AEPi Freshman steps into a Big Role
By: Will Chukerman
Racing in the Little 500 is a daunting task for most — let alone a freshman. This Saturday, Brett Frommer will be racing for AEPi in his first year on campus.
Coming into this year, not even Brett could have told you he would be racing in the Little 5 because he didn’t know what it was until his ride up to school for orientation.
“On my way down for orientation my dad had me watch Breaking Away,” Frommer said. “I didn’t even know what Little Five really was until I watched it.”
Breaking Away of course is the movie documenting the Little 500, which won an Academy Award in 1979 for best screenplay. This shows how the movie still does a great job of portraying the pride and pageantry that goes into the race.
Frommer knows he will have his work cut out for him, as he’ll be racing against some guys who will be doing this for their third or even fourth time.
He’s doing his best, however, to be as veteran savvy as possible.
“I definitely haven’t had as much experience as a lot of the other riders,” Frommer said. “That’s an obstacle for me, but I’ve been doing all that I can to cram as much experience in as possible.”
Being only a rookie, Frommer also knows that he has an advantage because no one has ever seen him race before and don’t know his racing tactics.
This could end up being a big factor in the race as other riders won’t know when or if to make a move on him during the course of the race.
This will also be the AEPi fraternity’s first time competing in a couple years, which makes this one all the more special. Brett knows this and thinks it’s helped the team.
“It’s brought us closer together, and we really got the focus on to what we need to do to build as much experience as we could,” Frommer said.
This is seemingly easier said than done due to the unpredictably of race day and how one wreck can change the outcome in a split second.
After going through team qualifications a couple of weeks ago, the nervous energy seems to be gone for Brett as anticipation for the race grows.
“For [qualifications], I was a lot more nervous than I am for the race,” Frommer said. “I can’t really say I’m too nervous, it’s all excitement from here.”
Knowing how amped up he’ll be on race day, he said he’s going to have to channel that positive energy and make sure that doesn’t lead to a mistake during the race.
“It’s really easy for adrenaline to take over, and get caught up in it, burning yourself out to earlier in the race,” Frommer said.
He doesn’t believe this will end up being a problem for himself or the other riders on the team. They understand a wreck is a part of the race and they have to refocus after that.
When it comes down to predictions, the team has goals but know a lot can happen in the 200-lap race.
“We’re shooting for top 15,” Frommer said. “ As for where we fall in there, a lot depends on luck, so much of this race goes to chance.”
As the race is now only a day away, all teams know what they have to do in terms of executing their race and in attempt to dethrone the five time defending champion Cutters.
Come Saturday afternoon, the freshman’s year will culminate with the race that seemed to only exist in Breaking Away as he rides his own way into an IU tradition.
Last 5 posts by admin
- 6th Man: Hope springs eternal - April 4th, 2012
- The 6th Man: It's a Big Deal - March 28th, 2012
- Two matchups to watch besides Zeller-Davis during IU-UK II - March 21st, 2012
- A Truly Sweet Rematch - March 21st, 2012
- Confidence keys Hoosiers' March run - March 19th, 2012