Tuesday Night Racing 9/14/2010

This was my first race back after my crash a few weeks ago. It was also my first time riding my shiny new red Langster which replaced the one that died in the crash. I raced in the 3/4 category (since I'm a 3 on the track) and first up was a scratch race. I quickly realized that although my body had healed from the crash, I was scared of crashing again and didn't want to ride to close to people. Unfortunately, it was a moderately sized field (15-20 riders?) and there was a lot of aggressive riding going on, including crowding and passing underneath, so I was rather uncomfortable riding in the pack. To make things worse, Taylor Meilahn crashed with 11 laps to go. I don't really know how it happened, but she ended up with a concussion, a cut above her right eye, and lots of road rash. I hope she heals as fast as I did. We finished the last 11 laps and I spent most of them riding a meter or two off the back, because the wheels in front of me kept moving side to side quickly and I really didn't feel comfortable staying close. The points race was more fun, because it was 25 laps with sprints every 5 laps. I decided to take a chance and attacked right at the beginning, coming out of turn 4 after the whistle was blown. I got quite a lead on the pack for a while, staying half a lap ahead for several laps and even getting as far as maybe 2/3 of a lap ahead, but after I won the first sprint at 5 laps in, I think the pack realized that they needed to get it together and chase me down before I lapped the field or won too many sprints. I stayed out for another 2.5 laps or so before I gave up and got caught by a chase group, but unfortunately I'd pushed myself too far trying to stay ahead for so long, and I was unable to join the group. In fact, I think I really overextended myself, since I think I ended up getting lapped by most of the field and didn't even have the energy to latch on and draft. At least it was a safe race and I gave it all I had.