Date: April 24, 2004 Saturday
Place: Bill Armstrong Stadium
Event: 2004 Little 500 Race
Distance: 200-laps
Climate: Partly cloudy, upper 60's, calm, slight wind
Time: 2:00pm
Team: Tom Meersman, Hans Arnesen, Jeremy Hess, Chris Bence
Coach: Norm Houze
Mechanic: Justin Inabinette
Starting position: 4th position, inside 2nd row.
Finishing position: 1st place
Final Results: Controversial 5-second impeding penalty on final sprint resulting in 2nd place finish.
Total laps:
77 Tom (14, 21, 18, 12, 12)
61 Hans (13, 14, 17, 12, 5)
39 Jeremy (13, 20, 6, crash)
24 Chris (10, 5, 2, 5, 2)
16 Total Bike Exchanges
Raceday started out on the sunny side. Chris stayed at Norm & Cricket's. The other riders stayed at their own place. Breakfast
was 10:30am and after some last minute strategy talk, the team headed back to the ATO house for the traditional sendoff. It was
the usual wild celebration. Traffic was stopped on 3rd Street and the team was swamped by fraternity brothers and well-wishers.
Arrival at the stadium was crazy from the start. Even with the coach's parking pass, we almost didn't get into the parking lot
because it was full. Then Tom couldn't find his student ID. That caused some pre-race stress and anxiety. But after that, things
settled down and the team looked extremely confident. Race officials were rushing everything because of threatening rain, so
Tom took his #4 position on the inside of the 2nd row and started the pace laps. The following is a racap of each set.
Tom (14-laps, 1-14)
32 33 35 37 36 37 37 37 36 33 36 33 37 35
If anyone looked like they owned the track out there, it was Tom. There was no way he'd let anything get away out there. The
beginning pace was torrid......32-33....geez! Tom stayed on the inside holding his line and ready to bail out to the infield if needed.
By the 5th lap, Tom was out front leading for a couple of laps. His entire set was extremely fast, but he made it look easy. He
pulled out on his 14th lap with a great burn-out and 2-bike exchange to Hans. Tom was pumped!
Hans (13-laps, 15-27)
34 35 37 35 36 (36 43 34)....yellow...37 37 35 34 35
This was too easy. Hans accelerated to the front and pushed way ahead to lead his first 3-4 laps in front of the pack. This is what
he wanted to do.......to make an immediate impression on the racers, commentators, and spectators. I'm sure it was pretty lonely
out there.....and tempting to make a run for it.. Hans could've kicked it and spread everybody out, but exercised some
patience......because there was a lot more race left. Halfway through his set, Hans got a slight rest with 3-lap yellow flag. I like
yellow flags as long as our team is not the reason for the caution. It gives the rider a chance to recover and virtually do another
set.
Jeremy (13-laps, 28-40)
38 38 37 37 38 40 48 36 39 36 33 34 35
Joining the team just 6-weeks ago, Jeremy had the assignment to do a ton of laps and stay with the leaders. No attacking was
necessary. And he did just that. Jeremy struggled with bike exchanges early in the season, but his first exchange from Hans was
pretty. Once out there, he positioned himself about 4-5 riders from the front and on the inside. Jeremy is a strong and careful
rider capable of plugging a hole or shooting up the inside if needed. Jeremy pitted at the right time with a smooth exchange to
Chris. So far, the team is dominating and helping to control the tempo of the race.
Chris (10-laps, 41-50)
36 36 (36 40 49 56 50)....yellow....36 38 34
This was a tough year for Chris. 2-months ago, we didn't even know if Chris would be eligible to compete in the race. But he won
an eligibility appeal and seriously started his training in late February. There were problems. He was taking classes and working
at a bank.......not much time to train with the team or himself for that matter. But Chris knows how to manage time and focus. He
gave all he could and it's always fun to watch him hang on to Hans and Tom's wheel. Those are tough wheels to follow and Chris
pushed himself to be a big part of the team. Chris followed Dodds House on the yellow flag and enjoyed several laps way out in
front of the lead pack. He had a excellent burn-out to Tom.
Tom (21-laps, 51-71)
40 34 37 38 40 36 33 34 36 37 39 36 36 37 38 38 39 34 36 38 35
The bike exchange from Chris was flawless. We knew Tom's laps coming up would be a big set. Tom would try for a least 20-laps.
We knew he could do 40-laps if needed, but wanted to save his energy. Tom was in total control of the pack. He was out front
often. He positioned himself to be able to attack when needed. The look on his face was of complete ownership. He didn't even
need to look at us in the pits. It was his race and we were not going to get in his way. It was a beautiful sight. Finally, an ATO rider
in complete control doing major damage out on the track. His burn-out and 2-bike exchange were perfect.
Hans (14-laps, 72-85)
36 35 37 37 36 39 38 37 40 36 37 37 34 34
Here we go again. Oh yeah! Hans roared past the front of the pack and found himself way out front of the lead pack by 7-8
seconds in his first lap of the set. He just about coasted for the next 4-5 laps staying way out in front. Wow, at this point, it was
tempting to go for it. Do we or don't we? The pack started to perk up and take notice, so I motioned for Hans to relax. He led
almost all the laps until doing two blistering 34's for a great burnout to Jeremy.
Jeremy (20-laps, 86-105)
42 36 39 39 36 40 36 34 40 35 36 36 36 40 39 36 36 38 39 36
Jeremy hopped on with room to spare. So far, this race is all ATO and nobody else's. Watching these guys dominate the race
was a pure joy after years of delayed gratification. And now, Jeremy was focused on one of his most important sets on the Little
500 track. We needed at least 20-laps to eat up some race time and recharge Hans and Tom. Budgeting energy is a major
strategy of this type of race. So Jeremy came up with the big one......20-laps of pure racing savvy and being where he needed to
be. He said he could have done more and I believe him. He had a good burnout and bike exchange to Chris. That set was
extremely important and Jeremy proved he could probably go out there and do another big set later on.
Chris (5-laps, 106-110)
38 39 36 34 34
When the pace picks up, Chris always seems to be out there in the past 3-races. It was gut check time on his last two blistering
34-second laps. Some teams were starting to break away and it was Chris' job to just hang on for dear life. He would have done
more laps if the pace would have remained normal, but he entered the track when the going got tough. His burnout and 2-bike
exchange to Tom was excellent.
Tom (18-laps, 111-128)
36 34 35 36 34 39 39 39 39 38 38 37 37 35 35 36 36 35
OK, now ATO will get a chance to return the favor. All those breakaway teams were in for a spanking. Tom got in there and
started to play with people. That's what All-Star riders do. He was up front during his entire set and blistering the pace with a
couple 34's. He toned it down and settled in to conserve energy for later in the race. By now, the ATO team was conducting a
clinic on awesome burnouts and bike exchanges.
Hans (17-laps, 128-145)
36 35 34 36 (39 52 52)....yellow....35 (37 49 56)....yellow....34 38 33 35 35 34
Hans got on the bike and started doing some major damage of his own. It was nothing but blue up front, and suddenly there was a
yellow flag. So Hans got a chance to rest but he really didn't need it. Then there was 1-2 laps under the green and back to the
yellow again. Uh oh, now the riders in the pack will start to get impatient. I'm glad Hans was out there. If he gets inpatient, I'll feel
sorry for the other riders out there.
And yes, after the green flag came out, everyone including Hans took off. One lap was a speedy 33-second circuit that spread out
the pack. Now we're approaching the 150-lap mark and motioned Hans to come in for energy conservation. He could have stayed
out there at least 15-20 more laps. But that wasn't in the plan. His burnout and exchange continued a flawless trend of beautiful
handoffs in front of the grandstands.
Jeremy (6-laps, 146-151)
39 38 37 34 34 ?? (crash in Turn 4)
Now it's dig it from the gut time for Jeremy. We needed another 18-20 lap set from him no matter what kind of pace was going on
out there. We were trying to set up Tom to hammer maybe 7-8 breakaway laps towards the end of the race and hand off to Hans
with 5-laps to go. So Jeremy had to do some big numbers right here and now. He easily merged into the lead pack and rode a
few moderately paced laps. Then there was a breakaway and Jeremy was in the chase. Ooooh it was fast. We knew it would slow
down soon so we motioned Jeremy to move up. By the time he got up near the front he was rounding Turn 4 on Lap 151 and
suddenly Briscoe went down right in front of him. There was nowhere for Jeremy to go and no time to react. We all saw it from the
pits. It was ugly. Jeremy's bike went airborne and so did Jeremy. Oh no, ATO was down. Jeremy was motionless. He looked
dead. And ATO was dead. The dream was gone! Or was it? Most teams would have chunked it right there. But in the next
10-minutes, some amazing things happened that marked this team as THE superior team out on that track and one of the best
ever. It takes a veteran with some smarts and experience to step up and make the big play. The guy I'm talkin' about it Chris
Bence!
Chris (2-laps, 152-153)
(56 50).....yellow....bike switch & repair
Just before Jeremy's crash, we had talked in the pits about getting Chris ready for probably his last set on the Little 500 track.
Jeremy was pushing for 20-laps, but Chris wanted to be ready just in case. Sure enough, once Chris dismounted his warmup bike
and adjusted his helmet, Jeremy went down in the crash. We all stood there frozen in shock. But Chris immediately reacted and
sprinted toward the crash scene. I didn't tell him to do that. He just instinctively did it on his own. Chris knows the race and
reacted instantaneously. He arrived at the crash scene in a flash and quickly picked up Jeremy's bike and got it back on the track
under the yellow caution flag. His quick action kept us from falling further behind which by now was at least 15-seconds or nearly
one-half lap. If the gap was any bigger, we might not be able to catch up. Chris circled once and passed by our pits with a frantic
motion pointing to bent handlebars. Before he came around, we assumed something might be wrong with the bike and were ready
to make a bike exchange under the yellow. Chris went around one more time and brought the bike into Tom before the green flag
came out. Whew, we got the good bike out there just in the nick of time. Oooh, that was close. The bike was bent in the fork and
handlebars. Justin the mechanic worked on it during Tom's entire set. Now it was time to see what this team was made of.
Tom (12-laps, 154-165)
31 34 35 36 39 37 40 34 41 48 39 35
Tom's entered the track on the yellow, but the green quickly came out and that first lap was a sizzler. All the lead teams knew that
Briscoe and ATO were almost 1/2 lap behind. They were putting the hammer down. After two super fast laps with Tom in the
chase, the front pack slowed it down and Tom had nothing but determination written all over his face. This was the race! It was
chase time and if there was anyone I wanted on the bike right then, it was Tom. I knew that guy would dig until there's nothing left
on his bones. He won't come in the pits until he catches that front pack. OK, all we can do in the pits is watch. Justin was working
feverishly on the bike to get it ready for Chris. Lap after lap, Tom gained one, two, three seconds and more. He was getting
closer and closer. Could he do it? For some reason, we were not worried or nervous. Somehow we knew Tom would get us back
in there. I was actually more concerned about Jeremy's condition and trying to figure out a new race strategy for the final laps.
When Tom was only about 4-5 seconds down, we knew ATO was back in it. Geez, it only took him about 7-8 laps. The ATO
cheering section was ecstatic. And the thought came to my mind that if ATO were to win this race after an unfortunate crash, we
would be one of the only teams who ever did it. So OK, so let's go do it! We did some quick thinking and shuffling to come up with
our best move at the end with only three riders instead of four. It was time for Chris to be a hero again.
Chris (5-laps, 165-169)
38 36 38 33 34
Chris' last fast lap was Lap 110. So we decided to alter our rotation and send Chris back out after Tom completed his heroic
chase. Wow, that was one of the best sets ever on the track. Now Chris was pumped and he stayed in control near the front of
the lead pack. It started to rain and the track became more slick going around the turns. All the riders were eating cinders, but
Chris continued unfazed and really blistered his last two laps of his set spreading everyone out. His burnout and bike exchange
to Hans was awesome and these guys acted as if our crash didn't slow us down at all. This was the moment! This was really the
moment I realized this team was a special one. They meant business. This team could win. This team is gonna win! And we were
about 30-laps from our destiny. Suddenly it was not intense and stressful anymore. The race now seemed fun and enjoyable.
And this team was in the flow. Nothing could hold them back. I'm excited! And at this same moment, Jeremy returned to our pit all
bandaged up with a collarbone sling. The ATO crowd went wild. Our injured rider returned in triumph and wanted to be right there
with the action. It was his race to win. It was ATO's race to win!
Hans (12-laps, 170-181)
36 33 39 35 37 40 36 33 37 37 33 36
Hans took the bike from Chris and shot out past the lead pack and totally dominated the pace for the next 12-laps. We knew he
had a lot left, and I just let him do his thing. When someone owns the track, you don't get in their way. Yep, there were other
teams doing their thing, but Hans was out there doing the most, just hangin back ready to attack at any time. His set included a
couple of 33's which did some damage to the other teams. By now, only 9-10 teams were on the lead pack. ATO, Cutters, PhiGs,
AKAK, Briscoe, Major Taylor, and ACR cycling were all jockeying for position. Everyone looked like Major Taylor out there. They
were covered with cinders from the rain. Hans was totally black when he did his burnout after 12-laps. His bike exchange to
Chris was flawless again.
Chris (2-laps, 182-183)
36 33
This was it for Chris. The last time out on the Little 500 track forever. It was just 2-laps but he did an awesome 33-second burnout
to Tom with a perfect 2-bike exchange. Chris will always take a piece of that track with him. He's been the ideal model as a team
leader and race participant. Now he's in line to be one of the few who can win that race. His fate is up to Tom and Hans now. And
that's a great situation because in the next 15-laps, we will see two guys go to work with only one thing on their minds. This is
gonna be fun.
Tom (12-laps, 184-195)
36 36 39 39 34 39 33 36 36 35 36
Tom took no time to merge back into the front pack after his burn-in. This was Tom's last time out on the bike on the Little 500
track, so now we'll get to see the master at work. Stuff was happening out there. Lots of bumping and grinding, and breakaways.
Tom was able to stay with all of that. In our original plan, this was supposed to be the set that Tom would be attacking. But his
energy was spent somewhat on his previous set trying to chase for 1/2 lap. So it was just best for Tom to stay in there and then
explode for a burnout to Hans. Tom got boxed in on about his 7th or 8th lap out there and took a couple laps to reposition himself
for the burnout. Then on his 12th lap, he put it down. Ooooh it was fast! His bike exchange to Hans was smooth and quick and
after dismounting the bike, he collapsed to the ground. I looked in his exhausted eyes and saw nothing left. As I picked him up, I
felt heartbeats and pulses where none exists. Tom was done. It was now up to Hans.
Hans (5-laps, 196-200)
36 35 37 36 33
Hans accelerated and merged into the pack within 1/2 lap. That gave him 2-3 laps to get revved and warmed up for the final
sprint. The pace was erratic with everyone jockeying for position. The crowd was screaming. This was gonna be close. Hans
stayed up near the front. Then on the backstretch on Lap 198, he moved up to the front and inside by the white line. As the pack
came around Turn 4 to take the white flag, Hans was right where he told me he would be.....inside and in front. He also told me
before the race that if he were in that position starting Lap 199, no one would pass him. I've never had a team rider come up to
me like that and tell me what they were gonna do with such confidence. I certainly wasn't going to argue with him......he owns the
track right now! OK, the pack of six teams headed into Turn 1 of the last lap and were sprinting for first place. Any one of them
could win this. And our guy was in front where he wanted to be. It was all Hans right now.
In Turn 2, a huge crash suddenly took out four of the six riders in that lead pack sprinting for the finish. That crash was
spectacular. Hans and Cutter rider Chris Vargo escaped the mishap because they were up front. No one was sure what
happened during that crash, but replays of the show that both PhiG's and Major Taylor clipped pedals, impeded on themselves
and took out Briscoe and Acacia who had every chance to win. Bikes, bodies and stuff were strewn all over the track. The yellow
caution flag would normally have been called on a crash of this magnitude, but none was called. Evidently, rider safety and
hindrance of the race is no longer important on Lap 199. And there was no impeding call on either PhiGs or Major Taylor for
causing Brisco and Acacia to crash. OK, impeding must not be an issue on Lap 199.
In the meantime, after the crash in Turn 1, ATO and Cutters were sprinting down the backstretch on Lap 199. Vargo sucked Hans'
wheel all the way around. In the pits, our toes were curling. Is this the year? Finally.....here we are! Midway through Turn 4, Hans
is seen in full sprinting motion ahead of Vargo. Hans never looked back. He didn't even know there was a crash behind him in
Turn 2 and didn't know who was tailing him. He just put his head down for the last 50-yards.
Before the race, we talked about the final lap sprint and the line to choose for the finish. Hans did everything we discussed. He
came out of Turn 4 and committed to a straight-line tangent to the finish. It was wide, but no more than any previous sprint to the
finish, especially comparing it to the 1993 and 1998 Men's race and the 2004 Women's race. Vargo tried to move up on the
outside. It was his choice of line and that line was wobbly. He closed the side gap between them somewhat with a swerve inside
closer to Hans. At the same time, Hans maintained his tangential line to the finish and with a couple more gut-wrenching pedal
strokes, he crossed the line just ahead of Vargo to win the 2004 Little 500. YES!! Finally!! He did it!! ATO did it......their third
Little 5 victory in 54-years!
The ATO pit was pure joy and celebration. The crowd noise was deafening. People were climbing the fence. This race, being
practically impossible to win, was finally owned by ATO. These guys are so proud and deserving. They worked so hard. They
rode an incredibly tough and smart race and became one of the few teams ever to crash and come back and win. Their moment
of accomplishment is their's forever and whatever happens after this is just an illusion.
When it comes to moments, it only takes just one special moment to know that you've done your best and prevailed in triumph. No
one can take that away......ever! And knowing that, everything else seems like just an illusion. Illusions can disappear. Illusions
can be mistaken. Illusions are temporary. And trophies and rings are just objects of illusion. If someone makes a mistake or
steals an illusion, let them have it. It isn't real. Right now, the 2004 Little 5 championship ring is the cheapest jewelry on the
market. And the trophy is just cheap aluminum collecting dust somewhere. Yeah, the ego wants that hunk of metal.....but it's only
an illusion. The real prize is in their heart and soul. They did it. And they deserve it. Congratulations to the ATO bike team, the
real winner of the 2004 Little 500! I will remember this team forever.
Ride like the wind......
Norm Houze
ATO Little 500 Coach
Place: Bill Armstrong Stadium
Event: 2004 Little 500 Race
Distance: 200-laps
Climate: Partly cloudy, upper 60's, calm, slight wind
Time: 2:00pm
Team: Tom Meersman, Hans Arnesen, Jeremy Hess, Chris Bence
Coach: Norm Houze
Mechanic: Justin Inabinette
Starting position: 4th position, inside 2nd row.
Finishing position: 1st place
Final Results: Controversial 5-second impeding penalty on final sprint resulting in 2nd place finish.
Total laps:
77 Tom (14, 21, 18, 12, 12)
61 Hans (13, 14, 17, 12, 5)
39 Jeremy (13, 20, 6, crash)
24 Chris (10, 5, 2, 5, 2)
16 Total Bike Exchanges
Raceday started out on the sunny side. Chris stayed at Norm & Cricket's. The other riders stayed at their own place. Breakfast
was 10:30am and after some last minute strategy talk, the team headed back to the ATO house for the traditional sendoff. It was
the usual wild celebration. Traffic was stopped on 3rd Street and the team was swamped by fraternity brothers and well-wishers.
Arrival at the stadium was crazy from the start. Even with the coach's parking pass, we almost didn't get into the parking lot
because it was full. Then Tom couldn't find his student ID. That caused some pre-race stress and anxiety. But after that, things
settled down and the team looked extremely confident. Race officials were rushing everything because of threatening rain, so
Tom took his #4 position on the inside of the 2nd row and started the pace laps. The following is a racap of each set.
Tom (14-laps, 1-14)
32 33 35 37 36 37 37 37 36 33 36 33 37 35
If anyone looked like they owned the track out there, it was Tom. There was no way he'd let anything get away out there. The
beginning pace was torrid......32-33....geez! Tom stayed on the inside holding his line and ready to bail out to the infield if needed.
By the 5th lap, Tom was out front leading for a couple of laps. His entire set was extremely fast, but he made it look easy. He
pulled out on his 14th lap with a great burn-out and 2-bike exchange to Hans. Tom was pumped!
Hans (13-laps, 15-27)
34 35 37 35 36 (36 43 34)....yellow...37 37 35 34 35
This was too easy. Hans accelerated to the front and pushed way ahead to lead his first 3-4 laps in front of the pack. This is what
he wanted to do.......to make an immediate impression on the racers, commentators, and spectators. I'm sure it was pretty lonely
out there.....and tempting to make a run for it.. Hans could've kicked it and spread everybody out, but exercised some
patience......because there was a lot more race left. Halfway through his set, Hans got a slight rest with 3-lap yellow flag. I like
yellow flags as long as our team is not the reason for the caution. It gives the rider a chance to recover and virtually do another
set.
Jeremy (13-laps, 28-40)
38 38 37 37 38 40 48 36 39 36 33 34 35
Joining the team just 6-weeks ago, Jeremy had the assignment to do a ton of laps and stay with the leaders. No attacking was
necessary. And he did just that. Jeremy struggled with bike exchanges early in the season, but his first exchange from Hans was
pretty. Once out there, he positioned himself about 4-5 riders from the front and on the inside. Jeremy is a strong and careful
rider capable of plugging a hole or shooting up the inside if needed. Jeremy pitted at the right time with a smooth exchange to
Chris. So far, the team is dominating and helping to control the tempo of the race.
Chris (10-laps, 41-50)
36 36 (36 40 49 56 50)....yellow....36 38 34
This was a tough year for Chris. 2-months ago, we didn't even know if Chris would be eligible to compete in the race. But he won
an eligibility appeal and seriously started his training in late February. There were problems. He was taking classes and working
at a bank.......not much time to train with the team or himself for that matter. But Chris knows how to manage time and focus. He
gave all he could and it's always fun to watch him hang on to Hans and Tom's wheel. Those are tough wheels to follow and Chris
pushed himself to be a big part of the team. Chris followed Dodds House on the yellow flag and enjoyed several laps way out in
front of the lead pack. He had a excellent burn-out to Tom.
Tom (21-laps, 51-71)
40 34 37 38 40 36 33 34 36 37 39 36 36 37 38 38 39 34 36 38 35
The bike exchange from Chris was flawless. We knew Tom's laps coming up would be a big set. Tom would try for a least 20-laps.
We knew he could do 40-laps if needed, but wanted to save his energy. Tom was in total control of the pack. He was out front
often. He positioned himself to be able to attack when needed. The look on his face was of complete ownership. He didn't even
need to look at us in the pits. It was his race and we were not going to get in his way. It was a beautiful sight. Finally, an ATO rider
in complete control doing major damage out on the track. His burn-out and 2-bike exchange were perfect.
Hans (14-laps, 72-85)
36 35 37 37 36 39 38 37 40 36 37 37 34 34
Here we go again. Oh yeah! Hans roared past the front of the pack and found himself way out front of the lead pack by 7-8
seconds in his first lap of the set. He just about coasted for the next 4-5 laps staying way out in front. Wow, at this point, it was
tempting to go for it. Do we or don't we? The pack started to perk up and take notice, so I motioned for Hans to relax. He led
almost all the laps until doing two blistering 34's for a great burnout to Jeremy.
Jeremy (20-laps, 86-105)
42 36 39 39 36 40 36 34 40 35 36 36 36 40 39 36 36 38 39 36
Jeremy hopped on with room to spare. So far, this race is all ATO and nobody else's. Watching these guys dominate the race
was a pure joy after years of delayed gratification. And now, Jeremy was focused on one of his most important sets on the Little
500 track. We needed at least 20-laps to eat up some race time and recharge Hans and Tom. Budgeting energy is a major
strategy of this type of race. So Jeremy came up with the big one......20-laps of pure racing savvy and being where he needed to
be. He said he could have done more and I believe him. He had a good burnout and bike exchange to Chris. That set was
extremely important and Jeremy proved he could probably go out there and do another big set later on.
Chris (5-laps, 106-110)
38 39 36 34 34
When the pace picks up, Chris always seems to be out there in the past 3-races. It was gut check time on his last two blistering
34-second laps. Some teams were starting to break away and it was Chris' job to just hang on for dear life. He would have done
more laps if the pace would have remained normal, but he entered the track when the going got tough. His burnout and 2-bike
exchange to Tom was excellent.
Tom (18-laps, 111-128)
36 34 35 36 34 39 39 39 39 38 38 37 37 35 35 36 36 35
OK, now ATO will get a chance to return the favor. All those breakaway teams were in for a spanking. Tom got in there and
started to play with people. That's what All-Star riders do. He was up front during his entire set and blistering the pace with a
couple 34's. He toned it down and settled in to conserve energy for later in the race. By now, the ATO team was conducting a
clinic on awesome burnouts and bike exchanges.
Hans (17-laps, 128-145)
36 35 34 36 (39 52 52)....yellow....35 (37 49 56)....yellow....34 38 33 35 35 34
Hans got on the bike and started doing some major damage of his own. It was nothing but blue up front, and suddenly there was a
yellow flag. So Hans got a chance to rest but he really didn't need it. Then there was 1-2 laps under the green and back to the
yellow again. Uh oh, now the riders in the pack will start to get impatient. I'm glad Hans was out there. If he gets inpatient, I'll feel
sorry for the other riders out there.
And yes, after the green flag came out, everyone including Hans took off. One lap was a speedy 33-second circuit that spread out
the pack. Now we're approaching the 150-lap mark and motioned Hans to come in for energy conservation. He could have stayed
out there at least 15-20 more laps. But that wasn't in the plan. His burnout and exchange continued a flawless trend of beautiful
handoffs in front of the grandstands.
Jeremy (6-laps, 146-151)
39 38 37 34 34 ?? (crash in Turn 4)
Now it's dig it from the gut time for Jeremy. We needed another 18-20 lap set from him no matter what kind of pace was going on
out there. We were trying to set up Tom to hammer maybe 7-8 breakaway laps towards the end of the race and hand off to Hans
with 5-laps to go. So Jeremy had to do some big numbers right here and now. He easily merged into the lead pack and rode a
few moderately paced laps. Then there was a breakaway and Jeremy was in the chase. Ooooh it was fast. We knew it would slow
down soon so we motioned Jeremy to move up. By the time he got up near the front he was rounding Turn 4 on Lap 151 and
suddenly Briscoe went down right in front of him. There was nowhere for Jeremy to go and no time to react. We all saw it from the
pits. It was ugly. Jeremy's bike went airborne and so did Jeremy. Oh no, ATO was down. Jeremy was motionless. He looked
dead. And ATO was dead. The dream was gone! Or was it? Most teams would have chunked it right there. But in the next
10-minutes, some amazing things happened that marked this team as THE superior team out on that track and one of the best
ever. It takes a veteran with some smarts and experience to step up and make the big play. The guy I'm talkin' about it Chris
Bence!
Chris (2-laps, 152-153)
(56 50).....yellow....bike switch & repair
Just before Jeremy's crash, we had talked in the pits about getting Chris ready for probably his last set on the Little 500 track.
Jeremy was pushing for 20-laps, but Chris wanted to be ready just in case. Sure enough, once Chris dismounted his warmup bike
and adjusted his helmet, Jeremy went down in the crash. We all stood there frozen in shock. But Chris immediately reacted and
sprinted toward the crash scene. I didn't tell him to do that. He just instinctively did it on his own. Chris knows the race and
reacted instantaneously. He arrived at the crash scene in a flash and quickly picked up Jeremy's bike and got it back on the track
under the yellow caution flag. His quick action kept us from falling further behind which by now was at least 15-seconds or nearly
one-half lap. If the gap was any bigger, we might not be able to catch up. Chris circled once and passed by our pits with a frantic
motion pointing to bent handlebars. Before he came around, we assumed something might be wrong with the bike and were ready
to make a bike exchange under the yellow. Chris went around one more time and brought the bike into Tom before the green flag
came out. Whew, we got the good bike out there just in the nick of time. Oooh, that was close. The bike was bent in the fork and
handlebars. Justin the mechanic worked on it during Tom's entire set. Now it was time to see what this team was made of.
Tom (12-laps, 154-165)
31 34 35 36 39 37 40 34 41 48 39 35
Tom's entered the track on the yellow, but the green quickly came out and that first lap was a sizzler. All the lead teams knew that
Briscoe and ATO were almost 1/2 lap behind. They were putting the hammer down. After two super fast laps with Tom in the
chase, the front pack slowed it down and Tom had nothing but determination written all over his face. This was the race! It was
chase time and if there was anyone I wanted on the bike right then, it was Tom. I knew that guy would dig until there's nothing left
on his bones. He won't come in the pits until he catches that front pack. OK, all we can do in the pits is watch. Justin was working
feverishly on the bike to get it ready for Chris. Lap after lap, Tom gained one, two, three seconds and more. He was getting
closer and closer. Could he do it? For some reason, we were not worried or nervous. Somehow we knew Tom would get us back
in there. I was actually more concerned about Jeremy's condition and trying to figure out a new race strategy for the final laps.
When Tom was only about 4-5 seconds down, we knew ATO was back in it. Geez, it only took him about 7-8 laps. The ATO
cheering section was ecstatic. And the thought came to my mind that if ATO were to win this race after an unfortunate crash, we
would be one of the only teams who ever did it. So OK, so let's go do it! We did some quick thinking and shuffling to come up with
our best move at the end with only three riders instead of four. It was time for Chris to be a hero again.
Chris (5-laps, 165-169)
38 36 38 33 34
Chris' last fast lap was Lap 110. So we decided to alter our rotation and send Chris back out after Tom completed his heroic
chase. Wow, that was one of the best sets ever on the track. Now Chris was pumped and he stayed in control near the front of
the lead pack. It started to rain and the track became more slick going around the turns. All the riders were eating cinders, but
Chris continued unfazed and really blistered his last two laps of his set spreading everyone out. His burnout and bike exchange
to Hans was awesome and these guys acted as if our crash didn't slow us down at all. This was the moment! This was really the
moment I realized this team was a special one. They meant business. This team could win. This team is gonna win! And we were
about 30-laps from our destiny. Suddenly it was not intense and stressful anymore. The race now seemed fun and enjoyable.
And this team was in the flow. Nothing could hold them back. I'm excited! And at this same moment, Jeremy returned to our pit all
bandaged up with a collarbone sling. The ATO crowd went wild. Our injured rider returned in triumph and wanted to be right there
with the action. It was his race to win. It was ATO's race to win!
Hans (12-laps, 170-181)
36 33 39 35 37 40 36 33 37 37 33 36
Hans took the bike from Chris and shot out past the lead pack and totally dominated the pace for the next 12-laps. We knew he
had a lot left, and I just let him do his thing. When someone owns the track, you don't get in their way. Yep, there were other
teams doing their thing, but Hans was out there doing the most, just hangin back ready to attack at any time. His set included a
couple of 33's which did some damage to the other teams. By now, only 9-10 teams were on the lead pack. ATO, Cutters, PhiGs,
AKAK, Briscoe, Major Taylor, and ACR cycling were all jockeying for position. Everyone looked like Major Taylor out there. They
were covered with cinders from the rain. Hans was totally black when he did his burnout after 12-laps. His bike exchange to
Chris was flawless again.
Chris (2-laps, 182-183)
36 33
This was it for Chris. The last time out on the Little 500 track forever. It was just 2-laps but he did an awesome 33-second burnout
to Tom with a perfect 2-bike exchange. Chris will always take a piece of that track with him. He's been the ideal model as a team
leader and race participant. Now he's in line to be one of the few who can win that race. His fate is up to Tom and Hans now. And
that's a great situation because in the next 15-laps, we will see two guys go to work with only one thing on their minds. This is
gonna be fun.
Tom (12-laps, 184-195)
36 36 39 39 34 39 33 36 36 35 36
Tom took no time to merge back into the front pack after his burn-in. This was Tom's last time out on the bike on the Little 500
track, so now we'll get to see the master at work. Stuff was happening out there. Lots of bumping and grinding, and breakaways.
Tom was able to stay with all of that. In our original plan, this was supposed to be the set that Tom would be attacking. But his
energy was spent somewhat on his previous set trying to chase for 1/2 lap. So it was just best for Tom to stay in there and then
explode for a burnout to Hans. Tom got boxed in on about his 7th or 8th lap out there and took a couple laps to reposition himself
for the burnout. Then on his 12th lap, he put it down. Ooooh it was fast! His bike exchange to Hans was smooth and quick and
after dismounting the bike, he collapsed to the ground. I looked in his exhausted eyes and saw nothing left. As I picked him up, I
felt heartbeats and pulses where none exists. Tom was done. It was now up to Hans.
Hans (5-laps, 196-200)
36 35 37 36 33
Hans accelerated and merged into the pack within 1/2 lap. That gave him 2-3 laps to get revved and warmed up for the final
sprint. The pace was erratic with everyone jockeying for position. The crowd was screaming. This was gonna be close. Hans
stayed up near the front. Then on the backstretch on Lap 198, he moved up to the front and inside by the white line. As the pack
came around Turn 4 to take the white flag, Hans was right where he told me he would be.....inside and in front. He also told me
before the race that if he were in that position starting Lap 199, no one would pass him. I've never had a team rider come up to
me like that and tell me what they were gonna do with such confidence. I certainly wasn't going to argue with him......he owns the
track right now! OK, the pack of six teams headed into Turn 1 of the last lap and were sprinting for first place. Any one of them
could win this. And our guy was in front where he wanted to be. It was all Hans right now.
In Turn 2, a huge crash suddenly took out four of the six riders in that lead pack sprinting for the finish. That crash was
spectacular. Hans and Cutter rider Chris Vargo escaped the mishap because they were up front. No one was sure what
happened during that crash, but replays of the show that both PhiG's and Major Taylor clipped pedals, impeded on themselves
and took out Briscoe and Acacia who had every chance to win. Bikes, bodies and stuff were strewn all over the track. The yellow
caution flag would normally have been called on a crash of this magnitude, but none was called. Evidently, rider safety and
hindrance of the race is no longer important on Lap 199. And there was no impeding call on either PhiGs or Major Taylor for
causing Brisco and Acacia to crash. OK, impeding must not be an issue on Lap 199.
In the meantime, after the crash in Turn 1, ATO and Cutters were sprinting down the backstretch on Lap 199. Vargo sucked Hans'
wheel all the way around. In the pits, our toes were curling. Is this the year? Finally.....here we are! Midway through Turn 4, Hans
is seen in full sprinting motion ahead of Vargo. Hans never looked back. He didn't even know there was a crash behind him in
Turn 2 and didn't know who was tailing him. He just put his head down for the last 50-yards.
Before the race, we talked about the final lap sprint and the line to choose for the finish. Hans did everything we discussed. He
came out of Turn 4 and committed to a straight-line tangent to the finish. It was wide, but no more than any previous sprint to the
finish, especially comparing it to the 1993 and 1998 Men's race and the 2004 Women's race. Vargo tried to move up on the
outside. It was his choice of line and that line was wobbly. He closed the side gap between them somewhat with a swerve inside
closer to Hans. At the same time, Hans maintained his tangential line to the finish and with a couple more gut-wrenching pedal
strokes, he crossed the line just ahead of Vargo to win the 2004 Little 500. YES!! Finally!! He did it!! ATO did it......their third
Little 5 victory in 54-years!
The ATO pit was pure joy and celebration. The crowd noise was deafening. People were climbing the fence. This race, being
practically impossible to win, was finally owned by ATO. These guys are so proud and deserving. They worked so hard. They
rode an incredibly tough and smart race and became one of the few teams ever to crash and come back and win. Their moment
of accomplishment is their's forever and whatever happens after this is just an illusion.
When it comes to moments, it only takes just one special moment to know that you've done your best and prevailed in triumph. No
one can take that away......ever! And knowing that, everything else seems like just an illusion. Illusions can disappear. Illusions
can be mistaken. Illusions are temporary. And trophies and rings are just objects of illusion. If someone makes a mistake or
steals an illusion, let them have it. It isn't real. Right now, the 2004 Little 5 championship ring is the cheapest jewelry on the
market. And the trophy is just cheap aluminum collecting dust somewhere. Yeah, the ego wants that hunk of metal.....but it's only
an illusion. The real prize is in their heart and soul. They did it. And they deserve it. Congratulations to the ATO bike team, the
real winner of the 2004 Little 500! I will remember this team forever.
Ride like the wind......
Norm Houze
ATO Little 500 Coach
Little 500 2004
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