Like to go fast? A lot of us love to ride bikes but don’t think of ourselves as racers. Well, why not? Oregon Bike Racing Association (or OBRA) helps race promoters host a slew of great events for all ages and ability levels. These events are a great way for anyone with a bike, a helmet and strong legs to give racing a try. They provide a great only-as-serious-as-you-want-to-be atmosphere as well as a steady stream of raffles and prizes.
If you’re looking to try bike racing on for size, then Joel Fletcher, Marketing Director for OBRA can point you towards a variety of great events. “Monday and Tuesday Night PIR during the Spring and Summer provide entry level races that offer new racers a smooth, closed to cars, wide race course. This is a great, safe opportunity to learn what road racing is all about. Time Trials offer new bike racers the opportunity to race against the clock without the stress of dealing with a mass start. If you’re looking to try out track racing, we offer Wednesday Night Track Development Classes all summer. Instructors are seasoned track racing veterans that will make sure you learn about the track in a safe and fun environment.”
Kevin Blair, Promoter for the Monday Night Race series at Portland International Raceway, says, “Come out and just have fun. It’s a closed track so that means that there are no cars to dodge and a nice smooth surface to ride on. You don’t have to finish first to have a good time”. Kevin’s philosophy is that, “You don’t have to race against the pack, just see how well you can do against one other person. Pick a nemesis and race against them”. Sounds like great advice and a fun time to us.
OBRA is also doing great things with the goal of “empowering women to get on bikes”. Stephanie Chase organizes and runs a wide range of events for women cyclists. From Grand Fondos to Enduros, mountain biking to cycle cross – whatever kind of riding you like to do, Stephanie and her crew want to help you do it. They’ve put together a one-stop women’s cycling resource Facebook page that is well worth a look and a bookmarking. Stephaine loves what she does and says she “gets a great deal of satisfaction out of providing women with the skills to do group rides and train for big events”.