7/14/2003 by Ted Ingraham
The 2003 TOP season is off to a fantastic start! Great races, great turnouts, well run. And, as a result, the TOP Series is becoming very popular!
TOP is supposed to be a club focused, low-key, grass-roots kind of race experience designed to give club members training and racing opportunities. It has been all that and more so far this summer as racers from around the area have provided over half the attendance. In just the past week, we had more than 80 racers enjoy two great TOP events. We are happy to have the non-Freewheelers as long as everything stays under control.
Last Wednesday we had the largest turnout ever for a time trial as nearly 40 people participated in the 10 mile two-man time trial up and down Akron-Peninsula Road. The 2 man-time trial always seems to be enjoyed by all, and this was no exception.
Saturday, we had the largest turnout the club has ever seen for a TOP event with about 45 racers in the Hale Farm Circuit race. There were so many riders we had an A race, B race, and Women's category plus we needed two pace cars and eight marshals to keep it safe!
It is great to see such large turnouts and so many people enjoying the races. My only regret is that there aren't more Freewheelers participating in the races. Of course, a number of Freewheelers are stuck "running" the races rather than participating (which happened to me on Saturday).
This week—Tuesday evening—we have what should be an epic race, the Oak Hill Circuit! This is the first time this loop, with the monster hill, has been raced for many years. It will be interesting to see who the tough-guys are that show-up for this one!