Date- 4/11/2014

Author- Scott Bromstead

Teammates- Adams, Allen, Cox, Funke & Hobbs

Course Description- Laguna Seca Raceway ( http://www.mazdaraceway.com/track) 
11 turn 2.2 mile loop including "the corkscrew"


Race Summary- 60 seconds into the race, a Rock Racing Italian goes off the front solo and we have to hit the first climb hardish. I think, "Oh Crap", this one's gonna hurt. Adams, Allen and I did well latching onto breaks, but nothing stuck. I got off with Theobald at one point and thought we might stay away for a bit, because we were both working, but that lasted less than a lap. I hoped either Specialized or Arts Cyclery were chasing. Attacks were steady and everyone was hitting the hill hard. I found i could soft pedal the top & let a gap develop and latch back on during the corkscrew descent pretty easily, saving something in my legs. Hobbs came to the front during several lulls to keep the tempo up & discourage attacks. Sweet! With 8 to go, Ken Gallardo rolled off the front solo and everybody looked at each other. With 5 to go, I noticed the pack was getting smaller each time up the hill. Buckley was the main attacker, shredding dudes left & right. But he had a mechanical sometime just after that and dropped out. Around 3 to go, I think there were about 10 guys left and Adams came to me and said to sit in. He then went to the front and chased down attacks on the flats, bridged me up on the little hill, would get dropped on the main hill, but catch back on each lap. Last lap, Gallardo is still away, but only 15 seconds, tons of cat and mouse going on as nobody wants any part of the gusty wind. The last time up the climb, it's all out do or die. Tintsman fires early and basically rides away. (He caught Gallardo on the little roller before the hairpin) Carinio fires too on the main hill, but can't match Tintsman and 3 guys are lined up on him. I get gapped, but catch on during the descent. The Italians are yelling at everyone to pull them to the line. Cottell drives hard tempo over the roller and I'm on his wheel. The right hander after the hairpin, Cottell takes a little wide and Carinio attacks up the inside. He's got 2 guys on him and I jump on them quick, making myself a spot in the line. Carinio lets up just a little with 300m to go, and I go all in & take the bunch sprint for 3rd. Tintsman beat Gallardo by half a wheel. They stayed 5 seconds in front of us.

Results-
3rd Bromstead
10th Adams
14th Funke
Dnf Hobbs
Dnf Allen
Dnf Cox