Art White Interview - Allaire State Park 2000

Art showed unusual sportsmanship by stopping to help an injured rider by carrying a note (in his mouth) to first aid in order to direct them to the injured rider and still took 1st Place!

Did you do anything special (apart from the whole training lifestyle) to prepare for this race?

Not really. Being that this was the last race of a season that started in March,and knowing that it would be relatively short and intensely fast, mental preparation was all that seemed necessary.

Were you strong from start to finish?

Definitely. I got a good position at the start and entered the singletrack in 4th position. The four of us eventually were the first four to cross the finish line.

When did you put the hammer down?

I didn't make my move until the beginning of the last lap. I had been on the #2 rider's wheel for 2-1/2 laps and knew I could ride the twisty section faster, and maybe put a gap on him.

Did you have any unusual problems?

Nothing severe. I did have to nurse a failing rear hub that was intermittently refusing to engage when I would pedal after coasting. This nearly caused me to crash once, but I recovered

How would you rate the course?

Fast, short and not at all challenging; except that as usual it dictated a blistering pace. However, this isn't a bad thing for the last race of the year.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

Sure; no complaints. Wally definitely has his own way of doing things, and that is part of what makes his race so special.

If you could do the race again - would you do anything differently?

Nope. No second guessing this one. Except for the rear hub problem.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes. The Allaire race has been a fixture on the NJ racing scene for many years and is the traditional finale for the season. It's my hope that it will be so for many years to come.