Turning Circles
Newsletter of the South Bay Wheelmen
http://southbaywheelmen.org
March 2012
Inside:
- Sponsor profile: Cris Bennett of
Good Stuff Restaurants
- Early season race results
- Looking Forward
- Club picnic photos
- Sponsors and discounts.
Sponsor profile – Cris Bennett, owner of Good Stuff Restaurants
If you have ridden behind a South Bay Wheelman, or sucked a South Bay wheel in a race, you have
surely seen the logo of one of our most loyal sponsors. Good Stuff Restaurants has been on the
jersey for some 15 years, though not always in the rear. Cris Bennett, owner of Good Stuff, loves the
current logo location.
“It is awesome,” he says. “I have had people send me photos from races with the logo in clear sight.
I bought one and put it up in the restaurant.”
Though it is hard to quantify, Bennett figures the sponsorship must send some new customers to one
of his three South Bay restaurants, in Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and El Segundo. It may even
send some to the Good Stuff in west Los Angeles. In any case, since he lives at the base of one of the
PV climbs, Bennett sees a lot of the logo. So do his six kids. “I think it is a great form of advertising,”
says Bennett. “It is a win-win thing.“
Bennett heard about the South Bay Wheelmen from former president Tom Best, who came into the
Hermosa Beach location a lot. Best talked up the club so much Bennett became a sponsor. It was a
good fit, says Bennett. He likes to associate his restaurants with healthy activities since Good Stuff
prides itself on serving healthy, freshly-made food.
The restaurants are open all day, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Crowd favorites include whole
wheat pancakes, Cris’ Breakfast Salad, the California Wrap, and of course the ubiquitous Fish Taco.
There is a Fitness Menu with 16 items under 600 calories. But for those who aren’t so worried about
eating light, Good Stuff also serves plenty of burgers and makes a mean sweet potato fry.
Restaurants have been in Bennett’s blood since he was just a teenager. Looking to earn money to buy
a car, at 15 he got a job as a bus boy in a Mexican restaurant his family frequented. “I fell in love with
the business,” said Bennett. After earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management at the
(continued on page 2)
Cris Bennett (con't from page 1)
University of Denver, Bennett returned to southern California and went to work in restaurant management. The next year he opened
his first eatery, a small place on the corner of Olympic and Barrington in West LA.
A year later, he felt ready to open a larger restaurant, says Bennett. With some financial help from his dad, he put money down on the
Hermosa Beach location. He got the keys on his birthday, March 20. In just a month the place was painted, new light fixtures were
installed, all the permits were in, and the first Good Stuff Restaurant in South Bay opened its doors on April 24, 1980. The rest, as
they say, is history.
Though he owns a Specialized Road Bike, he doesn’t ride much these days, admits Bennett. He has six kids, including some young
ones, and that takes up time. His favorite sport these days, Bennett admitted a bit sheepishly, is golf.
Bennett turns 59 this month. He celebrates his birthday for the whole month, says Bennett, playing lots of golf, taking day trips, and
having a big party for friends and family. Good Stuff Restaurant will celebrate its 32nd birthday next month. Expect some special
promotions to celebrate that birthday, too.
Early season results:
David Wehrly had a 6th place finish in the 50+ race Sunday 2/19 at the SoCal Cup Series Race #2. Elliot Pallett had a top ten finish
in the UCLA road race(Cat 5) on a very tough course out in Pear Blossom. And he has now upgraded to Cat 4.
Andrew King took 2nd place in the Omnium Saturday 3/3 night at the Velodrome. 1st in the scratch race, 3rd in the points race
On Sunday 3/4 in the SoCal Cup (aka former CBR races) Deo Asuncion took 10th place in the 55's and Mike Fleming took 9th place
in the 60's. Honorable mention goes out to several of our newer racers Elliot Pallett for the 12th out of 79 in Cat 4's and Jeff Krivokopich
with a 13th in Cat 5's.
Elliott Pallett took 9th place at Murrietta. This was a 3 day omnium with a TT on Friday 3/9, crit on Saturday 3/10, and circuit race on
Sunday 3/11. A fantastic result in a tough race.
San Dimas Stage Race – Jeff Krivokopich took 2nd in the Cat 5 GC and the KOM jersey, Dennis Cabrera took 5th in the GC in Cat 3.
(pictures next page)
Do you have a cycling story or trip report you want to share
with fellow club members? Contact the Turning Circles
newsletter editor Jeff Dykzeul ( [email protected] ).
Ride leaders needed for Saturday Late Riser ride.
Training opportunities available, meet new people and
earn good karma. Contact ride leader coordinator
Jeff Dykzeul ( [email protected] ) or club president
Tom Buescher ( [email protected] ).
San Dimas Stage Race
results March 2012
Dennis Cabrera 5th Cat 3 GC (above)
Jeff Krivokopich 2nd Cat 5 GC (left)
Jeff Krivokopich 1st Cat 5 KOM (above)
Looking Forward
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Weekly club rides
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Saturday 9:00am at Catalina Coffee Company, 126 North Catalina, Redondo Beach.
●
Sunday 9:00am at Catalina Coffee Company, 126 North Catalina, Redondo Beach.
Baxter Time Trial Series – Last Sunday of each month, starting February 26 through September.
All dates at same Carson course, where Carson Boulevard dead ends at the Long Beach Freeway.
As in the past there are 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. starts. The 9:00 starters time for the 8:00 starters
and vice-versa. For more information contact SBW prez Tom Buescher, SBW race director
Andrew King, or Baxter series leader Toni DiSalvo.
(photos Libby Aubrey)
Mick Iwadare (below)
February 2012
Club picnic at Chevron
Employees Park
Ted Ernst, Greg Aden & Tom Buescher
Mel Cutler & Ted (above)
Kurt Sato w/ Ted & Tom (below)
Jerry Ferro (left)
SBW Sponsors
Advanced Air - http://www.advancedaircharters.com
AgnewBrusavich - http://www.agnewbrusavich.com
Big Brothers Big Sisters - http://www.bbbs.org
Catalina Coffee - http://www.catalinacoffee.com
CB Loans - http://www.cbloans.com
Chevron - http://www.elsegundo.chevron.com
David Lindstedt / Wells Fargo Advisors https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/david.lindstedt
Good Stuff Restaurants - http://www.eatgoodstuff.com
Greenberg, Whitcombe & Takeuchi, LLP - http://www.gwtllp.com
NUUN - http://www.nuun.com
Rudy Project - http://www.rudyprojectusa.com/
Stage One Sports - http://www.stageonesports.com
Ted's Manhattan Cycles - http://tedsmanhattancycles.com
Xtreme Fitness & Wellness http://www.xtremefitnessandwellness.com/home.php
Sponsor Discounts for members
Get stuffed at Good Stuff Restaurants - 10% for club members. Tell
your server when ordering.
Dave Lindstedt associate VP, investments at Well Fargo Advisors
in Rolling Hills Estates offers complimentary portfolio review and a
preliminary plan with investable assets of $250,000 versus more
than $500,000 for non-club members.
Rudy Project 40% off.
Craig Barton of CB Loans will make an additional donation of $250
to the South Bay Wheelmen on top of his sponsorship for referrals
from club members that lead to a home loan through him. He will
also waive some fees.
SBW Board of Directors
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership &
Sponsorship
Activities
Race Director
Communications
MBGP Director
Senior Advisor
Tom Buescher [email protected]
Greg Aden [email protected]
Tom Herman [email protected]
John Dimond [email protected]
Dave Lindstedt [email protected]
Rick Lilleberg [email protected]
Andrew King [email protected]
Alysha Webb [email protected]
Eric Smith [email protected]
Ted Ernst [email protected]
http://southbaywheelmen.org/
P.O. Box 3224, Redondo Beach CA 90277
Newsletter editor: Jeff Dykzeul [email protected]