Mid-Summer means the start of MN State Championship season. The Women and Men contested their scratch race championships on a perfect evening for racing.

Linsey Hamilton Grabs Close Victory
Nine women started the 30-lap scratch race. The racers watched each other carefully before the pace quickened with 25 to go. Over the next 20 laps, several probing attacks were launched with no result. With 3 laps to, six leaders were bunched, waiting for a decisive move. 500 meters from the finish line, Melissa Dahlmann (Omnium) attacked over the top, releasing the pent-up fury. Linsey Hamilton (Synergy) took over at the bell, leading Terra James (Sweet 'n Salty), Dahlmann, and Linda Sone (Flanders). After 250 meters of furious pedaling, Hamilton took the win by less than a bike length and shared the podium with James (2nd) and Dahlmann (3rd).

Andy Kruse Takes Lap, Wins
Twenty two riders contested the men's 60-lap Cat 1/2/3 scratch race. The bunch filled the track width and extended over 25 meters; quite a sight. Dan Schueller (Gopher Wheelmen) took early control, stringing the single file line to a length of 70 meters. Over the next 20 laps there were at least four group attempts to get away, but all were reeled in within a lap or two. The officials pulled several lapped riders to clear the track for the dwindling field. The first successful attack came with 34 laps to go. Mike Smith (Omnium), Rich Bergstrom (Speedfix), Brandon Krawczyk (Grandstay), and Schueller gained a 60-meter gap which held for 4 laps before Andy Kruse (Speedfix) and Dan Casper (Grandstay) bridged. Schueller was unable to hang on and the group of five gradually extended their lead to 110 meters over a chasing group of six. With 15 laps to go, Krawczyk attacked the lead group and lapped the chasing six 3 laps later. Casper and Kruse rode away from Bergstrom and Smith and lapped the field, joining the chase group with 8 laps left in the race. That left Bergstrom and Smith the "leaders on the track", 150 meters ahead of the field in which Kruse, Casper, and Krawczyk were riding, a lap up. Casper tried to get away from the field but Krawczyk and Kruse were paying attention.

With 3 to go, Tim Mulrooney (Synergy) tried to get away followed by Casper. The bell was rung for Bergstrom and Smith, leaders on the track and within 50 meters of the other riders. This caused some confusion in the field who thought they were then racing for the finish. In reality, the bell was for riders behind Bergstrom and Smith and they had just under 2 laps to finish. When Casper crossed the line ahead of Krawczyk and Kruse with 1 to go, the bell rang for them but Casper and Krawczyk eased up thinking the race was over. Kruse recognized that the field had a lap to go and kept motoring on for the win. Casper and Krawczyk eventually finished their lap for 2nd and 3rd A confusing and frustrating result for Casper and Krawczyk. Meanwhile, Smith had outsprinted Bergstrom for 4th place. After the officials sorted out the end of the race, the result: Kruse is the 2011 Minnesota men's scratch race champion with Casper 2nd and Krawczyk 3rd.