Spring series runs annual Miss-N-Out

With Little 500 race day quickly approaching, the second spring series event, Miss-N-Out, will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at at Bill Armstrong Stadium. While Individual Time Trials tested the sprinting ability of the riders, Miss-N-Out represents a much different challenge.

“Miss-N-Out is definitely a lot different,” Alpha Phi senior Kate Laudermilk said. “It’s really strategy-based and it can be a little confusing for new riders and veterans alike.”
Miss-N-Out consists of heats of five to eight riders based on their ITT times. Each rider starts at the same starting line and the last place rider is eliminated each lap until only three riders from the heat remain. The top three from each heat advance in a tournament-style format until the final heat. The top three finishers from the final heat compete in a one-lap sprint to the finish to determine the champion of the event.
Miss-N-Out is not unique to Little 500, but the bracket setup is a twist, which separates it from other Miss-N-
Out races.

“It’s an event that’s been going on in Velodrome racing for a long time now,” Little 500 Race Director Matt Ewing said. “The bracket part of it is unique. We seed each rider and put them in a bracket, much like the NCAA Tournament. And like the NCAA Tournament, the top seeds don’t always make it to the final heat. That’s what makes it such a great event.”

Because of its format, Miss-N-Out forces riders to use their complete set of riding skills.

“It really combines everything,” Laudermilk said. “It tests a little bit of your endurance, your sprinting ability and your wit.”

While riders look to move on throughout the day, many employ different strategies in order to advance.

“Some people will try to lead the whole time and make it a sprint and some others will try to stay behind and draft,” Kappa Delta sophomore Jenna Cerone said. “It really just depends on the individual strategy of the rider.”

Black Key Bulls junior Isaac Neff, fresh off his victory in the ITTs on Wednesday, will look to win his second spring series event. Neff made it to the final heat of last year’s Miss-N-Out but did not place in the top three.

On the women’s side, Teter senior Sarah Rieke will look to defend her Miss-N-Out title from last year after finishing second in the ITTs.

Teams will once again earn points toward the spring series based on their finish in Miss-N-Out. After the ITTs, Cutters and Teter raced to an early lead in the men’s and women’s spring series, respectively, after each team placed three riders in the top 10 finishers.

Kappa Delta, the defending women’s champion, placed third in qualifications and had four riders in the top 20 at ITTs. The team will try to continue its success on Saturday.
“Our goal is for everyone to win their heat,” Cerone said. “If we can do that, then we’ve done a pretty good job.”