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Asheville Mellowdrome Rumble on the River #2
May 11, 2004
By Asheville Velodrome Group
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The three-ring circus that is the French Broad River Park was in full swing last Tuesday. The weather was hot and dry and riders turned out in abundance for three hours of track and road bike events. The new bridge is quickly becoming the favored vantage point on the oval, and spectators also lined the front side of the 491-meter oval.
In the lower division for road bikes, Jeff Frazier confirmed his status as series leader with another win in the 30-lap points race. The youngster fought off Robert Karriker's repeated counter moves and beat back Thad Walker in head to head sprinting action throughout the race. Meanwhile, the upper division 60 lapper turned into a barnburner with three riders making the race. Jacob McGahey opened an early lead as Joey Coddington and Randy Parker were focused on each other. By halfway, it was still McGahey by a considerable margin. However, from then on the sprint laps got rough and a three way battle emerged as 50 laps and then 55 passed under the wheels. As the bell rang with one to go, the scoreboard still showed number 1 in third place, but Coddington drew clear by two lengths at the line, claimed the ten points, and vaulted past Parker and McGahey to decide the finish in that order.
The track events mustered 30 entrants, which left both fields of the split division a happy sight for the two-year-old program. In the upper division, Frodo again slayed all. One imagines he is off searching for The Fletcher Arrow to give him some heat. In his wake it was a real tussle for the lower positions. The Axe held onto second in a tiebreaker with The Razor. One point off their total was newly promoted Andrew Erskine in fourth place, one point better than 'Special K' who took fifth in another tiebreaker with The Dagger. Which brings me to the last bit of this account.
The Lion of Beaverdam put on a show in the lower division of the fixed gear Omnium. In addition to notching a win in the Miss and Out, he claimed seconds in the Scratch Race and Points Race to turn back Michael Biggs in a two-man contest for the overall. This was a great performance from a journeyman cyclist who currently resides in the 50 plus category. Also, a nod goes to The Mentor for acting as gatekeeper while the Captain and Dr. Jim combined to abscond with the Miss and Out under the noses of an unsuspecting field.
Congratulations to all. See you in two weeks.
Photography
Images by Asheville Velodrome Group
- Constructed over the winter, the bridge, also known as Woody, makes for a much safer track environment as well as a good viewing location.
- Woody also makes a good location to heckle the racers, but no spitting please.
- Blair Hobgood, a.k.a. "Frodo", is batting a thousand after two nights of racing.
- Marc "the Axe" Mullinax in real life is a mild mannered college professor, but hopes to end Blair's dominance.
- Recently joined in matrimony, Don Lux and Nancy Daigler hook up on the track as well.
- The Taxman Herb Young checks in with a smile before the first race of the evening.
- Shawn Smith in his first few track races is quickly learning the fast way around the speedway.
- The race of the night was the B field Miss-n-Out. The Master's 150+ combine of Kamm, McMillan and Smith put on a show from the start and schooled young 'uns from the front. Jim McMillan took top honors.
- A shot from April 27. Richard Dunn checks the front of the 60 lap road bike points race as, up the road, team-mate Kent Willams tries for a lap on the 491 meter oval.
- Ensuring that the little diesel is brought up properly, track regular George Riedesel plans to make sure his son can spot a foul or sprinter's lane violation from a distance.
Results
Fixed Gear A 8 Lap Scratch 1 Blair Hobgood 2 Michael Koerschner 3 Nancy Daigler 4 Marc Mullinax 5 Mike Despeaux Unknown Distance 1 Blair Hobgood 2 Mark Mullinax 3 Kevin Bray 4 Andrew Erskine 5 Mike Despeaux 20 Lap Points Race 1 Blair Hobgood 2 Bob Wright 3 Andrew Erskine 4 Nancy Daigler 5 Mike Despeaux Year Total Omnium Points 1 Blair Hobgood 16 pts 2 Mark Mullinax 12 3 Mike Koerschner 6 4 Bob Wright 6 5 Kevin Bray 4 6 Andrew Erskine 3 7 Shawn Smith 2 8 Nancy Daigler 2 9 Don Lux 2 10 John Derry 2 11 Mike Despeaux 2 12 George Riedesel 2 13 Scott Langford 1 14 Doug Graul 1 15 Heath Dotson 1 16 Herb Young 1 Fixed Gear B 6 Lap Scratch 1 Michael Biggs 2 Jim McMillan 3 Sean Young 4 Ray VonDolen 5 Monica Koerschner Miss-n-Out 1 Jim McMillan 2 Chris Kamm 3 Ray VonDolen 4 John Neil 5 Mike Smith 15 Lap Points Race 1 Michael Biggs 2 Jim McMillan 3 Ray VonDolen 4 Steve Miller 5 Sean Young Year Total Omnium Points 1 Jim McMillan 11 pts 2 Chris Kamm 9 3 Andrew Erskine 8 4 Michael Biggs 8 5 Ray VonDolen 5 6 Herb Young 4 7 Sean Young 3 8 Steve Miller 2 9 Marc Hunt 2 10 Janet Truby 2 11 Mike Smith 2 12 Monica Koerschner 2 13 Wendy Coin 1 14 Rostand Smith 1 15 Caroline Camp 1 16 John Neil 1 17 Paul Battenfeld 1 18 Sean Quigley 1 19 Mike Lackenmacher 1 Road Bike "A" 60 Lap Points Race 1 Joey Coddington 37 pts 2 Randy Parker 33 3 Jacob Mac Gahey 33 4 Mike Lantz 10 5 Andy Applegate 8 6 Dean Lyons 6 7 Adam Penny 4 8 Chris Ernst 3 9 Paul Wood 3 10 David Forkner 2 11 Jay Curwen 2 12 Bob Wright 1 13 Treavis Taylor 1 Year Total Omnium Points 1 Darby Harris 7 pts 2 Joey Coddington 7 3 Bob Wright 5 4 Randy Parker 5 5 Mike Lantz 4 6 Jacob Mac Gahey 4 7 Kent Williams 3 8 Andy Applegate 1 Road Bike "B" 30 Lap Points Race 1 Jeff Frazer 16 pts 2 Rober Karriker 11 3 Thad Walker 10 4 Nick Rogouski 8 5 Adam Pinkston 7 6 Chris Bifaro 6 7 John Garrett 6 8 Jay Hilow 6 9 Jamie Arnold 5 10 Ray VonDolen 2 Year Total Omnium Points 1 Jeff Frazer 14 pts 2 Thad Walker 6 3 Wes Dickson 5 4 Robert Karriker 5 5 Nick Rogouski 2 6 Adam Pinkston 2 7 Nick Rogouski 2
