Why would you want to ride a fixed on the road without a brake? I do it in the summer, I ride about 1 mile down to my local cinder track, so that i can train on it. I have two hills, one each way. They scare me stupid every time! I only do it as it saves me putting the bike in the car ( I can actually ride there "off road", but the hill is nearly as bad!)
"Miss and out"? That would be called a Devil race in England, as in "Devil take the hind most". Or a "Diel tak the hind most" in Scotland. Usually there are eliminations every lap not every second.
My tactic is to ride second in line over lapped about 1/3 of a bike. If there is too much competition for this spot, I will allow my self to go in to the sucker box on the inside that Jamie spoke of. Coming out of the last turn (330m track, later on a bigger track), sit down, get up snugg to the second rider (over lap wheels) as you need to be able to push them forward (forward not side ways) , giving you the space to move up at the line. This only works when there is heavy traffic and the others are fitting for space on the otherside and the overall speed is not too high (ie every one has already secured their position and they think there is no where for you to go).
Regards
Martin Coopland