Pacific Region Supersport Lap Times

[raptorduck952]

I am just wondering what are competitive lap times for the front of an Amateur 600 Supersport pack at the Pacific Region tracks (Streets of Willow, Buttonwillow, Thunderhill, Las Vegas). AFM posts their lap times, but CSS does not.

Thanks,

[GPgofast]

At Las Vegas Classic course I was timed running 1:28's and finished near top 10. Thunderhill race I was running 2:12-2:13's in the races and finished about 12th. Be forewarned the top AMATEUR finisher(s) in the Pacific region usually can run with the experts. Lanksy was running 1:21's-1:22's at Las Vegas. I'm not sure what time Sanders was running to win the Amateur races at the last Thunderhill but he nearlly caught the expert lead pack from the second wave from what I was told. Top 5 amateur's at T-hill were running close to 2;05's-2:07's except for the SUPER fast guys who I would assume would be running well under 2:00.

[raptorduck952]

Thanks. I will be riding Thunderhill for the first time next month and although I have ridden the Las Vegas course at the Spencer school, I do not know my lap times there. What about Buttonwillow and Streets of Wilow? I just did BW for the first time a few weeks ago and have some experience on the Streets course. I am trying to gauage whether I would be competitive or whether I should sit out another season and get more track time.

[Eric Kelcher]

I thought Fast Freddie was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?  ???

[raptorduck952]

I could be wrong. I thought that the outside 2.2 mile road course Freddie runs was the same course CSS runs on. He also runs a 1.1 mile course inside the NASCAR track.

[Dave_Alexander]

I am trying to gauage whether I would be competitive or whether I should sit out another season and get more track time.

If you have the basic skills to be safe on the track, start now.  Nothing will bring you up to speed quicker than actual racing.  Most people who start racing are surprised to find out how slow they are, but the biggest leaps in ability come in those first few weekends.  You don't need to be competitive to begin, you just need to be safe.

[GPgofast]

If you have the basic skills to be safe on the track, start now.  Nothing will bring you up to speed quicker than actual racing.  Most people who start racing are surprised to find out how slow they are, but the biggest leaps in ability come in those first few weekends.  You don't need to be competitive to begin, you just need to be safe.

I agree 100%. Thunderhill is my "main" track. Before my first race, the fastest I had ever been around was a 2:19 on my stock street RC. My first race on my F4i racebike I was able to run 2:12-2:13's. Since that race I have done suspension and at a track day was able to easily run 2:07's without doing ANYTHING scary. Either the bike is better(it is) or I am riding better, but picking up 6 seconds is a huge improvement that I attribute soley to racing. Begining of the year I was STOKED to run in the teens at Thunderhill. To get OUT of the teens was huge. Now I hope to break into the 2:05 range. GET OUT AND RACE!!! Track days won't make you improve as much as race time.

[GPgofast]

I could be wrong. I thought that the outside 2.2 mile road course Freddie runs was the same course CSS runs on. He also runs a 1.1 mile course inside the NASCAR track.

The classic course that we ran at in May was supposed to be 1.8 miles long and is completely outside the tri-oval. It is near the "Bull ring". GP

[raptorduck952]

I dunno then. The LV course we ran at Spencer was clockwise with 9 turns, including a hairpin at turn 4, a very fast and very wide back straight into a very fast turn 6, and braking bumps at the end of the front straight just before turn 1. It is completely flat. Don't know my lap times there.

I know I will get faster by racing, I just did not want to start at the very back of the pack or be so slow as to endanger other riders. At the Streets of Willow I most recently ran in the 1:31s in March. When I tried Buttonwillow for the first time a few weeks ago, the fastest I ran was the 2:12s. The only other tracks I have lap times on are Laguna (1:47s) and Sears (1:55s on AMA config). Compared to other riders I have ridden with, those times are fast, but I did not know how they compare to CCS racers. I want to at least look like I belong.

[Litespeed]

I believe that the front runners were going 1:55-1:56 at buttonwillow.  I managed a 9th place finish with lap times in the 2:04's.    As far as Vegas, I believe Dave Sanders was also in the 1:21's all weekend and although I didn't get many lap times I was running in the 27's and got 9th there as well.  I haven't been to the other tracks.  The most important thing for the race will be getting a good start.  When there are a lot of bikes out there people like to bunch up behind the slower riders (like me) and it makes it difficult because you have to figure out how to pass 3 people at a time instead of one and you are also worried about exposing your back side.  I usually get great starts and then fade slightly as my arms try to fall off because I road to many hard practice laps on friday.

[raptorduck952]

I think I might be able to race then? I decided to ask the question to begin with because I did not want to be that really slow rider holding everybody up.

Maybe if I get some more experience at Buttonwillow and other tracks I might be able to get my lap times down. One day at BW and Sears is probably not enough before racing next year. I have also never ridden Thunderhill. I have track time planned again this year on all those tracks, even Laguna just for kicks.

If I can get under 1:30 at the Streets of Willow, would that be competitive for a top 10 or top 20 or top 1/2? That is the only track where I have more than a couple days experience.

Thanks to all.

[GPgofast]

 ;DHey Litespeed. Your being a little modest. I had to check LV results. You finished 7th!!!! not 9th. If you are getting that close to a top five you should brag a little more. Especially when you figure how many cherry pickers(sand baggers) finished in front of you. Kind of tough being an amateur when there are 3-4 guys that are nearlly as fast or faster than the top experts racing that weekend. I checked because I finished 9th(my first top ten and I'm bragging!!!!) ;D

[Litespeed]

If I wanted to brag I would talk about the last round in Phoenix where I was stuck in a 3-person break away with Kane leading and Brett Nelson glued to his back tire with me glued to Brett's for the first couple of laps.  Then arm pump set in and I faded all the way back to 4th.  If i could get off my lazy butt and get some conditioning I would be much better off.  Are you gonna be at LV next round?  If so I will see you there.

And so I don't appear completely stupid, I got the 9th in MW GP with the 7th in MWSB and a 10th in MWSS.  This is my first year racing and I didn't visit any of the scheduled tracks before race weekend.  I would encourage Raptor to start racing and just grid in the back until you feel comfortable.  I was battling for last in my first weekend and quickly moved up.

[raptorduck952]

Thanks to everybody for the advice. My first race will be the last race of the CCS Pacific Region season at Willow. I figured I should get that first race out of my system before next season. In the meantime I am turning my fully stock R6 into a raceworthy one.

p.s. I will grid in the back and try to stay out everybody's way. Best of luck to all for the rest of the season.

[GPgofast]

If I wanted to brag I would talk about the last round in Phoenix where I was stuck in a 3-person break away with Kane leading and Brett Nelson glued to his back tire with me glued to Brett's for the first couple of laps.  Then arm pump set in and I faded all the way back to 4th.  If i could get off my lazy butt and get some conditioning I would be much better off.  Are you gonna be at LV next round?  If so I will see you there.

And so I don't appear completely stupid, I got the 9th in MW GP with the 7th in MWSB and a 10th in MWSS.  This is my first year racing and I didn't visit any of the scheduled tracks before race weekend.  I would encourage Raptor to start racing and just grid in the back until you feel comfortable.  I was battling for last in my first weekend and quickly moved up.

I agree about Raptor getting out on the track ASAP and would even suggest going to LV. I am sure you have run the track there, your description fits the "Classic Course". Nine turns, fast back straight and sweeper. Turn 4 a hairpin preceded by a chicane, bumpy into turn 1-same track.

Lytespeed-I plan on making the LV round next month, everything work wise looks ok. I get to race at Thunderhill next month and I have even preregistered so maybe I will get a decent grid position. Man, if you were able to stick to those guys, you have definitely stepped up a bunch-congratulations. Top 5 finish with some of the guys running in this group is definitely something to brag about!!! I am looking forward to LV, I couldn't break 1:32 in practice and then I went out in the race and was consistently running 1:28's. Hopefully I can knock a couple more seconds off my pace and run a little more competively. It sure is tough for old guys like me. GP, CCS AM #74.

[Litespeed]

I race in the SW region but am contemplating racing at the Pacific region streets since I missed it earlier this year.  Try to get to Vegas and we will gladly help you out.

[raptorduck952]

I wanted to thank everybody in this group for your advice. I raced at Willow in the last race of the year as my first race weekend. I finished every race I entered and did not crash, which was my goal. My lap times got as fast as the 1:31s but not faster as I learned that traffic lesson.

I then went to the Vegas course for a school and lapped in the 1:28's which felt pretty good. I will race my first full season next year and look forward to it. I hope all that racing will make me faster. Thanks again to all.

Raptorduck CCS #952

[Decreasing_Dave]

I guess I should practice bragging too.  I stuck with Kane during the $1000 UNGP race for 2 whole laps, before he started walking away.  >:(

He did drag me to a second place with a healthy lead over third.  ;D

I learned a lot too.

My wife claims that I wasn't second though, she calls it "1st behind Kane." ;D ;D ;D