First Tip - For complete newbies

[GStar]

Eat your vegatables!

[Brian G. Howard]

A couple things...
Be relaxed.  When you tense up, you will crash.
Learn about body position.  Don't rotate your hips.
spend your money on suspension & brakes. (not pretty paint jobs)
As in any other sport, STRETCH before a race.  This will help keep you relaxed and prevent injury.  
Last but not least, HAVE FUN!  (Too many people forget that one.  They really do.)

[Super Dave]

Advice....

Well, goals are good, but how you finish is not focusing correctly.  How you finish involves how everyone else is riding.  So, if you're racing, concentrate on making realistic goals about lap times.  And, get an on board lap timer.  That gives you immediate feedback on what you're doing.

Suspension and brakes.  Yes.  I have my own school, and that's a big part of it;  helping riders know how their suspension works and trying to get them in the correct ball park.  We can make changes and see a body language difference in how a rider rides.  You can see that a rider is more confident in their ability to ride within their limits.

As for more track days.  In many ways, yes, more track time can help someone be more comfortable with speed.  But if you're making the same mistakes again and again.  Some riders have ten years of experience - beginner experience ten years in a row.  Try to have better experiences so that your knowledge base goes up - and advanced rider with five years experience is safer and more confident.

[Litespeed]

Exercise :).

I noticed that towards the end of the weekend I was having a difficult time holding onto the bike.  I am sure that relzxing a bit would help but I also did a ton of track time on Friday Sat and Sunday.  When all was said and done my forearms were shot and it was a relief to see the checkered.  My lap times showed my struggle too and had it gotten any worse I would have gone for a DNF rather than picking up hte pieces.  I am currently weighing my options on this and have found a gyro ball that is easy to use and seems to exercise all the lower arm muscles that are used in riding.  I can essentially duplicate the soreness from riding with it so I am hoping to be able to build endurance with it.  Oh, and another tip, keep hydrated...

[schpreck]

Those gyro balls work great.  I used one for rehabilitaion purposes after a crash when I raced cars.  (the straight at Mid-Ohio is alot shorter in a 911 gt-2 car than in an ITE 944 turbo hehehe)  And I still use it today.  I got it at sharper image on doctor's suggestion and still use it to keep the ol forearms in check.  It really does work.

[Ripper]

Also,come up with a schedule for race days.Things like,whens registration,tech,tire changing?,last minute prep,fuel up,tire pressure,paddock set up,what's the practice schedule.

And if it's your first time at the track or even a new track go to tech as early as possible,they often find things you missed.

Rip..............per

[LauraCole]

I like it when new riders come over at lunch to introduce themselves to the track workers rather than having to meet new racers the hard way...

Also, if you can spare an afternoon and work a turn, you'll learn a huge amount about how to go fast - just ask to be in the turn that gives you the most trouble and watch the fast guys.  (our new guys drop an average of 2 seconds a lap after working for a day)

For the pit crews -- get a scanner, then you can hear if your rider has a mechanical or falls down and you'll know where he is.  (This is REALLY helpful for girlfriends and moms, too.)

For first time girlfriends at the track - be prepared to be put to work or completely ignored.  Then if they are actually together enough with their program to remember to say "hi" you'll be pleasantly surprised!!

[Ripper]

You marshalls are always working it,lol. ::)

[sdiver68]

When you get to your turn in point, TURN!

Be in shape!  A little gyro ball may help your forearms, but what about your legs, shoulders, back, upper arms?  Get yourself to a gym, or at LEAST start a program of pushups, curls, squats, and neck bridges, and something for the heart.  This is also a big safety tip, when you get fatigued your tiny control muscles won't be as accurate, your mind will lose sharpness, and you will start to lose control.  Also, when you do happen to go down, the better shape you are in the better the result will be.

Tons of track time.  More track time.  Make sure you hit all the Friday practices you possibly can.

Go street riding a couple of times the week before your race.  Treat this as an exercise session and force yourself to ride enough that you feel fatigued.  Practice your techniques at a street pace, so they become automatic on the track, like braking and blipping the throttle, and weight shifting.

Pre-enter all your races for a good grid lol

[Ripper]

That's a good point about practicing at street pace,I've been doing that this summer and it really has helped.What I've found is that I could do some experimenting comfortably at this slower pace,(besides everthing mentioned above) like changing my steering input mid corner, different peg weighting techniques,get to know my bike-engine braking,best rpm's to 'blip' at....

Ray

[Bernie]

What are gyro balls?  How do they work?  Where can I get them?  Thanks!

[chris_chops]

Ride with the best safety you can buy!  Skip a weekend or two to acheive this if you have to!!

Cheap boots and gloves can cause serious pain and injury.  Cheap gloves = removal of skin, muscle, ligaments, and ground down or broken bone.  
           Cheap boots = more of same, including not being to be able to walk for weeks, if ever.
           Cheap leathers wihout armor =  All of the above with internal bleeding and possible paralysis.
           Cheap helmet =  if I have to explain you should not be on the track.
           I always had good helmets and leathers with armor, but I wore cheap gloves and boots in my first crash.  I high-sided in seven at road atlanta in my first race ever and did I ever catch some air.  I thought if you gassed it up you could save a slide?  oops,  rev limiter!  I broke my heel and removed all the skin off the palm of my hand where the thumb attaches.   The gloves ripped wide open and the boots offered no impact protection to the bones in my foot.  The gloves were updated and the boots were not.  Two years later another high-side( I'm on a strict low-side diet now), my bike smashed my left ankle with the same cheap-leather race boots(severe ligament damage).   I upgraded and five crashes later all is well with the feet, other than my ankle still hurting from the second high-side two years ago.  Talk to us guys and gals who have raced awhile about how the bikes like to kiss you after you crash them.  And talk to everyone you can about safetygear and make an informed decision before you purchase any.  When you are injured, you cease to lower your lap times and do good in races.  You lose valuable seat time and other racers surpass you.  Your results immediately diminish when you return and you wish you had spent the money on really good equipment before you got hurt.  Don't learn this lesson on your own, TRUST ME!!!!!!  :o