Total Points, Second Place Finish

Yesterday's race saw a smaller turnout than normal, possibly due to a combination of people taking vacations and the fact that the Ottawa area had a sever thunderstorm warning in effect for the day. Along with the storm warning, it was bloody hot and humid yesterday. As a result there were only 3 riders in my class, which meant we raced a total of 3 heats for total points, no qualification process for a main.

Our class saw the addition of a first time rider out, he sure does show some great talent for a beginner, so much so I asked him where he raced in the past.

Ultimately the real racing action was between myself and the new rider, as Jamie was easily able to pull away from us on his cruiser taking first all three races and making it a race for second place.

The first race I had a good start but failed to take a clean fast line through turns 1 and 2, so I came out down the back straight in the back of the pack. I attempted to make a pass in the following corners, but both times the new rider had his back tire slide out from him leaving me very little room to make any move. We raced down the final stretch but I could not catch him.

I did not get a great start during the second race as I could not get my balance before the gate dropped. However I did make sure to push hard off the start to make up for this, and all three of us were neck and neck going into the first turn. I had a better line and it showed, as I came out of turns 1 and 2 in second. I would finish second but was being pushed to ride hard from behind.

I do have to give a thank you out to a parent of one of the younger riders who I have also raced against recently as between the second and final heat he instructed me to pedal hard between the doubles that are on the straight leading to the final turn. He then "threatened" me to do so otherwise he would "kick my ass". Who am I to know if he would follow through? So I took his advice strongly, afterall this guy races motocross and other forms of cycling, downhill I believe.

I had a better start balance wise during the third heat, but I was in the back of the pack going into turns 1 and 2. I had a good line and was able to come out making a push for second. I would fall back a bit entering turn 3, I pushed hard and pedaled between the doubles going down to the final turn, I was able to catch the rider in second place and make a move in the final corner to drop down to the inside coming out of the corner with more speed. I pedaled as hard as I could and pumped the jumps as had as I could down the final stretch to take second place.

So with a "total points" system the scorers look at the race results for all three individual races rather than the final placing during the final race. Because I finished in 3rd, 2nd, and 2nd, I had more enough "points" that I finished second place for the night.