Rathe starts PIR Tuesday Night series with a win

Apr 6, 2010 by editor

PORTLAND — A weeknight tradition in the Portland racing scene sprang to life April 6 when the River City Tuesday Nighter took off for its 2010 season on the tarmac at Portland International Raceway.

The series runs every Tuesday through August, with weekly winners determined by a points system based on hot spot sprints and the finale. Overall series winners are crowned monthly. This season features a special treat on June 1, when the 2010 Indie Hops Mt. Hood Cycling Classic prologue time trial follows the regular Tuesday night races on the same track. The Monday night women’s, masters’ and novice race series begins April 19.

More than 150 riders showed up for the first race of the 2010 Tuesday Nighter season, and Jacob Rathe wasted little time stamping his mark on the series. The Jelly Belly/Kenda rider won the 12-lap race with 16 points, just ahead of recent Capitol Cup Criterium winner Aaron Coker (HP Chiro) with 15 and Guinness Cycling Team’s Cliff Heaberlin with 14.

Bend Bike N Sport’s John Craft won the 10-lap Cat 3/4 race with 15 points, three better than second-placed rider Lincoln Wettenhall (Hammer Velo). Jeff Tedder (Hammer Velo) was third with 11 points. Brian Engelhard (Pacific Power Ble Sky) won the six-lap Cat 4/5 race with 15 points. Team S&M’s Steve case was second with 12 points. Michael Scalzo was third with 10.

RESULTS
River City Tuesday Nighter
Portland International Raceway
April 6

Pro/1/2
1. Rathe, Jacob (Jelly Belly/Kenda) 16
2. Coker, Aaron (HPChiro/Hammer Nutrition) 15
3. Heaberlin, Cliff (Guinness Cycling Team) 14
4. Kath Mike, (Sprout Cycles) 8
5. 989 n/a 7 not on registration

Cat 3/4
1. Craft, John (Bend Bike ‘N Sport Race Team) 15
2. Wettenhall, Lincoln (Hammer Velo) 12
3. Tedder, Jeff (Hammer Velo) 11
4. Gardner, George (Team Oregon) 10
5. Thompson, Rob (Dolce Vita Cycling) 7

Cat 4/5
1. Engelhard, Brian (Pacific Power Blue Sky) 15
2. Case, Steven (Team S&M) 12
3. Scalzo, Michael (Unattached) 10
4. Medina, Ricardo (Hammer Velo) 8
5. Lorente, Andrew (Hammer Velo) 7