Q for competitive racers
- Thread starter snikwad
- Start date
Well it goes like this... you start with a large fortune and before you know it, you got a small one...
I have never had to do a road course track start on a bike but my guess is that it is probably harder than the drag strip.. Drag strip is highly controlled, prepped and you get to run more tire, more heat in the tire and the surface is purely dedicated to all out acceleration..
My view of the starting lines? looks more like trying to drag race off a stop light where you may wheelie, spin the tire or just bog the bike down..
The drag strip would certainly help but I got a funny feeling, there is nothing like just poking the bike out in the middle of the street and going for it.. (clean deserted street of course) You probably need to get that first 60' down pat... after that, it is all the same
Sklossmonster
New Member
On more than one occasion I said, "I'll never race a motorcycle." Well never say never, that's for sure.
For me, I had no desire to race something I felt like I didn't even really know how to ride very well, but I finally reached a point where I wanted to push harder than what is appropriate for a trackday.
As a Control Rider, part of my job is to remind aggressive Advanced riders that race passes are for race days, and that a Nesba "A" group, no matter how fast it may be, is full of riders who consciously choose not to race.
I know lots of fast "A" riders whose commitments to their families come first, and the elevated level of risk in an amateur club race is just not something they're interested in. Kids, mortgage, hospital time, etc... And I completely respect that.
So, if you want to take the gloves off, you kind of need to go racing, since it's the one place where everyone has decided that getting to the flag first is more important than getting home safely. Which I can also respect.
As far as what level you should be at before you go racing, if you ever wanted to, I would say the front of the Intermediate group, or anywhere in the Advanced group is where I would recommend someone get before they go racing.
I've often said I wish the race orgs would require some level of actual proficiency before letting people risk each others lives over a bowling trophy.
It gets a little hairy out there with so many wannabes who belong in the "B" group out on track at the same time as a lot of talented riders hauling the mail.
For me, I had no desire to race something I felt like I didn't even really know how to ride very well, but I finally reached a point where I wanted to push harder than what is appropriate for a trackday.
As a Control Rider, part of my job is to remind aggressive Advanced riders that race passes are for race days, and that a Nesba "A" group, no matter how fast it may be, is full of riders who consciously choose not to race.
I know lots of fast "A" riders whose commitments to their families come first, and the elevated level of risk in an amateur club race is just not something they're interested in. Kids, mortgage, hospital time, etc... And I completely respect that.
So, if you want to take the gloves off, you kind of need to go racing, since it's the one place where everyone has decided that getting to the flag first is more important than getting home safely. Which I can also respect.
As far as what level you should be at before you go racing, if you ever wanted to, I would say the front of the Intermediate group, or anywhere in the Advanced group is where I would recommend someone get before they go racing.
I've often said I wish the race orgs would require some level of actual proficiency before letting people risk each others lives over a bowling trophy.
It gets a little hairy out there with so many wannabes who belong in the "B" group out on track at the same time as a lot of talented riders hauling the mail.
infinotize
New Member
Agreed. I'm slow but I raced last year a couple weekends and wil more this year. Why? It's fun. It also gives me a huge motivation to get better/faster/smoother that I didn't get just running track days. I went from my first weekend racing at summit running mid 1:30s to 1:28s and a 1:27 a couple months later. Am I still way off the novice leader pace? Yeah, but I'm not last anymore either, and it's a lot more fun than a trackday (although the $/track time ratio really hurts). As long as you're fine with the traffic, go for it.
By the way, I'm in B group
The lack of passing rules at race practice is refreshing. I'd say most racers are like track dayers in that they also have jobs and families to go home to, and they don't have huge ambitions to get world superbike contracts. I probably see more dumb stuff in B group. That is for lightweight twins anyway, YMMV in the meatgrinder classes.
tiggen
New Member
Did CornerSpin, the dirt one, a couple years ago. Loved it! I learned a lot (mostly that I had a LOT to learn), partially separated my shoulder in the second exercise of the first day, and had a freaking blast!!! Def. want to do it again in another couple years. Aaron kept the weekend fun and really was a good teacher.snikwad;106396 wrote: Plus im doing cornerspeed.
Got into I last July, did a race in Sep, bought a 250 to race this season. Chose 250 b/c of costs. My only goals, other than to win everything (obviously), are to learn how to pass better, to wrench better, and to just get a taste of the racing scene.
The only drawback so far is that track time exponentially decreases and cost exponentially increases compared to a TD.
Good for you for just going out and doing it........ BUT I have seen riders that looked like they were on a sighting lap the whole race; it gets even worse if it's a mixed EX/AM race.infinotize;106530 wrote: Agreed. I'm slow but I raced last year a couple weekends and wil more this year. Why? It's fun. It also gives me a huge motivation to get better/faster/smoother that I didn't get just running track days. I went from my first weekend racing at summit running mid 1:30s to 1:28s and a 1:27 a couple months later. Am I still way off the novice leader pace? Yeah, but I'm not last anymore either, and it's a lot more fun than a trackday (although the $/track time ratio really hurts). As long as you're fine with the traffic, go for it.
By the way, I'm in B group
Last year there was a guy at Summit that should have been pulled, when passing him he would freak out and move his line 2-3' in each direction. He was lapped by every EX racer and half the AM pack. :notsure::doh:
Put your time in, learn to ride fast and SAFE, and then go racing. I'm not out spending $600-800 a weekend to deal with a guy that gets spooked at a pass.
.02
AQUATIC
New Member
Same story here. I went to Cycle Sport "Track Day" (one per year). The next month I enrolled in the MARRC school and raced the next day. Can you say lapper.
Next year I did 5-6 race weekends and got into the top 5 in most novice races. Went expert after 1 1/2 years and raced 1 year as expert. Family and career obligations lead me to give up the road racing, BUT Trackdays w/ NESBA are an awsome way for you to "get up to speed" before you enter a sprint race. My laps will let you know about were you will need to be in order to be competitive (if that's what you are after). Life is short and some of my best memories of my life are the days I spent at the race track. Go for it.
jkrueger
New Member
A group for a while then went racing, when i was riding trackdays i didnt think i wanted to go racing, then i just tried it to go have some fun. Once your comfortable with other peole in very close proximity making passes that you shouldnt be seeing during NESBA days then you are ready to go grid up.
Todd Stinson
New Member
I got to the Advanced group then tried some racing. It is a different ball game for sure and laptimes may give you a reasonable indication of how you stack up but ability to think quickly, and keep a level head, all while being aggressive will determine how you finish. Racecraft is not something you will learn at a trackday and I have finished in front of racers that were technically faster for a lap or two, but I was more consistent over the whole race and able to make more efficient passes.
There is no hiding from your ability or lack thereof at a race weekend, the results are pretty black and white for everyone to see. But I love that part of it.
There is no hiding from your ability or lack thereof at a race weekend, the results are pretty black and white for everyone to see. But I love that part of it.