Getting more women to the track- my 2 cents

[Ninjabunny]

2. most of the women here agree and do not want to be segregated as they prefer to run with the guys.

3. the most important imo is the fact that you do not have enough women engaged in track days to start much less a large enough pool to run a race series.

Until you have a large contingency of women riders at a regular track day you will not have enough of a pool to keep a womens series running for too long. It will be the same 10 women at every event.

Start by attracting more women to regular track days.

There IS a place for some womens-only events....and they have been running for a couple of years at least (womens cup, Motoress track days etc.) ....not to say more wouldn't be welcome

As the percentage of female riders increases...which it is significantly every year.....over time you'll see more females at track days/racing

10 years ago when I started riding women at track days were a rare sighting (I did FAST my first season), and I can only remember 2 females that raced.

[CruisnGrrl]

I did my first track day a couple weeks ago at the vintage track day at tmp. I wasn't worried about riding with boys, girls or green martians and i think everyone else was impressed that I didn't run them over. I think when we're dealing with machinery like bikes our gender means absolutely nothing in a race. yeah it's still a physically demanding sport and i was dead tired at the end of the day (took me 2 redbulls to make it to etobicoke and i'm also out of shape) but short of anything really physical like lifting a dropped bike I don't see how the boys have any advantage, it's a machine we're controlling, not a tug of war.

[azia]

I like the idea of women-only track days. Not everyone is the same. For every female who is comfortable doing coed track days, there is probably another who isn't. And if having a women-only track days gets a few of those ladies out on the track or in a race for the first time, than that is nothing but good. Perhaps in time they will run with both guys AND girls but again...it's getting newbies into it, right?

I don't think there's necessary the need for a PUSH in female track days, race classes, etc. However, I'm glad that these programs do exist. Something for everyone.

[DaineseGirl]

I don't understand why everyone is talking about the financial burden of Racing.

Ken has given us a venue to race and get tracktime for much less than the cost of a trackday.

Last Calabogie Trackday:
Entry fee: $215/day
Gas to track and back: $250
Track time: 40-45 minutes. = approx 10/minute

TMP trackday:
Gas to track : $30
Entry : $100/day( I can't remeber but think it was something like this)
track time
40-45 minutes = approx $3/minute

Full weekend of SOAR racing (one class):
Gas to track : $30
Entry : $100/3 days
Track time: 9 hours = $0.24 approx /minute!!!!!!
A race weekend at SOAR costs a bit more than a trip to friggin wonderland!!!!

Yah you will go through tires.... but you will on a trackday as well. So factor in $130 for some decent scrubs for each one of the scenarios above. SOAR is still the best motorsports value on the planet!

Are you serious, you don't understand why people are talking about racing being expensive????
Because it IS!! LMAO, I WISH my husband had YOUR race budget.
Yes SOAR is cheaper than most (and better ) but there's WAY more costs than what you've mentioned, especially if it's someone's first time on the track!!
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc.
Food for the weekend=$$$
Passes for your family or crew=$$
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$
Track plastics=$$$
Repairs from crashing=$$$

Etc. etc. etc....

Then the more you get involved in it, there's the newer, better, faster, bike you "need" (lol), the more classes you want to run, going to the Nationals, etc. etc. The average span for a racer is only THREE years and it's not because they had too much money left at the end!!

Oh and I have a "You just got passed by a girl" sticker on the *** of my bike. It made me laugh so on it went. If someone decides to take me seriously or not just by judging a sticker on my bike, or because my hair is out of my helmet (which I also do), then they aren't someone whose opinion I would even value anyways.

[meme]

Holy crap that was good for a laugh!!!

I've never really "got" the womens only thing. If I want to race (or anything else for that matter), I'll just do it, and it never occurred to me not to because there were only boys doing it.

Also racing is not for everybody, male or female....nobody should be talked into it if they're not ready. Like Blackie & Pepper I've always found people at the track (supermoto in my case) helpful and welcoming. Maybe it's because we're incredibly hot though

Oh, and my helmet has pink butterflies on it........oooohhhhh, I hope everyone still takes me seriously. Racing is very serious business.

hey hey hey - for the record the torque wrench comment wasn't mine - I was quoting the OP. I have my own wrenches.

[ts]

Are you serious, you don't understand why people are talking about racing being expensive????
Because it IS!! LMAO, I WISH my husband had YOUR race budget.
Yes SOAR is cheaper than most (and better ) but there's WAY more costs than what you've mentioned, especially if it's someone's first time on the track!!
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc.
Food for the weekend=$$$
Passes for your family or crew=$$
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$
Track plastics=$$$
Repairs from crashing=$$$

Etc. etc. etc....

Then the more you get involved in it, there's the newer, better, faster, bike you "need" (lol), the more classes you want to run, going to the Nationals, etc. etc. The average span for a racer is only THREE years and it's not because they had too much money left at the end!!

Oh and I have a "You just got passed by a girl" sticker on the *** of my bike. It made me laugh so on it went. If someone decides to take me seriously or not just by judging a sticker on my bike, or because my hair is out of my helmet (which I also do), then they aren't someone whose opinion I would even value anyways.

You forgot the booze...every track day includes sitting around the fire at the end of the night drinking...which, to me is the best part of the track day

Girls/Guys/ pffttt whatever, its all fun no matter who's out there..this was my first year doing any track days, and I enjoyed them, everyone was so helpful. For me it all comes down money..would i like to get into it more, absolutly...can i afford it, ahhh no.

The only difference I see in being a guy or a girl on a track is that I'm a girl and willing to swallow for bike parts and repair costs due to having to fix my crashed bike Bhahahahahahah

[DaveP]

The only difference I see in being a guy or a girl on a track is that I'm a girl and willing to swallow for bike parts and repair costs due to having to fix my crashed bike Bhahahahahahah

I better pick up an SV over the winter...

[ts]

I better pick up an SV over the winter...

LOL...I'm glad someone found some humor in my post....everyone is getting sooo sersious

[Blackie]

but short of anything really physical like lifting a dropped bike I don't see how the boys have any advantage

Not even... when the adrenaline is pumping and you're ****** off because you just took yourself out of the race, you'd be surprised.. If I can do it, I'm sure you could too.

[CBRJOHN]

I'm a girl and willing to swallow for bike parts and repair costs due to having to fix my crashed bike Bhahahahahahah

Hey Wait, I fixed your bike when it wouldn't start

[Yamaha_Gurl]

So that's why he offered to fix my bike!

The only difference I see in being a guy or a girl on a track is that I'm a girl and willing to swallow for bike parts and repair costs due to having to fix my crashed bike Bhahahahahahah

[Fawaz]

What I meant was that Racing isn't any more expensive than trackdays .. not that its super cheap, sorry if I made it sound like that .

Sure you could go out and by an fully prepped HRC bike get brand new Dianese gear, Go through a set of slicks every weekend, etc.
Its really up to you how expensive you want to make it.


I just used my street gear, made my own fairings(but you can buy used slightly rashed ones for next to nothing though), bought a used suit off the site for less than $300 when I crashed. and used my only bike, my street bike that I would spend sunday night putting back into street trim so I have something to ride to work.

Besides the additonal costs you have mentioned are not exclusive to racing, those would come up if you were doing trackdays as well.

But here is how I see them:
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$ - same as a track day
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc. - I had my old stuff that I used on the street.
Food for the weekend=$$$- I bring a BBQ and my food from home. It would have had to eat something if I just sat at home watching tv all weekend too.
Passes for your family or crew=$$ Same as for trackdays
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$ Same as if you do mulitple trackdays - but camp if its an issue.
Track plastics=$$$ - same as trackdays or $200ish if you buy used stuff off of this site or cherrypicker.
Repairs from crashing=$$$ same as trackdays

See so I still stand by my whole SOAR is cheaper than trackdays.

Are you serious, you don't understand why people are talking about racing being expensive????
Because it IS!! LMAO, I WISH my husband had YOUR race budget.
Yes SOAR is cheaper than most (and better ) but there's WAY more costs than what you've mentioned, especially if it's someone's first time on the track!!
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc.
Food for the weekend=$$$
Passes for your family or crew=$$
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$
Track plastics=$$$
Repairs from crashing=$$$

Etc. etc. etc....

Then the more you get involved in it, there's the newer, better, faster, bike you "need" (lol), the more classes you want to run, going to the Nationals, etc. etc. The average span for a racer is only THREE years and it's not because they had too much money left at the end!!

Oh and I have a "You just got passed by a girl" sticker on the *** of my bike. It made me laugh so on it went. If someone decides to take me seriously or not just by judging a sticker on my bike, or because my hair is out of my helmet (which I also do), then they aren't someone whose opinion I would even value anyways.

[ts]

So that's why he offered to fix my bike!

Silly girl, it wasn't cause he was being nice!!

[Pepper]

Holy crap that was good for a laugh!!!

I've never really "got" the womens only thing. If I want to race (or anything else for that matter), I'll just do it, and it never occurred to me not to because there were only boys doing it.

Also racing is not for everybody, male or female....nobody should be talked into it if they're not ready. Like Blackie & Pepper I've always found people at the track (supermoto in my case) helpful and welcoming. Maybe it's because we're incredibly hot though

Oh, and my helmet has pink butterflies on it........oooohhhhh, I hope everyone still takes me seriously. Racing is very serious business.

Amen sister!!!

Although to be honest... after learning about the pink butterflies I can never agree with you again. Now, had you gone for pink and purple butterflies, I could take you seriously, but all pink? That's just crazy talk!

I'm all for encouraging more girls at the tack, I love the girls I get to hang out with on track days, so the more the merrier. But the truth is, we're playing in a male dominated sport and we should all be ok with that. I like 'playing' with boys

[DaineseGirl]

What I meant was that Racing isn't any more expensive than trackdays .. not that its super cheap, sorry if I made it sound like that .

Sure you could go out and by an fully prepped HRC bike get brand new Dianese gear, Go through a set of slicks every weekend, etc.
Its really up to you how expensive you want to make it.


I just used my street gear, made my own fairings(but you can buy used slightly rashed ones for next to nothing though), bought a used suit off the site for less than $300 when I crashed. and used my only bike, my street bike that I would spend sunday night putting back into street trim so I have something to ride to work.

Besides the additonal costs you have mentioned are not exclusive to racing, those would come up if you were doing trackdays as well.

But here is how I see them:
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$ - same as a track day
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc. - I had my old stuff that I used on the street.
Food for the weekend=$$$- I bring a BBQ and my food from home. It would have had to eat something if I just sat at home watching tv all weekend too.
Passes for your family or crew=$$ Same as for trackdays
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$ Same as if you do mulitple trackdays - but camp if its an issue.
Track plastics=$$$ - same as trackdays or $200ish if you buy used stuff off of this site or cherrypicker.
Repairs from crashing=$$$ same as trackdays

See so I still stand by my whole SOAR is cheaper than trackdays.

I wasn't comparing the cost of SOAR vs trackdays. I was saying there are valid reasons to why people say Racing is expensive.

[caboose483]

What I meant was that Racing isn't any more expensive than trackdays .. not that its super cheap, sorry if I made it sound like that .

Sure you could go out and by an fully prepped HRC bike get brand new Dianese gear, Go through a set of slicks every weekend, etc.
Its really up to you how expensive you want to make it.


I just used my street gear, made my own fairings(but you can buy used slightly rashed ones for next to nothing though), bought a used suit off the site for less than $300 when I crashed. and used my only bike, my street bike that I would spend sunday night putting back into street trim so I have something to ride to work.

Besides the additonal costs you have mentioned are not exclusive to racing, those would come up if you were doing trackdays as well.

But here is how I see them:
What about if you live farther away? We drive 4 hours to get there in a gas pig SUV with a trailer behind us=$$$ - same as a track day
What about someone who has to buy a full suit?=$$$ and/or gloves=$$$ and/or boots=$$$ and/or back protector=$$$ etc. etc. - I had my old stuff that I used on the street.
Food for the weekend=$$$- I bring a BBQ and my food from home. It would have had to eat something if I just sat at home watching tv all weekend too.
Passes for your family or crew=$$ Same as for trackdays
Hotel room if you don't camp=$$$ Same as if you do mulitple trackdays - but camp if its an issue.
Track plastics=$$$ - same as trackdays or $200ish if you buy used stuff off of this site or cherrypicker.
Repairs from crashing=$$$ same as trackdays

See so I still stand by my whole SOAR is cheaper than trackdays.

There are other things that arent really necessary for racing but are really nice to have. Things you won't really need if you're just a track day junkie.

Tire warmers, generator, EZ up, spares (i have 3 sets of rims for my bike), rain tires, extra tools, transponder (not really an issue with SOAR).

You can get away with a bit less stuff but i like to have extras with me just in case. Some people are able to get away with a car and open trailer but i'm shopping for a 5x8 enclosed trailer this winter. I hate tents so i sleep in my truck or in the trailer. Right now i have my Ranger with a cap and a 4x8 open trailer and i barely have room for all the crap i bring.

- Sleeping stuff, clothes in a suit case.
- O'Gio gear bag
- Two gas cans
- Rains and spare rubber
- Two tool boxes
- Cooler
- Front and rear stand
- EZ up
- Misc. Bin.
- Chairs

What i'd like to bring but don't have room for and/or haven't bought yet.

- Generator and extra extension cords and extra gas can.
- Spare bodywork
- BBQ

It adds up..... quickly...

[Fawaz]

All those things are pretty minimal expenses when you factor in the additional tracktime you are getting. $100 for 9 hours of tracktime!!!!
If you were to get that much tracktime anywhere else you will be paying at least 3 times as much and it wouldn't take very many weekends for any additonal expenses you mentioned to be offset by the tracktime you get.

I don't really see how an ez up, etc is necessary for racing but not for trackdays. I would imagine the sun would be just as bright and the and the rain just as wet on race days and track days. most people have bought coolers, extension cords, gas cans, etc at some point in their lives and don't buy them specifically for racing. I'm brown and as such not very handy or outdoorsy and I still had all of those things.

The only things you mentioned that I bought that I didn't already have was :
Generator - $100 at walmart
tirewarmers - $425 (I bought brand new bickles, but you could buy used warmers for much less)
Ez-up - $70 at walmart but I bring it on picnics etc as well.

And I still raced my first two rounds without them. Keep in mind my name has never graced a podium, and i'm ok with that.
I was just looking for a place to practice and learn as much as I could, before I get serious next year and for that I think SOAR was the best value by far.

There are other things that arent really necessary for racing but are really nice to have. Things you won't really need if you're just a track day junkie.

Tire warmers, generator, EZ up, spares (i have 3 sets of rims for my bike), rain tires, extra tools, transponder (not really an issue with SOAR).

You can get away with a bit less stuff but i like to have extras with me just in case. Some people are able to get away with a car and open trailer but i'm shopping for a 5x8 enclosed trailer this winter. I hate tents so i sleep in my truck or in the trailer. Right now i have my Ranger with a cap and a 4x8 open trailer and i barely have room for all the crap i bring.

- Sleeping stuff, clothes in a suit case.
- O'Gio gear bag
- Two gas cans
- Rains and spare rubber
- Two tool boxes
- Cooler
- Front and rear stand
- EZ up
- Misc. Bin.
- Chairs

What i'd like to bring but don't have room for and/or haven't bought yet.

- Generator and extra extension cords and extra gas can.
- Spare bodywork
- BBQ

It adds up..... quickly...

[DaveP]

before I get serious next year

Better bring your A game I'm going on a diet this winter and gonna start working out just to make sure I've got the stamina... Game ON! The bike doesn't need anything but a better rider...

[Paul]

There are other things that arent really necessary for racing but are really nice to have. Things you won't really need if you're just a track day junkie.

Tire warmers, generator, EZ up, spares (i have 3 sets of rims for my bike), rain tires, extra tools, transponder (not really an issue with SOAR).

You can get away with a bit less stuff but i like to have extras with me just in case. Some people are able to get away with a car and open trailer but i'm shopping for a 5x8 enclosed trailer this winter. I hate tents so i sleep in my truck or in the trailer. Right now i have my Ranger with a cap and a 4x8 open trailer and i barely have room for all the crap i bring.

- Sleeping stuff, clothes in a suit case.
- O'Gio gear bag
- Two gas cans
- Rains and spare rubber
- Two tool boxes
- Cooler
- Front and rear stand
- EZ up
- Misc. Bin.
- Chairs

What i'd like to bring but don't have room for and/or haven't bought yet.

- Generator and extra extension cords and extra gas can.
- Spare bodywork
- BBQ

It adds up..... quickly...

Pffffft...I put all that in my Golf!!!

[Fawaz]

Better bring your A game I'm going on a diet this winter and gonna start working out just to make sure I've got the stamina... Game ON! The bike doesn't need anything but a better rider...

Ok its on! looks like the real battle will be at the back of the pack between me and you!
And I have a B - bike now for the inevitable practice session crash!