It'll Do Factory Racing 2019

The start of every race season comes with great anticipation every year. Who is looking fast? Who has been training hard? Who has been training? Can I consider what I did training? Will the 13 year olds that always beat me finally move up to pro? Will Mike stop bothering me if I just buy this stupid jersey he keeps talking about? Who would have the most successful women's and least successful men's team?

All of these questions would be answered in short order as the It'll Do Factory Racing team was launched in 2019. Skeptics wondered what a team with no financial backing, no sponsorships, and no real discernible benefit could do. But when the dust settled at the end of the race season, there was no question what team had the most fun at the few races they went to.

Leading the team this year (in bike results at least) was mid season convert Hannah Harrington. Team recruiter Kate brought Hannah under her wing, and Hannah soared, leading IDFR's effort to top the women's amateur category. Hannah had several podium finishes, including a win at Killington, and finished third overall in the Eastern States Cup series. But more importantly than results, Hannah shared her racing philosophy with the team, teaching that it's okay to ship gnarly sections in the interest of "self love." While my race results slipped after adopting this philosophy, my self confidence soared.


This year's dedication to racing award goes to Kate Kramer, who showed her undying dedication to racing on multiple occasions this season. This was immediately apparent at her first race at Thunder mountain. As the team approached Stage 5, the impending rain that everyone had been fearing all day began to fall. Everyone was nervous waiting at the top of the stage for Kate to arrive, so that we could all together as a team before starting the stage. Kate disregarded all of this, and just sent it full gas into the start of the stage, leaving her teammates in a cloud of what would have been dust had it not been for the torrential rain. This is the kind of dedication it takes to win! On a separate and unrelated note, the team sportsmanship award goes to everyone besides Kate.


Kate continued to show her dedicated ways later in in the season at the Thunder finals, when a crash on practice day left her should looking like Quasimodo. She continued to race despite the advice of her friends who said things like "Kate, I'm a nurse, you should not race," and "Kate, I am the manager of this team, this race means nothing, I mainly started IDFR as a joke, there is no need to race." But once again, Kate could not be stopped and just sent it down the hill. Kate had several strong finishes for the team, including a 2nd at Killington (to Hannah) and a win at Round Top.

Rounding out the women's team was none other than Tara Aucoin, who finished on the podium and just off the podium at her two race starts at Thunder this season. Tara was the main voice that could be heard saying "just send it" whenever everyone else could be found complaining on the lift about the impending ride down wine tree. Tara was also the team's top earning rider, with her podium finish on an Intense bicycle bringing her a fat $100 check. Tara is so confident about her prospects for 2020 that she has ditched the Intense for a new bike.


On the Men's side, Ethan Sylvain rode like a straight boss this year. He showed up to the ESC race at Burke, won 3 of the 5 stages, and finished in 2nd (to the overall season winner) despite losing serious time on one stage due to a flat tire. When you are that fast you only need to show up to one race.


Team owner, manager, coach, doctor, mechanic, motivational speaker, line expert, and documentarian Mike Fowler also managed to do some racing in between crashes. Amazingly, Mike did not finish last in a single race. But the crown gem on his season was taking 2nd at the Round top enduro and getting 3 crisp $20 bills from the race organizer. With these massive winnings in hand, Mike is currently crunching the numbers to see when he can quit his day job and give full time racing a shot.


This year IDFR also branched out into several new arenas; refusing to let the team's identity be defined by bike racing. Sean Kramer lit up the northeast Tennis circuit for It'll Do, bursting onto the scene in what many called "the first time I have seen someone play tennis in a 3/4 sleeve jersey." Sean won what many tennis experts are calling "the next Wimbledon," also known as the Berlin Men's Open 3.5. Sean was also our top pie earner this year, earning one pie. Congratulations Sean!


Never one to be outdone, Ryan "Humps" Huddy was able to secure several prestigious awards in his junk mail folder. He is still deciding if it is safe for him to travel to Chennai, India to accept the award, or if it is in fact a scam designed to take his money.


Despite the fact that Sean and Ryan with busy with other pursuits this year, they allegedly did go for a ride at one point during the summer at Little River.

The success of IDFR depends greatly on another rider who, although they prefer to stay behind the scenes, is actually the silent puppet master of the team. Matt Fowler was probably responsible for the most important decision that affected the team all year (i.e. colors of the jersey). Later in the season he coached brother Mike to his first podium finish of the season by demonstrating the pro lines at the Round Top Enduro. These are the same lines that Mike showed Kate that led to her win in the same event, so basically, Matt is the real reason for both of those podium results.


Everyone is itching to see what IDFR has in store for 2020.