Chronicles of a Noob - My journey from Beginner to Advanced Rider
- Thread starter Trent1098S
- Start date
stkr
New Member
Trent - I heard Chris Frye tell someone once... You don't wait to pass people, where ever you catch them on the track, THAT is where you pass them. Racing isn't like the courteous, well planned, passes of a track day. It's "get the hell out of my way" type passing.
That's why I'm not racing. Well that, and the fact that I'm probably too slow, and my bike is WAY underpowered for the meat grinder class. I might think about Formula-40 though.
That's why I'm not racing. Well that, and the fact that I'm probably too slow, and my bike is WAY underpowered for the meat grinder class. I might think about Formula-40 though.
Trent1098S
New Member
So I shouldn't follow someone around for two laps to figure out where to pass them cleanly on the outside.. check.nickmick;113619 wrote: if you need toilet paper to tinkle, maybe you should think about racing in a different class....
femmoto comes to mind....
yoo bastid... I was talking about the morning "go faster dump."
stkr;113632 wrote: Trent - I heard Chris Frye tell someone once... You don't wait to pass people, where ever you catch them on the track, THAT is where you pass them. Racing isn't like the courteous, well planned, passes of a track day. It's "get the hell out of my way" type passing.
Having never made an inside pass, that'll take some getting used to. Normally at track days it's like "yeah, coulda.. but no biggie." There's soooo many times I could have made a nice clean inside pass but can't. I've gotten pretty good at timing ouside passes tho.
Trent1098S
New Member
SAY WHAT??!?!
OK, Kim.... we'll see about that this year at Putnam. I seem to remember things being just a bit different at that last Autobahn.... "wow looks like you found the throttle on that Ducati"... ring a bell?
:crs:
OK, Kim.... we'll see about that this year at Putnam. I seem to remember things being just a bit different at that last Autobahn.... "wow looks like you found the throttle on that Ducati"... ring a bell?
:crs:
stkr
New Member
It does take some getting used to. My first FULL track day in
was at Barber, and I was not one of the locals. I now know what it's like to get passed on the inside at both apexes of the chicane (7/8?) on the same lap by two different bikes. LOLI'm sure you'll get to
soon enough, and then we can play Just don't let Kim hold you back too much
Trent1098S
New Member
Haha yeah I'm in no hurry to get to A. I got a couple of issues I need to iron out with braking technique. Got it all "ass backwards" right now, literally. It finally clicked at Barber last month. I've been holding WOT as long as I can, then popping up and hitting the brakes, THEN fighting against the forward motion pushing myself back so I can slide in, THEN getting my body down.Kim;113726 wrote: Easy there killer - just funnin' with ya
I know. I just playin' too! I may have found the throttle, but I still wear a skirt when it comes to braking. Hmm.. maybe that not the right phrasing to use....
stkr;113731 wrote: It does take some getting used to. My first FULL track day in
I'm sure you'll get to
Just don't let Kim hold you back too much
Result = Totally Torched Arms, wobbly corner entrance, no real control while trailbraking, inconsistent body position, no real smoothness, etc.
So to fix my ass-backwardness, it's BUTT brakes body, instead of brakes, butt, body.
Before I pop up, from now on, I'll move my ass over. Then I'll pop up, brake, and then I can just lower my shoulders and I'm in.
Can't believe I didn't get that right before now.. you'd figure after 20+ track days I'd figure out the basics, right? Wrong. I'm a dumbass when it comes to certain things.
:doh:
NickMcCoy
Member
Not sure if any of my advice is helpful, but those are a couple interesting topics so I'll throw in my .02.
First, I'm not saying this is you because you don't seem like the overly-agressive type at all, but I think too many people go into racing with the idea that passing etiquette goes out the window. I managed to consistently run top three as an amateur all last year without ever making a pass that I considered risky. And I can honestly say that even running up front where you're trying even harder to beat the other guy, none of the guys I raced against last year made any dirty passes on me. It's wierd but most of that stuff is done by the guys who aren't as fast and think they need to ride like a maniac to win. There was a pile-up in turn 2 at BHF last year that was a good example of this, I started in the last row and watched these guys hurt themselves pretty badly and it was totally unnecesary.
The way I look at racing is that your laptimes will determine where you are going to finish. If you're racing someone who is running the same times as you then you will need to make a move, but otherwise, you shouldn't have to make a dirty move to get ahead. If you're faster, you should be able to pass cleanly. I think some trackday riders get the idea that because racers pass closely or in places that they wouldn't that they're taking chances, but usually they're just getting into a position where the other rider sees them and has to back off. The best and safest way to pass will be to wait longer than he does to brake and then show him just enough that he has to let you go.
First, I'm not saying this is you because you don't seem like the overly-agressive type at all, but I think too many people go into racing with the idea that passing etiquette goes out the window. I managed to consistently run top three as an amateur all last year without ever making a pass that I considered risky. And I can honestly say that even running up front where you're trying even harder to beat the other guy, none of the guys I raced against last year made any dirty passes on me. It's wierd but most of that stuff is done by the guys who aren't as fast and think they need to ride like a maniac to win. There was a pile-up in turn 2 at BHF last year that was a good example of this, I started in the last row and watched these guys hurt themselves pretty badly and it was totally unnecesary.
The way I look at racing is that your laptimes will determine where you are going to finish. If you're racing someone who is running the same times as you then you will need to make a move, but otherwise, you shouldn't have to make a dirty move to get ahead. If you're faster, you should be able to pass cleanly. I think some trackday riders get the idea that because racers pass closely or in places that they wouldn't that they're taking chances, but usually they're just getting into a position where the other rider sees them and has to back off. The best and safest way to pass will be to wait longer than he does to brake and then show him just enough that he has to let you go.
tankslapper
New Member
Well said Nick. Of course there are all the stories of some riders being shown a wheel and a half and instead of giving way they t-bone you. What's good about CRA is most riders know one-another, reducing the risk of the above from happening.
Trent1098S
New Member
I like the way you put it Nick. I've got 5 kids, a wife, two dogs, and a job to come home to after a race weekend so I know *I* will be riding cool. Hoping everyone out there feels the same. I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to make any money doing amateur racing, so people should be somewhat relaxed and having fun, right?
Trent1098S
New Member
No, YOU have three cats to come home to!
jaren warren
Member
Kind of sounds like 1098 is looking for a track day.
Trent1098S
New Member
Got enough of those on the schedule already .. I need more of a rush.
Moving stuff along in the Chronicles of Noob.
I'm trying to plan out my budget for 2010 today (I'm bored) and it is not looking so good. Barber cost me a ton to go to last month. Kind of a spur of the moment thing and I didn't plan things out very well. Stuff is always more expensive when you don't plan right.
I'd kind of earmarked a budget of 10k for track days this year.. but I've already burned through half of that on track days, parts, etc.
Where I'm starting at... I'm paid up on 10 track days and I'll have credit for the first Blackhawk that I can't go to. I have two fresh sets of 209GPA's sitting in the basement. Tires on the gixxer are good for a couple days, Ducati a day at least. The other two sets I have should get me through the rest of those 10 days. So tires, I'm good. I figure those first 10 days are already paid off.
Have to get the Ducati engine torn down sometime soon or I'll end up grenading it this year. It needs belts/valves/etc. Don't have a clue yet what that'll cost (depend on what it needs) so I can't budget it. No reason to, not counting it against my track day budget anyway cause it's something that I had to do this year anyway.
There's 6 more days of Putnam, 5 more at Blackhawk not paid for. That's $1380 after credits, and 5 more rear tires (approx a grand). Ok so I figure 2500ish.
That leaves about 2500 for racing. That should get me through learning curves in May, two Blackhawks and a Road America if I did all five classes I was going to.
Option two is to NOT race any Unlimited classes this year and only run the Ducati in Supertwins and Heavyweight superbikes. I'll get my ass handed to me in heavyweights, for sure, but the point is to get pulled a bit so I can try to cut laptimes.
Kind of leaning towards option 2 right now. That'll let me do all the blackhawk and Road America CCS days.
The rest of the stuff hits the chopping block floor. No SED day at Putnam, no Mid Ohio, no STT days at Autobahn or Road America.
So it looks like 21 track days and 10 sprints for 2010.
Trent1098S
New Member
If I run only the 1098S, in Supertwins I'll have a decent shot. Heavyweight Superbike, dunno. My 1098 isn't Supersport legal, they upped the CC limit this year, but I'm running aftermarket rotors and want to run race tires.
On the 1098S I was turning 1:21's at BHF the last time I was there, but I've got quite a bit faster and more consistent since then. I've done 11 track days since I was at Blackhawk last time, which is more days than I had total leading up to the last Blackhawk.
I have a lot more confidence now.
At May's BHF race, I'll probably be turning 16 or 17's. By then, I'll have 15 track days of practice from the last time I was there.
Pirelli pays out better in those two classes, so I'll probably go with Diablo SC2 slicks, or whatever is the best at the time. I'll probably run Dunlops all year for track days, for what the 209/211's are going for you really can't go too wrong. I'm pushing the 209GPA front too much now so I'm probably going to quit using them after I'm through with the last that I have in the basement and step up to 211. The 209GPA rear is pretty damn good, not having those break loose on me too much.
On the 1098S I was turning 1:21's at BHF the last time I was there, but I've got quite a bit faster and more consistent since then. I've done 11 track days since I was at Blackhawk last time, which is more days than I had total leading up to the last Blackhawk.
I have a lot more confidence now.
At May's BHF race, I'll probably be turning 16 or 17's. By then, I'll have 15 track days of practice from the last time I was there.
Pirelli pays out better in those two classes, so I'll probably go with Diablo SC2 slicks, or whatever is the best at the time. I'll probably run Dunlops all year for track days, for what the 209/211's are going for you really can't go too wrong. I'm pushing the 209GPA front too much now so I'm probably going to quit using them after I'm through with the last that I have in the basement and step up to 211. The 209GPA rear is pretty damn good, not having those break loose on me too much.