Former ATO Little 5 riders will race under new name, 'Emanon'

When the Schwinns crossed the finish line of last year’s Little 500 race, Alpha Tau Omega placed eighth. Just a year later, the team no longer exists.

Derek Bailey, a former ATO rider, and his rookie teammates, Sean Vallely and Alex Ray, were given three options: Don’t ride, ride under the dispersion rule with only members or previous riders of ATO, or deactivate and form a team with independent riders.

The ATO’s decided to do the latter. They joined Justin Haviar and Eliot Englert to form their new team.

“Our team name is Emanon, which is ‘no name’ backwards, which we thought was appropriate since we can’t ride under ATO,” Vallely said. “I just don’t think it’s fair that if you’re a part of the greek system you have to have a moral code, whereas if independent teams got in a bar fight, they would still be allowed to ride.”

The last time ATO did not race was in 2007. Before that, the team was suspended from 1992-94 for alcohol violations.