How do you practice?

[Pittenger5]

Denno made a comment about entering racing with a "track day" mentality...

On advantage of NOT doing track days before racing. You will learn real quick that in most of the corners, the inside is the way to go. And if you're going into the corner faster than them, fuck em, thats your corner, they cant have it.

[GixerJockey]

On advantage of NOT doing track days before racing. You will learn real quick that in most of the corners, the inside is the way to go. And if you're going into the corner faster than them, fuck em, thats your corner, they cant have it.

My corner.. Fuck em'... Got it!




Richie, you are a wealth of racing and relationship advise.

[BMFR6]

My corner.. Fuck em'... Got it!

just write that down on your gas tank. this way when your head is down in prayer because you are entering a corner 10x faster than you ever have, you'll know why.

[xsiliconkid]

I practiced like I was qualifying for a national. For me, going slow just conditions me to that stress-free riding and teaches me nothing. Of course, I tried to reduce my risk by backing off if a huge pack of wobblers was in front of me. I definitely practiced making hard passes though. There's not really enough time to learn that stuff in races only.

I constantly wondered what everyone in expert Blue was doing rolling around in the 19s??? on their 600s and such. I don't think any expert champs are out there putting around...

I'm with Paul.... go out hard right from the start.... I have found going out to "warm up" for two or three laps - then ease up to race pace takes too many precious laps to get on song....and you don't every get their, mentally.
In a race you have just one out lap before you go full tilt....
In practice you just give a little more room and not look for the inside block pass type moves you would put on in racing. I may ease up after 4 or 5 laps, but that would be then my in lap.....
For me it was about conditioning/hardening the mind as well...
if the morning practice was wet and I it was a good bet the afternoon racing was to be dry -going out in the rain is a waste of time.
that's why track days tend to mess with the heads of full on racers... you are nowhere near your race pace brake markers....(should never be 10/10ths) and if you get a clear lap and try to instantly get back to your race markers-that's just looking for trouble

[BMFR6]

graham brings up a good point. I know a lot of you guys are involved with track days now, any concerns on how that will effect your racing? i was always slower after doing a track day but... in being around jamie, i noticed it never really affected him. paul is another good example, didnt seem like the track days slowed him down at all.

[seth399]

[Pittenger5]

I know a lot of you guys are involved with track days now, any concerns on how that will effect your racing?

I personally dont think Id be able to do track days on my race bike. Theres just a completely different mentality when Im on my street bike vs my race bike. I enjoy track days for being able to relax and enjoy cruising around the track. But like I say, the bike under me leads to some of that mentality.

[xsiliconkid]

graham brings up a good point. I know a lot of you guys are involved with track days now, any concerns on how that will effect your racing? i was always slower after doing a track day but... in being around jamie, i noticed it never really affected him. paul is another good example, didnt seem like the track days slowed him down at all.

there are ways to get back into "race' pace " mode without doing "full hot" laps. Most of it has to do with your plan and mind set as you put on your helmet in the garage....

[seth399]

I personally dont think Id be able to do track days on my race bike. Theres just a completely different mentality when Im on my street bike vs my race bike. I enjoy track days for being able to relax and enjoy cruising around the track. But like I say, the bike under me leads to some of that mentality.

agreed, this is why I ride my harley sportster at track days

[RyanNicholson]

In a race you have just one out lap before you go full tilt....

One thing I quickly learned when I turned expert... is the out lap of a race is definitely not a chance to mosey around the track and get to the grid. Its your ONLY chance to get your head ready to RACE before diving into T1 with 30 other people looking to get in front of you.

[BMFR6]

One thing I quickly learned when I turned expert... is the out lap of a race is definitely not a chance to mosey around the track and get to the grid. Its your ONLY chance to get your head ready to RACE before diving into T1 with 30 other people looking to get in front of you.

another great point! i always tried to go hard on the out lap. it just didn't make sense to dilly dally around to get to grid.

[seth399]

one other thing I've learned from mx...if you are taking it easy in practice it can end up hurting you more mentally when someone familiar goes flying by you and it could potentially play with your head. Definitely good to get out there and let everyone/yourself know you are serious about going fast (without being a total serious dbag)

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I just Get on The rear of a Fast expert and try to pace him, If I loose him I grab on the next one that comes by.

Oddly enough I set My fastest laps in Practice,

[Crash Dummy Denno]

One more piece of advice for the new guys would be learning how to launch your bike really well. At Loudon passing areas are tough to come by. I made it a point to keep in my head at the start this mantra, "Fuck everyone, I'm going into turn one in first." Getting that wholeshot is huge and can pay huge dividends in the novice ranks. For me, I may not have had the best laptimes compared to other racers, but I had amazing starts. I can count on one hand out of my 25+/- races in Novice and AM that I wasn't 1st or 2nd in T1. Its 80% mental. Did I hold some people up with better times? Haha maybe... but I got huge jump on people with the same lap times as me - enough to finish well ahead of them.


Just my opinion and my strategy.

Do what you must to finish ahead of the other motherfuckers

[Paul_E_D]

Good starts are important. I find Loudon to have quite a few good passing places. I'd say its a multiline track. Most of the great spots are where it takes some brass balls to hold it open later than your opponent.

[KB]

Good starts are important. I find Loudon to have quite a few good passing places. I'd say its a multiline track. Most of the great spots are where it takes some brass balls to hold it open later than your opponent.

I haven't raced any other tracks but I agree with the hold it pinned longer with brass balls later than your opponent and multiple lines. Like coming by the tree house heading into 9, or coming into 11, or 1, and always 3 for that matter.

I've amazed myself with some passes that I have just held it pinned for a 1/2 second later than usual only to have the guy next to me brake and the pass is done.

No one is going to give you a position you just have to take it.

Some great advice in this thread.

[BMFR6]

good starts are important..... but getting into T1 first is important as well. from what i know/seen, as a novice you brake waayyy to early for T1 off the green flag and slow down waayy too much. do yourselves a favor, pick a class that is opposite of yours so you can see a novice start as well as an am/ex start. go inside of T1 and watch. you will see when the green flag flies, the novices will start braking before the brake marker they use mid-race where as the experts will brake at or later than their typical brake marker. don't let the traffic scare you. if everyone else in the novice class is braking before their race brake marker and you hold it open until yours, all the traffic will be behind you!

[butcher bergs]

another great point! i always tried to go hard on the out lap. it just didn't make sense to dilly dally around to get to grid.

I use that time to wave to all my fans.

EDIT: People actually brake into 1 after the green?

[xsiliconkid]

good starts are important..... but getting into T1 first is important as well.

being in the front pack into t1 is what's important -the first 3 or 4, this pack gets a natural gap while the remainder trip over themselves going single file.... the gap can last for almost the first lap.

there is a way to come out of t1 in the front pack even if way back entering T1, righ Paul :-)

[seth399]

good starts are important..... but getting into T1 first is important as well.

Wait, isn't a good start and getting to T1 first the same thing?

[Pittenger5]

Wait, isn't a good start and getting to T1 first the same thing?

I think what he meant was getting a good start and getting OUT of T1 first. I've gone into T1 first a number of times, and too often didnt make it out of T1 in first.

[BMFR6]

I actually meant the launch. people will get a good launch, but because they brake too early for T1 they get swallowed up by the pack.

[seth399]

ok I see, good point about the braking, I was assuming 'start' meaning around the first turn.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I actually meant the launch. people will get a good launch, but because they brake too early for T1 they get swallowed up by the pack.

Who brakes For turn 1 Off the launch on anything but a 600 ?(I dont remember if I Did on a 600 its been a few years)

[xsiliconkid]

Who brakes For turn 1 Off the launch on anything but a 600 ?(I dont remember if I Did on a 600 its been a few years)

EVERYONE in novice/amateur except the first few :-) and a couple of us on the whay outside line..... this is where the brass balls come in...