Penguin Track Experience story and pics

[maxim_X]

I attended Penguins Track Experience event on Aug 19. The photos from Owens racing just came in so I figured I would share.

Here is a brief story of my time. About a year ago a bought my Zx14 off of one of the "Wood's". He mentioned his family running Penguin race school and it had me wondering about getting to NHIS all winter. So, I went out and "A Twist of the Wrist" and "Total Control" which had me convinced I was going to race in the summer Fast forward to this summer I see he has a track bike for sale for a good price so I went back out there and picked up my 98 GSXR600. I really didn't know anything about what to get in a track bike but I knew I didn't want to race/crash my zx14. A few weeks after that I saw a NESR auction for the Penguin Track Experience so I jumped on it. I got the bike tuned up and ready to go and towed her up to NHIS.

At the track I found everyone super friendly and helpful. The Penguin school was very professional. But, the build up got the best of me. On the second lap out while going relatively slow learning the track I was in the bowl looking towards the instructor 3 bikes ahead of me and I clipped the curb and hit the pavement. I had to take the rest of that session off and did the next one with half a left peg. It was very uncomfortable. The vendor there happened to have a rear-set for my bike so I fixed it and only missed 1 full session. The rest of the day was fantastic. No more crashes, just a glorious day of hanging cheek and dropping knee. I can honestly say it was the most fun I have ever had.

After the track time I have become completely uninterested in racing cars at all (which used to be a big hobby of mine) or drag racing my ZX14. Here are some of the Owens racing photos from the event. I wish there were more to share because I would like to show progress though the day a little more.

Let me know what you think. Any comments or criticism is welcomed.



















'

[Harley Davidson]

Way to go!

[maxim_X]

Penguin Track experience Aug, 19 2011 - YouTube

Here is a video. It's not mine. Another student and I traded videos so we could see ourselves. But the one I took came out awful so I only have his. I'm in it in the beginning and again from about halfway through.

[BrianC]

Glad you had a good time...
I'll share a funny experience with that curb coming out of the bowl: earlier this year when I was a novice racer, I won a race and was doing the cool down lap, waving to the corner workers as I rode by. When I got to the bowl I saw some people in the stands waving, so as I'm going thru the turn I take my left hand off the bars, look over and wave, and when I turn my head back onto the track I realize I am headed straight for the curb! I hit the curb and almost took a tumble on the damn cool down lap in front of all the people that were in the stands

[TTD]

Looking good! In the first photo, that is my wife behind you!

[Nny]

I was in your group that day. I was on the black R6 with the black and green suit. A couple of times I was inadvertently chasing you around the track. Granted that was only my second track day but for what it's worth I saw consistant good lines, corner speed and body positioning. Lookin good out there man!

[Chippertheripper]

That last shot is great. Looks like you're all "grrrrrrr" inside your helmet. I'm close by, let me know if you need a hand with anything.

[Scottg22]

Good Stuff! Glad you had fun and enjoyed your first trackday.

[maxim_X]

Thanks for the compliments! Tony your wife was in the video as well for a little while. The picture definitely show an angry grimmace and some vicious bags under my eyes. But, I wonder if maybe it was just my "O" face?

[Jason P.]

NICE! looks like you had a blast man! way to go on getting back up and out there after that get-off.

[Woodcraft]

Thanks for posting this story. It's great to see someone go through the process of getting a street bike, wanting to experience the track, buying an inexpensive track bike and then taking it out and having a good time. You're off to the start of something good and I look forward to seeing you up there again.