Rookie team battles to qualify for race

Achtung, a team of four rookies hoping to qualify to compete in the Little 500, faced obstacles even before peddling one lap around the Bill Armstrong Stadium track.\nMost of the troubles had nothing to do with physically preparing for the race.\nBike shirt and pants: $60. \nEntry Fee: $100.\nRoadbikes: more than $1,000.\nAchtung's members -- senior Rustin Dyer, sophomore Scott Dowdell, freshman Evan Miller and senior Nick Key -- know it's difficult to finance a first-year team, and the team is in the process of finding sponsors and preparing fund raisers. But Achtung's members know competing in front of 20,000 raucous fans should be worth the time and money invested.\n"I've talked to people who've been in the race and when they tell you it's been their greatest college experience so far, it gives you goose bumps," said Dyer, Achtung's captain. "This is our last chance to participate in a competitive sport without playing on a varsity team." \nWhile financing a new independent team is difficult, Achtung must battle other obstacles.\n"Rookie teams don't have any of the support of alumni and previous riders like other teams do," Little 500 Race Director Jonathan Purvis said. \nMost established teams have been together since the beginning of the school year and have traditions that span decades. Achtung didn't start training seriously until a few weeks before winter break. \nNobody on Achtung knew each other before the team was formed. Dyer approached Purvis last summer and expressed interest in creating an independent team. Purvis gave Dyer the names of some interested riders. Dyer said the names on the initial list didn't materialize, but Key joined Dyer early in the school year. Miller was the team's third member, and Achtung's roster was completed in November when Dowdell joined the squad. \nAchtung had four riders, but Dyer said getting everyone together for training was difficult. Each team member resides in a different part of Bloomington. Dyer and Key live behind College Mall at Covanter Gardens and University Commons, respectively. Miller resides in Wright Quad, while Dowdell lives at Brownstone Terrace. \n"Being an independent sucks because we're scattered throughout town," Dyer said. "If you live in a frat, you can just knock on doors and people are there. We have to e-mail and call each other all the time."\nAnother problem Achtung faces is getting coaching and advice. Dowdell said he sees veteran riders from established teams at the track giving advice daily to their rookies during Rookie Week. Achtung's only advice comes from friends on other teams who have participated in the race. \nAchtung must use IUSF loaner bikes because the team doesn't own racing bikes. Dyer said Achtung makes a point of getting to practice early before all the good loaner bikes are snagged.\nAchtung members hope they can overcome the obstacles they face and become one of the 33 teams to qualify for the race. The team said qualifying is its only immediate goal.\n"We have a lot of things against us," Dowdell said. "But we all want to ride this race, so we're getting together on the same page"