The top three contenders for the men's Little 500 race couldn't be more diverse. One team has the 2001 title under its belt. The next team is returning all four riders from last year's team, and the third team has no Little 500 experience to speak of but is tough enough to hold its own in the race.\nEach team has a different story and different people, but all are competing for the one spot at the front of the pack.
no. 1 phi Delta Theta (2:23.906)\nDefending the 2001 title isn't easy for any team, but for Phi Delta Theta winning isn't everything. The team is all about togetherness.\nThe close-knit team doesn't stop its friendships when it leaves the track. It eats together a few times a month, and the riders depend on their teammates to encourage and push each other to accomplish the team goals.\n"Of course we would like to win, but our motto from the beginning is to leave the team better than when you got there," senior team captain Matt Marketti said.\nThe team's relationship on and off the track doesn't stop with the seven members that train together. The team also has three coaches that live as far away as Florida.\n"When training for Little 5, you train all year round, and sometimes you don't want to train and don't want to ride. We all know we can call anyone on the team or our one coach in Florida, and they will be there to encourage you and remind you of what you are working for."\n \nno. 2 Phi Gamma Delta (2:29.969)\nTradition is a word FIJI knows all too well. Returning all four riders from its 2001 first-place qualifying team last year, the team is ready for another successful year. In fact, it qualified one second faster this year than it did in 2001.\n"For the race we want to try and do as well as we can, which hopefully will be to win the race." senior Michael Nierengarten said. "As for training, we haven't done anything different than last year. We have put lots of miles and hours on our legs. We want to be in good position when we are in the pack and have a good sprint out for our exchanges." \nThe training and relationship between the team has only gotten stronger as the years have gone by. The team trained over winter break in Tucson, Ariz., and in Gainesville, Fla., in the spring. Nierengarten, the chair of the Riders Council, said it gave the team a chance to bond and have fun.\n"Training over winter and spring break gave us time to train as teammates without any interruptions," he said. "When you train like that you become really good friends. When you are training for Little 5 you want to win and ultimately do your best."
no. 3 Team Major Taylor (2:31.555)\nKnowing Team Major Taylor is an all-rookie team might scream inexperience to those who haven't seen the team ride, but the team is far from being new to the sport. Team captain Josh Weir has been riding since the age of 11, and with three other talented riders on the team, Team Major Taylor snagged the third spot of the row with two seconds to spare.\nWeir said the team's friendships go beyond the track, which really brings the team together and makes it fun and easy to work together.\n"It's great because (freshman) Kurtis (Bishop) and (freshman) Simeon (Commissiong) and I have known each other for about five years," Weir said. "We just met (freshman) Julio (German) this year, but he fit right in."\nDespite the team's absence during the series events, which was caused by confusion over the team's eligibility, Weir and the team believe they haven't missed out on anything.
