"Snack Cake Gate" Shocks Patch Sprint World

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 26, 2005 - Five Patch Sprinters subpoenaed last week by the House Government Reform Committee, plus Director Sandy Solomon, testified yesterday at a hearing on Capitol Hill. According to a committee spokesperson, the athletes were subpoenaed by Congress so that "America would know the facts about the Patch Sprint's snack cake scandal."

Snack cakes were once supplied by the Patch Sprint to fuel Patch Sprinters through the grueling race. As medical research revealed the harmful health effects of trans-fats, the Patch Sprint adopted a "no trans-fats policy".  However, there is much speculation that many racers still rely on the energy supplement despite the known health risks.

Tom Lynch's abysmal performance at the "Snack Cake Gate" hearing  may have hurt his chances to enter the Patch Sprint Hall of Fame in 2012

Phil Corell began the snack cake firestorm with his recent book, American Oatmeal Cream Pie,  in which he admitted to abusing Little Debbie Snack Cakes in the Patch Sprint and claimed he witnessed various competitors use them -- including Chris Durlacher and Mark Metakis. He asked for immunity, but was turned down. None of the witnesses were granted immunity, the committee said.

The committee chairman Rep. Tom Davis stated that "it is important that all Americans, especially children, know about the dangers of snack cake use. We need to better understand the steps the Patch Sprint is taking to get a handle on the snack cake issue, and whether news of those steps, and the public health danger posed by snack cake use,  is reaching America's youth."

Added Rep. Henry Waxman, "What are kids supposed to think these days except that the only way they can succeed in athletics is through messing with their bodies. Knowing heroes like Phil Corell and Mark Metakis take snack cakes sends the wrong message."  Indeed, there is wide speculation that just last week, Winter Sprint champion Jay Fiegl used a liquid "street" version of the supplement know as "snack crack."  The liquid version goes directly to the bloodstream, giving an unfair advantage to juiced up participants.

At last week's hearing, Tom Lynch, who's head "seemed particularly large, began to choke up when asked by the panel if he felt eating Little Debbie Snack Cakes during the race was cheating. He stated, "There's been a problem with snack cake use in the Patch Sprint," but he added he would not point a finger at fellow participants.  "We need to look to the future, not dwell on the past."

This syringe was probably used by Jay Fiegl last week to juice himself up with "snack crack"

Congress is calling for a stricter snack cake policy citing the influence high profile Patch Sprint athletes have on our nation's youth. Patch Sprint Director Sandy Solomon cited the trouble in implementing a stronger snack cake policy as the Patch Sprint Racer's Union is so strong. The current Patch Sprint policy consists of a series of warnings. Many in Congress want to see a stricter policy that includes alerting Mary. "Patch Sprinters know the earful they will catch if Mary finds out they are sneaking snack cakes," said Rep. Waxman.

Return to Patch Sprint Home Page