[Doc]

I arrive at the track at O dark 30 (0630) and meet up with a guy named Mike from the SBN website. Cool guy, shows me around and introduces me to the instructors and organizers. Off to a good start.

Well semi good as it is cold and wet. In frickin ARIZONA!! Just my luck! I get checked in and get my new rider packet, I still can't find the guy with the EX500 I rented, I am told he is a great guy and he will be here.

I find the bikes for Ridetime, the place I rented the bike from... Well I only see a RC51 and a ZX6R...??

Steve the owner of Ridetime comes over to his bikes and introduces himself. I ask "Where is the EX500 I am supposed to ride?" He says "You got a free upgrade" because the EX500 was not ready. I get to ride the 2006 ZX6R!!!! with less than 3000 miles on it!!!! HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP!


The track goes hot at 8am. I am in group 4 (the new riders) and decide to pass on the first session, I figure hell if the experts didn't go out I sure as hell am not about to! Te track was wet and it was still cold (41 degrees!!) Did I mention this track is in the desert in ARIZONA!!?

I skip the next 2 sessions but Mike pulls strings and we go out in group 3 and 4 of the last session before the Licensing clinic starts.




All I can say is WOOOOWHOOOOO!! The front straight is 5/8th of a mile!
Mike is on a GSXR600 and me on the ZX6R. The bike was pulling so much I was having trouble grabbing shifts going down the front straight!

Not knowing the track or the bike my first laps were slow, Mike was showing me the line and it really helped for the class.

I think I hit about 120 or so down the front straight, I asked Mike what he usually tops out at and he said about 160!

On to class, I will not bore you with those details, 18 students doing follow the leader the first session, riding with passing and flags the second session (Pass anywhere as long as it is safe). They even had the ambulance come out on the course and you were allowed to pass it.

I got passed (had some paint fly off my bike it happened so fast ) and I did some passing. I was definately more comfortable on the back section with all the curves then alot of the riders. I only did about 135 down the front straight so I lost some ground there (plus the bikes clutch was slipping over 12000 rpm) but I was holding my own and passing people at the end of the straight if I was close enough and in the corners.

Keep in mind this track is flat with no elevation changes.

The last track session was a mock race. I was gridded on the outside of the second row. (4, 3, 4, 3...) well 2 of the front guys decided to grid in the back. I had no one in front of me!

Well... I botched the start and stalled! Thankfully I wasn't the only one. I even did like I was told and waved my arms like a maniac so no one would hit me! I even have video!

I am the 3rd bike from the right (yellow bike, watch for the hand waving)
Funny as hell! I look like Team America.

See the video here:
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n...t=DSCF2517.flv

This wasn't so bad because I was able to work my way up and pass some people.






My best lap was a 1:25. This is slow but for my first day at that track and on a bike I had never ridden I think that was pretty good! Mike was putting down 1:17's and he had 9 Trackdays at that Track under his belt!

We take our final exam and I get this:


It is offical I can get my License now!



Even though the weather was not great I had a blast! Is it April yet!?

[Doc]

So... What did I learn?

I learned all about flags and those rules.

The start, Even of a "mock race" can get you heart going a little.

A ZX6R is a FAST motorcycle.

5/8th of a mile is still a LONG straight.

I think I need to "reach" more with my knee. Really stick it out there, I am getting one ass cheek off the seat and that seems to work but I still hug the fairing with my Knee. I will need to slow down some and work on that.

Slowing down, looking up and being smooth IS faster (and calming)

Stretching is in order before and AFTER racing.

I need to work out more...

Racers are good people.

I (we are) am VERY privaleged to be able to do this.


Special thanks to Oxx, Even halfway across the country he was able to give excellent advice on this track and the people.

[TheIglu]

And so it begins....

[smf]

send in the paperwork and get your license! and welcome to the madness

[Doc]

Paperwork sent today!

[Rick Lee]

Don't feel bad about the stall on the grid...most of us have done that The bad part is that its on tape and now we can haunt you with it

[Doc]

True...

But I wouldn't have posted it if I couldn't take it.

It was a "learning experience".

[SVRACER01]

im glad you had fun that track is a blast once you figure it out. the only suggestion on starts i can give you is dont sit there and rev the engine. just start like the light turned green and the fast and furious ricky racer is the lane next to you in his civic. let it out and then hammer it on

if youre ever there again you should be somewhere over here in the tower turn. i know its kind of a shady turn and what not but just some advice

[Paul_E_D]

Wow, they need airfence in front of that wall... I'd stay away from it too!

[hessogood]

And i thought loudon was bad. Nice hay bails in front of the cement retaining walls.

[OreoGitorio]

Doc, congrats bro. Glad to see it was a good experience... & sweet deal on that EX to ZX upgrade

Originally posted by hessogood
And i thought loudon was bad. Nice hay bails in front of the cement retaining walls.

That's to keep the donkeys away.... it doesn't work well.

[Doc]

Originally posted by SVRACER01
im glad you had fun that track is a blast once you figure it out. the only suggestion on starts i can give you is dont sit there and rev the engine. just start like the light turned green and the fast and furious ricky racer is the lane next to you in his civic. let it out and then hammer it on

if youre ever there again you should be somewhere over here in the tower turn. i know its kind of a shady turn and what not but just some advice

Yeah a little sketchy... Considering It rained in the morning and didn't dry up until noon, not to mention it was about 41 degrees!

My friend Mike raced Sunday and ended up getting 3rd in his MWGP race.

If you guys are ever down here I cannot say enough about this company. http://www.ridetime.net/default.htm

From their site
"Want to hone your street skills on the track without the risk of destroying your street bike?
We have a fleet of race prepped bikes available to rent for everything from doing trackdays with Team Arizona Tracktime (www.aztracktime.com), or to use to take the new riders clinic put on by Road Race Southwest (www.roadracesw.com) to get your racing license, and then to rent for the races themselves. And we don’t just rent you the trackbikes. We transport the bike to the track for you, set up your pit, put the bikes on stands, and throw on the tire warmers. You just suit up and ride - we take care of the rest! "

And they did!

[Doc]

Originally posted by hessogood
And i thought loudon was bad. Nice hay bails in front of the cement retaining walls.

Yep, NO Airfence anywhere. Plenty of runoff room on the back section because it is used as a Huge parking lot when they have a drag racing event.

The "Tower turn" was the only real sketchy part but I was warned. (Thanks Oxx!)

I am trying to find video of the track. I know some people had cameras. Stay tuned.

[SVRACER01]

its actually weird that there wasnt haybales on the outside of 11. there usually is. i dont think they put one on the inside of that turn. but that is the only turn with walls

[shadow Racer]

Hey Mike its Mike. This is the only vid I have for now. I will also include my daughter being a clown and imitate me. I will see about working on editing the wifes video work into something easier to watch tonight. The forum wouldnt allow me to add links to I just removed the http if you add that in there it should work.

DavidscrashFBmain_0001.flv - Video - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8...3/IMG_6412.jpg

[shadow Racer]

Sorry...the system was being a pain so that was the only way I could include links without including a link. So...just add http and you will be ok.

[Doc]

Hey Mike! Welcome to NESR.

Hey all this is the guy that helped me while I was at the track in Arizona!

Give him a warm welcome!


lets see if these work...

DavidscrashFBmain_0001.flv - Video - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8...3/IMG_6412.jpg

[Stoneman]

Do they work now?

[shadow Racer]

No...its still messed up and I was gona try to pm the link to mike to correct it but now I cant send a pm till I have 5 posts

[Doc]

Cool, Thank you.

[shadow Racer]

Thanks

[Doc]

Do they make us where the orange Vests at NHIS like they do in Arizona?

[a13x]

Originally Posted by Doc

Do they make us where the orange Vests at NHIS like they do in Arizona?

No.

LRRS is one of the only orgs that has a pure Novice class. So all you newbs are lumped together.

Most other orgs only have Expert and Amateur so they stick Orange shirts on the 'newbs' so the other Amateurs know who to look out for.

[a13x]

bwahahah that starting line crash is goofy

[rebelpacket]

NICE Doc. See you out there this season. You going to win the rookie race?