Diary of a track day, Part 2

Pictures   

This time I got to Summit Point at 9:00 AM. As before, Cycle Sport divides entrants into three groups; A, B, and C. The selection criterion is engine displacement. Open-class bikes in A, 600’s in C. Group A circulates the track faster than B, who laps faster than C. “Control Riders” provide traffic control. They are licensed roadracers who show participants the line, help people with bike setup, etc. During the day, people would change groups if they felt they were going too fast or too slow. The mix of bikes was about the same as last time, except I saw an Aprilia Mille and RS 250, two Hayabusas, and a couple of Buells. There were several R1’s in the A-Group, unlike the May event.


SUSPENSION SETTINGS:
I still haven’t set my sag, so I left the bike as it was from last time.

FRONT:
Preload: 3 lines showing
Compression: 6 clicks
Rebound: 6
Ride height: Even with triple clamps
Tire Pressure: 30 psi

REAR
Preload: 0 threads showing
Compression: 9 clicks
Rebound: 5
Ride height: Stock
Tire Pressure: 30 psi

SESSION FORMAT:

Instead of a standing start, we line up in two rows in the paddock next to pit out. The CR’s line up at pit out. Mark, the organizer of these events, sends out a CR, three participants, another CR, etc. There is no passing in the morning. In the afternoon passing is first allowed on the 3,000’ front straight. In later sessions passing is allowed between turns 2 and 3, 9 and 10, as well as between 10 and 1. There is NEVER any passing allowed in the turns. Horsepower helps.

SESSION ONE:
We got the first call for the “Parade Laps”; two laps, no passing, at about 35 mph to reconnoiter the track. Every CR went out for this session, so there was a CR for every other participant.

SESSION TWO:
We really picked up the pace at the beginning. That was fine with me. Still no passing allowed.

SESSION THREE:
Still no passing allowed. It is getting very hot out here. (~85°F and humid.) Stuck behind a Hayabusa for half the session. This sucks. He’s slow. Fortunately a control rider sees my dilemma and waves me by.

SESSION FOUR:
I feel lost. I’m having trouble with turns 1, 3, 9, and 10. I try to fix all my problems at once, rather than perfecting one corner before working on the next. Got a good, long powerslide coming out of turn 10, probably 3 seconds. Session ended early because an R1 crashed in turn 9.

Rider transported to the hospital. He’s going to be hurting for a while. Seems he grabbed a handful of front brake while cranked over very far. Something spooked him and he reacted in the worst possible way, given his situation, we think.

SESSION FIVE a:
Talked to my mom before I went out. (It’s always nice to have her there at my track day events.) Went out for two laps. An RC30 blew a motor on the front straight, oiling the braking area into turn one. 30 min. delay while that is cleaned up.

SESSION FIVE b:
This is what I’m talking about! Passed a CBR 900, then a 929. I was working on passing a GXS-R 750 when the session ended because of a crash. The rider was up and walking (and probably cursing) when I got there.

 I have a video of my Session 5. It is 13Mb, so don't bother of you're on a dial-up. Anyway, this is from the last session of the day. I am in the A-Group. It opens with me chasing a CBR 900 RR down the front straight. I tried to pass him earlier in the lap, but ran off-line and had to back out of the throttle. He was intent on passing the 929 in front of him and went too deep into turn 1. I pass him because I got a better drive out of 2. Will, a Control Rider, passes me between turns 2 and 3. He is on a TL-1000 R and is wearing a t-shirt over his leathers. I follow everybody through 9. Will passes the 929. I get a good drive out of 10 and pass the 929 down the front straight.

Track Day Pictures

C-Group ready	The poor R1 again.	Nice Aprilia
Me in turn 8	Me in Turn 10	End of a session