1st Track Day Experiences
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1st Track Day Experiences - 6/10/2007 1:47:09 PM
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bmg velocity
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Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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Went this past Friday, June 8th, to my first Track Day at LSTD at Motorsport Ranch. Since it was my first time on a real track and hence track day, I took the humble route and chose the Beginers (C-Group) and took the School thing. The good: 1. Track surafce was great of course....sticky...definitely won't find this level of grip on any sreet road, or any public thoroughfare. 2. Even though we were on the shorter 1.3 mile course...it still had plenty of speed...in fact it was so twisty...I never even looked at my speedometer. 3. On the third session, as we waited in the pit ready area to enter the track, I purposefully started at the very very back, and told our little group, "I'm going to start at the very back....see how many of you I can pass." I took note of the last bike in front of me, and several others...spotted throughout the group...so as to keep a bit of where I was as we went around. 4. I lapped the entire field.in that one session...whcih made me feel good and bad...should have started in the intermediate group. Then I might have learned something....besides the fact that I was faster than a bunch of n00bs. The Bad: 1. I think mostly because they had such a large crowd...the inital set-up...and placement of the right orders with the right group, etc....was a bit disorganized. 2. The atitude of some of the intructors was lacking inprofessionalism....this no doubt caused by their being overwewhelmed by the number of people that day. Plus they had a race this weekend,which meant about 1200 more poeple than they could handle.
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/10/2007 6:58:21 PM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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Grabbed a few pics of various people and machines... There was some guy...pro photog who supposedly took pics and videos of several people... Don't know how to go about getting those...like one of me. (Hope if they have one of me, it's not the one of me running off into the grass...didn't wreck...just slowed down...u-turned and got safely back onto the track...but still...) Thumbnail Image
Attachment (1)
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/10/2007 7:00:46 PM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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Here is a cool looking machine...likely one of the CMRA race bikes...and one of the paddock...looking towards the 1.3 track...and the spotting tower. Thumbnail Image
Thumbnail Image
Attachment (2)
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 12:36:23 AM
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woodyracing
Posts: 1326
Joined: 5/3/2006 From: Meridian, MS Status: offline
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couple things... first, no you shouldn't have signed up for the intermediate group, now from the way you described this trackday on the other board, I would say that it sounds like a crappy group with a slow as hell Novice group, but most orgs aren't like that. For example, if you jumped into the Intermediate group at a NESBA trackday you'd get eaten alive in a hurry (they won't let you do that anyway, but its just an example...) If you didn't do it, you should have asked to be bumped to the next group if you didn't think you belonged in the slower group, most orgs will accomidate you if for no other reason than safety (riding fast in a slow group isn't safe, especially when said faster rider has the "I'm gonna start at the back and lap all of you" attitude... hint hint) passing everybody might have made your day more exciting but most likely if the other riders were really "noobs" you probably spooked some of them, and if they were working on techniques discussed in the school it was probably pretty distracting for them as well. Chances are you weren't the only person that paid to ride that day... if your faster than the other people in your group, you start at the front, its basic trackday ettiquite. Now like I said, it appears the group you rode with didn't do a great job of covering this kind of stuff with you, I'd find another group to ride with if I were you the whole point of telling you, you wouldn't be the fastest out there was so you'd check your attitude at the door, but you obviously didn't do that... no offense to you personally, thats just the completely wrong attitude for doing trackdays, if you want to race do a race school and go racing (a real race school, not a track noob "school") one question, why did you run off track?
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 12:42:13 PM
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Tahoe SC
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LOL...woody tells it as it is mang! intermediate groups are like zoos out where i'm at...lots of attitude, crashing etc... we usually sand bag then beginner group but stay away from the noobs cause they're dangerous...but we give total etiquette to the noobs as far as passing...3 feet and only on the outside...or in straight aways...which isn't always possible as some noobs with chipped shoulders have liter bikes...so we just out brake them. i find there are less stoppages in the C group since most are out there to learn and ride and somewhat scared...rather than B where they're all out to pass the next person and ride way over their heads. we've been told to move up...but when we point out that the control riders can't control the B zoo group...they nod and just tell us not to spook the newbs...
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 5:21:28 PM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: woodyracing couple things... first, no you shouldn't have signed up for the intermediate group, now from the way you described this trackday on the other board, I would say that it sounds like a crappy group with a slow as hell Novice group, but most orgs aren't like that. For example, if you jumped into the Intermediate group at a NESBA trackday you'd get eaten alive in a hurry (they won't let you do that anyway, but its just an example...) If you didn't do it, you should have asked to be bumped to the next group if you didn't think you belonged in the slower group, most orgs will accomidate you if for no other reason than safety (riding fast in a slow group isn't safe, especially when said faster rider has the "I'm gonna start at the back and lap all of you" attitude... hint hint) passing everybody might have made your day more exciting but most likely if the other riders were really "noobs" you probably spooked some of them, and if they were working on techniques discussed in the school it was probably pretty distracting for them as well. Chances are you weren't the only person that paid to ride that day... if your faster than the other people in your group, you start at the front, its basic trackday ettiquite. Now like I said, it appears the group you rode with didn't do a great job of covering this kind of stuff with you, I'd find another group to ride with if I were you the whole point of telling you, you wouldn't be the fastest out there was so you'd check your attitude at the door, but you obviously didn't do that... no offense to you personally, thats just the completely wrong attitude for doing trackdays, if you want to race do a race school and go racing (a real race school, not a track noob "school") one question, why did you run off track? Look...I apologized, like a man, for admittedly being an arrogant ass on the other board and see no reason to keep bringing it up. Just my opinion. As for spooking other riders. Every pass I made was clean, and outside of the desired 6-8 feet the instructors asked for. I wan't flagged for riding recklessly...in fact I wasn't riding over my head....not even close... I wasn't going to however spend my day riding like some guy who has been riding for 6 months...or someone who was unfamiliar with how to find racing lines...or someone who just didn't want to push themselves at all. The only off I had was during the No Brakes session. It was at the turn that is at the lowest portion of the 1.3 mile course. The off was caused by indecision on my part. I went in admittedly a little hot....for a No Brakes session anyway...and figured if I did use my brakes...I'd get bitched out. So...at the last moment I deided to stand the bike upright...knew I could not possibly make it by leaning more...and used my moto-x skills to save my ass. I didn't wreck...just ran off the track...slowed down...made a U-Turn and safely re-entered the track. I've seen even pro guys run off the track by taking a corner too hot...it's not like one of the 7 deadly sins. Just FYI... Some of the instructors out there were very impolite, unhelpful, and very very smartass. That did not contribute to my overall impression in the least.
< Message edited by bmg velocity -- 6/11/2007 5:22:28 PM >
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 11:16:45 PM
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woodyracing
Posts: 1326
Joined: 5/3/2006 From: Meridian, MS Status: offline
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I'm just trying to help you out man, not bashing just offering some free advice. Don't want it? I don't care I'm a stubborn mofo lol you need to do a real school of some sort, your body positioning in your pics is pretty far off, especially with a bike like an F3 you need to carry corner speed to go fast and you can't do that sitting flat on the bike with your head straight up in the air now thats normal for a first time track rider, my first trackday pics looked exactly like that. I just takes a lot of practice and most importantly an open mind to learn how to do it right
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 11:43:04 PM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: woodyracing I'm just trying to help you out man, not bashing just offering some free advice. Don't want it? I don't care I'm a stubborn mofo lol you need to do a real school of some sort, your body positioning in your pics is pretty far off, especially with a bike like an F3 you need to carry corner speed to go fast and you can't do that sitting flat on the bike with your head straight up in the air now thats normal for a first time track rider, my first trackday pics looked exactly like that. I just takes a lot of practice and most importantly an open mind to learn how to do it right What do you mean by real school? Where and when for this thing? I'd like to be as fast as a decent racer...not just fast enough to beat a bunch of n00bs...which...man forgive me for being a little proud of myself for not being the slowest guy out there like I figured I would be. Anyway, forget all that....I'll never mention anything like that again... What do you mean a real school? Tye Howard offers something called RideSmart I am told... Is that what you had in mind...or?
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/11/2007 11:49:57 PM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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Oh...and it's an F2...not an F3...not that there is much difference... I would learn on that...and get a more competitive bike for any actual racing...(probably a ZX-10)
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/12/2007 1:07:17 AM
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woodyracing
Posts: 1326
Joined: 5/3/2006 From: Meridian, MS Status: offline
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on the track you hang off the bike any time your in a corner, the whole point is to move your center of gravity so you can carry more speed per lean angle of the bike there are very very few times on a race track you don't need to lean off while turning the bike, a kink in the middle of a straight or a slight bend before a hard turn, in those cases your usually fully tucked in or setting up for the next real corner for example the back straight at Road Atlanta bends to the right as you reach top speed (kinda nerve racking the first time you do it lol), now its not an actual corner but the bike does lean. If you tried to lean off the bike then, you'd be destroying the aerodynamics to gain nothing so you'd lose a lot of time. as far as technique, most of the time new track riders think they're leaning way off when they're not. I'd say more often than not at least, so really exagerate your body positioning for the first few trackdays while you figure out your own style. The basics are balls of feet on pegs, butt and upper body off to the inside, with your outside arm resting on the gas tank (not "resting" exactly but the inside of your elbow should be close to the center of the gas tank). I like to "kiss the mirrors", meaning keeping your head low to the inside, leading with your inside shoulder. Some like to keep their head a little higher for a sense of balance but that never really seemed an issue to me your shouldn't need to stick your knee out, if your leaning off the bike and riding with the balls of your feet on the pegs, it will scrape the ground with any real lean angle. Most use it to judge how far they can lean, thats about all its good for (Rossi might can save a front end slide using his knee on the ground but us mere mortals usually aren't nearly that good). If your doing everything else right, the knee will just be there. Remember dragging a knee is an effect, NOT a cause and definitely shouldn't be a primary goal. here is a comparo pic of my first trackday and when I learned how to do it right, same corner, same bike (note: both pics were in NESBA's beginner group) the lean angle of the bike itself is about the same but just getting off the bike allowed me to carry a LOT more speed through the corner without pushing the tires as hard and it also makes it easier to control the bike because you can actually feel what its doing through the footpegs and clip-ons and your able to react a lot faster. If your just sitting on top of the bike, your weight won't be on the pegs and you will probably be putting more weight than needed on the clip-ons which adds unnecessary steering input so you really can't feel exactly what the bike is doing, which can easily lead to a crash that you didn't even know was coming. You may feel your only riding at 80% or so but the tires are at 100% and you won't be able to feel when they cross that line until its too late and your sliding across the track trying to figure out what the hell just happened so just keep with it, do a school if you can and get some practice
< Message edited by woodyracing -- 6/12/2007 1:18:24 AM >
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/12/2007 1:26:37 AM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: woodyracing 1. on the track you hang off the bike any time your in a corner, the whole point is to move your center of gravity so you can carry more speed per lean angle of the bike there are very very few times on a race track you don't need to lean off while turning the bike, a kink in the middle of a straight or a slight bend before a hard turn, in those cases your usually fully tucked in or setting up for the next real corner 2for example the back straight at Road Atlanta bends to the right as you reach top speed (kinda nerve racking the first time you do it lol), now its not an actual corner but the bike does lean. If you tried to lean off the bike then, you'd be destroying the aerodynamics to gain nothing so you'd lose a lot of time. 3. as far as technique, most of the time new track riders think they're leaning way off when they're not. I'd say more often than not at least, so really exagerate your body positioning for the first few trackdays while you figure out your own style. 4.The basics are balls of feet on pegs, butt and upper body off to the inside, with your outside arm resting on the gas tank (not "resting" exactly but the inside of your elbow should be close to the center of the gas tank). I like to "kiss the mirrors", meaning keeping your head low to the inside, leading with your inside shoulder. Some like to keep their head a little higher for a sense of balance but that never really seemed an issue to me your shouldn't need to stick your knee out, if your leaning off the bike and riding with the balls of your feet on the pegs, it will scrape the ground with any real lean angle. Most use it to judge how far they can lean, thats about all its good for (Rossi might can save a front end slide using his knee on the ground but us mere mortals usually aren't nearly that good). If your doing everything else right, the knee will just be there. 5. Remember dragging a knee is an effect, NOT a cause and definitely shouldn't be a primary goal. here is a comparo pic of my first trackday and when I learned how to do it right, same corner, same bike (note: both pics were in NESBA's beginner group) so just keep with it, do a school if you can and get some practice 1.Oh...ok...did not know that...thanks for the word on that...will do from now on...even on my decent public state park road, which has every bit...well almost as much grip as a race track. Seriously...thanks... 2. You've ridden Road Atlanta? Now I know I should have shut up about 200 posts ago. As you can tell...I am a street rider...not a race track rider...Not yet anyway. 3. I knew I wasn't leaning that hard at MSR this past Friday...though I did lean a bit further a few times...they didn't catch the pics. I wasn't draggin my knee or anything...but once or twice...especially headed toward the bottom/lowest part of the track...I hung off a butt cheek...and that naturally slid my knee out a little bit. This is what I meant before when I said...most of the time I'd become lackadaisical...and forget to really try. Then I'd run into traffic and have to slow up and figure my way around them...and swoosh...outta my head goes the concentrating on any technique. 4. I thought my riding on the balls of my feet was just some kind of wishful thinking for some good rear sets. When I ride in a straight line...I ride on the balls of my feet...because it just feels more aggressive. Now, in the turns...I usually am manipulating something, gears, brake, something...which means I need to set my entrance speeds earlier. 5. Yeah...someone else, in fact many people have said that...and it makes sense...
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Does not want to debate insurance co.'s or bad drivers for at least a decade or 10. Want to argue the merits? You are a one man show. Sorry no takers here.
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/12/2007 1:27:30 AM
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bmg velocity
Posts: 1353
Joined: 12/14/2006 Status: offline
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Also, gonna go in a bit late for work...so I can run out to my little 1.1 mile road...hehe...
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Does not want to debate insurance co.'s or bad drivers for at least a decade or 10. Want to argue the merits? You are a one man show. Sorry no takers here.
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/12/2007 9:52:46 AM
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woodyracing
Posts: 1326
Joined: 5/3/2006 From: Meridian, MS Status: offline
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just get in the habbit of exagerating your body positioning any time your on the track until you get it down. I still lean WAY off the bike even on cool down laps after a race no matter how slow I'm going, if you don't do it all the time, especially if your new to the track, you won't get comfortable doing it right when you actually are pushing and it will feel very awkward also, just a tip, but if think your going to be to tired to do every session in a day, make sure you do the last 2 or 3 sessions in the day. The people your riding with will be going faster and many of them probably left early so you'll have more open track. The last session of the day is almost always the best at trackdays imo and if your gonna keep doing trackdays I'd suggest a way to haul your bike to the track rather than riding it there, leaving at noon is sacrificing a lot of tracktime shoot me a PM if you ever make it over to Barber for a trackday
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RE: 1st Track Day Experiences - 6/12/2007 10:02:37 AM
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woodyracing
Posts: 1326
Joined: 5/3/2006 From: Meridian, MS Status: offline
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oh, also all the little bits of rubber on the tire doesn't make it slippery at all thats just what tires do on the track you don't have to scrub it off to get grip
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