So yesterday was my first track day ever, and I wanted to share my impressions coming from a complete rookie. It's probably going to be a long post, but I want to share a break down of my day, and who better to share it with than you guys. It was the most exhilirating day I've had this year by far, and completely blew beyond my expectations. The most fun I've had on 2 wheels and I've been on some fun group rides. I had to work until 10:30 the night before, and had to be up by 4 to catch my ride to the track, so I was a bit tired, but the bike was loaded up quickly, gear packed up and we were on the road.
The tiredness went away after a Tim's stop, then the nervous excitement started coming on. The closer we got to the track, the more it built up. From pitching the canopies to clearing tech the rest of the morning was a blur. The riders meeting was informative, some of the guys there looked pretty bored during this part, but I'm guessing once you've been through a couple of them you probably know what they are going to say. The groups went backwards from what I expected, Advanced went out first, then intermediate, then the beginner. I rather liked the way that ran, it gave me 30 minutes to watch the experienced guys go around, which was nice. I'm a very competitve person, and knowing the guys I went with are way faster and much more experienced, I only had myself to beat, so my goal for the day was finish in what would be considered a 'good' lap time. They said if I hit the mid to high 1:30's as a good time for a first time track rider, especially one with not of riding experience; so I had my goal for the day set.
When the 5 minute warning went off, all the nerves came back. Waiting for the 2 sighting laps to start, waiting in line with all the other riders, I had about a hundred different questions running through my mind. As soon as the instructors led us out on the first sighting lap, I was laughing at myself in my helmet, everything that I was neverous about just seemed really silly, by the end of the first sighting lap I was ready to start going in earnest. we pulled off so we could get back on spaced out.
First Session
It did not feel like 15 minutes at all, really it felt more like 5. I felt like another 2 or 3 laps would have greatly benefitted me; it felt like just as soon as I was finding good braking braking and turn in points, the checkered flag was out and we had to come in. I really wasn't pushing myself too much until maybe the last lap, and didn't have anyone timing me, but im sure I was up in the mid to high 1:40's
Second Session
I really felt like I found a groove in the 2nd session, and started to find the parts of the track that I liked and didnt. If I had open track infront of me I was able to find more speed and brake later coming into the turns. I found in this sessions I'm much stronger on rights than lefts, I was strong on turns 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Turns 4,5,6,7,8 were defintely weak points.
Lap traffic was starting to cause some setbacks, with not being able to pass in the corners if I didn't get in front of them by turn 2, I was stuck behind them for the entire infield. This session I discovered that I LOVE the brakes. I was consistently out braking everyone in green group into turn one and into turn two. The feeling of the back getting light under heavy braking was odd at first, but after that first time it felt like an old pair of shoes.
Third Session
Very similar to the second session, i felt I was making marked improvements when I had a clear track infront of me, and I was getting faster in the infield, especially through turns 4 and 5. The hairpin at 6 never felt right for me (I know its all mental, but I did not feel comfortable carrying speed through that corner that day. I've already marked left hand turns and turn 6 in particular as a major focus for next time out), and for the life of me I could not find a consistently good line through the kink, which kept messing up my entry to turn 8. Sometimes I would hit the kink perfect, other times my line was way off. This session I would catch up to people through the infield, which was nice because I was going faster, but also frustrating because it would break my rythm. I was so focused that I missed the checkered flag at turn 9 and didn't catch it until the track entrance, so I had a parade lap so to speak.
Fourth Session
This was the last session before lunch. I started to pick up my pace even more, and had a friend timing me from the cone at turn 12. This was my second shortest session, and probably my second worst as I pulled in to make some space, and as I was coming around turn 12 to start my first flying lap we had a rider with the X on their back with an instructor on the track, and too many bikes infront of me to get by on the straight. passed between turns 1-2. caught a group of 4 riders through the infield, got a great launch out of turn 12, took 1 on the straight and 3 on the brakes into turn 1, flew through 2-5 (I had finally found a good line into 4 that let me get awesome drive into 5, everything going swimmingly until turn 8, rode up on the kerbing and felt the front slide loose until it hit tarmac. scary as all hell and slowed me down some, then through turn 9 ended up dragging my toe when I wasn't expecting it and gave me a bit of a fright yet again. The last lap of the session the bike felt really really slow through the infield, to the point where I was worried I might have broke something, but nothing sounded off. realized coming out of turn 8 I had been running in 3rd gear instead of second. Score one for rider error. At the end of the session I had a best lap of 1:37.00. At that point I set my goal to a time of 1:33.00
Fifth Session
After having a much needed lunch break, I hit the track for the 5th session of the day. The guys I went up with were telling me I should bump up from beginner to intermediate because I was only getting a clear track every other lap because of lap traffic and my pace was good enough to move up. I decided to stay in beginner, the guys in intermediate were running much quicker times and I just didn't feel ready. I didn't have anyone timing my laps this session, but I defintely felt quicker at times, and felt like I was making improvements in the infield, but I was very hit or miss on turn 1. On flying laps I'm near the top of 4th coming off the straight, but from a standstill I'm at the top of 3rd. Twice from a standstill I dropped 2 gear throwing the bike down into first, thankfully the slipper clutch ate most of it but both times the rear end went all squirlley, first time on the first lap, 2nd time after we cleared the track for a crash and heading back out. I had some good laps, but no idea what times I was running
Sixth Session
Best session for me of the day. I felt good in every area, even the hairpin was getting easier. I had solidified my line through 4 and 5, even passing some riders on the small straight between 5 and 6 on the brakes. I was still having troubles keeping to a good line through the kink, but was gaining confidence taking turn 8 at a higher speed, and turns 10 through 12 were my absolute favorites in this session, I just found such a nice flowing line through 10 that I could stay on the gas through the entire turn to setup 11 and 12 as one flowing corner, one of the best feelings of the day was going through that section. My braking was improving coming off the straight, upto where I was braking later than I was previous sessions but slowing down way too much and carrying not as much speed through the turn as I should have been (something else to work on next track day). Lap traffic started to become an issue again this session, but felt like I had some quality laps in, I even felt the knee get down twice in turn 9 (along with my damn toe). As soon as I seen the checkered flag on turn 9 I was both really excited and a little disappointed, excited because I felt I was close, if not there for my 1:33.00 goal, and disappointed because I honestly felt I was on my fastest lap of the day, but that's life. I still had the biggest **** eating grin coming through the pit exit, pumping my fists, you'd think I just won something. Fastest lap of the session was a 1:31.23.
Session Seven
Wost session of the day for me. I finally bumped up into intermediate, and with how the grouping went I only had 15 mins from ending my beginner session to getting out with the intermediate boys. I only completed 2 laps before pulling in and calling it quits for the day. First lap down into first going into turn 1 again. through the entire infield I was just a shade late on everything, running slightly wide on some corners I was consistent through all day. came around for lap 2, into turn 1 and I got a false neutral. Scariest moment of the day for me, carrying way too much speed than I was ready for and the apex coming up fast. finally got the bike back into 2nd and almost blew the corner. I realized that I was dog tired. I was so exhausted I didn't realize it. I got around the rest of the track as fast as I could safely go (sorry to anyone here that was running intermediate that I may have slowed up). No times for this session.
Session Eight
DNS
End of the Day
I had a great day, not as good as some, better than many others (at least in my opinion). A couple crashes happened, but we didn't hear anything about serious injuries, someone in beginner blew corner 1 and the ambulance was down there for about 10-15 mins, but didn't leave the park from what we could tell from where we were pitted (practically against the grand stands for the drag strip). Watching my friends tear around in expert was jaw dropping, and I got just as excited when they set their personal best times as when I set mine. I learned more about riding fast in one day at the track than I have since I got my bike riding on the streets.
Tips I picked up as a new rider
- make sure to exercise before hand. I try to stay pretty active, but haven't been to the gym in quite awhile, and have been going for quick paced walks instead of running, and my legs took a beating. Don't underestimate the physical toll the track will take on your body, especially the lower body
- Body positioning and smooth throttle control. Honestly these were the two main things I was focusing on the entire day, and even though I made a good amount of progress, I still have a long long way to go, but its a start. Don't worry about getting knee down. with proper body position and good throttle control you'll build confidence to keep higher corner speeds, and with that will come the better lean angles, and that will lead to scraping pegs and pucks. Which leads me to...
- Make sure everything is proper, especially on the bike. My right peg is broken and missing about 1/4 inch, which doesn't effect street riding, but as I found out at the track I don't have enough space on the peg to put my foot on when leaning off the bike, as soon as the knee comes out, it turns my foot and points my toe down. I was dragging toe well before my knee got anywhere near the ground, so thats a definite needs to be fixed.
- Hydration is key. drink lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty. also bring advil or something similar, helps with little aches and pains, or the odd headache you might get if you forget to hydrate
- If you can, find some good people to go with. It will make all the difference in the world, especially if they are experienced. They know more than you do, and the advice they will give is to keep you fast and more importantly, SAFE
I'm always looking for feedback, tips, and advice, please share away, and if anyone here was running in green group let me know, we may have crossed paths
Now on to the pics!
I call this one "Fat Man on a Little Bike"
The tiredness went away after a Tim's stop, then the nervous excitement started coming on. The closer we got to the track, the more it built up. From pitching the canopies to clearing tech the rest of the morning was a blur. The riders meeting was informative, some of the guys there looked pretty bored during this part, but I'm guessing once you've been through a couple of them you probably know what they are going to say. The groups went backwards from what I expected, Advanced went out first, then intermediate, then the beginner. I rather liked the way that ran, it gave me 30 minutes to watch the experienced guys go around, which was nice. I'm a very competitve person, and knowing the guys I went with are way faster and much more experienced, I only had myself to beat, so my goal for the day was finish in what would be considered a 'good' lap time. They said if I hit the mid to high 1:30's as a good time for a first time track rider, especially one with not of riding experience; so I had my goal for the day set.
When the 5 minute warning went off, all the nerves came back. Waiting for the 2 sighting laps to start, waiting in line with all the other riders, I had about a hundred different questions running through my mind. As soon as the instructors led us out on the first sighting lap, I was laughing at myself in my helmet, everything that I was neverous about just seemed really silly, by the end of the first sighting lap I was ready to start going in earnest. we pulled off so we could get back on spaced out.
First Session
It did not feel like 15 minutes at all, really it felt more like 5. I felt like another 2 or 3 laps would have greatly benefitted me; it felt like just as soon as I was finding good braking braking and turn in points, the checkered flag was out and we had to come in. I really wasn't pushing myself too much until maybe the last lap, and didn't have anyone timing me, but im sure I was up in the mid to high 1:40's
Second Session
I really felt like I found a groove in the 2nd session, and started to find the parts of the track that I liked and didnt. If I had open track infront of me I was able to find more speed and brake later coming into the turns. I found in this sessions I'm much stronger on rights than lefts, I was strong on turns 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Turns 4,5,6,7,8 were defintely weak points.
Lap traffic was starting to cause some setbacks, with not being able to pass in the corners if I didn't get in front of them by turn 2, I was stuck behind them for the entire infield. This session I discovered that I LOVE the brakes. I was consistently out braking everyone in green group into turn one and into turn two. The feeling of the back getting light under heavy braking was odd at first, but after that first time it felt like an old pair of shoes.
Third Session
Very similar to the second session, i felt I was making marked improvements when I had a clear track infront of me, and I was getting faster in the infield, especially through turns 4 and 5. The hairpin at 6 never felt right for me (I know its all mental, but I did not feel comfortable carrying speed through that corner that day. I've already marked left hand turns and turn 6 in particular as a major focus for next time out), and for the life of me I could not find a consistently good line through the kink, which kept messing up my entry to turn 8. Sometimes I would hit the kink perfect, other times my line was way off. This session I would catch up to people through the infield, which was nice because I was going faster, but also frustrating because it would break my rythm. I was so focused that I missed the checkered flag at turn 9 and didn't catch it until the track entrance, so I had a parade lap so to speak.
Fourth Session
This was the last session before lunch. I started to pick up my pace even more, and had a friend timing me from the cone at turn 12. This was my second shortest session, and probably my second worst as I pulled in to make some space, and as I was coming around turn 12 to start my first flying lap we had a rider with the X on their back with an instructor on the track, and too many bikes infront of me to get by on the straight. passed between turns 1-2. caught a group of 4 riders through the infield, got a great launch out of turn 12, took 1 on the straight and 3 on the brakes into turn 1, flew through 2-5 (I had finally found a good line into 4 that let me get awesome drive into 5, everything going swimmingly until turn 8, rode up on the kerbing and felt the front slide loose until it hit tarmac. scary as all hell and slowed me down some, then through turn 9 ended up dragging my toe when I wasn't expecting it and gave me a bit of a fright yet again. The last lap of the session the bike felt really really slow through the infield, to the point where I was worried I might have broke something, but nothing sounded off. realized coming out of turn 8 I had been running in 3rd gear instead of second. Score one for rider error. At the end of the session I had a best lap of 1:37.00. At that point I set my goal to a time of 1:33.00
Fifth Session
After having a much needed lunch break, I hit the track for the 5th session of the day. The guys I went up with were telling me I should bump up from beginner to intermediate because I was only getting a clear track every other lap because of lap traffic and my pace was good enough to move up. I decided to stay in beginner, the guys in intermediate were running much quicker times and I just didn't feel ready. I didn't have anyone timing my laps this session, but I defintely felt quicker at times, and felt like I was making improvements in the infield, but I was very hit or miss on turn 1. On flying laps I'm near the top of 4th coming off the straight, but from a standstill I'm at the top of 3rd. Twice from a standstill I dropped 2 gear throwing the bike down into first, thankfully the slipper clutch ate most of it but both times the rear end went all squirlley, first time on the first lap, 2nd time after we cleared the track for a crash and heading back out. I had some good laps, but no idea what times I was running
Sixth Session
Best session for me of the day. I felt good in every area, even the hairpin was getting easier. I had solidified my line through 4 and 5, even passing some riders on the small straight between 5 and 6 on the brakes. I was still having troubles keeping to a good line through the kink, but was gaining confidence taking turn 8 at a higher speed, and turns 10 through 12 were my absolute favorites in this session, I just found such a nice flowing line through 10 that I could stay on the gas through the entire turn to setup 11 and 12 as one flowing corner, one of the best feelings of the day was going through that section. My braking was improving coming off the straight, upto where I was braking later than I was previous sessions but slowing down way too much and carrying not as much speed through the turn as I should have been (something else to work on next track day). Lap traffic started to become an issue again this session, but felt like I had some quality laps in, I even felt the knee get down twice in turn 9 (along with my damn toe). As soon as I seen the checkered flag on turn 9 I was both really excited and a little disappointed, excited because I felt I was close, if not there for my 1:33.00 goal, and disappointed because I honestly felt I was on my fastest lap of the day, but that's life. I still had the biggest **** eating grin coming through the pit exit, pumping my fists, you'd think I just won something. Fastest lap of the session was a 1:31.23.
Session Seven
Wost session of the day for me. I finally bumped up into intermediate, and with how the grouping went I only had 15 mins from ending my beginner session to getting out with the intermediate boys. I only completed 2 laps before pulling in and calling it quits for the day. First lap down into first going into turn 1 again. through the entire infield I was just a shade late on everything, running slightly wide on some corners I was consistent through all day. came around for lap 2, into turn 1 and I got a false neutral. Scariest moment of the day for me, carrying way too much speed than I was ready for and the apex coming up fast. finally got the bike back into 2nd and almost blew the corner. I realized that I was dog tired. I was so exhausted I didn't realize it. I got around the rest of the track as fast as I could safely go (sorry to anyone here that was running intermediate that I may have slowed up). No times for this session.
Session Eight
DNS
End of the Day
I had a great day, not as good as some, better than many others (at least in my opinion). A couple crashes happened, but we didn't hear anything about serious injuries, someone in beginner blew corner 1 and the ambulance was down there for about 10-15 mins, but didn't leave the park from what we could tell from where we were pitted (practically against the grand stands for the drag strip). Watching my friends tear around in expert was jaw dropping, and I got just as excited when they set their personal best times as when I set mine. I learned more about riding fast in one day at the track than I have since I got my bike riding on the streets.
Tips I picked up as a new rider
- make sure to exercise before hand. I try to stay pretty active, but haven't been to the gym in quite awhile, and have been going for quick paced walks instead of running, and my legs took a beating. Don't underestimate the physical toll the track will take on your body, especially the lower body
- Body positioning and smooth throttle control. Honestly these were the two main things I was focusing on the entire day, and even though I made a good amount of progress, I still have a long long way to go, but its a start. Don't worry about getting knee down. with proper body position and good throttle control you'll build confidence to keep higher corner speeds, and with that will come the better lean angles, and that will lead to scraping pegs and pucks. Which leads me to...
- Make sure everything is proper, especially on the bike. My right peg is broken and missing about 1/4 inch, which doesn't effect street riding, but as I found out at the track I don't have enough space on the peg to put my foot on when leaning off the bike, as soon as the knee comes out, it turns my foot and points my toe down. I was dragging toe well before my knee got anywhere near the ground, so thats a definite needs to be fixed.
- Hydration is key. drink lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty. also bring advil or something similar, helps with little aches and pains, or the odd headache you might get if you forget to hydrate
- If you can, find some good people to go with. It will make all the difference in the world, especially if they are experienced. They know more than you do, and the advice they will give is to keep you fast and more importantly, SAFE
I'm always looking for feedback, tips, and advice, please share away, and if anyone here was running in green group let me know, we may have crossed paths
Now on to the pics!
I call this one "Fat Man on a Little Bike"
That being said, as YellowDuck mentioned, if you're dragging toes then you need to work on your body position and that will come with seat time. 
