Re: [ST] track school

[chuck boatwright <dirac@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Masiak, Richard wrote:
> Out of my class of 60 beginners, only 5 or 6 crashed.  

This is a fairly high number of crashes.  I do my share of track days, 
and have been at days with no crashes.  Going fast and safe [should] go 
together.  Some of these no crash days have been days where there are 
intermediate and expert rider/racers (experts in my book are guys who 
get points in AMA events) getting ready for a race weekend.  I've also 
been at a few where one session will have a few crashes _and_ and 
ambulance pickup.  Ambulance on track means no bikes on track.  no bikes 
is no fun.

> 
> To me, not unusual.  1 out of 10 OR 1 out of 12 aren't bad statistics IMO.

I disagree with this logic.  That's a very high number.  As a racer, 
only a mid pack racer, I find track days with alot of street riders 
occasionally uncomfortable.  I know that the people I race with won't 
check up when I go by, and the "margins" of safe pass are very 
different.  Getting comfortable with close (not unsafe) is alot of the 
head battle that goes on in racing (especially if you aren't a rossi or 
augostini your first time out).  It's these mixed days where I see the 
most crashes.  But a 10% crash rate is higher than I would like to see.

but..  there is something good about being aware that you might surf the 
tarmac.

The fact that you might crash is a good thing to be aware of.  Don't 
plan to crash.  But if you do, figure out what you did wrong in the 
crash.  Some are wrongs that are really easy to find, and easy to fix 
i.e. too tight on the bars, rough transitioning from braking to gas in a 
corner, etc.  Riding over your head seems to be a good sign that a crash 
is imminent.  Why flirt with a crash?  (unless you like pain or want to 
brag about it).  When I make 2 mistakes in a lap (track days) I end the 
session (or at least go to the hot pits for 20 smooth breaths).

You want to be learning.  I have had weekends where I hit a brick wall 
and couldn't find any speed improvements.  Then someone came by and said 
something obvious like "hey, get your chest tighter down on your tank, 
you look like a sunday rider"  (I race low hp bikes)  I listened, went 
out and in the next session put together successive personal bests.  I 
wasn't even trying to go fast.  My laptimer batteries had died..  only 
when I picked up the scoring sheets did I see the improvement.

You want to push your head to the edge of its capacity to learn.  You 
don't want to push you and the bike to the limits, otherwise you might 
just land on your head (which usually hurts).

The things that have helped me the most at the track are

drink, drink and drink some more (water, not sugary sports drinks)
snack and more snacks -- skip the fatty bbq lunches
rest between sessions (sleep at lunch)

notebook!
make notes of as much info as you can on laps, brake markers, etc.
make notes of setup  --I keep the setup in a different section, so I can 
refer to them in the laps section.

Check bike every session -- feel tires, inspect rubber, inspect chain, 
look for evidence of oil blow by (catch bottle or belly pan)

most important -- have fun.  If you aren't having fun, don't bother, you 
won't get any better.

- --chuck
(disclaimer)  I have a number of broken bones and spent hours recovering 
both body and bike from track crashes.  If there is one thing which 
should stand out, it is to avoid riding over your head. everybody "wins" 
practice, regardless of laptime.




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