Grand bend lapping friday july 10 | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Grand bend lapping friday july 10

Rules didn't really matter in the green group. Lots of riders did what they wanted. I don't think there were any of the racers in the green group. If they had been, it wasn't for long.

One of the biggest problems was beginner group riders doing dumb things and not following the basics. I saw a guy stop in the middle of the s turn to see if his buddy was okay after a fall. Stopped on the race line in the middle of a turn... There was the a big group of riders not stopping on a red, and the yahoo blowing by 4 reds, and a couple riders blowing thru the cones at the s turn to get to the pits. These kind of things have nothing to do with your level, and everything to do with paying attention at the riders meeting and doing what you're supposed to.

It seems like a big group of the riders didn't show for the riders meeting, and didn't really know the basic track rules. This created a lot of problems.

I will totally agree that its not suitable for beginner riders though. The beginner sessions were basically an all in for the track group. The evens and odds were race level riders for the most part.
 
Marshals need to black flag riders who are a problem. It is up to the person running the day to make sure people follow the rules.
 
GSXR Girl said:
I don't ride at the Friday track days because they don't have green group rules. I know that it is a "race practice" day. The person who runs the day made that clear at the riders meeting last year when I was there. It would be best if Grand Bend would not sell a begginer group for these Friday's or if they do they should require the person running the day to enforce beginner group rules.
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ok so to accommodate everyone. they should have
beginner
intermediate
hot shoe
slow
even number
odd number
pro.
sure i don't mind getting on the track once every 2 hours
 
alltherighttoys said:
ok so to accommodate everyone. they should have
beginner
intermediate
hot shoe
slow
even number
odd number
pro.
sure i don't mind getting on the track once every 2 hours
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Better yet, have soar practice with race license only. And have grand bend trackdays seperately. Should only cost an extra $50 per rider.
 
gsxr guy said:
Better yet, have soar practice with race license only. And have grand bend trackdays seperately. Should only cost an extra $50 per rider.
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Probably best option. It's like playing a pick up game with aaa players
 
rescue said:
See it at almost every track day. Guys/gals with litre bikes, quick shifts, programmed for max HP yet in the beginner sessions flying by. Don't know if its an ego thing, intimidation or lack of confidence? Maybe learning how to better pass another rider or share the same space. Beginners are beginning to learn and make mistakes and could throw a rider off behind them, results ending badly.
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Racer bikes are setup to Race, however having a bike setup for racing does not make you a fast rider compared to other racers.

A track day combined with a Race practice weekend rules are different than rules at regular track days, passing is allowed in the slow group, the rules are spelled out during the riders meeting so if "no passing" isn't mentioned assume that you will be passed.

Racers go on the slow group not for lack of confidence or any of the reasons you mentioned, but because those racers are slower compared to other racers that are much faster, so they rightfully pick the group that was meant for them, however I believe there is a track day group in which you will see red group riders combined with green group riders hence the cluster **** most likely

Keep in mind that a slow racers are most likely (and most cases) a lot faster than a yellow group track day rider but they still need to stay in the slow group at a Race practice Friday, i arrived Saturday so I am not sure how the groups were organized, my comments are only for general reference.

There is not such a thing as "places they had no business passing" all places are right for passing as long as it is done safely, just because you got passed and spooked because you are not used to been passed like that, does not mean the rider did anything wrong.

And finally, track day riders that go to a practice day, should be aware that the pace will be fast, if a new track day rider chooses to go to a practice day, they need to be aware of it and first of all follow the rules (as many didn't that day" as a matter of fact i was told it was a cluster**** of dangerous moves created by track day riders) and secondly be ready to be passed... everywhere safely. I am regularly a Red group rider at track days but when i go to track days which are practice days for nationals, I stay in the Yellow group since i know the guys out there are a lot faster than me so i stay away, new track day riders should not go IMO to race practice days unless they are willing to be passed and comfortable with it.

Like Bryan said, it seems that most of the issues came from TD riders not following the rules and not from dangerous Passing.

That been said there are some ****** bag racers out there, for example during Endurance on Saturday, I saw a racer on a 600cc bike do an aggressive and unnecessary pass in the middle of the carousel to a new rider (racer5) to the point that it hit him and stand him up, well done on the young kid for keeping his composure and staying on track. Stuff like that is just out of place. If you are not able to pass a racer 5 rider on a 250 safely, you are riding outside your comfort, get your **** together and calm the hell down. The racer was spoken to last round and it seems that didn't work.
 
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atss2006 said:
It seems like a big group of the riders didn't show for the riders meeting, and didn't really know the basic track rules. This created a lot of problems.
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This should be a bit of a wakeup call to the people who cry about the Rider's Meeting @ GWB days, because Chris sometimes says words that the GTAM swear-o-meter will not allow to appear. If you don't go to the Rider's meeting, you don't ride until they can do another one.

I don't know if anyone was actually able to miss the riders meeting at this day and still go on track, and not meaning to imply anything about the organizers. Just saying people should stop crying about hearing someone say "I don't give a **** if your buddy crashed right in front of you. You don't stop to see if he's okay" etc... This is the kind of language that needs to be used on idiots.
 
Ok let me put this all to bed. Friday was a s....show and it was 90% trackday riders who either dont follow very simple flag rules such as stopping on a red so we can roll an ambulance and/or not getting out of bed to attend a riders meeting to know what is going on. FIRST off this is not a three group trackday such as you are used too nowhere will see rules for passing or not passing listed or spoken. You are ASSUMING its the same as other trackdays.We do not have a green, yellow,red, two faster amateur, a slower racer and a pro only (just read the list and you will see why). What is suppose to be happening here and it has been discussed and was again on the weekend. IF you attend a Friday trackday before SOAR you will be passed and you are free to pass. If this doesnt work for you there are many other trackdays that cater too this including other GBM days. We simply do not have time to have seven groups nor people to chase people who pass incorrectly. We generally mention it again at the meeting which seems to be by and large not being attended by many trackday participants. Whe I have guys going the wrong way up the straight, or stopping on the straight to wait for a friend who ran off in carousel, or riding up drag strip backwards to get to pits, or TWENTY riders riding past FOUR-FIVE red flags and an ambulance with lights flashing and a rider laying in middle of track not moving only stopping as I stand at PIT IN in their way. Pardon me if I am not to worried that you were passed in a corner. This is primarily a SOAR race practice with racers numbering 90% plus of the total riders, The trackday riders granted should be told this when registering BUT are told at the meeting.
What I can tell you is that in the future. Once the rider meeting starts (aprox 8:30-8:45) the gate will close and you will not get registered/wrist band to get a tech sticker and told to come back at noon when we can do a SECOND riders meeting. I will do best I can to have the GBM system at least changed to tell you how the day is run but it has always been that way this season and has to be. So if you are looking for a traditional trackday green/yellow experience then maybe this isnt the day for you. Riders are welcome to be in the slower group which has 125,250,390 hell even a KX80 supermoto but you will still get passed. I am not concerned about passing as long as its respectful and safe. I am damn sure more concerned about going backwards on track, stopping on race surface and at the top of the list ignoring a red. Even after the twenty rider conga line in the morning, warning the pits over PA that this is dangerous and not acceptable I still had a runner that afternoon that did it again and only slowed when facing a head on with an ambulance headed for yet another rider down and not moving. This after passing FIVE waved reds with the last one actually ON the track surface. His day was done at that point.
 
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Ken, I hear you. It sounds like the **** storm of events that brought together the largest group of track day idiots ever, people who won't get it no matter how many times you tell them what they did wrong. There's not much you could have done to avoid the storm.

For the sign-up, it's very simple. GBM needs to remove the Beginner and Intermediate registration options for SOAR Fridays. Right now there is zero information on the registration page that lets people know that it's a racing event. Unless they cross reference it to the schedule and are smart enough to put 2 and 2 together (going backwards and stopping on the straight? They cannot add 2 and 2). There is no way that a day can every be completely safe when mixing new riders with 10+ year track day vets and racers. **** will happen. The Advanced riders know what it's like to be passed in all sorts of ways, so it should be a totally fine mix for slow racers + fast track dayers. If somebody who normally rides intermediate or beginner signs up for the day claiming to be advanced and starts whining about passing or becomes a hazard on track then that would have to be dealt with.
 
Can I give a newbie perspective?
Friday was my 3rd ever track day plus I've also done the Intro to Track Day at TMP.

1. I knew beforehand this was a SOAR race weekend so I fully understood that this would not be a "normal" track day when I signed up.
2. I take safety on the track very, very seriously & always (without fail) attend the riders meeting - I don't understand why someone wouldn't attend the riders meeting especially on your 1st time at a track.
3. I also obey the flag system without fail & know what to do under a red flag, a waved yellow or a non waved yellow & believe anyone who wont obey the flags has no place on the track.
4. I was overtaken a lot, no big surprise there but it did not intimidate or worry me - I held my lines & tried to be as predictable as possible.
5. When I wasn't on track myself I was at track side watching you fast guys & trying to pick out pointers & lines from you.
6. I would, eventually, like to hold a SOAR (old boys) or VRRA licence & try racing - I used Friday to gauge how I'd cope in that situation at my current experience level - now I know I have lots of work to do but I do believe its within me.
7. I will continue trying to get out on the track every weekend, including this coming Saturday at TMP to gain the experience I need.
8. I will do another Friday SOAR track day as long as I'm allowed & welcome to do so, if things change regarding the Friday's I will respect that decision by the organisers
9. I set off home Friday, after the track day, knowing that I'd had a great time & learned a lot about myself & my riding.
10. I was on the 25 year old black ZX7 with the number 917 - if I did do anything stupid, I apologise but please also tell me what I did - I want to learn guys, I want to get better & better with every track day I do.

I did have a great time even though it was a bit of a s--t show at times due to a few yahoos.
 
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I went out on the Friday in "slow" and didn't see a single one of our SOAR riders in that group. It was a bunch of TD riders. I don't have a problem being passed, but I did notice there was some rather unnecessary passing. One time for me — getting stuffed at the end of the straight as I turned into the little left-hander. Dude could have passed me more politely and less dangerously in the straight right after that corner, but chose to be a hero instead. C'est la vie, right?

Can we all just remember that no one wins awards at TDs and the objective is to have fun? Some riders realize this; the ones who don't can ruin it for others.
 
Ok, just to make things clear — the Friday TDs are put on by Grand Bend, not by SOAR. They used to be practice days for SOAR (and believe me when I say they were an absolute pleasure to ride at because everyone was respectful of each other). Fridays are no longer under Ken's jurisdiction. If they were, he'd put all the butts of yahoos in slings himself. LOL
 
I thought it was a collaborative effort by SOAR and GBR. Are there still special sign up deadlines and discounts for SOAR racers to guarantee they have a chance to get in before track day riders fill it up?
 
The days came about when GBM ans SOAR combined the old Thursday of GBM and the SOAR Friday practice. The Friday is administered by the track and the on track portion by SOAR. There are finacial benefits to signing up early. NOTE after the start of riders meeting the registration is closed until noon. You miss riders meeting your parked until we can do another one at lunch break. Not having another gong show caused by people missing basic instructions so make sure your on time.
 
Is someone going to validate that everyone through the gate is at the rider's meeting and not skipping it? Is someone going to validate that anyone going on track has gone through rider's meeting first? Even with all that, it's one thing for someone to be at the rider's meeting and another to be paying attention to it.

"Violation = Ban" may still be necessary. After it happens to a couple of people, maybe the rest would pay attention.

Heading towards the mandatory occupational health and safety training before you are allowed to enter a factory ...
 
Can't outlaw stupidity
 
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