Delta Gamma earns pole with 3-second win

If Saturday’s qualifications were any indication of things to come, the house pairing of Delta Gamma and Sigma Nu will be filled with success and celebration this Little 500 season, as each qualified in first place for this year’s race.

Senior and Delta Gamma cyclist Kelsey Kent said the success of the two houses has raised the level of excitement for Little 500 within the house, but it is only the first step toward the ultimate goal of winning it all.

“It’s very exciting that we are a good team and that we will be paired with the other pole winner, but I think our fans and the people in our house will be able to enjoy this more than us because we are still training for the actual race,” Kent said. “Winning the pole is a big accomplishment, but in the end we train for the race, and that’s what we really want to win.”

Delta Gamma members, who finished with a time of 2:44.76, will have Teter, the defending champions, trailing, as Teter finished in second with a time of 2:47.52.
Kent said the rest of the field will be looking at both Teter and Delta Gamma come race day.

“Whenever you are the defending champions you will have a target on your back, and with us wearing the yellow jacket as the pole winner, people will be coming for us on the track,” Kent said.

Delta Gamma’s 2:44.76 finish was nine seconds off of Teter’s all-time qualifying record of 2:35.54 in 2009.

Although the rain showers held off throughout the day, Kent and many other riders said the moisture on the track led to slower times as teams had to adjust to the conditions.

“In general, everyone’s times were a lot slower than usual because the track was never completely dry,” Kent said. “The corners were loose and some teams were wiping out on turn three, so you had to keep that in mind, but everyone had to deal with it.”

While Delta Gamma won Little 500 in 2008, the team has not started in the pole position within the last 10 years. Last year, the team started and finished in third place, while in 2008 DG started in second place before ultimately winning it all. 

With individual time trials and Miss-N-Out taking place in the coming weeks, Kent said the key to success will be continuing to train, but as is the case in any sport, anything can happen on race day.

“You can train as hard and be in great shape for the race, but when it really comes down to it, anything can happen,” Kent said. “On race day, it comes down to having good weather, making good exchanges and you got to have some luck on your side.”