Round 1 NOV#613 report- I love you all, and ouch.

[nt650hawk]

Glad I could play a lil bike nurse.

[tsorfas]

I don't know what the hell was going on in there when you guys were getting your licenses but that shit took forever. a bunch of damn near fell asleep at dinner because we have to wait so long for Savvas.

They had one person only doing both renewals and licensing. We were there for 3 hours and still I had to finish it online and register for races online.

[Chippertheripper]

Gecko: see post #22.

[Gecko]

Gecko: see post #22.

Yes, I did read that before I posted. However, I know he was worried that some people might interpret his race report along the lines of how you posted. Novices catch a lot of crap ... some justified, some not. I though it fair to dispel any notion that he was that type of novice.
It's all good man.

[carsick]

Yes, I did read that before I posted. However, I know he was worried that some people might interpret his race report along the lines of how you posted. Novices catch a lot of crap ... some justified, some not. I though it fair to dispel any notion that he was that type of novice.
It's all good man.

Gecko, thanks for the support, but I MAY be that kind of novice. I might just be a squid in an aging body. Chipper's caution was valid, I was making mistakes and so were many others. Now stop squabbling!

Goals for next round- Preparation, safe consistent lines, and an extension cord. I might take a few more rounds before I can relax enough to flow with it. Some of us never reach enlightenment.

[CBR929RE]

Gecko, thanks for the support, but I MAY be that kind of novice. I might just be a squid in an aging body. Chipper's caution was valid, I was making mistakes and so were many others. Now stop squabbling!

Goals for next round- Preparation, safe consistent lines, and an extension cord. I might take a few more rounds before I can relax enough to flow with it. Some of us never reach enlightenment.

you'll be fine next round. you have an idea of the off the track stuff so now there's less to worry about so you can just focus on your riding

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

I think what chip is getting at is (ill use you as the example) you crashed twice in one day, made contact with at least 1 person (although you admit to 2), target fixated and ran off the track, and while doing so cut across the racing line and went out on the track with pressures in the teens...and the thing is you're taking this all very lightly. You could've been seriously hurt by any one of those dumb or "rookie " mistakes or worse yet hurt someone else.
I don't know you so I don't know if you're just trying to make light of it all and are truly thankful that you made it out alive but there's really no excuse for some of your mistakes. If you haven't figured out how to not target fixate or make a pass that doesn't involve contact with another rider, then you should either rethink racing or get your shit together.
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I've got friends out there sharing the track with you.

[tsorfas]

It was first weekend of the year. There was a shitton of crashes Friday and Saturday. People are rusted. He did rookie mistakes and I'm sure he learned.
I crashed on a TD when I went out with no pressure in my tires.
I got spooked by burges in the bowl and almost took him out.
Ya they were in track days but you learn as you progress

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

I can overlook gridding in the wrong spot. Rookie mistake
I could overlook the crash in 10 but he had no air in the tires. This and some other stuff is gonna get someone hurt if it continues.

Again, I'm not trying to be a dick, but everyone patting him on the back for a great weekend seems wrong to me.

[jasnmar]

Based on the fact that he called himself out on most of this, I'd say he has learned.

Rather than advising him on stuff he could have done better, who's willing to step up and play ambassador to rookie to help alleviate these types of rookie mistakes on site?

I get it. Rookies should do better. Maybe they are called rookies because they don't know better.

As I posted in another rookie thread... "Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment."

What do I know? I haven't made these rookie mistakes yet.

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

Maybe its not all entirely his fault. But he was surrounded by people who DO know better. Is it their responsibility to babysit him? No. But he can ask for help and everyone up there is willing to do so.
We aren't building rockets. If you've been doing TDs then you should be just about up to speed on what to do. Racing isn't that much different than TDs. Bike prep is still the same, and getting around the track is the same. Especially as a NV. I understand that the adrenaline takes over and people make mistakes on the track. I've seen it and I've done it. I'm not perfect either.
Make yourself a checklist of things you need to do if that helps.

[nhbubba]

If you've been doing TDs then you should be just about up to speed on what to do. Racing isn't that much different than TDs. Bike prep is still the same, and getting around the track is the same.

I do not believe any of this.

[jasnmar]

I do not believe any of this.

And even if this is true, the fact that it is true is only hindsight.

I was terrified my first track day as well. While that's "old hat" for many, it isn't for a first timer. Hell I barely slept the night before my first track day, much less an actual race.

Creating a checklist of things you don't know is impossible. If you knew them, you wouldn't need a check list.

[nhbubba]

If you don't know what question to ask, asking it is ... challenging.
Hell, I couldn't even figure out the right place to park as a spectator!

I lack the first hand experience. So does Jason. Maybe Oxx is right.
But I doubt it. I think he's oversimplifying with the track-day thing.

Doug is a sometimes self-deprecating sarcastic, wise-ass. (Takes one to know one.) I interpret most of this post in that voice. If he was really the rolling ball of fire in everyone's way, I didn't notice. My camera missed it too.

I did see an amateur cut another amateur off pretty hard in T6 very early in the day on Saturday. I have shots of the whole thing. I'm guessing that shit happens sometimes out there.

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

Tell me what's different between the 2 then.
-registration
-tech
-go out in your group or race

The idea /point of the NV class is give people a place to get their feet wet in racing. In other words...its a TD session with gridding and a checkered flag. Just go out and do what you've done during every other TD session you've done.
I guess I just see it as, if you've done enough TDs that you now own a TD specific bike and have done enough TDs that you want to go racing, then simple stuff like tire pressures, making clean passes and not target fixating should be second nature at that point.
I'm really not trying to bash anyone.
And bubba, you've never taken a green flag so I don't care what you believe.

[Chippertheripper]

Ox is right. And it's sad when ox, of all people, is the voice of reason.

I just sometimes have a hard time putting some of this stuff out there without massive helpings of snark.

[nhbubba]

And bubba, you've never taken a green flag so I don't care what you believe.

That's perfectly fair. Ultimately you're the expert, not me.

[Doc]

Maybe he just needs a group of guys to bitch slap him when he does something silly. That is what Oxx used to do to me.

[jasnmar]

Is there a requirement somewhere that a person must do a certain number of track days before they can take the basic course and get a license?

I've tried to read the Rulebook a number of times. I'm too ignorant to ask intelligent questions about it, so maybe i missed this as well.

As to specific questions above... I don't know all of the differences. To the ones I know ...

Track day registration has never taken me 3 hours. The fact that it takes 3 hours leads me to believe that there may be more complicating factors that I'm not aware of.

If I show up obviously clueless on a goldwing and say I'm here for the advanced track day group, I expect that some of the people stickering the bikes would have inquired further. I have no proof of this, so that could be entirely my fault. No one checked my tire pressure. No one told me I should.

As to tech, I used the trackday page as a checklist for my bike. Requirements were fairly minimal. Good tires. Good brakes. Filter wired. Glass taped (I don't have any glass other than mirrors). Brake lights disabled (for me remove a fuse).
For racing, at least from my perspective, passing tech is much different. The fact that you have to go through it may not be, but passing is.
I suspect that rolling up to race tech on my current ride would cause alarms to go off. I could, again, be wrong. Similar to above, I'm still reasonably ignorant of what is required to pass race tech. If I show up with a bike that has previously passed, I can understand how this would be considered a minimal effort in principle. If I show up with a bike that has never been through tech I have no idea what to expect.

If you are expecting people who have never taken a green flag to behave as if they have, either you have unrealistic expectations or there needs to be a change in licensing requirements.

I'm probably even less qualified than Bubba in this regard. I have less time on a bike that resembles a sport bike and am actively considering starting to race. If I'm going to be expected to behave like an expert my rookie weekend, I probably need to rethink that.

[Trouble]

Doug may sound light hearted about his antics on Saturday but from my conversations with him that evening I am confident he took his actions seriously. While he did make some mistakes who among us can honestly say the they haven't? Every racer that I know certainly has and risked their own life or someone else's in the process. As far as I'm concerned that's part of racing. No. That's part of life.

We can all sit back and bench race what he should have done differently. Those that have been track riding for years wouldn't make those same mistakes now. It's unfair to hold someone that doesn't have the same experiences to the same standards. Clearly lessons have been learned and I'm willing to bet he won't need to learn them again.

I cant say that I know Doug all that well but having spoken with him and ridden with him on the track I think he's a great addition to the sport. I'm not trying to downplay the potential consequences of mistakes at the track but belittling new racers because they make mistakes will not only make them less likely to return but it will also intimidate other riders who may be considering racing.

[DZircher]

I know that I'm the new gal on the block but may suggest...

We start a new thread. One which is not attached to a particular rider's story.
We could discuss with the more experienced riders; lessons which are common to most Novices, typical oversites and perhaps get out in front of a few of them before they are made.

-diz

[tsorfas]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)



The idea /point of the NV class is give people a place to get their feet wet in racing. In other words...its a TD session with gridding and a checkered flag. Just go out and do what you've done during every other TD session you've done.
I guess I just see it as, if you've done enough TDs that you now own a TD specific bike and have done enough TDs that you want to go racing, then simple stuff like tire pressures, making clean passes and not target fixating should be second nature at that point.

Has he done enough TDs? I don't know.!
Like I said I have find most if his mistakes from the weekend in the course if two years doing TDs.

[carsick]

What the fuck happened in here while I was gone??? Have you people never heard of exaggeration for comic effect? I'd like to hear from the other riders that were on track with me. They didn't seem to mind that I was drunk. I usually make it to about 700 forum posts before the police are called, so just hang in there a little longer.

[SVRACER01]

That's perfectly fair. Ultimately you're the expert, not me.

im no expert.

Is there a requirement somewhere that a person must do a certain number of track days before they can take the basic course and get a license?


Track day registration has never taken me 3 hours. The fact that it takes 3 hours leads me to believe that there may be more complicating factors that I'm not aware of.

If I show up obviously clueless on a goldwing and say I'm here for the advanced track day group, I expect that some of the people stickering the bikes would have inquired further. I have no proof of this, so that could be entirely my fault. No one checked my tire pressure. No one told me I should.

As to tech, I used the trackday page as a checklist for my bike. Requirements were fairly minimal. Good tires. Good brakes. Filter wired. Glass taped (I don't have any glass other than mirrors). Brake lights disabled (for me remove a fuse).
For racing, at least from my perspective, passing tech is much different. The fact that you have to go through it may not be, but passing is.
I suspect that rolling up to race tech on my current ride would cause alarms to go off. I could, again, be wrong. Similar to above, I'm still reasonably ignorant of what is required to pass race tech. If I show up with a bike that has previously passed, I can understand how this would be considered a minimal effort in principle. If I show up with a bike that has never been through tech I have no idea what to expect.

If you are expecting people who have never taken a green flag to behave as if they have, either you have unrealistic expectations or there needs to be a change in licensing requirements.

I'm probably even less qualified than Bubba in this regard. I have less time on a bike that resembles a sport bike and am actively considering starting to race. If I'm going to be expected to behave like an expert my rookie weekend, I probably need to rethink that.

there is no TD requirement. but ive yet to see someone whos never done TDs buy a bike and say.."im gonna go racing"
reg doesnt take 3 hrs. it does take a while if you are getting your license for the first time and registering also. it wont take as long from now on. especially if you pre reg
race tech requirements are in the rulebook. and pretty clearly written out. i refer again to; ive never seen someone buy a bike and say "im gonna go racing". id be willing to bet that everyone that races had either done at least a couple TDs or were introduced to racing at a very young age

Doug may sound light hearted about his antics on Saturday but from my conversations with him that evening I am confident he took his actions seriously...

fair enough

Has he done enough TDs? I don't know.!
Like I said I have find most if his mistakes from the weekend in the course if two years doing TDs.

thats fine. i was more concerned really of people treating this like a game. racing is serious shit. in the pits is where the fun is. its all business on the track. "we" race at probably the most dangerous track in the country. people die when stupid shit happens. shit happens, mistakes are made. rookie or not. ive done it "you" have done it. it just shouldnt be taken lightly

What the fuck happened in here while I was gone??? Have you people never heard of exaggeration for comic effect? I'd like to hear from the other riders that were on track with me. They didn't seem to mind that I was drunk. I usually make it to about 700 forum posts before the police are called, so just hang in there a little longer.

comic effect is fine. like i said above, i just wanted to be sure that people are taking this seriously

[Doc]

thats fine. i was more concerned really of people treating this like a game. racing is serious shit. in the pits is where the fun is. its all business on the track. "we" race at probably the most dangerous track in the country. people die when stupid shit happens. shit happens, mistakes are made. rookie or not. ive done it "you" have done it. it just shouldnt be taken lightly