NORTHBROOK, IL -- Racing for glory has never been this messy
Save the 'Drome Cross Madness, a running and cyclocross event to help save the Northbrook Velodrome, featured no prize list and ankle-deep mud in an all-day fundraiser that will put more than $8,000 toward the effort.

More than 100 different competitors took part, with many of them doing multiple events to compound their suffering.

In the men's A race, David Sachs spent the last 100 meters looking more like Servais Knaven at Roubaix, trying in vain to wipe the thick mud from his darkened Alberto's Sport jersey. Sachs jumped out to an early lead over teammate Brian Haas in the hour-long race, with Higher Gear's Ryan Calilung filling out the podium.

Competitors were faced with a flat but very challenging course laid out on the Anets Golf Course and adjoining property, complete with a short run-up, a three-barrier Triple Swamp through a quagmire, and the "Pit of Despair," a deep pool of mud that was responsible for quite a few head-first endos and countless other slow-speed crashes on the day.

Sachs himself was not immune to the Pit, going head-first over the bars at the end of the first lap. He had already built a sizeable lead on the 2.1K course, and was able to remount and stay away from the chasers.

In the men's B race, Steve Chapin drove to an early lead, distancing himself from Travis Boland and Erik Weisenberger. The master's 40+ race was run concurrently, with Gonzalo Andino taking out the win ahead of Dave McCullom and Alberto's Franco Panveno. Bob Hayson won the masters 50+ sub-category.

The master's 30+ race was run concurrently with the women's A/B race, and Michael Vom rode a strong first lap to distance himself from the pack. Vom came through the Triple Swamp with women's A/B leader Rebecca Much (XXX-AthletiCo) following behind. Much then dropped her chain in the Pit and followed with a flat, forcing her to run most of a lap while losing six places before a wheel change. She recovered, and eventually was the third finisher in the field, taking the win in the women's race.

Although normally found in competition only in velodromes, fixed-gear bikes seemed perfect for this mostly flat course, with Andrew Hargarten (Hampshire) and Craig Buechel taking first and second in the large men's C field while riding "fixies." Kris Over dominated the competition in the women's C field, which featured many strong first-time competitors.

Marcie Weiss (Team MACK) won the junior race, while Jacob Zionts won the youth 6-year-olds and Aaron Harrison won the youth 9-year-olds. Save the 'Drome Cross Madness generated approximately $1,500 and another $750 in donations from participants. More than $400 also was contributed by the fundraising efforts of XXX-AthletiCo Racing, bringing the day's total to more than $2,650.

With two-for-one gift matching from the anonymous "Velodrome Angel," that means approximately $8,000 will be added to the Fund, bringing the total raised so far to more than $117,000.

The Northbrook Park District Ed Rudolph Velodrome has endured 14 years of harsh weather since it was last resurfaced, and is in danger of closing after the 2004 season unless improvements are made. The Northbrook Park District, which owns the facility, has offered to fund half the project, charging the local cycling community with raising more than $150,000 to close the funding gap.

The Northbrook Bicycle Club worked tirelessly to pull together the event in just over a week, collaborating with the Northbrook Park District and local shop Alberto's Rides and Rags to put together the course. A huge group of volunteers turned out, and racers were treated to schwag from Clif Bar, component manufacturer SRAM and local supporter George Garner Cyclery. United States Cycling Federation officials Heidi Mengesz, Rich Weiss, and Carl Wilkins were on hand to officiate, and between them donated more than $175 worth of time and expertise.

A cross-country running race on the course started the day, with 15 runners jumping the barriers and charging through the mud on their way to the finish. This was followed by a full slate of cyclocross races, capped by a one-lap youth race.

Riders came from as far away as Davenport, Iowa, and a large selection of Wisconsin racers took part - all racing for glory.

COMPLETE RESULTS

Steeple Cross Running Race
1 418 Joel Feinberg
2 424 Larry Swanson
3 412 Chris Strout
4 433 Eric Goodwin
5 422 Mike Carreras
6 437 Jim Mac
7 440 Marc Calder
8 423 Matt Nelson
9 435 Jason Meshberg
10 438 Jay Mac
11 420 Mark Winston
12 441 Bill Cassidy
13 428 Sharon Blake
14 430 Maureen Henning

Men's A
1 124 David Sachs
2 494 Brian Haas
3 123 Ryan Calilung
4 126 John Gatto
5 425 Brendan George
6 125 Mitch Cohen

Men's B
1 108 Steve Chapin
2 109 Travis Boland
3 488 Erik Weisenberger
4 492 Bob Schrank
5 497 Brooke Furio
6 487 Mark Harris
7 421 James Buddenbaum
8 464 Brian Nilsson
9 434 Adrian Redd
10 447 Marcus Moore
11 107 Jonathan Moncton
12 440 Marc Calder
13 495 Neil McNamara
14 435 Jason Meshberg
15 443 Bruce Grell
16 482 Stathy Touloumis
17 117 Steve Benedetto
18 111 William McDade
19 110 Mark Olson
20 114 Pat Kelly
21 115 Unknown Rider
22 498 Rich Delgado

Men's C
1 477 Andy Hargarten
2 474 Craig Buechel
3 429 Chris Henning
4 475 Nico West
5 470 Jim McEneaney
6 461 Peter Tampa
7 455 Joe Meis
8 446 Jason Para
9 457 Brian Leverenz
10 452 John Burrell
11 418 Joel Feinberg
12 449 Michael Berman
13 417 Peter Rolewicz
14 465 Hugh Kelly
15 481 Greg Donovan
16 463 George Ganas
17 484 Jason Muelrer
18 450 Max Sloan
19 480 Mike Machelek
20 486 Patrick Milani
21 439 Julian Coupland
22 482 Stathy Touloumis
23 489 Gareth Newfeld
24 442 Phil Curran
25 443 Bruce Grell
26 414 Thomas Shafer
27 472 Mark Tanker
28 454 Jonathan Fowler
29 436 Tom Nevills
30 459 Ed Reed
31 431 Daryl Kunz
32 473 John Karen
33 469 Ray Wiltgen
34 466 Steve Goldberg
35 467 Camron Petroff
36 471 Kyle McClups
37 444 Michael Zuzmaier
38 451 Estes Boshes
39 453 Michael Kruger
40 419 Eric Nicholson
41 478 Charles Hall
42 432 Michael Kaplan
43 468 Robert Sliwinski

Men Master's 30+
1 122 Michael Vom
2 121 Lowell Kellogg
3 112 Chris McKenny
4 461 Peter Tampa
5 118 Jay Keltner
6 482 Stathy Touloumis
7 447 Marcus Moore
8 417 Peter Rolewicz
9 463 George Ganas

Men Master's 40+
1 113 Gonzalo Andino
2 496 Dave McCollum
3 116 Franco Panveno
4 491 Bob Hayssen (50+ 1st)
5 426 Chris Mailing
6 442 Phil Curran
7 119 Douglas Holt
8 490 Peter Duthie
9 465 Hugh Kelly

Women A/B
1 120 Rebecca Much
2 493 Francine Haas
3 427 Katie George
4 462 Anne Barnes

Women C
1 445 Kris Over
2 458 Amy Weik
3 456 Dana Schneider
4 479 Paula Hall
5 485 Ann Torralba

Juniors
1 448 Marcie Weiss

Citizen's Youth 6 years old
1 Jacob Zionts

Citizen's Youth 9 years old
1 Aaron Harrison

More information is available at www.dafinc.com/bike.htm or www.northbrookvelodrome.com.