Motorcycle Racing Forum

Hi everyone,

I just moved to St. Louis from North Carolina and am thinking of racing Blackhawk Farms in July.  How is the track?  I have raced Talladega, VIR, Road Atl. and Carolina Motorsports Park.  Ive also raced Gateway and IRP in Karts.  

Is the new pavement smooth?  Is it a fun track on a SV650?  How many yellow plates have been showing up for the SV classes in the midwest?  I will probably race anyway, just wanted some observations of the track as I have never been there.  

Oh, any baseline gearing for Blackhawk for the SV?  

Thanks

Blackhawk is awful. All the SV guys told me to discourage you from racing there.  ;D Actually, the new surface is quite nice and you should have alot of fun. Come out and play! BTW, you've got mail.

Excellent track since being repaved.  It used to be like racing on a flight of stairs, but not so anymore.  

SV650's are out in abundance, as are yellow plates.  And you've got some stiff competition in the yellow plates.  The track has gotten *MUCH* faster since repaving.

Speaking of which, is there a new lap record yet???

Im not really worried about the competition because I come from racing WERA in the Southeast.  You guys should be a walk in the park   :o ;D ;)

Seriously, I look forward to racing with a new group of guys.  Not really expecting to be battling at the front.  Just looking to have a good time and make it back to work monday morning.  

Is it a hard track to learn??

QuoteIm not really worried about the competition because I come from racing WERA in the Southeast.  You guys should be a walk in the park   :o ;D ;)

Is it a hard track to learn??

Only for WERA guys... ;)

QuoteOnly for WERA guys... ;)

Especially in the snow. :o

Blackhawk is simple to learn, hard to master.  There is a certian amount of tree-ignoring required, but then you've already ignored lots of cement walls at Gateway.  The people are absolutely awesome, racers, workers and track owners alike.  The lightweight amateurs were tougher last year... ;D  You'll have fun.  Bring bug spray, lots of water and beer.  Camping is free, but the shower is fungal.  Alvarez Tacos in Beloit is a must do for any first timer.  Look me up at the Chi-Town Hustlers trailer, and I'll give you all the misinformation you can stand...
K3

Speaking of fast LW Ams......Hmm, well, Tom, Edgar, and Paul will all be experts next year most likely, and I'll probably be able to stay AM, as I'm slower......Hmmm, I think there's a good potential for me to do well next year.  :D  

Thanks for all the info guys.  Should be a fun weekend.  Cant make Gateway in Sept. but will in Oct.  I know the track sucks, but its about 5 miles from my house so I cant miss it.  

Does anyone know where the nearest Hampton Inn is located?  Rockford?

Go to http://www.hamptoninn.com

type in Rockton, IL

two hits within 20 miles, Rockford and Janesville.

QuoteThanks for all the info guys.  Should be a fun weekend.  Cant make Gateway in Sept. but will in Oct.  I know the track sucks, but its about 5 miles from my house so I cant miss it.  

Does anyone know where the nearest Hampton Inn is located?  Rockford?

     I live in Rockford and know that the Hampton is located in a cluster of around 20 hotels next to the interstate. The main drag in Rockford is State Street (which is where you would get off the interstate for the hotel) and if you head west from the interstate there are apx. 60 restraunts over the next few miles. It takes less than 1/2 hour to get to the track from those hotels. Make sure and have some extra change with you because there are a couple tolls you will run into by Rockford.

QuoteSpeaking of fast LW Ams......Hmm, well, Tom, Edgar, and Paul will all be experts next year most likely, 

Ummmm  Nate -

I thought Edgar was an Expert already.  Last I looked he had a pretty white plate with 113 on it.  Or is this a different Edgar?

Dawn   ;D

Edgar's white plate is "pretty"?  ;) Does it have glitter and stuff?  :o ;D How does he get that by tech? ;) :D ;D

QuoteEdgar's white plate is "pretty"?  ;) Does it have glitter and stuff?  :o ;D How does he get that by tech? ;) :D ;D

When I read that Edgar was still an amatuer, I darn near choked on my soda.  

As far as pretty goes.....  That's what K3 and Casper said.   :-X

Dawn   ;D

LOL, sorry I was thinking wrong.....Not Edgar.....#173, I dunno who that is.,...but he'll probably be an expert next year, no?

QuoteLOL, sorry I was thinking wrong.....Not Edgar.....#173, I dunno who that is.,...but he'll probably be an expert next year, no?

#173 is Brenden Hafner.  I don't know how many years he has been racing.  If this is his first year, he may be an amatuer next year too.  

Dawn   :)

Brendan's a young guy.  Came to my school last year with his dad.  Nice kid.  Might still be an amateur next year.

Nate, who cares who else is racing, concentrate on you.

As for Blackhawk, if you liked Talladega, you'll probably like Blackhawk.  The front straight is probably the same length as the back straight at TGP course.  At Blackhawk, the cold pits are inside the track where you're outside at Talladega.

Gateway?  Sorry everyone, I do enjoy the track.  There are just places you can't push it.

QuoteGateway?  Sorry everyone, I do enjoy the track.  There are just places you can't push it.

I agree!  It's nice to have a track predominent(sp?) with left hand turns.  

You take the bad with the good...  The track (gateway) has a decent surface, and a good layout.  The walls suck, and the chicane, well, they can't ever get it right, but this is racing...

QuoteEdgar's white plate is "pretty"?  ;) Does it have glitter and stuff?  :o ;D How does he get that by tech? ;) :D ;D

MMMMMmmmmmpfhssss  Murfffsssstp..  Blummmmmmmptffffsttt.

(Straining not to say anything that Dawn will have to edit...)  Why do you bait me so?   ;)

 ;

QuoteMMMMMmmmmmpfhssss  Murfffsssstp..  Blummmmmmmptffffsttt.

(Straining not to say anything that Dawn will have to edit...)  Why do you bait me so?   ;)

You know I luv ya, dude.  :-* You can always email me with what you really think.  ;) :D ;D

QuoteMMMMMmmmmmpfhssss  Murfffsssstp..  Blummmmmmmptffffsttt.

(Straining not to say anything that Dawn will have to edit...)  Why do you bait me so?   ;)

 ;D

Nobody said, "Hey new guy, you have to make Blackhawk on August 23rd for the Wegman Auction!"

Y'all are slipping out there ......  ;D

We were just waiting for you... 8)

QuoteNobody said, "Hey new guy, you have to make Blackhawk on August 23rd for the Wegman Auction!"

Y'all are slipping out there ......  ;D

Hey, new guys and gals, you HAVE to make it the one and only, superbly famous and fabulously fun Wegman Benefit Auction on August 23rd. Be There or be Square. Good enough Gordy? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hey, I'm a FNG and I'm bringin' my kid to BHF for Super_Daves school and father & son racing debut!
I'm also bringin' cash for the auction! And steaks for K3 (maybe they'll slow him down).  ;D

Cash checks and credit cards are all good at the auction. ;D Bring us your money and bring us anything you think will sell. All for a great cause. :D

QuoteI'm also bringin' cash for the auction! And steaks for K3 (maybe they'll slow him down).  ;D

I'd have to speed up first.  I swear!  Once I get this bike sorted out, I've got a whole bunch of pent-up gofast in my adrenal glands that's just dying to get out.  Hope I get a chance to use it before the year ends...

QuoteNate, who cares who else is racing, concentrate on you.

SD: Part of the reason I'm out here is that I'd like to do well. So, I do care about who else is out there. Also, next year, I'll be in college, paying my own way, so I want to keep racing on a low a budget as I can, so if I can get Tire Contigency, I'm all for that. I would love to be a front running AM, as being as fast as Ed key is just NOT gonna happen with a NORMAL SS legal SV once im an expert.

Ed who?  ??? ;D

QuoteEd who?  ??? ;D

Exactly.

Nate, Ed isn't fast just because of his bike.  It's cool, but Jesse Janich's bike is pretty straight forward.  He's very experienced on dirt track, but not in road racing.  His last fast time at Blackhawk was a 1:16 something another.  He said he couldn't go any faster.  I told him that he was wrong, and he did a 1:15.1.  

Doing better is good, and I want to do the same.  But, focusing more so on what we do as riders, and suspension tuners, is more important.  Just getting in faster doesn't cut it.  Doing the right things at the right time patiently will get you going faster around the track...and usually with less physical effort.

Make sense?

I was in your shoes once, so I know what you're up against.

Makes sense. I guess my point about Ed was that unless I become a lot faster than he is as a rider, I won't be beating him ever. If we had equal skill, his bike would be a lot faster, and thus he'd win. Ed's bike weighs about 315 lbs, and Ed's as skinny as a rail. I'd never come close to that P/W ratio on a SS legal SV, as I wouldnt have the $$$ to.

So, I'm enjoying the closer potential chance of victory while I can......But I know that really comes down to me as a rider more than anything else.  

Hey, you've got to have something to shoot for.  

And Ed has spent a lot of money on learning over the years.  He and I will both tell you all the funny things that we've done.  Experience does count.  Regardless, I won't let any of that keep Jesse Janisch from slowing down.  I continually challenge him with some ideas.

Got to keep learning...