Race reports from the Gateway Cup

	"RacerX" of Project5 Racing (Buffalo Grove), got unlucky in St. Louis, breaking his clavicle... His report is rather long, but here's an excerpt:
	Coming out of turn 2 I’m sitting in the middle and riders are moving up on both sides and as the front have slowed. I grab a wheel on the left side and we move up the field; my partner inserts himself back into the main field as we approach turn 3. I’m sitting directly beside the rider he’s jumped in front of as we set up for the left hander (all 4 corners are lefts). I’ve obviously got the inside line, but as we are quickly closing on the corner he’s not moving over and we touch shoulders. I’m not giving an inch either as I start to lean in, maintaining speed and position. In the dark I’d not seen the fact that the crowd barriers were positioned right on the curb and the slant of the land had them slightly angled in toward the course. I realize it’s going to be tight, but damn it I’ve got this line and I’m fully committed. My left shoulder brushes the barrier and for an instant I think “that was close”, but just as quickly I’m down.

Chris Padfield (Pegasus), on the other hand, seems to have had a swell time:

Hello hello! I'm back and mostly decompressed from four days of hot weather and hot racing.

Fortunately for you I don't have the time or patience to churn out full reports for each day. Julian did a great job of capturing each day here.

With a little time and perspective I'm now looking back at these races as a great learning experience. With fields just shy of 150 each day these were without a doubt the fastest and most intense races I've ever been a part of. I was initially disappointed that I never cracked the top ten in any race, which had been a goal going into the weekend, but I finished each race with the pack and is good enough this time around. I can hang, I just need to refine a few things, such as being aggressive and fighting for position.

I now have the confidence that I can hang with 150 dudes blasting around and over whatever course is ahead of them. This was a real trial by fire, with the first night (emphasis on night), being seventh rung of hell hot. I have all the "I've Just Made It To Cat 3" jitters tossed out of me, just in time for winter.

I'm even more motivated now to come back and rock it next season.

Cat 3's, you've been warned.