Louie, Louie

If you read this blog from time to time, you probably have heard that I got a new bike and new wheels from Carroll Composites. Yesterday I got a chance to race them and all I can say is wow.

Boulder Racing's 5th race in the series was out at Lyons High School yesterday. Going into the race I was in 15th place in the series that pays top 10, but the final race is double points and you can drop your worst race. Seeing as how I was 26th in Interlocken, I felt there was a good chance to move up.

The field was actually pretty big for a cold (28 when I got there, 34 when we left) day and seeing as how the race was in Lyons. Breeze came out to cheer me on and be my pit mechanic, she is multi-talented. I went and signed up and was met by Brandon and Allen unloading the car. Allen's bikes were still caked in Bend mud and he did not look super pumped to race, but the series was on the line and his 3 point lead over Brandon was too little to be safe. So the staring match between the two teammates was on. I also saw Robson, Ward Barker and my usual racing pack, Boups, Ariel Brown and Will Iaia. I was pumped that everyone had kept it going for one more week after Nationals, because I really do love racing with these guys and I wanted to show off the new rig.

The talk of the warmup laps was how many days it had been since each of us had ridden. Krughoff's bikes were a wreck as was his body. Ariel was actually on a borrowed bike after folding his chainstay at Nats. The Carroll and its wheels got a lot of attention before the race and after what was admittedly a iffy warmup by all, we lined up. We were only 20 deep, but it was a fast 20. The start was about 50 yards across a basketball court and then a left into an off camber slalom through some trees. Honestly, Brian has designed better course starts in his life. I decided to be smart on the start and it was a dumb idea. My cautiousness put me in about 10th at the turn, not bad, but as we wound through the trees and around the baseball field, the gaps were already evident. Around the right hander that began the climb, Robin Eckmann clipped a pedal and went flying. He landed on his back and was out (he is thankfully ok with German champs in 2 weeks). I fought hard up the hill and closed the gap to Will's wheel on the first run up. He bobbled a bit on the down hill, but again we closed on the next run up. The course then shot down through a chicane and across a long flat straight to a very, very loose gravel turn and then into the BMX park. A great soft dirt run up, through some bermed turns and then some twisty grass turns before a super loose gravel right on the last straight before the start finish.

All those turns stretched the field and on the last straight Boups came flying around me and Will. We both hopped on and the Boups train was rolling. I mentioned last week that it was nice to see him back on form and on form was an understatement yesterday. He was hauling and we had a great group. Will had been sick for a week and it showed. He cracked on the second time through the run ups and left me a gap to close to Boups. So here I was in 10th. Boups 10 yards in front of me and Ariel hanging all alone in front of us. I was killing myself to close the gap, but could not quite get there. As a side note, I was driving my bike better than at any point all year. The King Louie and the G:38X wheels had everything to do with that. What a bike, but I digress. I knew I had to get on Boups' wheels before he got to Ariel or they would be gone, but I could not do it. He made the juncture and they were off. I rode the gap down to a couple seconds at one point, but they were too strong and then they were gone.

I rode in alone to 10th. My best finish of the year. Colby Pearce took the win after Allen had the winning gap on the final lap only to dump it on the last downhill. He and Brandon sprinted to 2nd and 3rd only to await the numbers to see who won the series. Allen took it, Brandon second, Boups ended up 5th or so, Ariel 6th, Will 8th and I ended up 10th in the series. I won $75. I have never won money racing my bike before, so it was a great day for me. I truly think a lot of that had to do with the bike and wheels from Carroll. Those of you who saw the stuff and loved it get a hold of me or email Carroll Composites, just tell them Grant sent you.