Tried to find some info on the site but no luck. This will be my first time at Daytona and trying to get an idea of the practice and race schedule. Anyone know what the general schedule is on the different days from 2/27-3/2? Last years schedule would be helpful.
Thanks
Wed Team Hammer practice day (I think $150)
Thurs practice (included) and team challenge
Fri GT races and Sportsman races
Sat CCS races (SS,SB,GP)
Sun FUSA races
That's pretty close. Team Hammer ends up being almost $200 said & done. If you've never been there, it's probably worth it. Daytona has a really simple layout, yet I'm still trying to work out the 2 horseshoes, I don't don't know what's so deceptive about them.
Thursday has about 2 rounds of practice in the AM if you get in Wed to set up. If not, you'll probably only get 1 round in the morning, and just maybe a round after lunch before the TC starts. If you don't want to do Hammer, the TC is a decent way to get solid track time. Make sure you have new tires at the beginning.
I'm still trying to find out the schedule for the club races.. the renewal mailer that they'll be finished by Sat PM, so I can come home, and save a night of Daytona expenses.
Even w/ all that... I still love Daytona.
Pete
Are entry fees the same as other regional events? Do they have practice sessions every morning or only on Thursday?
What's the general opinion on a guy riding his second race ever at Daytona? I have been told I need special compound tires for it and also am not sure if it pays points for the Florida Region. There is a race at Moroso two weeks later and I'm not sure if I can afford both (unless I pick up a sponsor ;D). Also, I was told that the entry fees are $100/class. Thanks in advance for the feedback.
Bryan
Man are you serious Mighty Duck, you havent even been to race school yet and you are wanting to race at Daytona???? One step at a time dude.
James...I actually grew up dirt track racing, so I'm not completely new to the game and the speeds, but I am very rusty and new to road racing. I am pretty much planning on waiting until the October round, but just looking for some info and opinions.
Fees had been first entry 125 (includes gate & practice) and $50 each additional last fall preentry; post entry was like 75 per and did not include gate (practice?)
Special compound tire? no not really needed for DOT but slicks it is required. Not to say that there are not Daytona compounds that are better just you do not need them except for slicks; something to do with heat build up due to sustained high speeds.
1 round of practice each morning for each group; 3-4 rounds on Thursday
Spring Daytona counts for points in Fl. Fall does not
You don't at all NEED Daytona compound tires, and definitely don't for small bikes. Only Dunlop, and recently Michelin make them for their slicks and Factory DOT tires. You will end up using fairly hard compounds. Pir/Metz med front and endurance rears work fine.
You WILL spend lots of money on tires (well, ok, on everything) at Daytona, especially if it's for a big bike. If you ride hard, you can go through a set of tires a day there.
Pete
I started my racing career at Road America and it was way too fast of a track to start on and I had been to 6 track days and 2 riding schools.
I did Daytona in Oct. and that place is incredibly fast. Turn 1 is definitely a test of your manhood because the turn is blind from being pinned wide open.
You will inhale tires. To give you an example. A regular compound tire that you run at a regular track will last about 8 laps at Daytona. The tire bill triples there! It's like firing up the grinder and holding your rear tire to it.
You can save a butt load of cash from skipping Daytona and doing more races elsewhere and learn more.
QuoteYou can save a butt load of cash from skipping Daytona and doing more races elsewhere and learn more.
Yeah Kevin, but something about being able to say "I raced at daytona" that kind of makes it all OK, regardless of how many tires were wasted or engines blew... ;)
I agree that taking the Team Hammer school helps getting to know the track, then on Thursday, you can concentrate on setup. If you skip the schoool, you will only have 4 sessions on Thursday to get to learn the track as well as get over the fear of hitting the wall (gulp). By Friday, you are ready to race as long as you did not break something too bad...
Can you get a one time event license for Daytona?
Wall?
How is the wall any different form the one at Gateway? Or the kink at Road America?
Never been there so please explain :)
To be honest, I'm not real excited about going, but I don't want this season's ROC to be my first time there, either.
One event license $25
The walls at Daytona are not really that bad the angle to the walls is not that bad in the close ones and those that are 90 to racing line are 40-50' back and then lined with airfence/airmodule/haybales. And getting onto backing is lined with airfence and those are the only close ones.
It's not the closeness of the wall when you are going towards it that bugged me, it was going wide open with a wall 4 feet to your right that is always turning that kind of makes you squirm, specially when drafting a large pack and you don't know which way your competition is going. It seems that if you lose your concentration, you could drift up and brush it.
I heard that Ed Key hit the wall last October...I am sure he can explain it better. It's not like Gateway were you worry about hitting the wall if you crash. You'll see what I mean when you go there and run wide open and go through Nascar turn 4...
ed told me (his loyal umbrella girl) that he mis-judged a pass when he hit the wall (ed mis-judge?? :o ) the guy was above the line and ed drafted him on the right...and ku-bump. it's no biggie to bump the wall, i guess. i figure if a 48 year old guy can do it, so can we :-/
rhiannon :-*
Last spring I raced there on my aprilia 250 on its original dunlop KR364s that had over 30 heat cycles and 1000kms on them! I was sliding around a bit in a few places but I managed a 2nd in mwspmn.I led the whole race but got passed on the last lap in the infield because i let up and wanted to make it to the finish(demons in my head telling me "DON'T CRASH DON'T CRASH")so much for that.My family was stoked but I was PISSED.Next time I think I'd rather crash out of the race rather than give something away.
QuoteYou'll see what I mean when you go there and run wide open and go through Nascar turn 4...
Uh, Edgar? Isn't Daytona a TRI-OVAL? I believe that TRI means THREE here in America...
Here's the description I wrote about Daytona for Chicagoland Motorsports news. The 2002 Race of Champions was my first time there. It's so $#@%##$ cool that I dream about it now. I hope to God that I can afford to go back...
Until you've rolled flat-out around the high banks of Daytona on a motorcycle, no description is ever going to do the experience justice. The G-forces flatten your bike's suspension, causing you to feel every bump, and when you shift gears up there, the bike gets all squirmy and loose. Between the slope of the banking and the fact that you're leaning the bike into the turn, you realize that you're horizontal, three stories in the air! You have to look up and left to see around the banking, and your helmet is constantly banging off the gas tank over the bumps. When I got off the bike after my first fast laps, I was at a complete loss for words. Dave and Hooks had been to Daytona before, and they were laughing themselves sick over the look on my face and my speechlessness. All I could do for fifteen minutes was shake my head and grin. Daytona is just that serious.
chris, you forgot to mention that you had to leave your leathers hang out to dry overnight. there was a massive wet spot in the crotch... what the fluid consisted of is up to the readers inventiveness ;D
rhiannon :-*
Uh, K3, the turn is called "Nascar turn 4", kind of like turn number 12 at Blackhawk is called "turn 7"...
Anyways, I read your description about Daytona and the only thing that came to my mind was that from what I saw you never went fast enough there to feel that way, but it sounds pretty good! ;D ;D ;D
A Nascar tri-oval means it is D shaped the front straight is not straight like the run from 2-3 is.
The only three sided track I can think of is Pocono
Just wondering if you have to preregister for the team hammer practice day?? 8)
QuoteJust wondering if you have to preregister for the team hammer practice day?? 8)
In the fall race I just showed up and signed up there. I don't think it will be any different this time, but you never know.