D
Needs a job
Posts: 3365
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posted February 08, 2005 08:09 PM
My First Track Day (Long)
Or, the making of a track whore.
15 years of street riding - seen a few tracks but never set 2 whels on one til last Friday.
Willow Springs, the BIG track - the intimidator.
I had worked tire support/track tech at this track for s few months in the early 90's, seen and heard lots bout the track - specially turn 9.
We (Michelle and I) at bout 6:45am, it was 37 degrees out but I didn't really feel it.
Went and set up over with a few friends and then checked in where I was given my tech card for later.
Milled about a bit til tech started - got that done then went to the riders meeting.
Riders meeting touched on the basics and then us noobs were sent upstairs for the orientation meeting.
20 minutes later we're all pro's and ready for our 2 orientation laps.
After bout 90 minutes (a crash had delayed things, in addition to the corner workers and ambulance crews being late) we were finally called for our orientation laps.
I was excited before but now it was becoming a self imposed nervousness that was hard to stifle.
There were bout 20 of us noobs and I was somewhere in the middle of the pack - we had been told very explicitly not to do anything radical on cold tires so that was very much in my thoughts as we rolled out.
Look back to the hot pit to male sure no ones' coming and then look back again as we enter the track.
Oh boy - here we go!
Hey - there's just a pantload of track here!
What am I worried about?
What - 2 laps are done already?
We grid up behind the rest of the street group for our first real laps - great, nervous again.
They let us roll out in groups of 5, staggerred bout 10 seconds apart - here we go!
Hey, this is pretty cool - first lap, cold tires, just chill.
Second lap - lets see what this is all about.
Coming down the front straight, I downshift 3 gears (thank you slipper clutch) and slow down far too soon (as I had been told I would) for turn 1.
Cut through one pretty confidently and turn 2 is waiting for me to stick a knee down followed by 3 and then tricky turn 4.
4 rollercoasters downhillright then left through 5 and up to 6 where the bike would always loft the wheel comin over the crest (Hyperpro - phew).
7 is just a lil foreplay for 8 whcih will take whatever ya wnat to give it and 9 - well 9 and I didn't get along too well all day.
Each session felt better and better - I couldn't beleive how much time there was to think about everything I was doing and going to do.
Anyway - first real lap was 2:06 and by the end of the day (4 sessions later) I was running consistent 1:50's.
I didn't even push the bike or myself, I found myself using less and less braking - no come to Jesus moments and the bike was literally flawless.
I can say that if anyone has contemplated doing a trackday but alway finds excuse not to (like I always did) - stop it and go sign up for a track day.
I will go again within a few months - I'd like to try Willow again but have been told Fontana is a great track too.
This is only the beginning.....
  
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted February 08, 2005 08:52 PM
...nice...
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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Dino
Pro
Posts: 1422
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posted February 08, 2005 09:36 PM
Congrats D! Sounds like you had a good time.....I almost tried to join you guys but it's too frikkin' far for a 1 day'er. 
I know what you mean about the track ho thing. I stayed away from the track for for about 30 years and after my first time this last June, I ended up getting in 8 more during the summer.
I guess if I would've started 30 years ago I'd be about $200,000.00 poorer 
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uh oh
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D
Needs a job
Posts: 3365
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posted February 08, 2005 09:53 PM
I better hope the lil lady doesn't read that!
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Hells Dark Lord
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living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted February 09, 2005 04:00 PM
it got you, hook line and sinker.....heheheheh just liek it does all of us....I am jonseing for a track day, but its still too freaking cold here......this year Mid Ohio, Putnam, Grattan, and Nashville are on my list of wants, along with one to Barbers.......
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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k bryant
Needs a job
Sponsor
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posted February 09, 2005 06:09 PM
I'll see you at Fontana....
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kz2zx
Pro
Nobody in Particular
Posts: 1166
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posted February 10, 2005 01:06 PM
It got me that way, too, but it wasn't Willow. I'm really sorry I couldn't go with y'all, but the wife promises me a chance to go to the Cali tracks this summer.
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ASMA 47
WERA 147
www.dhowellbooks.com
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted February 11, 2005 08:10 AM
 Edited By: 12RPilot on 11 Feb 2005 08:11
HDL, who do you ride with? STT? NESBA? I'm planning on Mid Ohio, Putnam, Grattan, Gingerman and Road America this summer. Oh yeah, that new track over by Chicago too.
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If you aren't an AMA member, you're part of the problem.
NESBA #209
http://www.bikepics.com/members/12rpilot/04zx10r/
 
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted February 12, 2005 04:23 AM
dont ride with any group or organization, though I will probably have to this year. I usually just do open track days. My buddy use to run the trackdays down on Roebling Road, but due to insurance premiums going up this year he couldnt do it. I was talking to Crashtech and he just joined one of those organizations, so I will probably join whichever one he has, because we will probably go together.....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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