New goal for the year! (maybe)

[sdiver68]

I (may) have a new goal now that my previous goal has been squashed like so many roadside critters by the powers that be ;)

Someone please tell me why qualifying for the AMA Supersport Race at Road America is harder than it appears?  Looks like 2:27 qualified last year on a decent track (i.e. no rain or real cold temps)

Is it really that doable?

Alternately, or maybe also, Barber late in the season :)

[harb990]

Good Luck!!   :D

[bweber]

The 112% rule is not what you are up against; it is the number of people attempting to qualify.
I wanted to run the Superstock race in 2002 at Road America while I was up there running the Pro-Thunder race.  Based on the 112% rule, I figured a 2:28 would easily get me in the race, and I knew I could do that.  I put on new DOT's, went out and ran four laps, ran my 2:26 and came in because I did not want to use up my tires or crash.  I did not mind starting in the back row.  Well, I came to find out that although my time was under the cut-off, they limited the number of entries, and I was the fastest guy not to make the cut.  I was so pissed because I had could have run a 2:24, since I was running low 2:26's on my 748!  I was pissed.  There are plenty more 600 entries, so don't think you'll qualify just by ducking in under the 112% rule.  I made that mistake.  Good thing I was up there to run Pro-Thunder, or I would have kicked myself!

[DanO966]

We'll see how the weather is and or how I ride in april.  I gotta be going low 20s.  If that's the case I'll be there w/ you Steve, RA ..... did someone say PRO AMA ???

[Speedballer347]

We'll see how the weather is and or how I ride in april.  I gotta be going low 20s.  If that's the case I'll be there w/ you Steve, RA ..... did someone say PRO AMA ???

Game On! :D ;)

[DanO966]

Game On! :D ;)

hells ya and maybe we could stop at a couple of the local bars too. ;D

[the_weggie_man]

The factory boys whining about too many slow guys on the track is why they cut the number of riders.  They make a 112% rule then cut the field and even though you qualified you can't race.  I think last years cut was 40 bikes at RA. A track that can handle 60 bikes easily and they cut it at 40 to keep the factory guys happy.

[OlDirtyBrian]

As much as that sucks for privateers it seems like a plausible arguement.

[ice]

SDiver,

You may want to talk to Tez or Weeden about qualifying for Road A.  I know last year, those guys barely made it into the AMA supersport race and they probably can tell you the lap times that were necessary to get them there.
If you are running consistently with the top 5 experts in the 600 class, you should be able to get in, otherwise....... :-/

[the_weggie_man]

Brian,

Yeah sucks is right. It's not like the pros are going to be lapping these guys that made the cut at 112%.

Last year a friend of mine qualified for the 600 race but was #41 on the list, the first guy cut. He went and argued with the national ref about lap times and how his times would have kept him on the lead lap until very late in the race. It didn't matter, they had picked an unexplained, arbitrary number out of their heads and that was the cut off.

Why have a 112% rule if they are going to set qualfying by another method?  They never informed anyone there was a 40 bike cut before qualifying.

I understand the safety factor of exceeding track density, closing speeds between the factory guys and slower privateers etc. but on a track as large as RA cutting the field to 40 bikes is a bit ridiculous. the field spreads out so much that lapping by the leaders is not a real problem.

On short courses yes, there are big problems. Some times the leaders are lapping guys  2 or 3 times but not at RA.  Besides. isn't that part of racing? Yes, if you run up front you may have to lap some guys. :o

[bweber]

yeah, the worst part is that I knew I could go faster, a lot faster, but I either did not know or did not think of the limitied grid so I did not want to risk crashing once I turned a 2:26.  I thought I might as well pull in, save my tires and let the fast guys have an open track.  It was a bummer.  I know it would be harder to qualify for 600SS than Superstock, especially at a premier track like Road America

[sdiver68]

Yeah, Ice, I did look up the times, and 2:27 last year made it into the race according to AMAproracing.com.

Last year, I was running 2:38's in 40 degrees and mist and damp track on a stock (power) GSXR600 (when the lead experts were running 2:22-2:25s in those condiitons), in my second weekend ever.  At Gateway, I went from 1:20 to 1:11 just going from my first weekend ever to my 2nd time there.

Anyway, like DanO said, I'll see what my times look like in April, and go from there, but a guy has to have goals you know! :)