Tips for Racing a Points Race

roundsquare1

I'll be entering in a 40 minute points race this Thursday. Since I have never raced this sort of race and being new to the track, does anyone have any suggestions or tips?

Below is the format of the race.
40 minutes points race,
> sprints every 5 laps
> (5-3-2-1)
Thanks in advance.

Larry

Shreklookalike

Ride faster than everyone else.

roundsquare1

excellent! thanks for the insightful advice....being that I am unable to ride faster than everyone else, do you have a plan B?

Shreklookalike

Sorry, I'm not a racer, just a smart-a$$.

I hope someone else can help you out, and that you have fun and do well in your race.

Lee Povey

I hate replying to these things!

Always think you sound like a know it all, but this time im going to give it a go!
Tactics for points races, well depends what kind of rider you are and how quick you recover?
The two main tactics are
1. constantly place in the sprints, lots of seconds and thirds are better than one or two wins.
2. brake away, this is best done imediatly after a sprint when there tends to be a lull in the pace.

Hope this helps
Lee

roundsquare1

Thanks,
I have avg endurance and a pretty good sprint. I have asked a few people and most say for a rider like myself, your advice is pretty on.

Thanks!

Woofer

40 minutes is much much longer than most amateur points races. I assume you will be racing the C category so there will be riders of vastly disparate abilities. I am fairly certain if there is any turnout at all, the faster riders will lap the field multiple times. One key is to try and figure out who these guys are at the start line.

roundsquare1

Again, right on the money. I'll let you know how it turns out on Friday.

ct2

I tried this unsuccessfully last year in a points race, only to have another guy in the same freakin' points race ride the whole race using the same strategy successfully.

You have to time it just right, but if you attack early on in the five lap cycle, you can stay away until just after the points. The group will work their butts off to chase you down on laps 4 and 5, and tire themselves out. If you get the timing right, attack again on lap 2 when they're still tired and you've had time to recover. Keep doing that, and they'll be demoralized and hate you. But you'll win. If you're a monster, you could just try to lap everyone.

__________________
"The eye of the hurricane is back in Lance, and the storm is aiming directly for the Ullrich trailer park."- Bob Roll

Woofer

We have to wait until next week with the dam release. I was going to help officiate or turn number cards but I only had time to do that this week. I may come out in a few weeks to race.

nitrogenmustard

alright, im a junior rider but i race cat 3 at my local drome, and as a pursuiter i tend to have a pretty good plan going into every points race, although they usually end up different. most importantly be prepared to adapt, if u need to do something outside of ur plan that will get u a few points, dont hesitate and go for it. first off, unless there's a breakaway, count out the final sprint unless u can really sprint like hell. generally the second last sprint will end up being the slowest and most important, make sure if ur anywhere near the lead u win the second last sprint, just cuz u never no where the leader will finish in it. also, make sure u learn what riders are sprinters and what are pursuiters, if u see a breakaway of all sprinters, (duh) wait in the feild. also, it can be tricky but very benefiial, see which riders are dumb attackers and which riders are smart. if a bunch of dumb attackers go off, it might be a good idea to bridge up to them and use them as a "launch pad" for a solo break. if theres a smart group off the front, you have to do something, either take a good strong pull or go balls to the walls to bridge the gap solo.
finally, and most importantly, keep a mental log of points. this can be very very cnfusing, but it is imperative if want to ride a smart race.

hope it helps
-nitro

ed073

Memories of intense pain and trackside vomiting flooding back.......

Woofer

OK, no one named Larry turned up in the results. I backed out because it was raining where I was working that evening. I'll be there next week because I am skipping Sea Otter.

roundsquare1

Sorry in the delay in posted.

So, the first race I did I had no idea what was going on, how to race it, who was racing and just ened up trying to stay with the field. There were 4 guys from the same team that attacked and blocked.
Results from that race:
C Group Results
1st- 116 points- David Anthony (EMC Documentum)- 5 laps and 2 victories
2nd - 79 points- Rob Collier (EMC Documentum)- 3 laps, 3 victories and
2
brownie primes
3rd - 45 points- Eugene Beyer (ICCC)- 2 laps
4th - 43 points- Carl Andreson (EMC Documentum)- 1 lap, 1 victory and 1
brownie prime
5th - 6 points- David Puglia (LGBRC)- even laps
6th - 0 points- Greg Machez (Equip Matin))- even laps
7th - -18 points- Larry Rosa (Roaring Mouse)- down 1 lap
8th - -52 points- Dave Tabor (unattached)- down 3 laps
DNF- Erik Gaze (Webcor/ Alto Velo)
DNF- Carol Chang (Webcor/ Alto Velo)


The following week I think it was rained out and I went the week after with a better idea of what was going on.

C Group Results
> 1st- 51 points- Ted Burns (Alto Velo/ Webcor)- 2
> laps and 2 victories
> 2nd - 28 points- Erik Gaze (Alto Velo/ Webcor)- 1
> lap, 1 victories
> 3rd - 25 points- Dave Ohst (Southbay Wheelmen)- 1
> lap, 1 victory
> 4th - 24 points- John Sevic (LGBRC)- 2 victories
> 5th - 21 points- Larry Rosa (Roaring Mouse)- 1 lap
> up
> 6th - 6 points- Radboud Bruinsma (Alto Velo/
> Webcor)- even laps
> 7th - 5 points- Hillary Daniels (unattached)- even
> laps
> 8th - 3 points- Kevin Torbett (Pegasus)- even laps
> 8th - 3 points- Martin Thomspon (RHVilla)- even laps
> 10th - 2 points- Keith Rabbin (unattached)- even
> laps
> 11th - -18 points- Mike Krynock (Alto Velo/ Websor)-
> down one lap
> 12th - -20 points- Gregg Machacz (Equip Le Matin)-
> down one lap
> 13th - -37 points- Dave Tabor (unattached)- down two
> laps

The third race I did I was totally flat and had nothing in my legs, just was happy to stay with the field and finish without being lapped.


On the downside, I slight crack in my frame turned into a bigger crack and can no longer be raced.

I had a PLANET X and Woofer maybe we met at the track?? But was going to get another one but was also looking at the FELT track bike.

anyone know anything about these?

http://www.feltracing.com/05_frames/2005_tk2_frame.html