Racer Guide

Racer Guide

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*While we try to keep true to this guide occasionally the format will be tweaked to accommodate different field sizes etc. so listen out for announcements on the night.

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Eligibility to Race

- All riders must have completed a current year Waiver prior to racing.

- Riders must be able to show track accreditation which can be done by the following means:

+ Completion of a track intro class at Alkek or other Velodrome
+ USAC Cat 4 or higher level license
+ UCI International Track License
+ Previous Track Racing Results
+ Pleading your case to Stu by emailing info@alkevelodrome.com

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Most of our events are run under ATRA so a USAC License is not required however if specified as a USAC Sanctioned event either an Annual or One Day License is required. Your license must be Cat 4 or higher, if you have completed a track induction or youth training/YCL you can upgrade your license to Cat 4 by contacting USAC and detailing your track experience. If you hold a road Cat 1 license you can apply for a track Cat 2 license automatically.

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Junior Gearing Restrictions

Junior riders are required to use USAC approved gearing in all races. For USAC sanctioned races this will be checked prior to racing. It is the riders responsibility to ensure the bike they are using is legal and strongly advised to make sure it is legal before the day of the race. We have a roll out painted on the infield so you can always check with Carl, myself or another person in the know on a Thursday night. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN HELP WITH ON RACE DAY AS I WILL BE RUNNING THE EVENT. 

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TNR Bunch Racing

At TNR Jr categories go first and finish first as school night, the goal is to have all junior races concluded by 8pm and adult racing by 9pm. Junior U12 race #1 will be at 6:45pm.

Schedule will be as follows:
5pm-6:30pm Open Track For Training & Warm Up

6:30pm-6:45pm Rider Meeting
6:45pm Races start in following order: Junior B/U12, Junior Open, Women Open, C-Race, B-Race, A-Race

 

TNR Track on Speed
the 3 events for each category run back to back with about 90sec between races, fields re-group on the slowest rider who be designated the front of the race when the whistle blows, riders must not stop but can cross the infield between races to rejoin the field.

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TNR Sprints & Major Taylor Sprints
All riders race in the same bracket except Junior B/U12’s who race an omnium format.

Riders will complete an F200 seeding riders based on speed. Riders will be seeded into groups of about 6 who will compete in either Keirins, 5 Lap Scratch or 500m Chariot Races. Winners of each race will receive 1 bonus RoY point. Riders will be seeded from these races into 4 person match sprint brackets with 1v4 and 2v3, the winners ride in the final and losers in a ride-off with positions allocated afterwards. The rider with the fastest F200 will have a protected top 4 sprint seed but to avoid faster competition should try and finish as high as possible in the keirin round.

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TNR Lap-a-thon Night 75/50/25
- First rider with the most completed laps, including any bonus laps awarded wins
- Ranking is determined by a) Laps completed then b) Finishing position in the final event

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Atomic TT Series
- Points for top 10 times in a season in each event. (25, 19, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1)
- TS, TP, Madison Flying Lap also have bonus Pts

- Rider with the most cumulative points wins, ties will be separated by points in individual events and then who was fasted in most individual events. 

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Aussie Team Night

- Riders race in pairs, race 1 (Scratch) is scored on the lowest ranking team member, race 2 (Elimination) is ranked on the highest ranking team member. Race 3 (Aussie Pursuit) is ranked on each riders performance. TNR Omnium points apply.

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Hour Record Attempts - Contact info@alkekvelodrome.com
Categories:
Elite, Age Based, Para
UCI Format, 4 Person Team, Merckx, 2P Madison
HR sticker on day, RoY Points – 10pts for Completion (Must ride continuously for an hour), 10pts for ending week with a record, 50pts for ending week with an Elite individual Record.

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RoY Competition

See Rider of the Year

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Rider Categorization

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For all USAC sanctioned races riders will race under their USAC Track Category, riders using a day license will be required to race under Cat 4 unless the race director approves otherwise.

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Non USAC Sanctioned races will be run under the following categories:

A Race – Elite Racing open to A & B riders (Cat 123)
B Race – Racing open to B & C riders (Cat 34)
C Race – Racing open to C only (Cat 4)

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Riders racing up may be required to race their class to balance field numbers. This will be based on recent results with riders who have superior results being place in the higher classed fields.

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Women’s Open – Open to all Women riders (Women are allowed to enter A, B, C races also depending on experience)

Junior Open – Open to all riders U18*
Junior B/U12 – Open to younger riders, typically aged under 12*

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*Carl Jones will have the deciding call on who races in what category, faster juniors will be encouraged to race in adult classes.

While I hope to run as many categories as possible it depends on attendance.

 

Upgrades - Basically ask Stu...

C to B – Win C RoY (Mandatory), over a season complete 2 or more race nights with a win rate of >30% (Mandatory) finish in the top 20% of C riders in the RoY standings (Optional). Win 3 races (Optional – Requires Program Director Approval)

B to A – Finish the season with 2 or more wins and a win rate of >10% in A Races.

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All USAC upgrades will need to be sought through the USAC license portal based on the USAC criteria.

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OMNIUM FORMATS

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TNR Omnium

Tuesday Night Bunch Racing, unless otherwise stated, is ran as a 3 race omnium with overall omnium points determined by the race ranking (Not the points obtained in a race like the international omnium). Points are allocated as follows:

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Race 1 - 1st - 7pts, 2nd - 5pts, 3rd - 3pts, 4th - 2pts, 5th - 1pt

Race 2 - 1st - 7pts, 2nd - 5pts, 3rd - 3pts, 4th - 2pts, 5th - 1pt

Race 3 - 1st - 10pts, 2nd - 7pts, 3rd - 5pts, 4th - 3pts, 5th - 2pts, 6th - 1pt

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The races that make up the omnium will come from those listed below:

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Occasionally the race director or officials will make minor adjustments to these formats based on a number of potential factors. If this happens it will be communicated before the start of the race.

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International Omnium

This omnium is run as per UCI regulations. The first 3 races are Scratch, Tempo & Elimination with points being awarded to the riders in finish order (40, 38, 36, 34 etc.) down to 2pts. all other riders are awarded 1 point. The riders then move onto a points race with any points accumulated in that race being added to the existing total. Riders are ranked by total points and then finishing position in the final race.

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Interstellar Omnium

Riders will compete in 3 mass start races with the final race being a points style race, either Points, Point a Lap, Snowball, Texas Snowball or Tempo. In the first 2 races riders are given points for the top 10 places (20, 18, 16 etc,) with 0 points for other riders. Points obtained in the final race are then added to this total. Most points wins.

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Points Omnium

Riders compete over 3 points based races from Point a lap, Points, Tempo, Snowball, Texas Snowball and the total points over all races are added together to give a total by which riders are ranked.

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RACE DESCRIPTIONS

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Australian Pursuit

A race where riders start at differing equidistant points around the track. The object is to catch the riders in front and therefore eliminate them from the race. The winner is the last rider remaining (not passed by anyone), or who catches the most in so many laps. In our Aussie Team Race nights these will be the final races with riders held by their partner on the night, pushing at the start is allowed!

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Big Brother Race

For the big brother race a junior rider will have a pacer, they will draft their pacer until a determined point when the pacer will pull off and the junior riders will complete the remaining distance on their own. The first rider to finish will be the winner.

 

Chariot Race

Riders line up at the pursuit line across the track. Each requires a holder. After a countdown the riders will race from a standing start for a set distance, Typically 1 lap or 500m. The first to cross the line is the winner.

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Crawl

An event typically open to all racers on that evening. It is a timed track stand (balancing) contest rolled into a chariot race. Riders stage in turn 4 of the velodrome and roll off once the race is on. They may not cross the start line until an unknown timed bell is rung, indicating a 1 lap sprint. During the time prior to the bell, riders may not roll backwards per Sprint Rules; may not touch another rider; may not touch the rail; must stay on the track surface; may not put a foot down on the track surface. 

 

Miss-n-Out**

This is another mass start race with all riders starting from the rail. After a neutral lap, the riders will get a bell indicating that on the next lap, the last wheel* across the finish line will be pulled (*measured on the rear wheel). This will happen on each lap until a predetermined number of riders (3 to 5) are left. The remaining riders are given a no pull lap and then the last lap is a sprint for the finish line with the first rider across the line winning.  

 

Elimination Race**

Same rules as Miss-n-Out however riders are pulled until only one rider is left who is declared the winner. There are no ‘no-pull’ laps at the end.

 

**Mike’s Rules - during FNR elimination and miss-n-out races riders are not permitted to break away and must remain within 2 bike lengths of the field. This does not apply to championship events.

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French Exit

This is a addition to any points race where riders are permitted to exit a race before a specified point and if they do so they keep the points they have and don't lose points for being lapped. For example in a points race riders may be given the option to exit before the 3rd points sprint and keep any points accrued in the first 2 sprints. Any riders not exiting at this point will be committed to the rest of the race and if they do exit after that time will lose points for going down laps.

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Keirin

The Keirin is a 4 lap race with 6-8 riders starting from a standing start. The riders draft behind a motor pacer for the first 2 laps*** with the motorcycle gradually accelerating up to 32 mph before it departs from the track. Riders draw for position prior to the race and must fall into order once the race starts. After 1 lap riders can reposition themselves as long as one rider takes the position directly behind the pacer. Once the motor pulls off, with two to go it is an all-out sprint for the finish line. No part of a riders bike can overlap any part of the motor before it exits the track. 

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***For TNR and non-state championship/sanctioned elite events riders will spend an extra lap behind the motor (2.5) and be dropped off with 1.5 laps to go.

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Tempo

After the completion of 4 Laps the bell will be rung to indicate the start of the sprint laps. The first rider to cross the line on each lap shall then be awarded 1 point, including for the final sprint. Any rider that gains a lap on the main field is awarded 20 points and any rider that loses a lap will lose 20 points.

 

Madison

The Madison is a high speed, two person points race relay. One partner from each team starts the race from the rail while the “resting” partner pedals slowly along the top of the track. Partners exchange positions by pulling even with each other and then relaying or “slinging” the incoming partner into the race. Like a points race, sprints occur at predetermined intervals (typically every 6 laps) during the race, with points awarded the same as a Points Race. If a team laps the field 20 points are awarded, ties are broken by finishing position in the final sprint. 

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Match Sprint

Riders race for 2 laps (333m Track) and the first to the line wins. Prior to the race riders draw for obligation, the rider with obligation must roll out first and maintain a walking pace to the pursuit line on lap one.

 

Point-a-Lap

A Point-a-Lap is a mass start race run over a set distance with all riders starting from the rail. After a neutral lap, the first rider across the line for each lap earns one point. Second place earns zero points. Final sprint awards 2,1 points to the first 2 riders. Rider with the most points at the end of the race wins. Ties are broken by the finish sprint. 

 

Points Race

A points race is a mixture of sprinting and fast endurance racing. Points sprints occur every 5 laps (333m track). A bell rings with one lap to go before each sprint. Points are awarded to the top 4 riders across the line for each sprint (5,3,2,1), the last sprint has double points (10,6,4,2). Riders are awarded 20 points if they lap the field – or conversely have 20 points subtracted if they lose a lap to the main field. The rider with the most points at the end of the race wins. Ties are broken by the finish sprint. 

 

Scratch Race

The scratch race is a basic mass start race. All riders start from the rail and race for a set number of laps. A neutral lap may be required at the discretion of the officials. A bell rings with one lap to go. First rider across the line wins. 

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Split Scratch

Half way between a scratch race and a points race. At the midway point in the race the bell is rung and the first 4 riders to cross the line score 5,3,2,1 points respectively, at the finish of the race the top 4 riders are then awarded 10,6, 4, 2 points. The rider with the most points is the winner. Riders that take or lose a lap do not get extra points but the top places will be allocated to riders who are on the lead lap first.

 

Snowball

A Snowball is a mass start race run over a set distance. The first rider across the line at the end of the first lap earns one point. The first rider across the line at the end of the second lap earns 2 points, etc., with the number of points for the first rider across the line for each lap “snowballing” until the end of the race. Points only accumulate with the leader of the lap. The rider with the most points at the end of the race wins. Ties are broken by position in the finish sprint. 

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Texas Snowball

Snowballs in Texas get smaller, and so does the points available on each lap in this race. Points will be scored each lap starting with a number that would mean the final lap winner scores 1 point. A rider who loses a lap loses all the points they have scored and goes back to zero. They then become part of the field and can accumulate more points. A rider who laps the field will double the points they have already accrued. The winner is the rider who completes the race with the most points.

 

Unknown Distance (Scratch)

As its name implies, the Unknown Distance is a mass start “scratch race” run over an unknown distance. A bell rings with one lap to go to signal the sprint to the finish. 

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One-Known Distance

Riders draw lots and the winning rider gets to select a distance between a defined minimum and maximum distance. Other riders will know who selected the distance but will not know the distance of the race. The race is scored as a 'Scratch Race'.

 

Wheel Race (Handicapped Scratch)

Riders are handicapped based on their categories and abilities. Stronger riders are given a greater distance to complete. All riders for the night can participate and have an equal chance in winning. 

 

Win-n-Out

With 7 laps to go the bell is rung. The first rider across the line on the next lap (6 to go) takes 1st place and finishes their race. The second bell will ring with 4 laps to go and the winner of the following sprint (3 Laps to go) takes 2nd place, the final lap bell is rung with 1 to go and the remaining riders sprint for the remaining positions. Lapped riders will not be eligible for intermediate sprints and be ranked below riders on the lead lap after the final sprint.