Track day ins and outs and what have yous

12xCHAMP&COUNTING · 2008-03-29 8:38 PM

A valued member asked if I could post up some information regarding what to expect at a track day. Before I get started, I'd like everyone to feel free to add to this post if I've forgotten something, which I will, or if your experience or recollection is different from mine. There's a lot of information to follow, but just remember it will be your best day ever!

I'd suggest signing up for novice if it is your first time at a track. They make sure to explain things very thoroughly and you will receive special attention/instruction. USUALLY, if the pace in novice is much slower than what you feel comfortable running, the organizers will allow you to bump from novice to intermediate or from intermediate to advanced. If they are sold out, this may NOT be allowed.

The day. You will most likely sleep like a 10-year-old on Christmas Eve. I would guess that the total amount of sleep I've gotten the night before a track day is 48, and that's 12 nights. That may be a little low, but not very far off. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.

Required rider gear
-full faced helmet-no modulars
-leather gauntlet style gloves
-leather jacket and leather pants that zip together or one piece leather suit. some allow cordura, some do not. leather's where it's at so go that direction.
-boots that cover the ankle
-back protectors may not be required, but are a great idea IMO

Wake up
Drop A Deuce(DAD)
Eat
DAD
Make sure bike is ready to roll (double check bolts, fill tank, check air pressure in tires, check oil level, adjust suspension, then readjust, then readjust--rand only,apply duct tape and zipties as needed )
DAD
Take bike through tech inspection
-Bike prep requirements
-new or near new tires
-plenty of brake pad left
-no fluid leaks
-self-closing throttle
-no loose parts
-duct-taped lights and blinker and reflectors (removal is preferrable, but taping is ok)(make sure to pull light fuse or bulb so u don't melt tape)
-some organizations require the use of water or water-wetter rather than antifreeze because antifreeze is reallllllllly slippery if you were to drop some)
-remove license play
-remove anything else that isn't functional and would suck to have to replace (rear footpeg perhaps)

Put tire warmers on and do final suspension adjustment if you're Rand
Attend riders meeting where event organizer goes through the rules, since this isn't Nam, explains what the flags mean (i.e. yellow, black, checkered....hooray, etc), reviews the itinerary for the day
-usually 3, 20 minute sessions per hour (advanced, intermediate, novice)
-6 foot pass rule especially in novice, but encouraged for everyone
-no passing except on designated straight stretches for novice in the morning. they usually do away with this at some point.
-some orgs. don't break for lunch. some do and sometimes they are required to do so by the track
Flags
-green means go
-standing yellow means there is something ahead of you that requires your attention (motorcycle off-track or crashed, turkey, deer, marmot)
-no need to slow excessively, just have your bike under control
-waving yellow means that the "something ahead" is directly ahead
-again, just have your bike under control and be ready and able to change your line if necessary
-red means something bad has happened and you need to circulate to "pit in" at a moderate pace and exit the track
-meatball flag(whtie with red dot) means you are to circulate to pit in and exit the track and find an official. something is mechanically wrong with you or your bike or you did something naughty.
-black means most likely you are leaking oil and you are to get off the racing line and perhaps off the track
-yellow and red striped? means there is debris on the track. could be a foot peg or a bolt or dirt
-yellow and red striped? pointed to the sky means there is water on the track (it can be raining on one portion of a track and not raining on another part)
-checkered means complete your lap and proceed to pit in and exit the track. your session is over.

Ideally, the group stays together at the track or a hotel the night before and the night of the track day. Another nice thing is when the only difference between your bike in the morning and at night is a lot less rubber on the tires, not less plastic on your fairings. The night before you talk about what might be and the night after you talk about giving Stoner a run for his money. I always say, thank God the track isn't heroin, otherwise I'd be dead.

My brain hurts, but probably not as much as yours will after reading this. This is sooooooo far from complete and I apologize for the lack of organization but I'm still hung over (thanks Mileageguy) and tired. If you have any specific questions, fire away. Someone here will be able to answer them. Check out the following links for better and more concise information. Sportbike Track Time Private Track Time More Private Track Time Info.

Wood · 2008-03-30 6:18 PM

Be sure you bring a lot of water to stay hydrated, and more than that if it is hot outside, someone else forgot thiers and will want some of yours.

Bring some sort of snack, apples, fig newtons, boiled eggs, or whatever to keep you fueled up. Save the big meal for after the ride. You'll be too amped up, be busy peeing, and other things like suspension settings, to be eating anything big anyway. Oh yeah, and don't forget to D another D.

Last edited by Wood (2008-03-30 9:54 PM)

Rand McNally · 2008-03-30 7:22 PM

Be careful who you trust your camera to, to take pictures of you or you may end up with the jungle fever on your camera.

If you know a shutter bug and they like bikes but don't want to do the track day thing invite them along the pictures they take may be great and possibly free you will pay good money from a track vendor!

Rand McNally · 2008-03-30 7:29 PM

Track Riding can be ruff 4 out of the 7 in the photo are injured, but still a great pic and good times!

Last edited by Rand McNally (2008-03-30 7:32 PM)

Wood · 2008-03-30 9:52 PM

yep, good times had by all!

milageguy · 2008-03-31 3:04 PM

What about the special napkins to whip with, you know, like DDP used on some rides.

12xCHAMP&COUNTING · 2008-03-31 4:02 PM

milageguy wrote:

What about the special napkins to whip with, you know, like DDP used on some rides.

God, that was nasty!! :barf:

Hind Tit · 2008-03-31 5:08 PM

Champ, somehow I was able to look past the Gun Show....elbow? Hand? Wha? The other two people must be psychologically damaged...?

Rand McNally · 2008-03-31 5:21 PM

MxMech wrote:

Champ, somehow I was able to look past the Gun Show....elbow? Hand? Wha? The other two people must be psychologically damaged...?

It wasn't the best picture I should still be glowing from a CAT scan and about 35 X Rays mostly of my small prized possession!

Hind Tit · 2008-03-31 5:56 PM

Aren't you supposed to tuck that in when you ride?

Chippewa Valley Sportbike Club Forum

#1 2008-03-29 8:38 PM

Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#2 2008-03-30 6:18 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#3 2008-03-30 7:22 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#4 2008-03-30 7:29 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#5 2008-03-30 9:52 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#6 2008-03-31 3:04 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#7 2008-03-31 4:02 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#8 2008-03-31 5:08 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#9 2008-03-31 5:21 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

#10 2008-03-31 5:56 PM

Re: Track day ins and outs and what have yous

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