I was at NFMP in Jennings Florida this weekend for its inaugural event. Just thought I'd give people my thoughts on the track (as little as they are!).
For those that don't know, NFMP is a brand new track in north Florida. It is built "by motorcyclists for motorcycles", and they claim that there will be no car races there, just motorcycle and cart. Ed Bargy played some role in designing the track (according to something I read).
Anyway, NFMP is currently a concrete track located in the middle of...sand. There is not yet any green run-off, but I didn't use the run-off, so it was ok by me. The run-off is great, even as sand. Nothing to hit anywhere. Don't know when the track management plans to get the grass in. Speaking of management, the managers name is Julian, and he seems like a nice guy who is very excited about his new track.
Ok, so lets get to the meet of the track. The track is a 2 (?) mile track with 14 corners. You travel counterclockwise on the track. Turn one is a large sweeper that you can carry really good speed into, keeping to the inside. Getting on the gas out of turn one there are three little left kinks that barely slow you down before reaching the chicane, a quick left right left into a double-apex left, which starts the technical part of the course. The technical part continues through corner 12, into a small straight to 13 and 14, then down the front straight into turn one.
My opinion? Well, this is only the second track that I have been to besides Roebling. The track is fun! Turn one is great, and then into the chicane which I definitely need some help with! The technical part of the course gives you a good workout, being just about the right length before you finally get the rest into the straight. I really enjoyed the track, and can't wait to go back and see if I can improve on my poor 1:37 time (best I saw this weekend was 1:26).
Shawn
Thanks for the update. I have been dying to here more about this track. But where are the pics? ;)
QuoteThanks for the update. I have been dying to here more about this track. But where are the pics? ;)
[/quote
I'll try and get some up tomorrow, but no promises because my girlfriend isn't so good with the camera :)
Great :)
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What's this I hear about your girlfriend not being so good with the camera?! ??? Be nice...last time I checked the pics were crystal clear, m'dear! ::)
Like riding, taking pics of riders is a skill that must be developed. And that practice, of course, presumes that the bike remains on two wheels long enough to snap a few shots. :P
I do believe we're both improving. ;)
:-*
Oh, Oh
Okayyyy...I'll admit my first few groups of shots were blurry, but I've since improved! Honest! ::)
The new park really is impressive. From a spectator's point of view the track layout is awesome. From one vantage point I could see a lart majority of the track. I don't know if this will continue to be the case as traffic increases and the track's surrounding land is developed. No matter...there will be PLENTY of great vantage points!
The more technical part of the track is impressive to see and the stright in the front is juuuust long enough to provide some passing action. Judging from the rider's faces as they came off the track they LOVED the course.
Julian and the rest of the track staff were very very accommodating and welcoming. I can't WAIT to see the greenery go in and the track facilities built out. I'm quite sure that it will be impressive!
I hope everyone gets out there at LEAST once to check it out!
Doh! Busted! :)
The picture looks great to me!
Quote The track is a 2 (?) mile track with 14 corners.
Shawn
On their page they say the course has 9 turns. ???
Road the track this weekend. Great track, fast and technical. Track should be easier to ride once the grass grows up around the track and get a few more skid marks. It's kinda feels like your racing on the street cus there's very few distinctive visible reference points around the track. There is no grass around the track so sand gets on it but you can't see it.
Turn 1 and 8 were biting riders all day.
Had a good day. Managed a 1:30.7 on a 748. ::) Fastest guy out there was expert racer Robert Caraway Florida region # 729 on his GSXR 750. Managed a 1:25 lap. So I guess I did aright.
QuoteTurn 1 and 8 were biting riders all day.
Had a good day. Managed a 1:30.7 on a 748. ::) Fastest guy out there was expert racer Robert Caraway Florida region # 729 on his GSXR 750. Managed a 1:25 lap. So I guess I did aright.
Ok, next time I go out, I'm following you around. I've been out there twice, and my best has been a 1:37!! I'm stuck in a rut...
Shawn
You're on Shawn.
Turn 1 is like you said. It looks fast but will bite you if you try to hit it fast. It's best to concentrate on getting a good drive out.
I found my times started to come down as soon as I started to go WOT after coming out of turn 1 and not let off till just before turn 3. Line up turn 3 by staying to the left of center and take 3 and 4 like they aren't there. If you get it right, You don't get hard on the brakes till after 4 and into 5.
I late apex turn 6 & 7. Turn 9 can have you carry too much speed into 10. Be careful not to hit 10 too hard.
I could not figure out turn 10 and 11. This section has an extra turn that is not numbered. It's between 10 and 11. It's a little kink but it kept missing me up. ASAP, go WOT coming out of turn 11 and through 12.
I was running 14t front and 40t rear on my 748. So into 13 I did not need to down shift.
Turn 13 and 14 are very important. You can carry go speed into 13. As soon as you get leaned over get back on the gas and drift wide past the apex then go WOT ASAP. You will drift close to the edge left side of the track after 14 but should have room to lean over and hold it pined. When I got it right, I would be WOT at the apex of turn 14.
I like this track cus it does not award high HP bikes. Just my type of track. :D
I hope this helps.
I won't be back your way till April 6 for their first CCS race.
BTW, what do you race.
Me :)
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Lots of room everywhere on this track.
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Nice 900SS
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BB copy "Randy"
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Nice pictures Ricky!
Shawn
Thanks
A friend that came along bought all the pics from the Photographer that day.
If anyone else was there and wants some pics? Just ask and I look to see if I have them and post them if you want.
11/10/01 Track day
RRW did a write-up on NFMP. .
http://venus.13x.com/roadracingworld/scripts/NewsInsert.asp?insert=1784
Track record so far is 1:24.5. I know I can bust that next time out. If only I had the nerve to hold it WOT all the way from turn 2 to 3, I could have gotten closer. :D
I'm heading back there this weekend. If I can get within 10 seconds of that time, I'll be happy!
Shawn
So Shawn, did you go out to NFMP this weekend? How did it go? Did you improve your lap time?
So Shawn, did you go out to NFMP this weekend? How did it go? Did you improve your lap time?
Ricky,
Not one iota. I ran a 1:37:53, with my best having been a 1:37:50. I can't get past this plateau I have hit. My bike wasn't running very good either...which wasn't helping matters. I think it needs new sparkplugs.
Well...back to Keith Codes book in hopes that I will learn something. I'm getting tired of people passing me like I'm standing still.
Shawn
Huumm. What are you riding?
Why don't you post how you ran the track. If anything, it'll help you to put down your thoughts on paper. Maybe I or someone else might have something to help you with.
How was the turn out? I heard is was pretty big.
There was a fairly large turnout...probably around 60-80 racers. The race class, which I run in, had about 25 people...but there was a wide range of speeds included in that. In fact, I may be slow, but I was passing many people like they were standing still...so they must have been doing 1:45 and up.
So, you really want to know how I am riding the track? Unfortunately, I'm not sure even I know! I'm doing a lot of seat of my pants riding right now on that track. I ride a superbike FZR400, so I'm probably about the same speed (bike!) as you.
I have to admit that it feels like there is so much for me to work on that it is hard to contrate on any one thing. I'm not a patient person, and not increasing my speed s really beginning to bother me. Never-the-less, I will continue to attempt to get better. I think what would help me most is having an opportunity to ride around with someone faster then myself who could do some one-on-one instruction.
Any takers? :)
Shawn
Amen to that Shawn. Must follow faster people to get faster yourself.
That and the other thing I figured out is attack the small things. Go deeper just a tad each time into a turn. Get on the throttle a little earlier. I read an article in a british mag that was compairing the speeds, braking, lean, and times between soem dude and a pro-racer. Fairly interesting stuff on what they do different. Brake less (by that I mean on the brakes later, off the brakes faster, and used the brakes harder in each section) and carry more speed into and out of the turn which obviously translates into more straight-line speed. And they were on the exact same bike. Brakes were the main diff if I remember correctly, but it translated into a large overall improvement.
Good luck on it. I am still so new that just getting more comfortable allows me to drop a lot of time. The slower you are, the more time you can drop, and the better you feel! :D Can't wait to get another bike and get a full season under my belt.
QuoteUnfortunately, I'm not sure even I know! I'm doing a lot of seat of my pants riding right now on that track.
Well, that sounds like a problem. You should be able to at least describe how you do some turns.
After I have ridden a track, I write down everything I did. This helps me to review myself. I also do it so I can look back at it to see how my riding is evolving.
In fact, I keep a journal of all my track day/racing. I write down notes about the track like what gearing I used, type of gas, tires, etc, etc. It all helps. Try it next time you go out. Seat of the pants riding is fun but you have to ask yourself if that's all you want.
You can follow a faster rider around and probably drop your lap time. But if your not sure what or how you did it, next time out you may fine yourself back to square one.
But keep in mine that my times were on a 2000 748. And there's no way a FZR 400 can keep up with that. It may have a better chance against my 93 750SS. But I have a lot more torque than your 400 and can get off the corns a lot harder.
But you're not doing all that bad. I was timing some guys on much more powerful and newer bikes than yours. And they were in the 1:40's and up. So don't knock yourself too hard. I think though that if you want to be more competitive, you will need a different bike. The FZR400's was a great bike for its day. But if you're just out there to have fun, well that bike is fine. Just MO.
I heard there was a big turn out this last weekend and that the track record is now down to 1:20 something. :eek: I think the guy that did that was Dave Roy, an X Ducati racer and now on the USA Ducati factory team as support. Dang, I ant going to beat that lap time anytime soon. :(
I like the looks of that left hander, is it a left hander or right hander track, what side of the tire will you wear out faster??
Which left-hander?
About eight left-handers and three right-handers. But I was wearing out the right side of the rear more cus of the way I was going through and out of T13 &T14.
This track is so smooth that it's not hard on your tires.
QuoteWhich left-hander?
About eight left-handers and three right-handers. But I was wearing out the right side of the rear more cus of the way I was going through and out of T13 &T14.
This track is so smooth that it's not hard on your tires.
Referring to the one in the pic!
If you mean the wide shot pic, that's turn 11. But most of the track is this way. There's lots of room around the circuit.
You're not too far from there. You should go check it out first chance you get.
http://www.northfloridamotorsportspark.com/
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