Thinking of racing next year...

[PJZOCC624]

Okay, so I'm thinking about dipping my toe into the shark-infested WERA waters next year. I've read through the rulebook, but it seems a bit overwhelming. I've got a couple assumptions and questions, and am hoping my fellow NESBIANS who race regularly can make sure I'm on the right track.

First off is the class to participate in. I've got an '04 GSXR600, full Yosh exhaust, K&N filter, steel lines, ELKA shock, RACETECH springs in the forks, Woodcraft clip-ons and rearsets, PCIII... I figure I'm good for their Superstock class as long as I don't run slicks. Am I wrong?

I'm going to spend ALOT of $$$

I have to buy/rent a transponder.

I must grow bigger balls.

Does type of fuel matter? Must I run pump gas or can I use race fuel?

I will spend more $$$ than track days.

If I'm not %100 sure of the mechanical history of the bike (ie., engine mods - which I think they're the standard, such as pipe, PC, etc), should I have the whole thing disassembled this winter?

My wife will not like the credit card bill.

I'm not dissillusioned with making top 3 finishes, or winning races, or finding my lost calling. I simply want to give it a go, and see where I stack up (if that makes any sense). FWIW, I've been running in the top half to quarter of the "I" group last season, I'm comfortable and confident in my abilities (though I need to find a quicker pace), comfortable riding in packs, and don't ride beyond my ability. I've heard and read comments by NESBA cr's who say things like "If you can ride at a fast 'I' pace with NESBA you should be able to hold your own in a novice race"... or something to that affect. At very least, I figure 1 of 2 things will happen:

1- I do one race weekend, suck ass so bad that I scare the sheet out of myself, and decide that track days are all I need, or

2- I get hooked and the wife divorces me.

I think I'll be able to hold my own as a backmarker, and I'm sure I'm not going to be a danger on the track. Just not sure if I should pull the trigger and grow a pair... :dunno:

Here beginneth the off-season blues....

 

[Tony A]

PJ,
you'll do fine, I started last year, and its a lot of fun. It certianly helped me up my game.

As for class yes you are good for superstock, so you can run css and up a class to bss, and if feeling frisky run sb in either if those classes.

cost wise yes a little more then trackdays for less riding, if i remember correct its 85.00 for first race and each addtional is 65.00, and then either buy a transponder or rent one for 60.00, you can turn in your trans recipt for some discount whenyou decide to buy.

Fuel, it really depends, you can run a race fuel.

Engine wise i personaly would not sweat it, you would need to be protested by another racer for that to even enter in at this point. And i would not see that happening unless you start walking away with all the wins.

so PJ just come out and do it, there are plenty of fimilar faces in the paddock, and plenty of us the help you out with ?

 

[Chad Dupree]

You'll be fine in superstock. Slicks are not legal in superstock.

As far as fuel goes, race or pump is fine. Run what ever you want as fuel goes.

No, I would not disassemble the motor. Sounds like you just have a stock motor with the usual mods (exhaust, PC etc.) unless your just bored this winter.

I think you'll hold your own in the novice class. I do think you'll get hooked on racing tho. Racing will make you faster. It's something about a green flag that drops that will make you push a little harder and this will in turn make you faster and develop your skills faster. IMO.

Most important HAVE FUN.

Good luck next year.

 

[rk97]

do it.

:tothetrack:

 

[dfaldridge]

I did five WERA races this year and loved it. It does help your focus and it is something different. :agree:

 

[RacerRuss]

I would buy a used transponder over the winter, should get one from the WERA board for about $250-300. Even if you decide to quit after the first race, you can sell it and get your money back. Renting transponders just works out to be such a money pit.

If you have done NESBA events at some of the NE WERA tracks (Summit, Nelson, Beav, etc.) you can look at mylaps.com and see where your times stack up. I started racing in '08 and did just that. Looked like I would be in the middle based on my NESBA times. By the time you add the speed from competition, you will jump up a few spots from where you think you would be. There are always a couple of rabbits that show up in Novice every year, so don't be discouraged if you get lapped in your first few races, there are some fast peeps in Novice (Katie and Dale last year, Drew the year before).

Most importantly, don't crash. There is no point, it costs money and you usually wind up slower for several events afterwards until you can get your head screwed on straight again. Katie crashed first race in 08 novice and had a small broken bone (well, in fairness, it was her neck), but it took her a year to get back to where she was and she wound up faster than most of the experts this year.

Good luck and ask here if you have any other questions, lots of us are glad to help.

 

[TwoTyres]

Do it!

I am going to do at least one this coming season to see what its like. I like summit and my times are ok (1.24's) so i will do it there. I got a deal when i bought my new ride, ex wera bike so it is already set up including the AMB.

Now i know i wont be fast and up front but i want to get the feeling of a real race.

Katie and Dale dominated this year and i think John and Justin will do the same next. seem like the fastest guys out there are the nesba A guys.

 

[PJZOCC624]

Thanks so much for the input, boys! I've checked out mylaps and I feel like I should be able to hold my own at my familiar tracks. I plan on being a backmarker, and my ego is not so big to be bruised by being lapped... I got NO problem with that. I will certainly try to keep things in check so that I'm not riding above my head which would lead me to wreck myself or someone else with me.

I was discussing this with the wife today, and she asked me "Why? What will you get out of racing that you don't get out of trackdays?" I told her I want to see how I stack up against other riders in a competitive situation, to find another arena to improve my skills... and when I win my first race I wanna be able to spray the big champagne bottle!...

She called me an idiot....

 

[PJZOCC624]

Okay, I'm really starting to get the itch to do this....

Another ? ...

CCS or WERA? Or does it really matter?

 

[alphamale]

I'm going to be your competition next year too

 

[RacerRuss]

PJZOCC17;96529 wrote: Okay, I'm really starting to get the itch to do this....

Another ? ...

CCS or WERA? Or does it really matter?

I would pick the one that best suits your schedule and allows you to do the most races. With CCS, you don't need a transponder, but WERA runs a better program in my opinion. Historically, if you run 75% of the races in a region and finish in the top 50%, you will be in the discussion for the season top 5 or maybe even the championship. It is also a blast to learn the new tracks that you may not normally run.

I don't think CCS has posted their regional schedules yet, but WERA has.

 

[rk97]

PJ - my wife (and my sister, and my mom, and my in-laws...) asked me the same question: "why do you want to race?"

I actually find it to be a silly question, and a simple answer. Motorsports are still sports. Did my dad play catch with me and pitch me a baseball for hours on end so I could be really good at hitting in a batting cage? Does he chip around the back yard and putt across the living room so he can impress people at the driving range and on the practice green?

nope. we develop skills to USE them. That's not to say that 'practicing' isn't still fun; i can't tell you the last time i golfed 9 holes, but I hit the driving range a few times a year. Competition is just further motivation to improve.

...and racing opens up scheduling options. When NESBA is only running events 600 miles away, WERA may have an event 200 miles closer.

 

[slowpoke]

i think i'm gonna give it a try next year as well. planning on some wera and also the ccs days at njmp. see you guys on the grid....

 

[dale.b]

I tried racing this past year because I hit a plateau with my improvement. I felt like I had the basic requirements down - smoothness, body position, feel. But my times weren't where I wanted them. And I felt that to get an improvement in my times would require riding beyond my my comfort zone... not something I was prepared to do at a trackday.

I crashed 3 times this year during racing as a result of riding beyond my ability. I have crashed 3 times in 4 years of trackdays (including this year) due to riding beyond my ability.

Racing is more thrilling, but also more expensive, and more risky - speaking for myslef.

If you are prepared to accept both sides of the equation, then by all means go for it - top half of Intermediate and you've got the foundations.

It can be very rewarding. Just passing another competitor feels like a win. Dropping your times by seconds can be very rewarding as well.

 

[Emerson]

go to a drag strip and work on your starts....

 

[Katie785]

+1 on what Dale said.. If you think you're not competitive wait to you're racing. I never was by nature before.. I was a polite passer LOL. Then Dale came around. And things changed.

As for crashing, racing pushes you to ride above your limit. I did 75 track days - never crashed... I started racing and had a big get-off my first weekend (or would it be get-on since I landed on another bike???).. then this year i started going faster and found the limit of the tires. It's one of those things where you know it's there and at a track day you're fine with that.. learn to listen to the feel. But when you have Dale coming around you in turn 8 at Summit on the last lap and know you need to get by him in turn 10 for the win, your mentality will change. I lost the front 3 times this year in situations that I never would have put myself in at a track day.

On the other hand, like Dale, I had all the basics down pat - body position, lines, etc... I needed something to push me to brake later and get on the gas sooner. My times dropped dramatically (coming from being one of the slowest in A to now being able to run with the top of the A pack - dropping 10 seconds at VIR N, 6 at Summit etc... ) I personally wouldnt try racing until you've made it to A group, but that is me.. and i want to go out and be top 5 right away.... And i can confirm that there will be several mid-pack A riders dominating the field next year Freakin cherry pickers.

 

[slowpoke]

Katie/Dale,

Now that you've raced and done well, would you be able to give it up and just go back to TDs? or are you totally hooked now and can't imagine yourselves not racing?

I've got the basics down and really enjoy TDs but want to race to improve faster, see how i stack up, and just get the rush of competition. My concern/question is: does racing make TDs less fun/interesting?

thanks -

 

[rk97]

Katie785;96581 wrote: I needed something to push me to brake later and get on the gas sooner. My times dropped dramatically (coming from being one of the slowest in A to now being able to run with the top of the A pack

I think some of us look for racing to do the same, except from mid/fast "I" to slow "A" pace.

the wife shares your mentality - "no racing until you're in advanced group." We'll see how that pans out... I ride Advanced with STT :moon:

 

[Katie785]

........... moderated or something

 

[rk97]

Miki is still in "B" with NESBA? ...she must not be riding with you very often. And now that I'm onto her plan, she won't be able to escape at least one yahoo ...if i even bother with an STT membership this year.