Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2009 YEAR END REVIEW 55/60+ RACING

By John McKee

When I mentioned I was going to write a year end review I didn't realize what a monumental task this would be. There were LOTS of races and LOTS of different championships that many of you raced in and won or did well in. The season had many highs and lows. The low in our sport is a crash or worse a tangle with a automobile and a number of you did that in 2009.

I have to think back to the "Wide World of Sports". I use to watch it most every Saturday from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. You all must remember the "thrill of victory and agony of defeat". In the agony of defeat some poor athlete messed up in the ski jump and wipes out really bad. ABC showed that every week. Some claim to fame.
Those that I know that tangled with cars are Steve Horine, John Edwards, Barney Feigenbaum and Ernie Hoffer. Not sure what happened to Steve but I know John Edwards got smacked by a trailer, Barney had a car turn in front of him and he did a 360 over it. I am saving the worst for last. Ever set up on the street in front of your house thinking about getting a good training ride in. Ernie Hoffer did but much to his surprise a neighbor had something different in store for Ernie.

His neighbor slammed into the back of Ernie sending him through the windshield backward and then as a late panic maneuver the neighbor puts on the brakes. A little late right. This sends Ernie flying out and onto the street many feet from the car. Ernie had a number of broken bones including in his face but is recovering and hopes to race again in 2010. What are neighbors for but a good takeout.

There were a lot of high moments in the season and many of you had some great races and have medals and jerseys to show for it but one person comes to mind and that is Kenny Fuller. Kenny has been winning medals and championship jerseys most of his life but had a mind blowing great year in 2009. Kenny doesn't enter many local races but builds his form for the "big fish". The one that usually gets away from the rest of us but Kenny bagged a good number in 2009. Kenny won the SCNCA TT and road championship building his form. Kenny went to Natz in Louisville, Kent. and destroyed everyone else in each of his races-TT, road and then criterium. Kenny bagged his 38th National Championship. Kenny took his great form to Worlds and won the TT and podiumed the road race. If that wasn't enough Kenny heard about the one hour record for masters and thought he would give it a go. Roger Young the director of the LA Velodrome worked with Kenny on a plan to break the one hour record in the 60+ category. Keith Ketterer of Amgen was also going for a record on the same day in the 50+ category.

The deal in the one hour record is to go as hard as you can for one hour on a closed velodrome and see how far you went. With a UCI official there Kenny went further than anyone had before. A new world record! Now if that isn't a great way to cap off a season. KK by the way also set a record in the 50+ category.
The racing season for us mere mortal type racers started in Imperial Beach in El Centro and Mothballs in Santa Barbara. Dale Luedtke entered the 55+ category in 2009 and with Kal Szkalak also of UC Cyclery/JW Flooring gave the 55+ and 55/60+ races a speed surge at the end that amazed me and most everyone. Kal was fast but Dale was really fast. Dale showed his great form throughout the 2009 season and won many races as did Kal.
UCC/JW Flooring proved to be the dominate team with John Rubcic also of UCC/JW Flooring cleaning up in the 60+ category making things very difficult for all 55/60+ racers with this lethal mix of very fast racers.

The 2009 season wasn't all about the favorites winning. Take the SCNCA Masters Championship in Dom. Hills hosted by Paramount Racing. Yes the 55+ race had Dale, Kal and Carlos Soto finishing in that order as you might expect but the 60+ race had a surprise finish. A 5 pack of riders shed Phil Richards and John McKee leaving Bruce Steele, John Rubcic, and Kenny Fuller. Coming into the last lap Bruce knew he had to do something exceptional or JR would outsprint everyone at the finish. With a little less than one lap to go Bruce made a move on the downhill northside. John R was hoping Kenny would chase but Kenny wouldn't chase leaving Bruce off into a twilight zone that he had nevered experienced before in bike racing. Bruce gave it 100%. He was as they call in Vegas "All In". John Rubcic decided he couldn't wait any longer and made a desperate chase with 2 corners to go but alas Bruce had done it. This day, this race Bruce Steele was the winner and champion! I love stories like this because I always liked the underdog. Whenever I saw a 50s cowboy and Indian movie back in the day I always rooted for the men of color but I knew the pale faces would win in the end.
The 55+ road race was won by Kal in a small field sprint in Bakersfield. I already mentioned that Kenny won the 60+ race as I mentioned Kenny won the 60+ SCNCA TT. The 55+ was sweep by TTing specialists. I must say I have some disdain for those that only do TTs when we are trying to build group racing in our categories but I do understand some of the reasons...crashes.
The MBGP is proably the biggest non champ race on the calendar. Paul Rodiguez won the 55+ category in a break which was great for him and UCC/JW Flooring but slowed the pace behind him and bunched everyone up. John Rubcic won out in the 60+ race as was pretty much the custom when John lined up. John had a great year and won MBGP with a soft cast on his arm from a training accident.
There were many of you that podiumed at Natz on the road, cyclocross or the track. I will try to include everyone but if I leave you off, let me know about it. At the road championships in Louisville we know that Kenny Fuller proved to be super human but Gary DeVoss managed to podium in the 65+ criterium. Fritz Tomasello with his teammate Dave Prechtl won the 110 division in a 2 up sprint in the road race as you can see in the photo.

In cyclocross Natz Bob Llamas placed 2nd in 65+ in Bend, Org. with freezing weather. John Rubcic placed 6th in 60+ which is one off the podium and this author knows what that feels like. Lousy!

In track Natz racing held in Colorado Chuck Watson showed great form and won the red, white and blue jersey in the 65+ points race. Barney Feigenbaum was 3rd. Chuck also got 3rd in the 65+ sprint while trackie Steve Whitsitt placed 3rd in the 60+ points race.
Trully sorry I couldn't mention more names and get more of you in my report but I think the final SCNCA points standing are a good way to get more people some acclaim for their racing efforts. The final points standing are a result of your placings and the number of events that you pointed in. The final standings for the top 10 racers in 55+ and 60+ were:

SoCal Cup Standings For 2009
Masters 60+
Place Name License # Team Name SoCal Points
1 John Rubcic 48760 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 302
2 Bruce Steele 236498 South Bay Wheelmen 226
3 Kenny Fuller 46765 Team Simple Green 188
4 John McKee 180386 Paramount Racing 178
5 Paul Springer 33679 Citrus Valley Velo 165
6 Loren Stephens 234791 EDGE Racing 149
7 Benjamin Maciel 275832 Citrus Valley Velo 148
8 Leo Pettus 219074 Paramount Racing 140
9 Michael Fleming 129293 Coates Cyclery Cycling Club 124
10 Phillip Richards 238828 Citrus Valley Velo 97
11 James Morehouse 283640 Paramount Racing 87
12 Donald Kimper 195498 ACQUA AL 2/SDBC 82
13 Michael Crystal 8283 CA Pools Racing 80
14 Glenn Town 205555 Simply Fit/Action Sports 66
15 Mario Seri 61278 Kahala LaGrange 59
16 Steve Close 204901 Team Chicken Ranch 59
17 Stephen Whitsitt 171652 South Bay Wheelmen 55
18 Domenick Forte 45342 PAA / RE/MAX 48
19 Joseph Wells 48252 EDGE Racing 45
20 Robert Paganini 45763 Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA) 42
21 Richard Rodriguez 50498 DARE 41
22 Glenn Baldwin 45047 SLO Nexus-Gym One 38
23 William Langstaff 49334 Cycles Veloce 36
24 Sydney Duck 58170 Unattached 34
25 Scott Hennessy 15827 VOS Racing 33
26 Warren Keyser 180504 Bike Religion 33
27 James Heise 163415 South Bay Wheelmen 31
28 Michael Barnes 220804 Rock Solid Cycling 31
29 Alan Morrison 166644 TBS Racing 27
30 Jim Roebuck 115793 Southern California Velo 25
31 William Carvin 101582 Unattached 23
32 Vicente Gomez 3794 Team Simple Green 21
33 Cully White 188249 PAA / RE/MAX 21
34 Daniel Crain 246256 Paramount Racing 20
35 Ernest Hoffer 57726 EDGE Racing 20
36 Cary Alpert 203244 South Bay Wheelmen 18
37 Peter Schindler 98729 8th Wonder Cycling 18
38 Charles (Chuck) Watson 37370 South Bay Wheelmen 16
39 Richard Lilleberg 64127 South Bay Wheelmen 16
40 Michael Edwards 50406 Kahala LaGrange 15

SoCal Cup Standings For 2009
Masters 55+
Place Name License # Team Name SoCal Points
1 Kalman Szkalak 54522 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 354
2 Dale Luedtke 47262 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 321
3 Richard Pollock 219983 Citrus Valley Velo 188
4 Warren Wicks 202108 Swami's Cycling Club 145
5 Ricky Shorts 52251 Velo Allegro 125
6 Albert Shorts 230085 Velo Allegro 110
7 Howard Miller 49424 Paramount Racing 109
8 Paul Rodriguez 58847 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 87
9 Donald Davidson 48278 Citrus Valley Velo 76
10 Craig Jones 18156 Velo Avanti Cycling Team 75
11 Mark Huffman 59572 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 75
12 Carlos Soto 47380 Unattached 74
13 Karl Weber 47819 CA Pools Racing 72
14 Mitchell Weinstock 55591 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 72
15 Steve Bernede 126351 Team Simple Green 68
16 Raphael Gomez 3793 Team Simple Green 67
17 Richard Stahlberg 50911 Ironfly 56
18 Rick Swanson 34753 Acme Racing 55
19 Kenny Fuller 46765 Team Simple Green 50
20 Rino Barbagiovanni 49110 Santa Clarita Velo 49
21 John Rubcic 48760 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 44
22 James King 226956 Unattached 44
23 David Holt 182726 Sho-air/Sonance 42
24 William Tippets 125634 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 40
25 Wayne Rosenkrantz 30596 EDGE Racing 39
26 Reed Moore 61353 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 38
27 George Chester 196820 Amgen Cycling Club 37
28 Bob Guglielmelli 14374 Central Coast Magazine 35
29 Stanley Appel 1825 Fog Racing 35
30 Thomas Reilly 155459 Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA) 34
31 David Kelley 65663 Alto Velo Racing Club 33
32 Steven Borer 245777 ACQUA AL 2/SDBC 29
33 Stephen Horine 195618 UC Cyclery/JW Flooring 27
34 Brad Holland 244084 Pasadena Athletic Assoc (PAA) 25
35 Eric Nelson 108843 SLO Nexus-Gym One 25
36 Mike Marotta 72880 Simply Fit/Action Sports 24
37 John Wagnon 266614 Liquid Fitness/Adageo Energy Reno 23
38 Hans Jorgensen 222120 Unattached 21
39 Todd Schooler 49144 Alliance Cycling Team 21
40 Henry Pfister 187845 Simply Fit/Action Sports 20

That's all for now folks! Train hard and race safe!