Mayhem's 2015 & 2016 Track Day Shenanigans

Part II

Since I only live about 40 minutes from the track, it was pretty easy to make good time. You might have noticed in the pictures above that I didn't bother taping up the headlights or track-prepping the bike. The idea was that we would get out to the track with enough daylight for me to get'er'done. See... part of my camping appeal to my buddy was simple: You ride in the advanced group, advanced group is always the first out on the track after the riders meeting, we all know I have a bit of a problem with... mornings... so if we camp then you can wake right up and be on the grid lickety split!



It seemed to have worked. I have to take a minute to declare my undying thanks to SkilledHouse for bringing his sleeping bag since it got a little colder than it was forecast to get that night, and the three blankets that I had originally forecast as being sufficient, would have been anything but. I also need to pause for a minute to commend SH and his girlfriend, the lovely Meg, for packing everything but the kitchen sink into the back of a Honda with a U-Haul trailer attached. Holy crap! We got there and found that not only did they have a tent, but they brought an entire dining room setup as well. That made for a pretty awesome Sunday night chill session with beer and grilled brats.

The next morning I woke up to a lavender sky and the sound of trucks rolling through the paddock with bikes. I silently announced through a weary grin: "Wake up! It's track time!" My track buddy had already gotten down to business unwrapping the bikes and rolling out his tire warmers. I, on the other hand, made my way to registration and to bring back some coffee.

The Superbike Princess and the Killer Kaw: ready to raise a ruckus


I grabbed coffee and then approached the reg-table: "You're in luck!" the track organization owner announced to me with a proud grin as I made way over to greet her. "There are only 20 people in C group!" I smiled and let out a subtle "fuck yeah!" There are a lot of advantages to riding in C group and I still make the most of every single one of them. The truth is, I had thought about bumping up to intermediate after the last track day but I found myself absolutely enamored with passing people. It sounds arrogant, but there actually really is an art to it and I wanted to make the most of learning it in the beginner class. I also wanted to make sure that if anything was going to fall off of my bike, that it would happen early on when I was moving at reasonably safe speeds. By the end of the first couple of laps of the first session I was sufficiently satisfied that nothing was going to fall off... and even if it did, I really didn't give a shit. I was ready to ride and I got down to business pretty early on in the second session but brought it in a few minutes early to adjust my tire pressures.

I really can't even begin to describe how well everything clicked. It seemed like every session was better than the one before it and I had consistently shaved seconds off of the time I had set a year earlier during my track day on the Yamaha. The first few sessions out I started modest and delicately made moves on people who were significantly slower than I was. At one point I had picked off a small group of riders and kept pushing to ensure that they didn't pass me back, my zone was broken when I suddenly had the strangest feeling that I was no longer being stalked. I glanced over my shoulder to gauge the distance of the nearest rider and noticed that there wasn't a rider to be seen. I was completely alone and I abruptly looked to the nearest corner worker to see if I had blown a checkered flag. As I glanced around, all of the corner workers were standing idly and I second guessed whether or not I was even riding in the right session anymore. I brought it in just as they waved the checkered flag and I felt like a dumbass for getting so wrapped up in the moment.



As the day wore on my appetite became more and more insatiable and I found myself tracking down riders and trying to pace them. All the while I was starting to make note of the tech-guy who warned me that my brake pads were going to be done by the end of the day. Sure enough I started to feel the lag in braking somewhere near my 4th session but it wasn't enough to make me compromise my determination to pick up the pace and hold onto my groove.

William was a moving at a pretty good clip and, during the sessions where we made it out at the same time, I managed to hold onto him until we hit traffic which is where his confidence really took the stage in passing maneuvers that I either wasn't ballsy enough to make, or simply didn't have the timing to make courteously. He's quite a rider and I had a lot of fun sparring with him and regrouping in the paddock to discuss the highlights of our session. The bike ran great and no matter how hard I pushed it was there with more get-up-and-go than my lazy, non-exercised body could handle. By the end of the day I had reached the limits of my physical ability and I was so sore that I could hardly get my ass off the seat. Other riders were starting to have the same problem. As I made my way around the track during an afternoon session, two riders ran off in front of me. I carpe'd the diem and throttled by but the last guy I held off on because I thought he was going to save it. Sure enough he ran off into the dirt and immediately found his line again and got back on the track in front of me. I still had some space to pass him so I took it upon myself to do so and to give him a supportive thumbs-up for the recovery.



To be continued... with pics, video, and a closing assessment...

Good job MOM!
Nothing better than waking up at the track! Well, waking up at the track with a beautiful girl in your sleeping bag (o, wait.... That would be u!:devious)

I don't know what Spider man is talking about, the track days I do at VIR does not allow passing in novis anywhere but straights. I guess I stick with safer groups (PRE, Corner Speed). And I help with tech, and that shit does not fly! Remind me to never be at the same track with Superman! There is too much that can go wrong at the track without having to worry about someone else's bike maintance causing me to wreck!!! F-u for not taking the time to Saftey wire your shit if u cause me to crash! f-u for not taking the time or spending your money to get your bike working properly and safely if u cause me to crash! I take the time, I spend the money, and it is just plain disrespect to suffer a mechanical malfunction that could have been avoided!!! Those r the reasons I stay out of the beginner class!

Sounds like your getting hooked!

For me, I stay out of beginner because all it takes is one squid to try to pass u and wreck you, or to come off his line while your passing.

And as far as looking behind you, we are strongly advised to never look behind u at the track. Too many things can go wrong at those speeds. I try to ride my own ride only focusing on what's in front of me.

If you have enough time to do that, you may not be riding at the top of your game.

I spend so much time on BP, keeping the line, brake points, Apexs, hanging off, I barly have enough concentration left for working about others!

Passing is fun, but I guess I'm still working so hard on everything else and enjoying the challenge of one or two passes in a session. You seem like your overqualified for that class. Move up and improve your other skills MOM!

You can't pass in corners here, so I'll need to re-read what I wrote and clarify. However, there are a couple of sweepers on this track where you can go pretty deep with a pass before actually hitting the apex. I'll include a map in my conclusion post for a better idea of what I'm talking about.

I actually don't mind C group with this organization. Usually it's a pretty quick group and I follow people for a while to get an idea of their riding pattern before I make my move. Like with the guy who ran off, but saved it: I was watching him for a while and knew he actually had a pretty good amount of control over his bike. I also still knew that he was going to get back on the track.

I have been very comfortable on my bike for a while so a quick glance over my shoulder isn't bad. Its not so much that I am a newb, it's more that I am out of practice so I don't mind the beginner group. I am most likely a bit advanced for that group, but, like I said, I like the organization.

This particular track day had the groups running at a little faster because the AFM guys were out doing practice. I heard a lot of chatter from B group riders talking about how they were usually slow A group guys but signed up in B because they didn't want to ride with the racers.

I hope all of what I'm saying makes sense... I'm pretty tired today for unrelated reasons.

Mattel said:

Good job MOM!
Nothing better than waking up at the track! Well, waking up at the track with a beautiful girl in your sleeping bag (o, wait.... That would be u!:devious)

I don't know what Spider man is talking about, the track days I do at VIR does not allow passing in novis anywhere but straights. I guess I stick with safer groups (PRE, Corner Speed). And I help with tech, and that shit does not fly! Remind me to never be at the same track with Superman! There is too much that can go wrong at the track without having to worry about someone else's bike maintance causing me to wreck!!! F-u for not taking the time to Saftey wire your shit if u cause me to crash! f-u for not taking the time or spending your money to get your bike working properly and safely if u cause me to crash! I take the time, I spend the money, and it is just plain disrespect to suffer a mechanical malfunction that could have been avoided!!! Those r the reasons I stay out of the beginner class!

Sounds like your getting hooked!

For me, I stay out of beginner because all it takes is one squid to try to pass u and wreck you, or to come off his line while your passing.

And as far as looking behind you, we are strongly advised to never look behind u at the track. Too many things can go wrong at those speeds. I try to ride my own ride only focusing on what's in front of me.

If you have enough time to do that, you may not be riding at the top of your game.

I spend so much time on BP, keeping the line, brake points, Apexs, hanging off, I barly have enough concentration left for working about others!

Passing is fun, but I guess I'm still working so hard on everything else and enjoying the challenge of one or two passes in a session. You seem like your overqualified for that class. Move up and improve your other skills MOM!

Click to expand...

PRE, Cornespeed, and Turn 1 do have significantly more detailed tech inspection than some other orgs but even still in Novice class tech inspection isnt the same as for advanced group. Most novice groups dont even require saftey wiring (not even PRE and Cornerspeed)

As far as passing, I am pretty sure it was PRE I was with last year that allowed passing on the outside in novice. I could be mistaken but I remember doing a track day last year and passing on the outside in certain turns at VIR was allowed. Or maybe it wasnt allowed but just happened. I definitely remember getting passed on the outside in turn 9 at south course. LIke I said, maybe it wasnt allowed but just happened a few times.

As far as intermediate class. I was actually advised that even though I got the bump I should stay in novice until I feel I am really just that much faster than anyone that shows up in Novice. This was just someones personal opinion. HE was a racer and he said in his experience he found intermediate to be the most dangerous group to ride with because you get alot of "barely out of novice" talent that think they can run advanced pace. Whereas in Novice, his experience was there werent as many egos or guys that thought they were fast. Based on that and the fact that I wasnt lapping the field in novice, is why I decided to stay put.

Sorry to thread jack mom. Just wanted to clarify what I meant.
carry on

You definitely looked better out there than last year. And I'm sure it had much to do with trusting the old girl you were on rather than ol' red (R6). Glad to hear about your passing exploits too. Next time out you'll find better places to pass... and while I'm thinking about that... you CAN pass in C group. Must be on the outside. Just keep that in mind next time you're up the ass of a slower bike going into Riverside. Stay wide and roll on the throttle. I also like passing in "sweeper" around the outside. It's a better line than the inside. (just food for thought while you're going over the weekends video.)

Great read as always Mayhem...

See ya around the racetrack lady. :nana:

spiderman636 said:

PRE, Cornespeed, and Turn 1 do have significantly more detailed tech inspection than some other orgs but even still in Novice class tech inspection isnt the same as for advanced group. Most novice groups dont even require saftey wiring (not even PRE and Cornerspeed)

Click to expand...

We are EXTREMELY thorough on ALL the bikes on the track. From a bone stock bike ridden by a novice in C group, or a modded out WSBK in Advanced... they all get the same attention to detail. We don't require safety wire as this is just a track day and not a race practice or open format track day. Matter of fact... I actually had a guy compliment our thorough tech inspection. "I've never been through tech wehere they checked out as much as you guys!" I asked him how that made him feel... he replied "fucking safe!! Nice knowing all the bikes have been looked over the same way."

Conclusion

Well, it would seem that there have been some changes to the track photography policy which resulted in a pretty ridiculous pricing system. Still, I found a few pics that sufficiently captured my progress and I figured it's always good to buy at least one so you can compare and contrast as you move along.

All in all I am chalking the day up to success. I rode well, I felt good (but I've said that already) and if I may I'd like to address my C group decision just a little more elaborately. Last night, I was discussing this very same logic whilst on a date with a guy who is very familiar with this organization, this track, and these dynamics and the best way I can sum it up is by saying that there is a lot to be pulled from riding in C group a little longer. I definitely have some areas of improvement but what I like is that it affords me a better margin of pace-fluctuation. So for instance, I need to work on being more comfortable with switching up a line to make passes. C group pace allows me to do so comfortably without feeling like if I push too hard, backing off a little will result in some catastrophe. Whereas in intermediate group, I am pushing that much harder and having less of forgiveness if I decide that I ran in too deep or made a poor line choice. Does that make sense?

Some people see it as a shit-show whereas I see it as the perfect environment for experimentation (at my pace anyway).

Anyway, enough blabbering, here are some pics:







Most of what I suspected I needed to improve as far as BP was pretty spot on in comparison to how I felt on the bike. It didn't help that I was pretty out of shape but refused to sacrifice perfectly good sessions.

The other challenge I was having was with not having sufficient grip on the tank. When I had tank grips I could easily find a niche and plant myself but I felt incredibly unstable and I kept having to scoot myself back on the seat. I've got some tank grips en-route so I expect this will be dramatically reduced next time around. Otherwise, I would say it wasn't a bad start to the season.

I have some video too, but I am going to outsource some experts to put some tunes to it since it's rrrrreaaaaaallllly boring to watch on its own.

Hah!!! That's actually the one I was going to post. But now I'm feeling self conscious about it.

Either way... I downloaded it onto my damn computer and now I have no idea where I saved it.

In the interim, here are some additional pics I took from the day:







Side note: I am still so madly in love with this bike...

No shit: this bike has seen more mileage and bullshit with me than most humans...

... and she still fires right up. That's a champ right there.