Spa City Extreme 6/12 Hour Race
March 10 2007 was the date for the Spa City Extreme 12 Hour race at Cedar Glades Park in Hot Springs AR. Chris Irving and John Oakes ventured over to represent RB's Racing. The race had various classes; 6 hour solo (with age group breakdowns), 6 hour teams, 12 hour solo (with age group breakdowns) and 12 hour teams. There were 50 solo and team entries in the six hour and 14 solo and 4 teams in the 12 hour. John Oakes was entered in the grueling 12 hour Single Speed class and Chris Irving signed up for the 40-49 12 hour class. The race started with the typical 200 yard run for the Le mans start. Seventy racers running down hill on a gravel road in stiff cycling shoes was an ugly sight.
After a 49 minute first lap Irving was in 5th place and Oakes was in 20th (out of 70 racers on the course). Oakes was setting the pace for the SS class and steadily moving up through the overall ranks. Irving swapped leads for overall solo during the 4-7th laps, eventually deciding to let the other rider lead, thinking he would have to finish to win. Both RB's racers suffered through the various endurance racing maladies, crashes and numb extremities. Socks were changed, helmets and gloves swapped to alleviate the problems.
As dusk settled on Hot Springs, RB's Racing realized that Irving and Oakes were running 1st and 2nd overall in the 12 hour solo class. They held on through the lonely night laps maintaining those positions. Irving won the race with 11 laps in 11:44 (108.8 miles) and Oakes finished 1st in single speed and 2nd overall with 10 laps in 11:28 (98.9 miles).
Other Memphis area riders took home top honors as well, with Steven Wells (SCC/Ripper Clan/Team All-black) winning the 30-39 6 hour solo, much to his surprise. Laureen Coffelt took the women's class 12 hour solo overall title. She was only credited with 9 laps, at 11:14, even though she actually rode 10 laps in 12:42. Unfortunately, she missed the 9:30 PM cutoff by 12 minutes on her 10th lap, thereby losing the lap. Dan Frayer won the 20-29 solo class with 9 laps in 11:38
Overall it was a well run race that must have been a nightmare to score with all the different divisions. I would highly recommend it, only three hours from Memphis with an excellent course and good food right down the mountain.
12 Hour Results (with lap times)
