racer

racer, name for several related swift, slender snakes, especially those of the genus Coluber. All of the racers are nonpoisonous, nonconstricting, day-active snakes. The black racer, C. constrictor, is easily confused with the constricting black rat snake, or pilot black snake (Elaphe obsoleta), which may account for its misleading Latin name. The black racer is satiny black, with a white patch on the chin, and may reach a length of 6 ft (180 cm) and a diameter of 11/2 in. (4 cm). It is found in E North America from Canada to Florida. It feeds primarily on small rodents, frogs, and young snakes, and is a valuable destroyer of vermin. One of the fastest-moving snakes, it has been clocked at over 31/2 mi (5.6 km) per hr. An aggressive snake, it will bite repeatedly if cornered; however, it can be tamed. The young, hatched from eggs, are pale gray, spotted with brown. The name is also applied to the related indigo snake (Drymarchon corais) and to some of the coachwhip snakes (Masticophis). The speckled racers are species of the genus Dryombius. All of the racers are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Reptilia, order Squamata, family Colubridae.

Any of several slender, swift snakes (subspecies of Coluber constrictor, family Colubridae) of North and Central America and Asia. Racers have a long tail, big eyes, and smooth scales. Colour and pattern vary among subspecies, some of which grow to 6 ft (1.8 m) long. Among the fastest of snakes, racers can move at 3.5 mph (5.6 km/hr). They hold down their prey, usually a small warm-blooded animal, by the weight of their coils and then swallow it. If cornered, they vibrate the tail and strike repeatedly with a sideways motion that tears a victim's skin. Seealso black snake.

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Dean Thomas is a motorcycle racer from Australia. He won his home country's Supersport championship in 1995 after two other top 5 championship finishes, and was 4th in the Australian Superbike series a year later; however, for 1997 he headed for the United Kingdom to race. He came 4th in the country's Supersport series that year, the first of 4 successive top-6 championship finishes highlighted by a run of 11 front-row starts out of 12 in 2000, and a victory as a European Supersport wild card. For 2001 he raced in AMA Supersport World Championship, and struggled on largely unfamiliar circuits. He was 16th overall, and tellingly took his best result of 6th at Phillip Island.

He first raced in the British Superbike series in 2002 for the Dienza Performance team, finishing 11th overall in a season hampered by several oil leaks. In 2003 he stepped back down to Supersport, but returned to BSB for 2004 on a Ducati. He came 7th overall, again qualifying better than he raced on occasion. A pair of 4th place finishes at Oulton Park were a highlight. Fittingly, in the final round he qualified 7th and finished both races in 7th.

He moved to the Hawk Kawasaki team for 2005, noting that the bike is "very different to the Ducati where you have to be very fierce with the throttle... on the Kawasaki you have to be much smoother, which I'm learning quickly." He was 6th overall, finishing every race with a best result of 4th. The first half of 2006 was less encouraging, until a huge crash at Snetterton left him with fractured ribs and a punctured lung, missing several races. For 2007 he raced a Samsung-backed Suzuki. In 2008 he did not race, instead managing the career of Yamaha R1 Cup rider Sam Warren.

References

• Official site