CCR Storms Prattville

We play with enthusiasm and recklessness. We aren't afraid to lose. If we win, great. But win or lose, it is the competition that gives us pleasure. -Joe Paterno

Team CCR saddled up this week and hit the road for the 70 mile ride south to Prattville, AL. For most of us, this was the first time we had ever been to Prattville. We had heard stories that the Prattville track was wicked fast, and she lived up to her reputation.

The Prattville course is built for speed. It is a perfect blend of long straight speed alley’s, tight technical turns, a technical decent through Kudzu and the climb out, and the sand pit. It is a course that made you trust your instincts, your ability, and your equipment in order to be successful.

As will be the case at every race this season, the C race kicked things off. Mike Garner and Zach Davis had the un-nerving task of setting the tone early for Team CCR. The key to the day’s success for both riders was staying out of trouble. Both missed the crash in the fourth turn, and spent the remainder of there race riding smart and protecting their position. Once again both captured lightning in a bottle with Zach finishing 4th in the Junior race, and the Diesel bringing it home in 6th in the Cat 4 race.

Team CCR then sent out their hammers. Larry Stanley, Chris Leven, Mike Herring, and Stacey Davis boarded the pain train for their 45 minute ride. For the men, they were racing against a stacked deck. There are several riders in the Cat 3 class that should be running higher up, but our boys never waivered. Stacey’s group was a 2 horse race. Stacey got behind early, never throwing in the towel and just destroyed 3rd on back. Exhausted and relieved, Larry brought home 10th, Chris brought home 15th, and Mike Herring followed it up with a solid top 20 effort. Stacey, smiling from ear to ear, finished in 2nd.

Another solid outing with 4 top 10's. Watch out T-Town. Here we come..........

Race Reports: Stacey, Diesel, Larry,

Enjoy some more pictures of our excursion southward.

Zach Davis cruises to victory at Dead Dog 8.

While most of us were laying around last weekend resting up from Avondale, our Junior rider Zach Davis, went and raced his mountain bike at Dead Dog 8. Zach riding on a newly updated course at the Trussville Sports Complex, annihilated his Junior class and cruised home to victory. Zach was so fast that even the camera man could not get his picture till he was on the podium. Congratulations to Zach for a well deserved and hard earned victory.

CycloCross Season Kicks Off at Avondale

The 2008 Alabama Cyclocross Series got under way Sunday at Avondale Park in Birmingham. The Avondale course according to most, is one of the most difficult in the series. It races around what used to be the Birmingham Zoo, and an amphitheater that hosted groups like the Allman Brothers in the 60's. The grueling course contained some very technical sections consisting of rocky decents, off camber turns, tight switch backs, cobble paths, and the stairs. The stairs are crazy hard. They are inconsistent from step to step and really test your mettle.



Team CCR sent 3 rookies and 3 veterans into the first race of the season. The first race of the day for CCR was the "C" race. This race was a combination of CAT 4/5 and Junior Classes, and also had all 3 of our rookies. After 30 mintues the dust settled and our 3 rookies were now veterans. Zach Davis brought home 3rd place in the Junior Class, Mike Garner brought home a 9th place in the 4/5, and Mike Herring battling through a list of mechanicals brought home a hard fought 17th in the 4/5 race. Stellar results from the rookies.



We then unleashed our veterans, who proceeded to build on the foundation laid by the rookies. The "B" race was made up of all the womens categories 1-5, and the mens Cat 3/4 race. After 45 minutes of mind blowing, soul searching pain, Stacey Davis brought home the best result of the day for CCR coming home 2nd in the Womens Cat 4 race. Larry Stanley followed up with a 9th place in the 3/4 and Chris Leven battling the mechanical gremlin that was in Mike Herrings bike finished 19th.



Four top 10's to kick off the last racing series of the season was an incredible effort. It is nice to have a little momentum going into the Prattville race.

Race Reports: Larry, Stacey, Chris, Diesel