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NAS-TRACK Madison Racing League #5

Rochester Hills, Michigan, July 25, 2003

Traffic, intensity picks up as racers head toward Championships

By Christine Walden

Three teams left the other five behind when they set a blistering pace at the front of the bike race Friday, July 25th as the NAS-TRACK Madison Racing League continued at the Velodrome at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills Michigan. With 16 racers on the track, jam after jam after jam and repeated efforts to gain a lap, "it was NAS-TRACK’s hardest, fastest race in its two year history," said NAS-TRACK Chair Dale Hughes. The teams are winding up for NAS-TRACK’s League Championships to be held next Friday, August 1.

The July 25th competition evening ended with a win by Dave Koesel and Jon Hughes of Team Blue. They fought off serious threats by Team Purple’s Steve Mlujeak and Ray Dybowski and a blazing final sprint by Team White’s Terry Palmer who, teamed with Rob Akers, came within 1 point of winning the night. Team Blue with a seven point lead going into the final sprint, had to place third or better to hold onto the lead they'd held from the beginning. Third is exactly where Hughes, who was at the end of his rotation and clearly fighting for every inch, finished. It was a second victory for both him and partner Koesel. Palmer and Akers finished in second, one point behind. Mlujeak and Dybowski took third.

The evening was filled with crowd-thrilling performances beginning with the program’s 1 mile sprint and a literal over the top performance by Mlujeak, the U.S. Coast Guard racer who’s power had not yet been fully witnessed by anyone. At one to go, Tony Bruley, of Team Green, was fending off a two-man attack by Palmer and Team Red’s Ron St. John. In the backstretch and going into Turn 3, the three were abreast when Mlujeak, accelerating in the slipstream of the three racers, caught them all, went high on the track and pulled up even so that it was four riders racing four abreast through the 44 degree banking. In a final kick, Mlujeak used the banking to pick up even more speed to win it at the line.

Mlujeak came into play again when he and Koesel were the last remaining riders in the Miss and Out. This time, Koesel took it.

The crowd was on its feet again for the last sprint of last Madison of the evening when Palmer, a 2003 National Champions of in-line speed skating, showed his power on the bicycle. Just before the bell, Akers threw in Palmer who was looking at Hughes and Mlujeak (both thrown in at two to go) a considerable distance ahead but somewhat protected by the traffic of lapped riders. Almost effortlessly, he powered past everyone and by the backstretch had Hughes and Mlujeak within reach. In the final turn, Mlujeak went over Hughes and in the homestretch, Palmer went over them both. "Tonight’s racing was the best, bar none," said an elated Hughes. "This is what bike racing is all about - intense competition, incredibly skilled athletes and fans who get into it and out of their seats."

Next Friday, August 1, the teams go at it again in the NAS-TRACK Madison Racing League Championships. An expected eight teams will be competing for the title when racing begins at 7 p.m. at the 1/8th of mile Velodrome at Bloomer Park.

Results

1 Team Blue                           57 pts
Dave Koesel
Jon Hughes
 
2 Team White                          56
Terry Palmer
Rob Akers
 
3 Team Purple                         47
Steve Mlujeak
Ray Dybowski
 
4 Team Black                          37
Randy Aardema
Rob Good
 
5 Team Green
Tony Bruley
Andre Champoux
 
7 Team Red                            23
Ron St. John
Mark St. John
 
8 Team Pink                           18
Rick Denman
Mark Freed
 
9 Team Neon                           13
Ron Sink
Cullen Watkins
 
Overall Standings after Round 5
 
1 Jon Hughes, Rochester Hills        244 pts
2 Mark. St. John, St. Clair Shores   222
3 Dave Koesel, Livonia               229
4 Andre Champoux, Ypsilanti          221
5 Rob Good, Toronto                  216
6 Ray Dybowski, Waterford            188
7 Rippin Ronnie Sink, Rochester      160
8 Pio Apostoli, Toledo               156
9 Randy Aardema, Detroit             139
10 Rob Akers, Garden City            135
11 Ron St. John, Hawaii              118
12 Terry Palmer, Shelby Twp.          99
13 Steve Mlujeak, Rochester Hills     97
14 Mark Freed, Mt. Pleasant           70
15 Cullen Watkins, Royal Oak          52
16 Wayne Cook, Mt. Clemens            21
17 Dave Boynton, Royal Oak            21
18 Paul Jaqua, Savannah, GA           17

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