Noob with Questions coming to NC Bike on 6/3

[BadgerDog]

Hello everyone. I'm signed up for the Novice group on 6/3 at NC Bike and have some questions.

I have a buddy who will be joining me to provide support, technical as well as moral. He's driving separately, do we need to arrive at the facility together for him to be granted access, or can he show up before or after me and still get in?

Also, are there vantage points around the track where he could go and watch while I'm on the track, or possibly both of us go to watch the other groups?

Lots of great info here in the forums, looking forward to getting on track with some of you.

 

[tdelegram]

I can address the buddy part as i have never been to NC Bike. Yes he can show up later to meet you there. He might be charged a spectators fee, al tracks are different, but timing shouldn't matter.

 

[wmhjr]

NCBike has really just one area to watch from other than standing near the track marshall at Pit in/out. If you continue along the "entry road" past where the N2 canopy will be, and pass the entrance from pits to track, there is a route that goes toward turn one. That gives access to a kind of elevated area where the medical vehicle sits. Since the track is pretty darned flat, you have a decent view of most of the track from that location. In the attached track map, it's in the rectangular area shown near the "Big Loop".

 

[BadgerDog]

OK, thanks for the info. Sounds like a bicycle to get the other parts of the track isn't really needed. Will plan accordingly.

 

[wmhjr]

The bicycle may be handy just to get back and forth from the pit area to the building with classroom, bathrooms and showers if nothing else. That is also where the riders meetings are held.

 

[Otto Man]

NCBike has a large paddock and having a bicycle to help get around the areas that Bill is talking about would definitely help. If it's possible, I'd bring one. There is also a dirt path you can take a car/truck on and watch a little bit of the track from the last corner of the track. There and "on the hill" as Bill is talking about is really the only 2 good spectating areas. Unfortunately, a lot of tracks aren't really spectator friendly. Make sure your buddy brings a camera with a good zoom or some binoculars. They will help out a ton.

And as always, please ask any staff member if you need help. Your first couple of track weekends are hectic until you get the hang of things.

 

[BadgerDog]

Thanks for the info gents, much appreciated. I'll be the old guy with the inappropriate bike having the time of his life.

 

[BadgerDog]

How early can we show up? I know registration/tech inspection is at 7, but what time can we get to the track to start setting up?

 

[fowlplayracing]

I always go the night before and usually get in between anywhere between 3 and 5pm. Not sure if or when they lock the gate and then reopen it.

 

[BadgerDog]

Well, it's likely I'll arrive between 5 and 6 AM, hope the gate's open.

 

[fowlplayracing]

The green areas in the attachment are the viewing spots previously mentioned. The pink area is where registration and tech (beginning at 7am) will be set up. I've had lots of family and friends visit over the years and no one has ever mentioned being charged to get in. A standard for N2 I believe.

 

[Ron R]

I stay at hotels and arrive at 3 on Friday when they open the gate then at 6 each morning. Gate is open then and I have talked with people that arrive over night and get in. But you should call and hear it right from the track itself to put your mind at ease.
252-308-zero five one six

 

[BadgerDog]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the additional info. One week and counting!

 

[BadgerDog]

One last (I hope) question. The 6/3 Novice session at NC Bike, CW or CCW? I've noticed some recent YouTube videos going in both directions.

 

[wmhjr]

AFAIK, N2 has run Clockwise consistently. I've never been to an N2 day at NCBike where we've run CCW.

 

[BadgerDog]

Thanks wmhjr! I had that in mind, then ran across a couple of videos running in the other direction (can't find them now of course) and thought I'd better make sure. I'd hate to have learned the track one way and get a big surprise some Saturday.

 

[Mike Christoforetti]

Gates lock around midnight I believe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2blueyam]

See you folks there tomorrow night. Blue and black R1 number 712 .

Many of the other organizations run CCW every other day to even the tire wear. Runoff at turn 1 CCW is a bit dicey IMHO, so I make sure to leave some extra room for braking there.

Old R1 pilot

 

[BadgerDog]

Mike, thanks for the info, I'll give the track a call later today to try and find out when they unlock them in the morning.

2blueyam, I'm glad this event will be run CW. Even though my top speed is likely 40 - 50 mph slower than most of the bikes I've watched in videos, running CCW and coming into the tight Turn 1 off of the front straight looks challenging. It tests your brakes I'm sure.

 

[rlong.us]

Mike, thanks for the info, I'll give the track a call later today to try and find out when they unlock them in the morning.

2blueyam, I'm glad this event will be run CW. Even though my top speed is likely 40 - 50 mph slower than most of the bikes I've watched in videos, running CCW and coming into the tight Turn 1 off of the front straight looks challenging. It tests your brakes I'm sure.

Actually T1 you can carry a lot of speed through, just scrub speed and be smooth. With NC Bike I found that the speed you enter the turns with are the speeds you'll carry through the turn so slow in = slow through and fast in = fast through.