This ain't no disco - track report from Spot Paul

This is a carnival...no...wait...it's a track race. This aint no carnival...
QCW/Fort GPOA's Annual Spring Track Carnival was yesterday. Lisa and I went out to contest our categories and the master's events.
Let's start off by saying this was lots of fun. Racing hasn't been that much fun for the last couple of years, but this was a blast.
My goals for the day were simple, I didn't care about the results, I just wanted to affect the outcome of the races I was in and race smart. Mission accomplished. Here's a run-down of my races-

cat 2/3- 9 lap tempo, the first 2 across the line each lap get 2 and 1 point. The one with the most points at the end wins. I got lots of 3rd places.

Master's 12 lap points race, 3 sprints. Each sprint is worth 3-2-1 points for 1st 2nd and 3rd. Most points wins. I got 4th twice.

Cat 2/3- 12 lap points race, 4 sprints. Same format as above, I think I got 4th a couple more times. It's hard to tell since I was cross-eyed the whole race.

Master's 12 lap final, 1st across the line wins, pretty straight forward. I'm usually pretty good at these. Got myself in bad position, boxed in at the sprint. Finally got onto 3rd wheel coming around turn 3. Rob Ryan rode away from me and there was nothing I could do about it.

Cat 2/3 win & out. 9 laps, a sprint every 3 laps, the winner of the 1st sprint is the winner and he can go sit down, 2nd sprint is for 2nd place, 3rd sprint, well, you get it. Truly the lazy man's race. I'm sitting mid-pack for the 1st sprint, Austin, a friend is just under and a little behind me when the bell rings, boxed in. I see his plight and push up track to make a hole for him and yell at him to "GO!" Well he goes...right off the front and wins the race. Man, he's strong. 2nd sprint Rob Hacker is sitting off the front with about a half lap lead. The bell rings...what the hell. I give my all and spring free from the main group and I'm off in a full speed chase. Rob is sitting up there looking dead and pedaling squares, but he has enough to hold me off. That's a tough place to be, I'm completely wasted from the effort and wait for the group and settle in. Finished mid-pack.

Master's unknown distance point-a-lap. I don't know who the sadistic sonofabitch who came up with this race is, but I hate him. Just like it sounds, you have no idea when the race will end, but each lap is worth just 1 point to the 1st across the line. This race sucks.

Feature event- 15 lap final. I played domestique for Lisa in this one. Really fast right from the gun.

7 races, not a bad day. I attacked, I chased, I worked with others, I even made a cat 5 in the master's race nervous ("Yea, yea, I see you. Relax..."). Not a bad day at all. Oh yea, and I had the best looking bike out there.