Club Races 2002
Race 18, August 22

Thourot's Surprise - A Small-gear Omnium at OOIP

This race was fun! The race director had set up a couple of work stands and bound up everyone's shifters in a 39X15 gear. The first race was a 10-lap crit. The race mostly stayed together, with legs a-whirl at major rpm's. (The lower velocities and high rpm's made for more some badly needed control at the slippery, wet second corner.) The usual pecking order was destroyed. Super-sprinter Rob Foshag finished way out front, followed by Dave Komives and Mike Iannone. 

Thourot paired riders from opposite ends of the crit finish order for a two man rolling start one-lap time trial. Some of the heavy hitters looked as though they wanted a buggy whip to encourage their partners.

And finally, a set of 9-man sprints were run from a standing start at corner four. A set of qualifying heats sorted out folks into a final set. There was some trouble getting clipped in during the qualifiers, but a neat holding system worked fine for the finals. Rob Foshag was the hands down winner on this race, followed by Junior Andy Pauken and Ron Gratop.

The course looked like a scene from Viet Nam - hot, gray skies threatening rain, so steamy that scoring sheets began to look like used tissues. Thourot's Surprise was just the ticket for a night like that. The crowd that went over to Loma Linda's afterward was still enjoying the afterglow a couple of hours later. Senior Adam Slough won first place, Master Scott Loehrke and Vet Dave Komives tied for 4th Junior Andy Pauken was 9th.

Race Points
(Scoring Details Are Here)