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There are so many ways

We arrived at the track on time at about 7:15 on Saturday morning and quickly unloaded the bikes and set up our easy-up next to some of our riding buddies from 421. Actually, we almost missed the turn-in because we were looking at the houses being built on the other side of the road and the sign for the racetrack isn’t very large. Luckily, John spotted several vehicles in the driveway waiting to get in or we would have driven right on by. On the bright side, the weather couldn’t have been better for our track day. The skies were cloudless and bright sunshine ruled as temperatures climbed into the mid 70’s by the afternoon. It turned out to be a picture perfect fall day, tailor-made for some on-track fun.

The event, which was professionally run and well-organized by Sportbike Track Time, was sold out. Our best estimate is there were about sixty-five to seventy-five riders in attendance, broken up into three groups consisting of Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. John rode in the Intermediate class while Lesley rode in the Novice class. There were a lot of really good riders there and John especially enjoyed mixing it up with riders of similar ability to his in the Intermediate class.

John’s Version
I learned a lot about me, my riding ability, my RC 51, the tires I was using, and my bike’s suspension set-up. I learned that by riding on 421 as much as I do, my corner speed was better than most of the guys in my group. I could carry my speed deep into every turn on the track, closing the gap on the rider in front of me most of the time. The RC 51 made this easy. Because the brakes are so good and the front end just felt planted and secure, I was never the least bit concerned about tucking the front. The rear end, on the other hand, was a different matter. I had my first experience with wheel spin and the back stepping out on corner exits, as well as a few mid-turn rear wheel slides. I believe this was due to a combination of not enough rear tire grip and improper shock set-up. I plan to do a lot of tire research as well as fine tune the damping in my Penske shock prior to our next track day in the spring.

The second session of the afternoon was the best of the day, and I really found out what it’s like to be in the “zone.” I’ve felt that way somewhat before, but never like this. I was so focused on what I was doing, so mentally attentive to the task of riding fast and being consistent with my shifts that there was nothing else in the world except for Dave from Birmingham on his Gixxer 1000, who was in front of me. He is what had me so focused. We rode together for almost the entire session, and I wish I could say I was being consistent with my lines, but for the most part I wasn’t. I was trying so hard to pass him that I was trying every conceivable line through the turns to go around. The turns were the only place where I had a prayer since that Suzook is so fast. I’d go inside and then I’d go outside; I tried the short way around and the long way around, braking later and later with every lap, occasionally being able to show him a wheel, only to be left in his exhaust on every straight away. Man, that was so much fun! We were pushing each other to ride harder and harder, both of us becoming faster in the process. Lap after lap we diced back and forth for the lead, not really racing in the terms in which I think of it, but definitely trying hard and exploring the 90% limit of our ability, which we had been told not to exceed. He told me later that he could here my big V-twin on his tail in the turns, but I already knew he was aware of my presence since he kept looking back on the straight aways to see what kind of a gap he had pulled. The best thing is that I got it all on video tape. That’s right, I had the cam corder rolling the entire time and got the whole thing on tape!

I also learned what happens when a person loses concentration, even if it’s only for a second. After I saw the checkered flag come out signaling the end of the session, I down shifted sloppily at the end of the front straight just as I was entering the second turn causing the back wheel to hop. I quickly decided that I couldn’t lean it in at the speed I was traveling and opted instead for an off-track excursion into the grass, saving it right in front of some spectators who were yelling and clapping and giving me the thumbs up for not going down. I felt like Nicky Hayden making a save in a super bike race, although I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as dramatic. I quickly got the bike turned in the right direction, completed the cool down lap, and immediately went to find Dave to congratulate him on some really great riding. What fun that was. Even my little detour added to the track day experience, and I improved my skill at not panicking in an unexpected situation.

I think I ended up riding in six twenty-minute sessions; three before lunch and three after. There might have been a fourth intermediate session in the afternoon, but I’m not sure since I was so tired after my sixth session of the day that I was ready to pack up and go get some dinner.

All in all it was a total blast! The short, 1.35 mile track was a huge amount of fun, the organizers did a great job with the event, safety seemed to be a top priority, and as far as I could tell all the participants had a great time. I’m already looking forward to next year.

Lesley’s Version
The biggest argument that John and I have had happened a few weeks ago when he was trying to cram me into a one-piece leather so I could do track days. Let’s just put it this way: I looked a bit like a squashed Frankenstein, with my shoulders squashed down and the biggest wedgie you ever saw going on down below. My arms were out to my side and I had to walk in the stilted way that little kids in snowsuits walk. If that weren’t bad enough, when I looked at the side view, my waist looked about 45 inches wide and the boobs were even flatter than usual. Worse still, I had to get it off somehow, which all led to the why-in-the-heck-can’t-we-be-satisfied-with-simply-riding-on-the street-and-I’m-too-old-to-be-doing-this-crap argument. However, after seeing how much it means to John, I decided that the best birthday present I could give him was to give track days a try and not have a melt-down the morning of the track day, hence Talladega.

The novice class was perfect for me, and even it was divided into three groups: advanced novice, intermediate novice, and novice novice. Intermediate novice sounded good to me, and it was just the right niche for me. We began by following an instructor around the track: first time around, completely on the right side of the track; second time around, completely on the left side; third time around, in the middle of the track; fourth time around, race line. After that we sped up, trying to follow the race line each time.

As the day wore on, I started leaning more and more, which is one of the things I’ve been working on since the Schwantz school, and going faster and faster. The first few times through the horseshoe, I’d scare myself and start shaking my head, which is my way of letting John know that I’m not amused when we’re riding. However, half-way through the second session, I really started to have some fun in that horseshoe. By the third session, I was feeling pretty darned good in the horseshoe. I’ve got a long way to go, but this track day really went a long way to increase my confidence and skills.

One of the nicest things about Sportbike Track Time’s track day is a women and two-up session after lunch. There were probably twelve bikes total for this session, which was quite nice. Unfortunately, a couple of beagles decided to join the fun, playing dodge the motorcycles, which red-flagged the session until they could be caught.

My only faux-pas of the day happened during the next session. The call came for the novice riders to come to the grid. When I got there several minutes later, a bunch of riders were leaving the pit, and I thought somehow I was late. As I made my way up to the starter person, I was waved on out. Here I am, taking my time, warming up my tires, when suddenly, ZOOM-ZOOM, two riders zip past me in the horseshoe. I’m thinking, “Man, these guys got really fast after lunch,” and then I see the corner worker with the yellow flag up, and then he crosses the yellow flag and the red flag and points them at me. What the hell does that mean? They covered the yellow flag, the yellow flag waving, the red flag, but NOT yellow and red flags crossed. Does that mean I’m supposed to pull over? I remember Monte saying not to stop on the track for any reason, so I keep going, very carefully, as bikes are swarming around me, passing me like there’s no tomorrow, and then I figure it out. I have gotten in the advanced group, and now I’m the beagle on the track, causing yellow flags to go up everywhere.

After that, everything went fine, and I just wish we had signed up for both days. Best of all, John was beaming with pride every time I came off the track, which made me feel great.

BTW, yesterday we rode 421 and on up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Know what? My track day experience really made me feel more confident in the corners, and I was able to ride more swiftly through the turns, increasing my lean angles, which is what track time is all about for me.

A big thanks to Monte and Bonnie for their excellent organization. We’re looking forward to participating in their track days next year.

For more information on Sportbike Track Time, visit them at www.sportbiketracktime.com, or contact them at 419-822-0350.