Race/Trackday Pics........Post them UP!!!

[Rada]

4 photos and a very quick story. A little trip down memory lane. After a handful of trackdays with TTD in 2011, I sold my street bike and bought a motard to go racing 2012. As luck would having it, I ended up garaging with the legendary G2 - Adam, Lou, Dave & myself. 2012 was one of the best years of my life. Fresh out of school. Broke. Trying to go racing. Making a lot of friends. Relationships going crazy. Dropped 40 pounds. I miss it. Had a great great year and got fully enthralled into the LRRS scene.


Next year, Black number plates, still broke, just couldn't get the bike running right and no money to make it work. Made it 3 weekends and that was it, the end of my racing career. Marco took some dope photos this year (after really honing his skills and niche in the pits the year before).


Fast forward to like 2014? On a whim I bought a relatively stock, but track prepped Daytona off of NESR. It was set up with 190 continentals (or something). I made the hike up to NYST for the first day for a day trip and replace the tires with 180 Q3's. It didn't turn for shit, but I thought it was just me...rusty...first time on a bike. I didn't get out of the slow group and felt like I was a hazard out there. Anyway, I sent it to PK after that and got it dialed. I went to my first TTD and started in red group, very concerned after my performance at NYST. I think was in blue or black by the end. Also my first time at Thompson. Photo from that day - by Arcy.


Worked my way up the TTD ranks and Tony brought me on board as a control rider. Working with Paul to understand how to set up a Daytona, and more importantly, how to ride it, I extracted everything I could from the Q3s and finally went back to race rubber. Then it alllll clicked again. This photo is from NYST in 2018. The second to last day I rode a motorcycle on a track. Uptown NYST. That day, Pete said he couldn't catch me which was one of the best compliments I've received. I was on it. Next day was downtown and I blew it up with a downshift into wheelie hill (the opposite way). Over rev caused a valve to drop. Its back on track with Neil at the helm now.

Great post man!!!


When Lou mentioned your name I had no clue who you were but was like OK. You fit in with our crew perfectly. We were such an unlikely crew and we hit it off so well. It really was a magical year in 2012.

[Paul_E_D]

These stories are fun to read. It's amazing how deeply racing a motorcycle roots in your psyche. Almost everyone who has done says that it remains a part of their identity or that they never really stop thinking about it.

I'm in my second go at this crazy sport. I first raced from 99-2007. My first run ended in a crazy way. Having won the 125GP championship in 06 was a huge accomplishment, but at the same time, the GP bike scene was falling apart as manufacturers dropped them from production. I was going to have to race a national series USGPRU in 07 if I wanted more competition. I was unsure I could actually afford it, but preparations were being made. Then, a month after the 06 season was over I was out for a ride on my duc with my ex-wife. On the way home I rode passenger and the worst case scenario happened. A driver coming the other way decided to bang a left at the last possible second without slowing or indicating. He just turned straight into us at 45 MPH. We were also doing 45. Not even time to swerve we hit headlight to headlight. I was instantly catapulted high into the air and I landed flat on my back 50 feet up the road. Miraculously I didn't break any bones or hit my head. But I had some sever soft tissue damage along my spine and a few bulging discs in my neck. Pain and reduced mobility over the next 4 years ended my racing career and the accident also marked the beginning of the end of the marriage.

I sold all my bikes minus a dirtbike and took a few years off. I slowly got back into street riding and trackdays. It was part of my identity I could not let go. Fast Forward 9 years and I was getting together with JerseyGirl. She was racing vintage and it was a huge part of her life. I was reluctant, but realized that I was on my way back into the sport. I warned her that if I go racing, I am all in. That's just how I roll. She kept pushing me to do it, so I bought the R6 and started prepping it.

When I first hit the grid again in 2017, it was a bit of a shocker. The R6 was a much different animal than the 125. They took me back as an expert, so I was straight in the deep end. I had a few serious moments and a few conflicts with other riders as I got up to speed as quickly as possible. There is an established pecking order out there, and they don't just let you back in easy! After I smoothed things out and settled in I just started to learn how to get a good laptime on a middleweight bike. Results have been getting better ever since.

I have to say that I think I'm enjoying racing MORE the second time around. It doesn't have that same insane adrenaline overload like it did the first time, but it's just better in many ways. Firstly, I have 100 percent support and understanding from my girlfriend. This is huge. I'm lucky as hell in that regard. I even convinced Kerry to prep her SV and race modern bikes and she's loving it! Second, I had a bigger network of friends involved. TTD staffers are present in big numbers and the vibe is awesome. Third, I tried an entirely new platform in the R6 and there is a lot to learn. It has been really rewarding to put into practice the methods that I have been teaching others for the last 10 years and to see the results. and finally, I can actually afford it this go around!

Hopefully some of you guys give it another go. It's worth it!

[jimmycapp]

Then, a month after the 06 season was over I was out for a ride on my duc with my ex-wife. On the way home I rode passenger and the worst case scenario happened. A driver coming the other way decided to bang a left at the last possible second without slowing or indicating. He just turned straight into us at 45 MPH. We were also doing 45. Not even time to swerve we hit headlight to headlight. I was instantly catapulted high into the air and I landed flat on my back 50 feet up the road. Miraculously I didn't break any bones or hit my head. But I had some sever soft tissue damage along my spine and a few bulging discs in my neck. Pain and reduced mobility over the next 4 years ended my racing career and the accident also marked the beginning of the end of the marriage.

Wow. Welcome back.

[nhbubba]

This thread drove me to spend over 2 hours on the yootoobes watching race videos from the year I raced in 2015. I still cannot believe I raced a goddamned motorcycle! As my wife says, "that seems dangerous and irresponsible".

I think I muttered to Pete the first time I visited the garages at LRRS "they really let you do this uh?!" Throw a bunch of lunatics in a fenced in area with motorcycles and as much gasoline as they can burn, close the gate and see what happens. What could go wrong?!

Oh, and NV MW races are sketchy as FUCK! Just so you know.

[k_cotter]

This is awesome. These stories are great. I think there are a bunch of us eating 'memberberries' right now...

[tsorfas]

This is awesome. These stories are great. I think there are a bunch of us eating 'memberberries' right now...

I’m not crying, you’re crying

[nt650hawk]

OH yeah I remember

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[k_cotter]

OH yeah I remember

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HAHA!!

[xrocket21]

I wish I had saved the pics from the one trackday I did

[Paul_E_D]

I wish I had saved the pics from the one trackday I did

That's not it one post above? lol

[k_cotter]

This one cracks me up. Eric seems to be telling @loudbeard , @sdog30 and myself that we should be breaking WAY later than we currently are. We seem a bit skeptical....

[tsorfas]

[nt650hawk]

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

[Rada]

Pretty sure this was my rookie race..

I echo Paul about being there with a big group of familiar faces. The ECK and RSP crew along with all the rest of the TTD staff were integral to my success. Even without success on the track the hang time at the track with all the crew that is the center garages.

[csmutty]

Pretty sure this was my rookie race..

I echo Paul about being there with a big group of familiar faces. The ECK and RSP crew along with all the rest of the TTD staff were integral to my success. Even without success on the track the hang time at the track with all the crew that is the center garages.

I spot Jay in the back left.

I still have the book Marco made. Awesome to look through it every once in a while and see all y'all. Good memories!

[theducman]

I spot Jay in the back left.

I still have the book Marco made. Awesome to look through it every once in a while and see all y'all. Good memories!

I should have bought that book. I Think there is a pic of me in it.

[Rada]

I should have bought that book. I Think there is a pic of me in it.

That book is full of memories. I bet you are in it.

[Johnny B]

Before there were track days.....
In April of 1988, Robinson's Cycle Craft rented Bryar Motorsports Park so that their customers could play for a day. I took their Ducati F1B out for a ride and scared the crap out of myself.
Two months later, Gary Stas won the BOTT Modified Production on this bike at the AMA national, giving Two Brothers Racing their first defeat of the season. The day before, Jimmy Adamo told us, "If you can beat those loudmouths, you'll be national heroes!"

[Rada]

Racing Steve Heider's beloved Dumpster Fire in the USCRA Big Fish Small Pond endurance race was a highlight for me. Even if I thought I was going to die on that thing I had a ball. Our team was LACK of Control. Lou, Adam, Chuck and Ken. If I had it to do again I would have tossed some heavier springs in that thing but oh well. We gave it back to Steve in one piece with an intact head gasket.

[Paul_E_D]

Racing Steve Heider's beloved Dumpster Fire in the USCRA Big Fish Small Pond endurance race was a highlight for me. Even if I thought I was going to die on that thing I had a ball. Our team was LACK of Control. Lou, Adam, Chuck and Ken. If I had it to do again I would have tossed some heavier springs in that thing but oh well. We gave it back to Steve in one piece with an intact head gasket.

The head gasket being the miraculous part...

[csmutty]

Racing Steve Heider's beloved Dumpster Fire in the USCRA Big Fish Small Pond endurance race was a highlight for me. Even if I thought I was going to die on that thing I had a ball. Our team was LACK of Control. Lou, Adam, Chuck and Ken. If I had it to do again I would have tossed some heavier springs in that thing but oh well. We gave it back to Steve in one piece with an intact head gasket.

That turkey pan took some abuse

[csmutty]

Oh man. Great friggin memories with great people.

First time I ever got on track was Penguin. Worked at a motorcycle shop at the time and borrowed my boss' EX500. Ended up wadding it during my first race and the "you break it you bought it" thingy happened.



KB helping me fix my bike... I crashed and bent the shit out of the forks. Since it was an EX500 we were turning the forks in the triples so both forks were bent the same direction so I could make it out for the next race.



One of the few races my motard actually worked.



This one time TimmyDuck was leading the Diavel demo rides... They told us not to wheelie or do anything dumb at the truck and then Timmy rips a huge wheelie and it was game on. He also convinced me to take a picture with these girls with great personalities.



Last time I raced. That bike was a really good time.



That infamous time...



The motard trilogies...you become a better mechanic than a Ducati owner.



Dave Olivares!



Confirmed...Jay was working on the motard...

[JettaJayGLS]

I had hairy legs too!

[MUZ720]

From 2010 I was F50 Champ. Great group awesome times, the guys on the ends are still racing.. I have retried twice... this was part of my second comeback. Like others have said it becomes part of who you are..

[Rada]

I spy a boos too