Jennings GP
April 23, 24, 2005
Intro
After doing considerable street riding I decided to head to the track. This was my first track experience and I have to tell you it was just fantastic. The pictures and videos don't really do it justice, though the 4-24-05 videos show that I learned a LOT in just one day. My tires are trashed, my pucks are legitimately scuffed, and I can't wait to go back. The track was friendly, the people were awesome, the experience was just fantastic.
A HUGE "Thank you, I love you gorgeous" to Tonya. She came out, helped me set up, shot the video and completely made the weekend. It wouldn't have been nearly as much fun if you hadn't been there . . thanks so much for everything you did, you're the best.
Videos from 4-24-05
Videos from 4-23-05
4-24-05 Picture
My Pucks on Sunday . . I was so proud!
Pictures from 4-23-05
Scott is a dork . .
Wal-Mart Sells Crap
Pit row
Pit out
More Pics
Ride Report
Saturday was calm, and a lot more relaxed than Sunday. Fewer people were there on Saturday, and while it was fast the energy / mood seemed less competitive and more about just having fun. There were also more older riders on Saturday than Sunday. Saturday we shared our rotation with the Ed Bargy racing school. That was really no problem at all, at least for me. Sunday it was just the three groups (Novice for me, thank you very much).
There was even time on Saturday for a 'women's only' session which I thought was pretty cool. There was at least one woman who was breathtakingly beautiful in some really bright leathers in the intermediate crowd. I think she was hanging out with Bloke, but in any case she rode like a bat outta hell and was very respectable in the group 2. In the pit next to me a woman rider was there alone, no other gal-pals to gossip with and no man to help her load and unload. She actually slept in her truck in her race leathers. That Gal is BAD to the core. Very nice, very friendly, very independent. She didn't want any help with her paddock stands, she didn't whine and complain, she didn't moan "oh they're going too fast out there" or "they're passing too close," when she finished a session she'd go back to her truck and read her race manual and go back out and apply it in the next session. When I left she was eating people up on the track on her ZX-6rr.
Sunday had a LOT more people, and a younger crowd. Teenagers were walking pit row oohing and ahhing. Younger guys on the track meant for a few more yellows on Sunday than Saturday and one blown engine too. Still, by the time I left there were no injuries.
Lots of camaraderie both Saturday and Sunday. People helped each other loading and unloading (I had to repeatedly tell people no when they asked if I needed help unloading my K-bike), tools were shared and advice was given in a respectful, even deferential tone.
Far more respect and far less ego B.S. than you see on your average 'group street ride.'
I actually made a couple of startlingly real observations
First off, the phrase "this isn't a track bike" took on a WHOLE new meaning. While it was fun taking my K-bike out, and it was awesome hanging off, the bike just isn't a track bike. The weight, the difficulty getting the wheels off and the near complete inability to change suspension setup will keep me in the novice class. Don't get me wrong, novice was a blast, but I think by the end of day two I was pushing my tires and suspension to their limits.
I took turn 6 too tight and laid down a 'baby McCoy' power slide of about 6 feet. No exaggeration. Hold the throttle,stay loose, and wait for it to catch up.
On day two I was powerslliding out of 11 and I could feel the front and rear start to drift on me.
I called it a day when I slid through 11, hooked 12, slingshot through 13, but then slid through 14. Sliding through 14 was god's way of saying "time to bring it down." The slide on 14 scared me and that was when I lost confidence in my tires. I had been getting my knee down regularly on 13 and 14 and feeling the bike drift while my right puck was on the pavement put the fear of god, Allah and Darwin all in me at the same time. My tires may be fine, but I lost confidence in them and it affected my riding.
7 through 10 were actually where I made time and caught up with people, then I'd make my pass. Everyone hammers it from 11 to 13, then they lay on the brakes for 13 so they don't run off. One guy on a CBR600rr passed me on 3 and I was trailing him pretty nicely until he LEFT me coming out of 8. By the time I got to 13 he was in the runoff facing the wrong way. Initially I was only passing between 14 and 1, but as I got faster and I got more confidence I started passing everywhere from the turn exit of turn 11 to the turn entry for 3.
Turn 6 was my nemesis for the weekend and while there is a short stretch between 6 and 7 I never managed to hit my turn entry for 6 right so while I may have been fast enough to pass I wasn't in the right spot to pass and then hit my turn entry for 7.
Closing observations:
Take it to the track. Sport bikers complain that the police are out to get them, that traffic is out to get them, yada yada yada. The fact of the matter is that sport riding belongs on a track, not on a public road. Furthermore, 'street badass' has almost no relevance to the track. Lots of guys were out saying "I am a really fast street rider" who came puttering in the bottom 1/3 of the novice class. I will continue to ride on the street, I will continue to hit the local twisties, but if you see me and want to pass, pass. I am not rolling the dice with the street any more.
Ultimately, it is all bravado and bullsh*t when it comes to the street. Anyone can pass on one turn, anyone can run a set of twists one time and be the leader of the pack and almost everyone who does is gonna either get a huge ticket or seriously hurt at some point.
While I was out Sunday at the track, good friends of mine got pulled over on Ehren Cutoff. One in their group got arrested and others got BIG tickets.
So, talk is cheap, street bikes should be ridden with sanity, take it to the track.
OH, and one more thing, Ctate - GREAT pass between 3 and 4, it was a lot of fun following you out on that last lap!