Jason Snovel, 2 wheel Crit 35+ 4/5

I found myself about 10-12 guys back as we roll past
the start/finish to the bell ringing for the 3rd
prime. The legs are starting to open up and I’m just
starting to relax into myself, so I start
thinking…“I’ve never won a prime before and I’m
feeling pretty good.” We hit turn one and the pace
picks up. At the front there’s a few of the stronger
guys sitting in, looking around seeing if any one’s
going to jump. Up to this point I've spent the first 7
or 8 laps familiarizing myself with the course. We hit
turn 2 and I start to plan my attack. I still don’t
know what type of sprinter I am but I know I can
sustain an effort, at least for a little while.
There’s a sweeping left hander after turn 2 which sets
you up for turn 3. After turn 3 there’s cones set up
on the outside which give it a bottle neck effect
setting you up for turn 4. I figure that’s my best
chance, catch them off guard, after the sweeping left
hander, looking to the right setting up for turn 3, so
I launch. I hit the drops and throttle it to the
outside hitting the front right before turn 3 throwing
my bike into the turn feeling the full force of that
ceaseless argument between gravity and centrifugal
force, both salivating over the very real possibility
of claiming yet another victim. In that all too
familiar silent scream and momentary fit of rage, I
fight. I float out of the corner in harmony with my
would-be assailants. Looking back I see that I've
gapped the field by about 50 yards. I tuck and
continue to hammer. Hitting turn 4 faster than I'd
expected, hearing my tires strain as they refuse to
release I look back to see...nothing. Coming out of
turn 4 there's about a 250 yd. sprint to the line and
I open up. I hit the line with about 60 yds. on the
rest of the field to the bell ringing. Is it a back to
back prime? Did I really hear the bell the last lap?
Is that why I was able to gap the field so fast? CRAP!
I burned a few matches on that one and I look back to
see 2 guys bridging up. Do I have it in me to do it
again? Who knows! I hit the drops and press on. I hit
turn 3 and still have about 20 yds. on them. They
catch me just as we hit turn 4 and I stand on the
pedals giving everything I've got. I miss the back to
back prime by about a bike length.
I was spent and just after we round the corner on turn
1 I'm consumed by the pack. I receive several pats on
the back and compliments on my move and am able to
rest assured that I did in fact win my first ever
prime. I start to drift to the back and look up to
find a familiar wheel. Derek looks over and says "Hey
J, c'mon!" I fall in and try to regain my ability to
think clearly as I wipe the effort from my face. Derek
pulls me around the course for the next 4 laps and
continues to coach the rest of the field in and out of
turns maintaining order. 6 laps to go and taking a
page out of Karl's play book I start to make my way
through the field and make sure that I'm at least in
the top 10 as we round turn 2. That's the thing about
crit's that I've noticed. People love to just sit in
the whole race, saving it for the finish...where's the
fun in that!?! I mean, at least mix it up a bit.
Especially if there's no break. At least try for a
prime or something just to make it interesting. But,
then again, I've never won one either, so maybe
there's something to it. It's just not in me yet. I
just gotta mix it up a little...for now..
We hit turn 3 and the bangin' starts. I stick my
elbows out going into it (picture Jim K's sprint) and
battle my way out. A huge hole opens up big enough to
drive an SUV through and I jump. I'm forced to the
outside of turn 4 and lay it all out. I manage to hold
on for an 8th place finish, a bag of coffee, a
t-shirt, some gels, and a flaming toilet seat!

Watching the Juniors race was something. I already
sent a brief summary so I won't go into it...except to
say that it was awesome seeing and hearing AJ be a
factor for the first time. What I mean by that is that
up until then Steve always just gave him words of
encouragement and just hoped that he'd finish without
going down. This time he actually had to tell him to
sit down because every time Zack tried to bridge up to
help out Alex, (not that he needed it) AJ would stand
up and match the effort pulling the rest of the pack
with him. We both went to the Wick school of racing on
this one. It was awesome...truly!
~ J