Should I do 4 or 5 races my first weekend?

[Nate R]

My first weekend, I'll be doing the Friday practice, and then GTL, LWSS, LWSB, HWSM, and MAYBE LWGP.

The thing is, I'm worried that I might be too tired to really benefit from the 5th race.

As a total newbie racer, I have plenty to worry about my first weekend. Should I go for 5, to get more track time, or stick to 4, and play it safe?

[5bikemike227]

       Do as many as u can, seat time is what gets u faster.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Those five races will probably finish off a set of tires once you get up to speed.  If you're brand new and not pushing to the max yet, maybe two weekends.  From your class choices, I'm guessing that you race an SV.  If money for tires and entry fees is no problem, go for supertwins too.  The more the merrier.
K3

[motomadness]

You won't be tired.  I race almost the same schedule, and I find it much easier than racing 7+ races a weekends, with two GT's on Saturday.  Beside GTL and HWSM are on Saturday, and LWSS/SB/GP are on Sunday.

When it gets hot make sure you drink lots of water, and don't forget to eat something during the lunch break.  We are usually out there for several hours before we race, so you don't want to strave your body of what it needs to keep you going around the track.

[FUBAR606]

Nate,

Run as many races as you can afford. The more track time you get the faster you will get quicker.

You could use the Friday practice, or a track day prior to your first weekend to gauge your stamina and make a better decision from the feedback you get from your body/mind.

Add up the amount of time you will be on the track in a given day and weekend (sprints are about 15 minutes and GTs are 20-30 minutes, both dependant on tracks and schedules). Then run every practice session and total the amount of seat time you acquired. Compare the two amounts and ask yourself how you felt. If you can run the equavilant of a weekends worth of races on a single practice day and not be fatigued, then you will not have any problems.

In addition, physical conditioning plays a big part in your limitations (at least for some of us older guys). After a day of being on the track, you might find certain muscles are being used that typically have not been. Also, some tracks work you more than others. For example, when I am at VIR I find I use a lot more upper body (chest, shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands) than anywhere else. But when I am at Daytona my back and neck takes the most abuse.

Aside from exercising what I will call "race muscles" you should also consider acclimation to heat. Personally, I intentionally run during the hottest part of the day so that I can be better acclimated to racing during the hottest part of the day (ever been to Roebling Road in August...HOLY MOLY!!!).

I know I have kind of gotten long winded here, but these are some things I feel need to be considered. To recap:
*Race as many you can afford
*Use a practice to test your stamina
*Exercise
*Acclimate to heat

I hope this helps in your decision. Good luck!!

[Nate R]

motomadness, HWSM WAS on Saturday. But, with the LP Sport Rider Days being on Saturday at BHF, won't HWSM now be on Sunday?

Either way, it seems like 5 is the way to go. I COULD do 6, but then I wouldn't be able to do much at Road Am. Thanx for your help, everyone!
 :)

[Litespeed]

If you are in relatively good shape and can afford to race 5 then do it.  If you aren't sure if you are in good enough shape, just do the 4.  Track time is good when you are fresh, but if you are tired and fighitng the bike and your fatigue instead of concentrating on racing you will be more likely to make mistakes and some of them can be quite costly.

[Eric Kelcher]

I am going to go against the grain here. I say run 2 per day one early in the day one later in the day. That will get you used to race day procedures and gives you time to be sure bike is set up and also time to watch how starts occur, watch some races through the different corners, and allow time to meet some of the other racers who ride similar bikes and get a little advice. Also by spacing the races out you can make some changes and think about how your first race went. Do that Sat see how you feel then sign up for Sunday for what you feel comfortable with.

[motomadness]

Try this out on the Friday practice day:

- Go to the track with the bike fully prepped to maxmize your time on the track.  MAKE THIS A HABIT.

- Spend the first few sessions orientating yourself to the track and how your bike feels.  Stay out a couple of laps, come in to hot pit lane, change something, then go back out.  Don't worry about stamina at this point.

- Once you feel like you have a nice setup, try staying out on the track for a full sprint distance (8 laps at BHF) or 30 minute (length of a GT race).  Do at least two if you can.  Concentrate on lines and and if you can keep track of your progress with a lap timer.

- lastly, eat a good meal for dinner, get a good nights sleep, and don't forget breakfast in the morning.

That basic strategy has helped me have a better time at the track without feeling worn out at the end of the day.  Once I also followed this strategy, I crashed less, and concentrated just on riding and battling while I was on the track.

[EX#996]

I am going to go against the grain here. I say run 2 per day one early in the day one later in the day. That will get you used to race day procedures and gives you time to be sure bike is set up and also time to watch how starts occur, watch some races through the different corners, and allow time to meet some of the other racers who ride similar bikes and get a little advice. Also by spacing the races out you can make some changes and think about how your first race went. Do that Sat see how you feel then sign up for Sunday for what you feel comfortable with.

I'm with Eric on this one.  

He has some very good advice and if you race both Saturday and Sunday, you will be racing 4 times.  

$.02

Dawn  :)

[slow_poke]

Try this out on the Friday practice day:

- Go to the track with the bike fully prepped to maxmize your time on the track.  MAKE THIS A HABIT.

- Spend the first few sessions orientating yourself to the track and how your bike feels.  Stay out a couple of laps, come in to hot pit lane, change something, then go back out.  Don't worry about stamina at this point.

- Once you feel like you have a nice setup, try staying out on the track for a full sprint distance (8 laps at BHF) or 30 minute (length of a GT race).  Do at least two if you can.  Concentrate on lines and and if you can keep track of your progress with a lap timer.

- lastly, eat a good meal for dinner, get a good nights sleep, and don't forget breakfast in the morning.

That basic strategy has helped me have a better time at the track without feeling worn out at the end of the day.  Once I also followed this strategy, I crashed less, and concentrated just on riding and battling while I was on the track.

Some pretty good advice, but me thinks he might want to learn how to ride first.  Your advice would be good to learn a new track having prior race experience.  Proper planning and strategy is all well and good, but I would suggest, Watching... alot!
Don't go out there to do anything, but watch everyting.  Be mindful of your bike and your movements on the bike.  Watch others and ask yourself questions duing your riding.
Being skiddish on unsure cornerspeed and running in on the inside of turns will be your first obstacle.
Get a good view of the map layout and, with a birds view, envision the smoothest line out there.  Run the lines no matter how slow you are.  Smoothness is key.

[Super Dave]

Do as many as u can, seat time is what gets u faster.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different outcome each time.

So, I won't agree with Mike, the man.  If you can get help doing something, take advantage of it.  That will make you faster.  Doing a few more races early on might at least help you overcome some of the sensory overload that is common among new racers that have no prior race experience.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different outcome each time.

   I agree with Super Dave on this issue and have an example as to why. When I bought my new '96 GSXR 750 in 1996 I was given the opportunity to take the Team Suzuki Endurance School for free due to buying this bike new. There were 54 street riders and 6 racers there at Road America to take that class, which was held the day before the combined CCS/NASB event that weekend. Being 1 of the 6 racers taking the class, we were told we could only pass on the outside of the street demons.
   We were led out onto the track by some of the Pro's that were there for the weekend in groups of 5 and let by after a couple of laps and allowed to go at our own pace (Up until that class I had been racing multiple classes each event with some improvement, but nothing major). On my second session out on the track that day I had 1 of the Pro guys stuff me pretty hard on the inside of a turn after noticing I was one of the amatuer racers in the class. Instant racer instinct emerged and I stuffed him in the next corner, much to his suprise. He was on a 600 so I could pass him on the straights but he would generally smoke me on the corners. That whole track session we did a 'cat and mouse' type of riding that was AWESOME. The next session he found me out on the track and we did it again.
   Up until that school I had been doing the same basic things over and over and wasn't improving as much as I could have been. The 2 track sessions where I was with that Pro guy (whom I never did find out who it was) I learned more than I had the entire season by seeing things done correctly.
   If you have the opportunity to ride with someone who is already fast, on a track day or at a school, I would encourage you to take advantage of it! Otherwise get all the good advice from the fast guys that you can and use it out on the track the next time you go out. If your trying new things and improving, then I would race as many classes as you can afford/feel safe doing and get input from others on what they see you doing wrong and what they would suggest for you to do.