[Manny]

I'm definitely bummed. I've been talkin' about this for a long time.

[Nazo]

I think I'm still down
I'll ride on Sunday and Monday Derek.....I still owe you some money
I'll call ya this weekend and get you the rest of the money

[s a x m a n]

Originally posted by 35racer
sax... you are more than capable of riding in the middle group!

I still wonder if cornerspeed will accept anything from TTD?

if you could find that out, it would be great!

I want to do this so bad ... i've been really looking forward to it.

[hessogood]

For everyone that isn't a licensed racer, don't forget there are a bunch of benefits to getting certified by an accredited race school.

For example. you won't be limited to strictly trackdays. You can go up and run open practice thursdays and fridays before race weekends for 50 - 100 bucks, or you could register for one race / weekend and run 4 practice sessions for the $50 registration fee. You don't even have to go out and grid up for the race.

There are lots of trackday organizations that also give a great discount if you hold a race license. Doesn't matter if you've never even entered a race.

[HBerry]

Originally posted by hessogood
For everyone that isn't a licensed racer, don't forget there are a bunch of benefits to getting certified by an accredited race school.

For example. you won't be limited to strictly trackdays. You can go up and run open practice thursdays and fridays before race weekends for 50 - 100 bucks, or you could register for one race / weekend and run 4 practice sessions for the $50 registration fee. You don't even have to go out and grid up for the race.

There are lots of trackday organizations that also give a great discount if you hold a race license. Doesn't matter if you've never even entered a race.

In addition there is a lot of drunken fun to be had during race weekends!

[s a x m a n]

i plan on getting my race license at Loudon this year ... i just don't want to drive all the way to VIR to do it.

I have big expenses this year to get into the whole racing thing, and the last thing I need to do is spend more money than I need to

[hessogood]

Originally posted by s a x m a n
i plan on getting my race license at Loudon this year ... i just don't want to drive all the way to VIR to do it.

I have big expenses this year to get into the whole racing thing, and the last thing I need to do is spend more money than I need to

Money is going to be an issue for every angle of racing. It's hard to do on a budget no matter how hard you try. I hear where you're coming from.

I'd recommend going to VIR to get it. You get the cornerspeed first school and the advanced school and three days of tracktime. If you're planning on racing you're going to see plenty of time up at loudon but very few opportunities to run other tracks. other tracks will certainly give you a great advantage over other racers as well. Just stuff to consider. The penguin school won't teach you much about riding at loudon if anything, especially if you have tracktime in. I beleive cornerspeed is actually more race training where you learn the flags but you also learn more about the ride.

[Ken C]

I agree with Jay. Also, it's a big advantage being on the track a month earlier than the competition.

[HBerry]

If you are on a very tight budget racing will be tough. You can't really budget for how much you are going to spend each weekend. I only raced a weekend or two this year I think I ended up doubling what I was planning on spending. Not trying to be rude, just letting you know its expensive!

[s a x m a n]

if you think I would be better of with the cornerspeed school then maybe I will weight the option ... gotta figure it all out

[35racer]

With your knowledge of Loudon already, I would lean toward the VIR one as well.

As long as that satisfies your LRRS licensing requirement, it seems like a win-win situation.

You get to ride a new track. (always a benefit)

You get to ride earlier in the year (to start sorting out your bike)

[Paul_E_D]

Sax, I know you're getting a lot of different advice, so here's my .2$

I gotta say that if money's important, skip the travel thing. The trip would cost you 2 weekends of racing in the end.

I think it would be smart focus just on running the loudon events, nothing else. You're not racing at VIR, so riding there once won't help you IMO. It's your first season and there's no need to get a jump on the competition by riding earlier.

Thursday/Friday practices are the place to spend any extra money you may have.

IMHO

[Sbk12rs]

Originally posted by hessogood
For everyone that isn't a licensed racer, don't forget there are a bunch of benefits to getting certified by an accredited race school.

For example. you won't be limited to strictly trackdays. You can go up and run open practice thursdays and fridays before race weekends for 50 - 100 bucks, or you could register for one race / weekend and run 4 practice sessions for the $50 registration fee. You don't even have to go out and grid up for the race.

There are lots of trackday organizations that also give a great discount if you hold a race license. Doesn't matter if you've never even entered a race.

So , with the certification from the Starr School I can do these things ???

[R7]

While I agree that focusing on Loudon would be better seeing he plans on racing there next season but I do not agree with riding VIR once won't help you. The 2 full days and the amount of track time offered does a lot for building confidence and honing your skills. The track is simply awesome
It may cost you 2 full weekends at Loudon, you may as well skip the first 2 weekends at loudon anyways because the weather ALWAYS sucks for the first 2 weekends, it has sence I've been going there anyways.

As long as you know for sure the class at VIR will be valid for a LRRS license, I think it's worth the extra cost just for the experiance of riding that track.

I wish I could go, and maybe if there are any spots left at the very last minute, I just may but as of now I cannot go. Looks like I'll be working 6 days a week for the next 6+ months

Originally posted by Paul_E_D
Sax, I know you're getting a lot of different advice, so here's my .2$

I gotta say that if money's important, skip the travel thing. The trip would cost you 2 weekends of racing in the end.

I think it would be smart focus just on running the loudon events, nothing else. You're not racing at VIR, so riding there once won't help you IMO. It's your first season and there's no need to get a jump on the competition by riding earlier.

Thursday/Friday practices are the place to spend any extra money you may have.

IMHO

[OreoGitorio]

I replied earlier but deleted it to think about it some more....

For me, it comes down to that extra $350 for the Level I course, an extra day off work & extra room/board... That pretty much doubled the price of my trip. If there were a way to skip the Level I course, ride Sunday, do Level II on monday & still be eligible for my CCS license w/o Penguin, then I'd definitely be back on board. But that's a tall order.... Right now as it stands, if I had to do Level I & cover the extra costs, it's either gonna take alot of overtime at work (which is rediculously hard to get, in all likelyhood it wouldn't happen) or pimp myself out in my spare time.

Otherwise it'll take some serious cost justification & tryin to figure out how much money would I save by doing this over taking Penguin & getting my license through them.

On the other hand, then there's what Mark brought up - prey for super crappy weather the first two race weekends & skip em.

[s a x m a n]

so much conflicting information ... lol

basically I'm working three jobs so that money won't be an issue come race season, so I can swing the money ... I guess it comes down to actually it being worth my while.

[OreoGitorio]

Originally posted by s a x m a n
... I guess it comes down to actually it being worth my while.

Exactly... I'm not plannin on being the next Rossi on an EX... It's a question of how much it'll cost over the conventional means of getting my license through Penguin & whether or not the time spent down there is worth that extra investment.

[s a x m a n]

reading the cornerspeed website, I think I got alittle excited ... ugh

I'm going to be throwing $2500 at the bike this winter too with GMD ... lots of money being thrown around ...

where is my money tree damn it! (=

[OreoGitorio]

Aight... lets crunch some numbers & make it easy, I wanna compare the costs of attaining your license through the Level I school w/ the costs of attaining your license through the Penguin school.

Penguin: $220 + $110 for CCS license + $60 for Rookie Race = 390, right?


Level I: $350... plus $110 for the CCS license? si? no? + $60 Rookie Race? si? no?

Those are the things I'm lookin at... and I just might change my mind on doin this trip.

[R7]

Your rookie race is included with the penguin class, not sure how that would work not taking the Penguin? You will have to enter one race ($60) that same weekend as well to get your license and the license fee as you said is $110 for the full year so you have that $170 cost either way you look at it to get your license.

[Hardcore]

most people have money problems---the question is would you rather spend some money,have fun,+ enjoy life--or just let life pass you by and rationalize being a pussy?

pony up the doe bitches!!!

use a credit card--that way you can make little payments--sure it might cost a little more in the end but at least you won't feel a big hit all at once!!!

+ yes the weather will suck at NHIS for the 1st 2 or 3 race weekends!

[Hardcore]

Originally posted by Degsy
I have been on the telephone with Cornerspeed and the VIR people today for A LONG time.

We are going with Option 1.

March 27th (Sunday), South Course
March 28th (Monday) North course.

derek

Degs--- March 27th 2006 is a MONDAY ------ does that mean still Sunday the 26th + Monday the 27th OR Mon 27th + Tues 28th ?

[Degsy]

OK, lots of information here and I want to clarify a few things.

The event we were having all along is now going to be:

Sunday March 26th South Course
Monday March 27th North Course

I have booked 40 spots on each of these events.

Now, these are Cornerspeed race and sport enthusiast events so you need a race licence OR accredited school cert to enter them. The Monday is a Cornerspeed level II school day. We will NOT be getting level II training, just track time.

I have lowered the price from the original $450 to $350 (race license) or $375 (accredited school grad) because I am not renting the track exclusively this year.

This means that if you have no accreditation yet and pay the extra $370 for the Saturday, you will then be a Cornerspeed grad and get the Sunday and Monday for $375, so in effect, the Saturday school is only costing you $295 on top of the original price of $450 (I'm trimming it down to the wire to do this).

For people who are probably never going to race, I understand that it is an extra expense that is unfortunate and unexpected, but what you get for your extra $295 is:

1. One more day on a beautiful course, making three days in all.
2. Some of the best training around (ask anyone who has attended cornerspeed before)
3. Training that will stand you in good stead on the street as well as the track.
4. Accreditation to attend other events that are 'certified riders only'.


Like I said, if you are thinking of doing this and are finding it a financial burden, PM me and once I get an idea of how many might do it, I can MAYBE offer a discount or subsidize it myself in some way.

Derek

[HBerry]

So if we already have a race license, we can only ride on sunday and monday correct?

[Degsy]

By the way, and I don't mean this in any way to offend anyone, but if you are planning on racing a motorcycle at Loudon this year and an extra $200 or so is a major hit to your finances, you might want to reconsider. In a race weekend, $200 can go by in the blink of an eye.

Saving the money by doing less schooling, making those tires last just one more race, or getting that good quality race suit NEXT weekend instead of THIS weekend will result in trouble every time. In the blink of an eye, through no fault of your own, you can be out thousands of dollars in repairs to yourself and your bike, or killed. LRRS is averaging one death a year in the last two years. Kinda makes an extra $200 seem a little more worthwhile now, doesn't it?

I'm not saying that to encourage more people to sign up. We will fill the event easily (we are at 27 signups so far). I'm saying it because I firmly believe it.

I stopped racing because:

1. I couldn't afford to do it PROPERLY any more (any idiot can buy a salvage bike, do minimum prep and be a rolling roadblock at Loudon, there are plenty of them) but I wanted to do it properly and try to compete to my absolute best level and it came down to money in the end.

2. I couldn't get life insurance.

YMMV but I bet all the seasoned racers here agree with me 100%. Free advice, take it or leave it.

derek