the race together and had many laughs on the way out and the way home. True Epicnicity!!