Track racing gone wrong

[Toad]

This is a track race (http://www.smithersmpls.com/movie/crash.wmv) that goes wrong in the end. Watch the 2nd place guy after they cross the finish line.

[Steve]

What an asshole that guy was.... it was obviously deliberate (after watching over and over). What I didn't get at the beginning was why were they all drafting the motorcycle?

[Toad]

Keirin is a Japanese style track race where the motorcycle is used to draft the riders up to speed. The bikes are single speed fixed gear using a very hard gear, so image starting a stick shift car in third gear. In Japan this race is also associated with wagering which is not officially done in the states. The Japanese even have a Keirin equipment specification to keep the bikes relatively equal. There are a lot of crazy track events and certainly this is one of them. I'm guessing that second place rider may have had a little sum'm sum'm waiting for him in the parking lot.;)