Four Race Weekends, 4 Podiums, 3 wins.

Congratulations Dale Hair. Dale kept the 2009 podium streak alive for Economy Honda by winning the Masters 45+ crit at the GA Cup Union City event. Dale upgraded to Cat 2 for 2009 and adds a sprinter to the team for the first time. The victory is especially sweet after Dale suffered badly in the rain and cold last week in Rome. Next up, the Tour of Tuscaloosa, followed by GA Cup Chattanooga.

Wheels Turned in Anger... Finally

The 2009 season has finally started after four months of endless base miles. After four months of riding in the cold. After four months of riding in the rain. After four months of climbing the same mountain over and over again. With the exception of a few low key training races, it has been a long winter. But this is the dedication it takes to be a competitive bike racer even at an amatur level. Now the wheels have turned in anger. Matt McAffee, who may be the biggest bike racer in the southeast and definetly has one of the largest motors, got the Economy Honda Masters cycling team off to a fast start, by picking up a win in the inaugeral Georgia Cup Time Trial series. Showing his early season win was not a fluke, Matt followed up with a second Time Trial victory the following week in Adairsville. Last weekend, the Economy Honda represented by Dale Hair, David Randolph, Donnie Brantley, Doug Schneller, Andy Myer, Eddie Hudspeth and Steve Lewis took on Georgia's best Masters in Rome, GA. Three events, a 10 kilometer Time Trial, followed by a downtown criterium and concluding with a 55 mile road race. Adding to the weekend, the weather was wet and cold. It's nice to have Hincapie Sportswear as a team sponsor. Doug had the misfortune to flat in the TT. The rest of the team finished. The crit was fast and technical, with a lot of rain. Although the team didn't get the final results it was looking for, the team raced aggressively and was at the front of the race battling. Sunday could best be described as an internal battle. 42 degrees and rain. Lots of rain. EH raced aggressively through out the race with the team executing the race plan perfectly to set Eddie and Donnie up on the final ascent of Horn Mountain. Both finishing in the top 10. David and Steve finished the weekend on the 45+ podium with a 2nd and 3rd place. Three weekends. Three podiums. Finally, the wheels are turned in anger.

2009 Kits are in!!!

Whether it's a Pro Tour team, or a SCV sub team, it always exciting to get the new kits for the coming season. This is the third year of existence for the Economy Honda Masters team. Every year our kits get better. I really liked last year's look, but Lynn Joslin did an outstanding job for 2009. The goal of any kit is to promote the sponsors. The Honda Blue is the main eye attraction, but the combination of the Black and White, with the Honda H outlining the background give the team a true Pro Team look and more important, helps us stand out in the peleton. Plus it's kind of cool to know that only a limited number of folks get to sport the kit. A big thanks to the Joslins for taking care of this and a big thanks to Hincapie Sportswear, who give our small team outstanding service.

2009 Economy Honda Masters Cycling Camp

The 2009 edition of the Economy Honda Masters Cycling team held their annual two day pre-season training camp this past weekend. 45 degrees and no rain. 3 hours 45 minutes later the team had finished riding the long River Gorge Course to the top of Sand Mountain before heading south on Sand Mountain. A quick drop through the valley and then back north to Lookout Valley. New to the team this year is Isaac South, Dale Hair and Donnie Brantley. Donnie and Issac are all arounders, while Dale brings a true sprinter to the team for the first time.

After some quality time in the saddle, the team dine at Mo Jo Burritos and went over plans for the coming season.

Sunday, the team showed up to get a little intensity in the legs at the first ABL ride of the year. Aside from a flat tire, the team raced aggressively and was represented in all of the breaks. Dale still has to generate a few more finish watts to get around A.J. Meyer, but A.J.'s dad, Andy got in the group that stuck on lap number 3, with some help from the rest of the team.