Fuuuuuck.
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Fuuuuuck.
Get your license and start racing the very first weekend after you've decided you want to do it. Any weekends you skip because "you're not ready" or "you want to start during Round X" are weekends you'll regret missing.
Totally agreed with this.
Let me add that once you hit a certain pace, the faster you get, the LESS fun the novice class is. You don't want to get too big for your britches before you start because LRRS is still going to make you start at square 1.
And all this hogwash I've heard people considering racing say about getting super prepared is just that, hogwash. See your first round or two as a learning experience. It's much easier to prepare for something once you've done it.
Jump in, the water's fine.
Sold, October it is. What's the deal with tail number plates? Do I stick on some sort of white sheets or just rattle can that bitch? My tail can't possibly get any uglier than it is right now. For the front, I'm thinking I will just get some long zip ties and stick a MX plate below my gauges.
There is usually some white vinyl floating around or if you are feeling super industrious, just tape off and paint the tail white if it is as ugly as you say.
Most people with naked bikes (assuming you are racing whatever you are riding in your avatar) do exactly as you described with a white plate and zip ties to the front.
Red numbers can be purchased from Miles at Street and Comp trackside.
^^^ This guy, he's okay.
:twofinger
Properly prepared rider and equipment are absolutely valid.
My language was imprecise, but my comment was geared more towards some would-be racers I've spoken to that think they need to be riding like Rossi before they start racing.
You don't need to be turning in lap times in the teens or even the 20's to start racing with LRRS.
IMHO, the rider should be relatively comfortable on the track (including inside passes), and generally be able to follow the race line / be predictable.
If your bike/equipment is safe for a track day, a little time spent (worst case the night after your basic course) safety wiring / installing eject, etc. should be able to bring it up to snuff for racing.
Anything above and beyond that seems to be a needless delay in starting your racing career.
Hell I had never done a track day before getting my license season but was well aware of what I was getting myself into and performed and learned accordingly. Granted I my learning curve was a bit longer than others who had been doing trackdays my first weekend started with 1.42s and but the end of the weekend was down in the mid 30s and by round 5 I was turning 1:25-1:26s. anything is possible with the right frame of mind and determination.
I'm trying to put together a budget for Sep-Oct. More of a forecast than a budget, in reality. What other costs should I build into a race weekend besides typical trackday costs, basic school, and races? I have plenty of tires, dont have a transponder.
Vinyl and numbers.
Hookers and blow.
Off the top of my head...
Eject system $50
License fees $60
Entry fees $60 / race (I think, non GT?)
For racing you must buy fuel at the track, pick your flavor, but buy there. ~$20-$60?
Perhaps a fuel container ~$30
Numbers ~$20
Food ~$100
Camping ~$50
Entry ~$25
Garage ~$0-$175
Basics ~$250
My understanding is that for noobs transponders are free for the first 3 weekends. I could have bad information.
Where's the beer line-item?
I *think* camping is technically $25, and if you mooch off Adam for Saturday night's BBQ you could have some money left for beer. Not good beer, but beer :D.
I love this post as i plan on dong the same thing next spring. I would have started earlier but from August to May I'm straight out.
Like some, I tend to over think the progression and I want/wanted to be as good as possible before being the noob.
You have to create a benchmark to judge yourself against at some point in time, why not start sooner rather than later?
Fuck it....I'm doing it...my 1st race ever this weekend.
Come on out and join me in the rookie race. I'm gonna win that race!!!!
(Fingers crossed I am able to finish it lol@me)
Just to amend:
Eject system: $60
Races: first 4 races are half price, so $30 each
Fuel: it was about $3.80/gal. You'll need a lot for basic school day, not so much for the race weekend. I think there are only 4 (maybe more if you race in middle and heavyweight also) races you can participate as a novice and they're only 8 laps.
Garage: center garage has an open bay for novices, that's free
Transponder: 3 free weekends, only redeemable the year you get your license.
Just get in there and do it, dude. You'll be better for it at the start of next season.
Where do you grab the transponder first weekend, at tech ?