Thursday practice sessions at NHIS

[Doof]

It's my first season and I am dying to get some more track time, but I dont have a ton of money to do track days and race. I have heard rumor about thursday practice sessions at NHIS. Does anyone know anything about them? How to find out when they are, what do you need to use the track, how much does it cost, etc? Thanks!

[odduc]

When I was racing, three years ago, Thursday practice was $60. I'm not sure what the cost is now. I'm sure that one of our current racers will chime in soon.

[legalspeed]

1.) you need to complete penguin first.

2.) tech is like penguin, tape your lights, no anitfreeze, no mirrors, full leathers, gloves, boots, and a helmet. Oh, no centerstand either.

3.) 100$ I believe.

4.) every bike weekend there is a thur. afternoon practice, 1-5pm.
There is Thur. practice on some car weekends; bikes in the morning but check with the track first. Nasty-car weekend there is no bike practice.

I don't know about the 100$ for sure, I don't check the reciept.

[Honclfibr]

Dan,

Those thursday practices, do they run them with certain groups based on your race group? How much tracktime do you figure you get in a "typical" practice day?

I never did get a good sense of how the practice day minutes of track time / dollar compared to the track day minutes of track time / dollar. I realize there are other considerations as well, practices not being trackdays and vice versa, but was just curious.

[curstofirst04]

I just did one last thurs. You need to complete penguin or have a racing license to go. It was $100 for a four hour afternoon session plus $5 to get into the track. You should get about 120-130 miles on the track barring any red flags. They split you up into racing classes so you will most likely only run with other amateurs. You can get the schedule from www.nhis.com. On the main page it shows the upcoming events and at the bottom it shows the next open practice. Click on the date and you can print the schedule.

[legalspeed]

Originally posted by Honclfibr
Dan,

Those thursday practices, do they run them with certain groups based on your race group? How much tracktime do you figure you get in a "typical" practice day?

I never did get a good sense of how the practice day minutes of track time / dollar compared to the track day minutes of track time / dollar. I realize there are other considerations as well, practices not being trackdays and vice versa, but was just curious.

Yes, they run groups on Thur, it varies with how many show up. The last two I did, there were so few we ran two groups. It was more than enough track time for me (20 mins on, 20 mins off).

A track day would be like a Thurs, but track days usually fill right up so we have to run 3 or 4 groups all day long; it's a wash. Track days have rules about no passing, Thurs is balls to the walls.

Thursday is cheaper, generally more track time. Both are affected by red flags.

Give the Penguin school your business, they teach you a lot about the racing environment that you don't get at a track day.

[Doof]

Thanks for the info! Sounds like I'll be making my way up to the track on those thursdays and skipping the trackdays. Sorry Tony!

[legalspeed]

Originally posted by nine2nine
Thanks for the info! Sounds like I'll be making my way up to the track on those thursdays and skipping the trackdays. Sorry Tony!

Tony won't mind, a track day is not a racer's practice, it's for buiding street skills.

Go to race on a trackday and you could very well be kicked out.

If you do not have you Penguin cert, then a trackday is the only option, just don't horse around; be smooth, practice your body position and lines.

[Kip]

Originally posted by curstofirst04
I just did one last thurs. You need to complete penguin or have a racing license to go. It was $100 for a four hour afternoon session plus $5 to get into the track. You should get about 120-130 miles on the track barring any red flags. They split you up into racing classes so you will most likely only run with other amateurs. You can get the schedule from www.nhis.com. On the main page it shows the upcoming events and at the bottom it shows the next open practice. Click on the date and you can print the schedule.

120-130 miles on the track??? that is like 82 laps are you sure about that? I do a lot of the Thursday practices and to do 82 laps you would have to ride for 3 hours straight.
The morning practice is normally a free for all since there is only like 10 people there and there is no one who techs your bike. You should have a track preped bike but I have seem people ride there street bikes with no prep at all. The afternoon practice is followed by a race weekend so it has a lot more people doing it and it will have 2 or 3 different groups.
Cost is $100 and just to warn you when doing the morning practice the track is most of the times shit. Dirt on it, oil from cars still on it, cones and brake markers not in place ect.