08 Season Opener in Daytona. Rookie needs advice

[Jason748]

18 to race Daytona?

Thought it was 16.  2F2O2S, I'd give them a call and verify first.   

[Burt Munro]

18 to race Daytona?

Tim, I was wondering about the same thing.  But I rechecked the rulebook and you have to be at least 16.

[steelcityracer]

They are going in the spring.  Grids are by order of entry, but Im not sure about first time racers.  He might have to grid in the back, which, like someone said, is probably a good thing.

uh, the fall edition of daytona is the Race Of Champions:

uh, the fall edition of daytona is the Race Of Champions......you are gridded by points....so he will be starting at the back. (probably a good thing)  If he takes this as a learning experience he can leave with a postive outlook.  Daytona can eat you up if unprepared.  Have patience with the staff,........they seem to hate motorcycles. ::)  Or don't exactly make it easy. DEFINETLY do the Hammer school on friday and get on that ASAP as it may fill up.  Good luck, don't get overwhelmed......most do..........just ask

uh, the fall edition of daytona is the Race Of Champions.....

uh, the fall edition of daytona is the Race Of Champions......you are gridded by points....so he will be starting at the back. (probably a good thing)  If he takes this as a learning experience he can leave with a postive outlook.  Daytona can eat you up if unprepared.  Have patience with the staff,........they seem to hate motorcycles. ::)  Or don't exactly make it easy. DEFINETLY do the Hammer school on friday and get on that ASAP as it may fill up.  Good luck, don't get overwhelmed......most do..........just ask

[2old2fat2slow]

His Mom will be tickled pink if he grids last and stays there out of harms way for the entire race.

[RCR_531]

In the new racers package it said you must be 16 to race Daytona. Make sure he does the Team Hammer day for sure. There is no other track like Daytona.
I didn't think the climb up the hill was as bad as coming down. The wind gust pushing you toward the wall while running wide open. But it is Daytona you got to aleast once.

[2old2fat2slow]

Wow! I see by my karma that I have already offended someone? Thanks for the warm welcome snakedick! Ow Ow Ow

[xseal]

I live in NVa (Arlington).  My strong advice is to go down for the practice day, probably sign up for the school, then watch and don't race in Daytona.

Come to Summit Point and VIR, do some track days first.  Daytona is a bad place to start racing, regardless of March or Oct. In March, there are lots of pros there to warm up for the AMA race. In Oct, there are lots of club racers gunning for championships after a full season in the saddle.

Start racing at a track you know well.  Also, don't kid yourself that your son has a chance of making it big, do this for fun. The only kid that's I've seen who's make it big is Josh Herrin. He was 14 when I raced against him, he was already a very experienced racer and it was clear he had unique talent. What on earth is the benefit of not waiting until the early Summit Point round in May to race?

Do the school at Daytona and other schools/track days so that the first race is someone you know your way around. Daytona is a hard track to learn where to go fast.  I did my first expert race there (after 2 years of racing), in conjunction with my first trip to Daytona. Was a mistake, crashed trying to keep up and didn't know the course. I recommend to all my friends, including experienced ones, the first time you go to Daytona, go with as little pressure as possible, eg, the class and an F40 race.

That's my $.02.

[2old2fat2slow]

Pearls of wisdom xseal! And very much appreciated.
   After all, he's our kid and we want him to be safe.
I met Josh Herrin at Laguna this year. Super nice kid and talented beyond description. Got to meet a bunch of the AMA racers this year. It was a great time.
  We started this year by sending our son to Cornerspeed school at VIR. That was a blast watching him and some of the other youngins progress throughout the day. After that we then did a trackday at VIR North and he had his first crash. Turn 1. Hamfisted it and wadded up the trusty little R6. We beat the crap out of it with a hammer and broke out the industrial duct tape and zip ties and got her back through tech.
  We did a couple track days at Summit after that and then he crashed on VIR South at the fishhook turn. Bang bang, tape tape, zip zip. Back through tech.
We have had several susequent track days without any more hamfisted lowside adventures. We started riding with TPM out of Pa. and the kid went from white group(beginner) to Blue group( advanced) in quick fashion. He has no problem keeping up with racers on 600cc machines even in aggressive sessions. I had a buddy (that is a seasoned veteran (expert)) coach our son the last trip to Summit Shenandoah course and he assured me he is ready to race. We have no delusions of granduer but I have to say,the kid has heart and puts down very fast and consistant lap times. I honestly think he can handle the pressure of competition and I have no doubt he can handle the banks at Daytona. I hope he does something with this opportunity because God knows,he ain't no scholar. If nothing else, He will be a smooth,safer street rider because of the experience. 

[tstruyk]

Tim, I was wondering about the same thing.  But I rechecked the rulebook and you have to be at least 16.

I was hoping for 35... I'm running out of excuses...

[xseal]

Well, good luck.  The banks of Daytona are intimidating and have generally greater consequences for mistakes than most other tracks. The infield used in March (AMA) is also awkward and prone to highsides.

Have fun and good luck to you and your son.  If I were down there (rather than working ... damnnn), I'd be happy to pit with them and help. If he waits until March, I'd be glad to do it.

Last advice ... if he's running Dunlops, don't listen to the tire guy that says run 36psi cold.  That was another one of my mistakes. Run normal pressures, unless he's running AMA times or riding a 1000.

[chaplain220]

Welcome to the madness.  I'm about an hour north of you and there are a bunch of us that race nearby as well.  We will be headin to Daytona and will be happy to help ya get settled and oriented.  It might be really good for all of us to link up with you and your son ahead of time, couple of our guys are very experienced and could offer some great advice, (I'm slower n molasses goin uphill in winter...just persistent and heal fast.)  There is also a local bike shop owner who races with us and he can really help get your son's bike set up.

CCS is a great organization to begin racing with, and, like the rest of us, I think your son will build friendships and find encouragment that will go with him well beyond the track.  It can be tough nowadays to raise a young man, but I cant think of any better folks I want my son exposed to as he grows up.   

[vsquires]

Sounds like your son is more prepared than I was, my first track day ever was at Daytona, I worked there at the time so I checked, yeah I've been on this track before.     What an idiot I was, the first session out I was gridded in the advance group, I didn't know it at the time actually I didn't realize it till a couple days later.  The whole experience had me spinning    I thank God everytime I think about it, I was on the verg of crashing every lap.  When your young you just don't  see how stupid you are.