Weekend Racing Report - September 8, 2007

Priority Health Classic - Grand Rapids, MI

What an incredible day of racing yesterday!

The PH Classic was an incredible race. This was a serious big time event. First, the cash payouts were incredible!!! I even won a $100 prime!!!

Can you believe that!!!!!

Let me repeat, JOE WON A $100 PRIME!!!!

I'm bad, I'm bad, I'm bad.........

Me with my head down, ragin' for a PRIME!

It was a blast racing with Darrell Anderson in the Masters 40+ event. Darrell was super aggressive and bagged a hotly contest prime as well as taking 9th place. After the race I was talking to the Masters 40+ winner, Mark "THE Druber" Swartzendruber, and he gave Darrell a great COMPLIMENT (click here). They were in a break-away together and Druber commented on how strong Darrell was pulling in the break. If you recall, Druber writes a column on www.truesport.com and back in May he did a really funny piece on the Tour of Kensington Valley stage race. Druber races all over the Midwest and he was really complimentary of Michigan racing. He said ToKV was one of the best run stage races he's ever done and he hopes we put it on again in 2008. Hopefully he does a nice write-up on the PH Classic.

Darrell stringing out the pack on the back side!

But I digress....

I was super proud of our team. Pretty much just the South Lyon and Lathrup teams were the only representation from the east side of Michigan. Noticeably absent were the Wolverines, Essex Brass, Flying Rhinos, AAVC, Two Wheel Tango, Saturn of Toledo and the more teams. They missed out cause this really one of the biggest races in Michigan in YEARS!

We put 12 guys into 3 different fields. We also helped Arlington Sports, the race organizers, to bring the Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling Team to the race, we contributed to the party atmosphere by setting up our booth and selling coffee, cycling socks and t-shirts to the crowd. After the race we even hosted the pros from Jittery Joe's at our booth to sign autographs and meet the fans.

The Jittery Joe's guys happily sat there in the sun, immediately after finishing a killer race where they took 2nd, 6th and 13th place and spoke with the crowd, signed autographs and met with the team. Hats off to these guys and hats off to Joey Schaard, Darrell and James Anderson and Stephen and Joe Christy, all who helped me with the booth and helped sell the merchandise.

I really think you guys all gave more back to the Michigan cycling scene than you know. Plus, we made a little bit of cash.

Cody Stevenson (Jittery Joe's), Greg Christian (West Michigan Coast Riders) and US Pro Criterium Champion Kirk O'Bee (HealthNet) in an early break

Lastly, hats off the the Cat1/2 team guys who were in for a seriously painful day lining up on a tight, fast course with the top pros in the country. Rob Iser, Alex Keomany, John Rigdon, Vince Roberge and Mark Caswell really rode awesome. The field was destined to blow up and it surely did, but the South Lyon guys held tough, with Vince finishing 10th and Rob finishing 24th. Both were IN THE MONEY!!!

Vince Roberge (South Lyon) leads a W MI Coast Rider and a Jittery Joe's later in the race

Results HERE

Story in Grand Rapids Press: HERE

Now ===>>>> ON TO LEELANAU!!!!!

Ciao, Joe