BVC Friday Racing - 1st in 30 Lap Scratch

Three races tonight. First was a 4x5 Win and Out Race, then a 30 Lap Scratch and finishing with a 50 Lap "Exponential" Points Race.

I tried going out really hard for the 4x5 Win and Out. About lap 3 Anthony King went over me and while trying to put out some extra power to keep out I got some "speed wobble" (Scott Jutson later said he saw my bike moving from side to side, it certainly felt like it...). I think this is from hitting a bump in the track on the side of the wheel, which sets up a harmonic. Very distressing at 50+ km/h... Anyway, very in-oppourtune time, it let Tony get a small bike length gap which I just couldn't cover. And the fun thing about a Win and Out is that if you come 2nd you get to keep racing... Didn't catch my breath until the last sprint, and then still couldn't do much. Was racing a strong 4th going into the bell lap going over the lead rider, but the person whose wheel I was following pulled up on the finish line with one lap to go. I suspect he got confused and thought that was the finish.

The air must have been very dry tonight, even with the puffer I still ended up with a bad cough after the first race and there where a bunch of other people standing around coughing... Almost didn't start the second race, thought it might be too short and the 50 lap "Exponential" Points race (which we had no idea would be...) might be a better chance at fame and glory etc etc...

But still started, better to at least use the short race to stay warmed up. Stayed at the back for the first 20 laps, then realized that my lungs and legs felt reasonably good, so moved up to see who was the best wheel to follow. Found Ben Cowburn and more or less marked him for a few laps. Anthony King got to the front with (I think) 4-5 laps to go, and led a small group of us out. I managed to get over him and another rider and get a reasonable gap to take 1st... Quite unexpected given my starting plans..

It was lucky that I managed to turn around a 1st in the 2nd race. A few people went home and with smaller numbers in both the A's and B's we ended up running the last race with the A's... :-)

This was a new race invented by the ever resourceful Jeremy Storie, billed as an Exponential Points Race. Standard Points Race rules and scoring. First sprint after 5 laps, second after 10 laps, third after 15 laps, final after another 15 laps... A bit bizarre, we had to remember that the "bell laps" where at 46, 36, 16 and 1.. 

With the A's and the short sprints at the beginning it was just a fast sufferfest... I did manage to get towards the front for the final sprint, but still only managed to get a 6th in that sprint (I think to Ben Cowburns 5th.)