Winning the race or riding well?

[PaulV]

Just curious 

[loc_dogg]

You dont have to win to have fun, although its a bonus! 

[SV88]

how about this scenario which really speaks to the American Psychy:  Do you prefer to win by a landslide or compete really hard and lose?  Personally for me it's about the competition.  During one of the race last year - might have been BHF, I fought hard for the 8th place with another rider, took him on the last corner under braking and beat him to the checker.  Felt like I'd won the race!!

[Super Dave]

If the competition is good, I'd still take a landslide when I'm riding well. 

To show up at the beginning of the season and to completely crush the people you're riding with...it sets a tone for a championship season. 


I think the whole perspective changes if you've never won a race.  Before I ever won a race, something I never did as a novice/amateur, I would have been happy for just a win.  Then, I was ready for my next one.  Then I wanted to lap the field and crush people.  If you're competitive, you continue to guage yourself on moving forward.  Ultimately, it's about riding well, developing your set up, and so on.   But winning is still good. 

Hard fought races are just good period, though.  If your bike sucks, and you're still racing against someone that's pretty good, that IS extremely satisfying. 

[251am]

 Great question! I'd say to simply make some progress as the season goes on, and you continue to develop skills while improving the machine's set-up. Making those successful improvements in machine and getting on the box are awesome.



I haven't won one yet so I can't comment on that!     

[steelcityracer]

I voted for winning, but I also seriously enjov having a good battle mid pack.  My best race ever combined a great battle and a win.  A friend of mine battled me all the way from green to checkered.  We probably passed eachother ten or more times in a 20 lap race, and passed lapped riders where ever we encountered them so that we wouldnt get left behind.  I was in second coming into the last turn of the last lap.  I closed the gap on the brakesm, got on the gas a little earlier than he did, and was able to get my wheel in front of his right before we crossed the stripe.  Probably one of the best 20 minutes of my life.

[benprobst]

I may be in the wrong, but im not happy if I dont win, and really not happy if im off the podium. Its not to say im not content with finishing and riding well, but when I make the sacrifices it takes to go race and race well, im there to finish well. You also have to put it in perspective, if your running 1 20's at bhf on a new 600 and you have been racing for 4 years, then yeah just go have fun, but for me im trying to learn and hoping to get somewhere with this, so as sad as it sounds im concerned with putting it on the box, hopefully the top

[DanO966]

 

Hard fought races are just good period, though.  If your bike sucks, and you're still racing against someone that's pretty good, that IS extremely satisfying. 

Winning is winning but coming from behind or having a battle to the death for a win is GREAT!

When you start winning anything else sucks.  I look at it, 2nd place is the first loser....I know that sounds harsh but it is what it is.   It's really hard for me to take a race and work on my bike to fix something.   Which I battled all year with my 2006 R6 trying to run up front, where I should of taken a race or two to work on set up, I think I could of gone faster with less of a headache...LOL  But having such a hard time with my 06...and then getting on my 05, running really well and winning again felt good !

But that's the wonderful thing about motorcycle racing you don't have to be the fastest to have fun.  You could take dead last but if you had a battle with someone it makes it so much fun.  With riding motorcycles there is always someone about your speed you can battle with.  And remember this there is always someone faster too....

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

Heres my outlook. Get out your popcorn now, I'm writing again!  
I race AMA Pro & CCS Regionals from time to time.
At this level I would say that winning over rides the pleasure of a good battle.
I have had good battles and won and thats really fun.
But to say would you rather finish 10th in an AMA round having a battle with 5 guys or would you rather win the Supersport race by checking out? Hmmm... I think winning would be a hell of a lot better for sure.

It depends on your view in racing. Is it to make money, or just a hobby. If there is no reward but a trophy it not going to be as exciting to win as it would be if you win an AMA National and your on TV and everyone is cheering for you.

I don't know just as Nicky Hayden if he would have rather gotten 5th this season.

I have a feeling if someone wrote this thread to determine if they want to stay Amatuer or go Expert.  Go Expert if that is the case. It's all about the lap times on the machine your running.
I'm not satified if I'm not the fastest guy on the track period. Because obviously someone is faster than me because they figured out how to do it better than me. So I've got to figure out why I'm slower and fix up my bike or myself to be the fastest.
I don't think I will get old and just be that guy who never quits racing as I'm getting slower & slower. What's the point?
I'd rather ride on some old back trail with a dirt bike and have fun that way or do track days. Its much cheaper and more fun.

I was at Daytona this year when it hit me: I was walking to the pre prior to the start of the Moto St race when I suddenly had a different outlook on racing from then on.
I told myself while looking around at all the other teams and riders getting ready that we are essentially at war. The best prepared team will win today. Racing is about a whole team working together, practicing their strategies over & over and going through all senerios to make sure they do the best they can do period. The best team doesn't always win but they have a much better chance than team that don't prepare.
I mean really everyone, we are at war out there. When the day is over I'm happy whatever my position is all long as we all gave it our best try and we take what we have learned today and make a better race next time.
Thing about me is I tell all my competitors my secrets to help them get faster. If I get beat then I have more work to do to get faster. It rasies the level of competition.
Jason

[PaulV]

Hey Jason,

no, season is out for two months now and I'm really just curious to the responses.  I think you summed it up pretty well though.
Overall the fun in the poll is to see the different responses from riders of different experience and level ie; club racing for x years or AMA level etc...

Thanks for chiming in

Paul

[PJ]

When you start winning anything else sucks.  I look at it, 2nd place is the first loser....

+1.

Lord knows I've been the first loser to Mr. Ed Key more than a few times. Nothing to be ashamed of. But man, it truly sucks. Winning is addictive. Once you have a taste of it, nothing else compares.

That said, a couple of my most fun races this season were with Kevin Van Engen in LWSS when we were pushing each other hard the whole race for second or third place (and Ed was long gone). Battling a guy for the whole race and beating him to the line, for whatever position, feels great. It's like a race within a race. But there's still just one true winner...

[r1owner]

As long as I beat that Vondrake dude in F40, I don't care about the rest of the races! ;)