Racing for another title

It seems like Phi Delta Theta can't escape from the spotlight -- not that it would want to. \nSprinting from a fourth-place qualification time last year and winning the 2001 race improved the team's status from its fifth-place finish in 2000. This year, the team is starting strong, finishing qualifications in first on its first attempt. The Phi Delts have also dominated the series events, finishing near the top in each.\n"Obviously we want to win -- that's the main goal," Phi Delt senior Brian Drummy said. "I think it's going to be much more competitive this year. The series events have shown there are much tougher riders this year than last."\nThe series events proved the team has individual strengths on the track outside of the strong team bond. Four riders placed in the top 30 during Individual Time Trials and two finished in the top five during Miss-N-Out. Senior and Riders Council member, Matt Marketti placed second in the ITT and finished in first place in Miss-N-Out. Fellow teammate senior Ryan Hamilton also made it to the final round of Miss-N-Out, placing fifth. \nThe team has shown its talent on the track, turning out stellar performances in the series events and in previous races. Marketti and Drummy are back for their third years, while Hamilton and junior Matt Ewing return for their sophomore season.\nThe team credits its coaching staff and the support of its fraternity for its success.\n"We have a lot of experience coming back, and we have a great coaching staff," Drummy said. "We wouldn't be able to do anything that we have without the coaches. Coming back, we have the desire to win again."\nThe coaching staff, made up of three veteran Little 500 riders and Phi Delta Theta alumni, coaches the team from as far as Florida, where the team went to train during spring break. \nA member of the 1996 winning Phi Delta Theta team, coach Rob Rhamy said this year's team compared to last is a much more seasoned team with miles of experience to its credit.\n"We lost out best rider from last year, but we have lots of leadership right now," Rhamy said. "The thing that I am most happy with is that they walk around like they are a team hungry to win the race. They aren't living in last year's shadow at all. They are just hungry to win this race."\nThe determination the team has to win is a a commonality between all the members. Rhamy said the team's similar mindset and goals are what keeps them sane during tough training. \n"These guys are definitely a tight knit bunch," he said. "Many good teams get hindered by the pressure. We try to make it fun. It's great get a group of guys that can stand to be together and can work so well together."\nThe three seniors of the team live together off-campus, and Hamilton said living together brings them closer together and makes training much easier.\n"We have a real tight bond," Hamilton said. "Even though Matt (Ewing) doesn't live with us, we all have similar mentalities and he fits with us well."\nA win from last year and a six-second finish over second-place qualifying team Phi Gamma Delta, hasn't gone to the team's head. \n"I don't think it gives us an edge at all," Hamilton said. "If anything at all, people don't want to see us win again, but we know what it takes, and we are able to remain focused because of that. Anything we have experienced is going to help us, but there are other teams that have just as much if not more, so it's going to be a tough race"