Does anyone else think this was a crazy idea? (Maybe that is why I entered it. ;D) I was a middle of the pack amateur and was lapped on the 3rd lap! I had riders stuffing it on me in turn 4, 2 wide! Not naming names, but I do remember the skull of numbness come straight for me. (couldn't see who was on the "inside" of him!!) If it wasn't for my cat like reflexes, who knows? With 50 bikes, I wasn't too surprised it was red flagged after only 5 laps. Hope nobody was seriously hurt. Well, I didn't think it was a good idea and entered anyways. I guess that makes me a "numbskull" Later.
Kevin C Clark
There were 55 bikes on the grid for that race. I understand that max capacity for BHF is 60.:o I'm not complaining but compared to the other 5 races I entered this was by far the most intense.
And (because I know someone's gonna say something sooner or later) yeah... I know now that TLR's go in the GTO ::) - hey, it was an honest mistake (this was my first race weekend, I got a little excited filling out paperwork - signed up on the wrong line).
Hey KBOlsen, Was that you I was talking to during the wait after the red flag? I knew you were on a TLR, but didn't even think about the class we were in. I was on the black and yellow GSXR600.
Yep... that was me!
Yup. I thought it was pretty dumb too.
The original program durning Team Challenge weekends was to not have GT races like GTU, GTO, and GT Lights.
Since TC had to run, someone made the decision to throw everyone together, regardless of the speed difference, and let nature take it's course.
Sure, it's an "endurance race", but there is a safety issue with that kind of set up.
I've noticed the've done the same thing June 29th at MAM. At least thats 40' wide the whole track. And yes, I'm entered in the GTU race!
And on a track that everyone is pretty unfamiliar with.
Again, there will be those that have been to many tracks that will pick it up quickly, and those that will struggle. Still might be messy.
all you have to do is hold your line and be predictable. jeeeez ::)
lapped in three laps?!?!
Wish it was the case.
Back markers have been collecting a lot of people lately.
I'd be it is because real endurance racing has been gone from the grids here for quite some time. You'd have to go to Oklahoma or find a WERA race out west to find one.
Hopefully, the TC format will allow some guys to get some more experience.
Quotelapped in three laps?!?!
??? 55 bikes starting, 2 wave start, small track, starting at the back of the second wave, Larry Denning leading the experts..... Like I said, I was in the middle of the pack of the amatuers. Hell, maybe the guys behind me got lapped in 2! Oh, hold my line! I know no expert ever took out an amatuer who was holding his line. :)
QuoteThere were 55 bikes on the grid for that race. I understand that max capacity for BHF is 60.:o
I'm pretty sure theres no limit at BHF's. My first race there had 72 bikes! :o And it wasnt a 2 wave start either.
As for being lapped in 3 laps. Whooptie-doo. Just race your own race. I've seen 1 racer get lapped before she finished one lap. Her first race and she did pull in after 2 laps.
Hell I used to get lapped twice in an 8 lap race. I'm out having fun. I just try to beat my own times. I could personally care less about finishing in the top 10. This is a hobby not a career.
Seems like a reasonable limit is 40 bikes per mile. So, yes, 72 bikes in one race at Blackhawk would be ok, from that stand point as Blackhawk is just shy of 2 miles.
Hobby, yes. Dangerous, yes. Known dramatic closing speeds? Yes. That is the issue, I really believe. Injuries, broken equipment, and unecessary down time is problematic to riders, crews, and the CCS staff.
I can only generalize with my own experience, but when those Saturday GT races have been combined, GTU and GTO, there is usually a red flag. Rather than having a full thirty minutes to race, a rider gets five laps, waits for fifteen in the pits until the race is called because the restart would talk longer than the alloted time. What to do?
There really is not a hard fast rule for that or the size of the waves as that depends on turn 1, types of bikes (all one class, rank of rider etc), plus history of a track plays a big part some tracks just historically have some glitch or people use their heads more at a track so you can work things outside the norm.
I'm new at the race scene, but it seems like if the track doesn't have a early curfue, combining the classes (big feilds like GTU) isn't necessary. :-/
Early, no. Usually you must have on track activities done by 6PM during the weekends, 430PM weekdays.
And you need to figure that you might have a problem. Big trick with the said Blackhawk was the Blackhawk 200 Team Challenge. Makes it a lot to pack in.