Race of Truth

Time Trial Series 2002

Brief comparison of the Straight Gut Time Trial and the Tour De France

Kevin Richardson won the second five-mile time trial over the Straight Gut course, breaking the course record set by Jason Hughett by 23 seconds. Kevin’s time was 11:32, a smoking 26 mph! The format for the series has the prized jersey awarded only once to a rider, thus this week the swag went to second place finisher, Larry English, who breezed the course in 12:12, 24.6 mph. Larry will keep the jersey for two weeks until May 16th when the next 5-miler is contested. Third place went to Grant Schlisner in 12:37, 23.8 mph and a mere 3 seconds ahead of the next two riders.Barry Smith and Tom Baker both posted 12:40, 23.7 mph. Racing on his back-up steed because of a mechanical, Kelvin Hale was fifth in 13:14, 22.6 mph.

After the ride, the race committee carefully checked all new devices on the participant’s horses. Kevin had installed new aero bars and sported some shoe covers that would have made even Carl Lewis proud. Larry was road testing some geekish metronome device on his bike which beeped every half-second or so. If he can get his cadence to match that, he will fly!! Grant revealed that his Giant now sported brake lever shifters, one of the last converts to technology in the Lookout area code! Barry’s Smokey Mountain Wheels were scrutinized closely but no violations were cited. All devices and bikes were deemed legit for the ride after careful perusal by the race director. (If Kevin continues to dust the competition, the race committee recommended two options: 1) penalize him 40 seconds at the start, or 2) require him to race with his new son strapped to his back!)

The last two trials for the separate events — the 5-mile flat course and the 3-mile mountain climb — brought the fastest times produced in this area. Kevin Richardson had his win streak broken at 3, despite setting a PR (personal record), to an excellent 10:52 by Steve Carpenter. Aaron Moore was not far behind at 11:03 with both riders averaging over 27 mph!!! Not too shabby for not even using aero bars! Kevin holds a big lead in the points race for the jersey with 38 points. Grant Schlisner and ride director, Tom Baker, are a distant second with 29 each. Larry English is 4th with 20 points, having missed an event. Wendy Richardson is the women’s leader with 10 points.

On the mountain climb, last week’s performance by Frank Matthews — 3 miles in 13 flat — is the equal of a 27 mph 5-mile time to be sure. That’s 13.8 mph up a severe climb — close to the speed Carol and I average for the 21-mile ride at Red Bank!! (Frank’s doing the Big Bear Mountain Bike Race in California this weekend, which will be televised by OLN later.) The top 6 riders in the mountain competition are no doubt the best climbers in the area. Anesthesiologist Robin Oscar has had some close finishes with Jeramie Hoff, besting him by only 9 seconds in 2 races! Andy Myer, Rock Thomas, and Randy Dial also have turned in stellar times. Larry English completed Mt. Mitchell on a Saturday and rode up Lookout the following Wednesday — on his lead touring bike no less — winning a sizeable bet with the Director Sportiff who didn’t think he (Larry) would break 19 minutes for the climb. Larry promptly zipped up the “hill” averaging over 10 mph! In the points race, Robin Oscar (19), Jeramie Hoff (17) and Rock Thomas (14) are the leaders

Steve Carpenter set a new course record of 10:52 on the 4th 5-mile course, a smoking 27.6 mph. The course record was also broken by two others: Aaron Moore in 11:03, 27.1 mph, and previous record holder Kevin Richardson in 11:23, 26.4 mph (old course record was 11:28). Carpenter, a class 2 racer – one classification below professional — turned a mile in 2:10!!

The fourth three-mile time trial up Lookout Mtn turned out to be the closest competition to date. Getting the ride in just prior to a thunder-boomer, Eric Buck raced up the "hill" in 13:51, 13 mph. Andy Meyer zipped up in 13:54 and Herbert Krabel, who works at Litespeed Manufacturing plant where all the racer's bikes were made, posted 13:59 - both times at 12.9 mph. Fourth place was the race director, Tom Baker in 16:51.

July 18 - Lookout Mtn #5

Rock Thomas, riding on the same wheels Lance Armstrong used just days ago to climb L'ap Duez, won the fifth mountain time trial in 13:52, 13 mph. Some may say Rock has an advantage, living a half-mile from the finish line on Lookout, yet race officials gave him the green light for this and his equipment. High humidity finally reached the valley as each rider was drenched upon summiting.

July 25 - Final Lookout Mtn #6

Rock Thomas of Lookout Mountain won the sixth and last mountain time trial of the series. Thomas' time of 13:58, 12.9 mph, held off Andy Meyer, 14:08. Tom Baker was third in 17:21, while Bob Clapp was fourth with 17:25. Noteable was the ride of A.J. Meyer (Andy's son), who rode his first time trial up the mountain in 19:04. A.J. is ten and a rising fifth grader!!

Contact Tom Baker, 842-5618

Contact Tom Baker, 842-5618

Steve Carpenter won the 29-mile Cove Farm Zinger road race in a time of 1:14, 23.5 mph over the hilly course in Walker County. Paul VanKooten was a close second, only three seconds back at the finish line atop Pigeon Mountain, a major climb of a half-mile (category two). Steve and Paul had broken away from a group of four others at the 24-mile mark where the first major climb was contested. The countryside of the race course was beautiful, taking the riders to Cove Farm whrer spectaculor views were abundent. The race then returned up W. Cove Road for ten miles before tuning onto Hwy 193. The top five won cash prizes.

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