Oct 14th Track Day

[Sbk12rs]

Just sent my payment for $155 clams !!!! Who's in ?? I haven't put the light bulbs back in or even taken the tape off yet for that matter from the Aug11th day yet

[02SuperHawkRdr]

I sent the check in today. Can't wait!

[Karaya One]

I'll be there!

With the grill.....

[OreoGaborio]

most likely gonna send in a check later this week

[darkchylde51]

If I can get my bike fixed in time, I'll def. be there! Looking hopeful... *fingers crossed*

[court1129]

I'll be there cornerworking

[Lucky13]

Who's running this track day

[Lucky13]

I think I answered my own question...

http://www.tonystrackdays.com/

[Suf Daddy]

Sounds like Steve and Highsider are going too.......

I'll have to look for a credit card now.........

Q: AT NHIS, does anyone get air under the lookout tower (turn 8)?
Its the highest point on the track and road course.

I unweight cars cresting the hill there.............
-Suf Daddy

[Paul_E_D]

I don't know about getting air, but plenty of people crash there If you are really aggressive, and hit the wrong line, it can unweight the tires enough to lose traction. It's the most dangerous spot on the track to go down IMO.

Don't worry though, it take YEARS to develop the nuts required to take T8 that fast on a motorcycle. Most people have survival reactions going off like crazy which prevent them from having any real speed through there.

[highsider]

I'll be flogging the old Concours around the track on Oct. 14th, my first bike event. Suf Daddy and I are both instructors with the Audi Club car track events, have lots of laps around the track.

Is the line one takes on a motorcycle different that it the line for a car? Also, is that big, nasty bump at the end of turn 2 (where you merge back onto the oval) scary on a bike? Makes a hell of a racket in a car.

I wonder if I should take the centerstand off so it doesn't drag in the corners......

[elaineo]

i'll be there! will send in a check asap

....i wonder what i'll be riding there

[legalspeed]

Lines are much different, we use the whole track.

My front end lofts in 4, 7-8, and down the front straight briefly when I hit 3rd.

Yes and no to the T2 transition, we can minimize it's affects on the bike by weighting the pegs.

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by highsider
Is the line one takes on a motorcycle different that it the line for a car? Also, is that big, nasty bump at the end of turn 2 (where you merge back onto the oval) scary on a bike? Makes a hell of a racket in a car.

I wonder if I should take the centerstand off so it doesn't drag in the corners......

well, i'm still a rookie w/ only one track day in me, but i'll offer my advice anyway

i'd take off the centerstand, but it's not a necessity. Steve (w/ the BMW K1200S) couldn't get his off, but didn't have any problems w/ it. he was dragging pegs before he got the stand down (which didn't happen)

turn in a little late & hard into T2 & you cross the transition a little smoother. there's a little dirt patch on the right side of the track, use that as your turn in point. It's not that bad. That's where i was able to get my knee down for the first time. Legalspeed's right, just weight the pegs... no biggie

[Paul_E_D]

I've never lapped it in a car, but I've watched them on Thursdays. It's similar, but on a bike you have many more possibilities than in a car. Your only touching the track with a 2 inch wide contact patch vs 4+ feet total width in a car.

As such, you can either hit the bump in T2, or avoid it depending on your line. A late entry and shallow exit make for a pretty smooth ride. It's pretty much the same deal in 3. The thing is, it's easier to wander and get off line than it is in a car.

Your knowledge will help you out for sure, but patience is going to important. You won't be running your car pace anytime soon! Crashing a bike hurts, and it's wise to respect that...

Take off the center stand for sure!

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Paul_E_D
Your knowledge will help you out for sure, but patience is going to important. You won't be running your car pace anytime soon! Crashing a bike hurts, and it's wise to respect that...

yeah, what kinda time does the average car/drive usually turn there, anyway?

[highsider]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
yeah, what kinda time does the average car/drive usually turn there, anyway?

The track events I do are like the Tony's Track Days, we're not allowed to time them. Most of the SCCA Production-type cars run between 1:05 and 1:10 or more, depending on the driver, the car, etc.

Suf Daddy always rents a car (seriously - like from Hertz or whatever) and drives on the grass more than the track - keeps up with prepped track cars. I rode with a guy in an Audi A4 once, we tried to catch Suf in a rented Chevy Malibu, decided it wasn't worth nailing the wall......

I'm very, very excited to get some real instruction on how to ride a bike at speed.

I have a good Vanson jacket - should I buy some leather pants or is it better to go with a one-piece suit?

[Paul_E_D]

1:05 in a production car? How can that be? I know the cars skip the T12 chicane , which makes 11 faster and give a better drive onto the straight, but come on, no car accelerates like a 600 sportbike, or an open classer.

Would those times include skipping 1, 1a, 2?

[hohum]

The club I raced with (BMWCCA) typically ran 1:18's to 1:20's in the class I was racing in.

See the results of their last race here: http://www.boston-bmwcca.org/results...ing.asp?race=2

and that's with an eliminated 1, 1a/2 and a different setup for the second chicane as well.

Basically if you can pull 1:18s up there you are competative at the club level.

Cheers,
Chris

PS - the fastest car times I have seen with that setup are in the 1:10s, and a more typical fast time is in the 1:14s

[Paul_E_D]

That makes more sense...and is consistent with what I have been told.

Do you ever get to run the 1, 1a, 2 sequence? Any idea on times using that section?

[hohum]

I have never run with the chicane-chicane setup that the bikes run, but I think that Scotty has. Maybe he'll chime in on the times, but I would guess that with the chicane-chicane setup cars (at the club level) would likely be running 1:16's or so fastest... Just a guess though.

Cheers,
Chris

[highsider]

My bad....as I said, we dont time our events.

I looked at the Mo-Hud region SCCA web page, they had Nissan Sentras running 1:10, so I was hypothesizing that BMW's and the like ought to run 5 sec quicker.

Now I realize that some of those Sentras are probably GT1 cars that are tube frame, etc.. I'm stupid.

Hohum - what chapter of the BMWCCA did you run with? I also instruct with the White Mountain and Boston chapters.

I think when they run the cars, they run both chicanes, although in club schools I've seen it done with most every combo of the oval/chincane, stc.

[hohum]

highsider, I ran with the Boston chapter several years back (first year of the E36 M3 if that gives you any idea

Things have changed alot, but its cool that the E36 M3 is still competative, but who knows how long they will be able to continue running club races given the ever so poor turnout.

Cheers,
Chris

[sahd03]

hohum and highsider - do you guys know a guy named Bruce Wiggett from your automobile track days? he runs an older audi on the track, I don't think he takes his TT out there... he is an instructor for one of the groups, but I can't remember which.. lives in Brattleboro...

[MC]

I will DEFINATELY be there. The 11th was my first time too and now I'm officially hooked!