Weekend Preview - June 11, 12, 13th (Part 1 - Track)

The season is rapidly heating up, and there's lots of racing to be done this weekend. The big races are starting so let's get it in gear!

TRACK

Minnesota
Fixed Gear Classic - June 11, 12, 13 - Blaine, MN at the National Sports Center Velodrome, the high banked wooden track built for speed. Sprint, scratch, tempo, Madison - all the events will be contested. From Fixed Gear Fever: "U.S. Olympian Colby Pearce, multi-time U.S. national champion Kacey Manderfield and Pan American Games silver medalist Emile Abraham of Trinidad and Tobago headline the star-studded field for this weekend’s Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic.

Action in the three-day event begins Friday at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine, Minn., and leads off the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival.

Pearce is a 14-time national track champion, a bronze medalist in the Pan-American Games and was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in Athens, Greece. Abraham has won 24 national titles on the road and track, while Manderfield is a Michigan native, but will be racing at The National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine for the first time."

Also from Fixed Gear Fever: "Kacey Manderfield will be making the trip out to Blaine, Minnesota to ride the Fixed Gear Classic, June 11 – 13, 2010. This will be her first Professional ride for her new UCI Track Trade Team – Cycle Loft.

Shortly after returning from her first Pro Six Day at Rotterdam, Holland in January, where she placed 6th over-all with partner Teresa Cliff Ryan, Manderfield signed a two year deal with Cycle Loft / Parlee. Team owner Jeff Palter was extremely excited to have Kacey on board. “She’s a great athlete, but she’s also a great ambassador to our sport. Right now, the sport needs people like Kacey,” said Palter.

A native from Michigan, Manderfield will be racing at The National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine, for the first time. “It seems odd that I have raced everywhere else, but a track such as the NSC, relatively close to where I grew up, has escaped me. So I’m really excited,” said Kacey. “I’ve also heard good things about promoter Bob Williams and that he’s a big Six Day fan, so we’ll have lots to talk about.”

Manderfield will leave her Trexlertown base on Thursday for Blaine, and after the Fixed Gear Classic will remain in the mid west for a series of criteriums at Americas Tour Of The Dairy lands."




Iowa/Wisconsin
Iowa State Track Champs - Sunday June 13 - Kenosha at the Washington Park Velodrome. Open to all riders, not just those from Iowa. Perhaps a good chance to try the track or just spectate! Races begin at 10am.Entry fee for all classes $25
(one entry fee cover all events)
Likely events to be:
- 200m flying start sprint
- Match Sprint
- Individual Pursuit
- Points Race
- Kilometer

Road bikes will be allowed for timed events, but shifting will be prohibited during event.

Indiana
Hot Summer Nights - Friday June 11 - Major Taylor Velodrome - Racing for Men category 1 & 2, 3, and Women. Selected Friday nights; June 11, 18; July 9, 23, 30; August 20, 27; September 10/17 Registration 6 pm - 7 pm; racing starts at 7:30. At least 3 events per category. Admission free for spectators; $25 entry fee includes USA Cycling Insurance fee

Michigan
NAS-TRACK #1 - Friday June 11 - Bloomer Park Velodrome - Weekly racing begins on the steep, 44 degree banked wooden velodrome. (insert cool video here - still struggling with a re-direct computer virus!)