a NOOB race report

[MadXX]

I have to say that racing a motorcycle is the coolest thing I have ever done in my life!  My wife asked me to describe what it was like and I tried, I really tried, but could not.  

After painting the bike over the weekend I took Thursday off and spent the day getting everything together.  From changing the oil to flushing out the antifreeze to buying a race only helmet, I spent the better part of the day just getting ready and still didn't make it.  It is amazing how much time it takes to get stuff put together.  Next spring I will not put so much off until the last minute.  

Packed the trailer up Thursday night and finished at midnight-thirty.   After going to bed and dozing slightly while trying to calm my mind down the alarm went off at 4:30am.  Time to get up and out.  

Dragging the drowsy wife out of bed with promises of coffee and yogurt I jammed my contacts into my bleary eyeballs and got everything out the door.  It was cold but I didn't feel a thing as the adrenaline pumped into my system.  I was going to ride on a racetrack for the first time today.  

Easing through speed traps with efficient grace we arrived at Road America with time to spare.  I had a learning curves class certificate from the Wegman auction in one hand and my check book in the other and utilized both of them prudently at the registration barn.  Once set I brought my freezing and slowly waking wife back to the truck and into the pits.

We unloaded and proceeded to set up the canopy and unpack the truck and soon we are ready to go with nowhere to.  So we visited with the people pitted next to us and met a couple of guys who were taking the learning curves class, Jason and his pit helper Luke, and Charlie Wright.  Poor Jason blew up his rear wheel in a mass of aluminum shavings.  I hope he gets some compensation from the cycle shop that put the bike together incorrectly on him.  I also have to say as a note that Charlie and his entire family are just wonderful people.  He was always willing to help with advice or tools no matter what the need and his family even cheered me on in my first race on Saturday.  I could not have asked for a better person to pit next to.

On with the story.  After a long drawn out classroom session (at least is seemed that way because we were hearing morning practice) we finally got out on the track for our first session.  My first reaction was something like 'I should have gotten used to this bike and reversed shift pattern before going out here' but with a few more four letter words.  It was miserable.  I kept downshifting instead of upshifting and visa-versa.  The rev limiter and I were on intimate relations but as the session went on I started to get the hang of a twin with GP shift and my perspective just started to change.  Then it ended.  The session was over.

[MadXX]

Second session.  Woah.  This is kinda fun.  I am still slow.  I still screw up shifting off and on.  The corners are scary.  I don't trust my old tires.  But this is kinda fun.

Third session.  I just went up a gear in about every corner.  This carousel is really a confidence builder.  I am getting comfortable.  I can shift right!  Still bouncing off the rev limiter sometimes though.

Final classroom and then the mock race.  I knew the format from corner-working so I wasn't really in a hurry to get ahead of anyone.  Besides I still suck a bit.  However this is the first time starting off a grid and I wanted to make the best of it.  2 Board, 1 Board, Sideways, Go!   Oh my god the people in front of me didn't!  Slow down, get passed, now I am last.  I wouldn't be the first time today.  I get back into the groove and start developing a rythem.  Three clicks here.  Two clicks there.  Brake here.  Turn there.  This is starting to make sense.  Hey  there is a person in front of me.  I wonder if I can pass them through the carousel?  My gosh I just did!  Now that's a good feeling.  The grin never left my face even after I left the track under the red flag.

The night finished with a mounting of new rubber with the help of the learning curves guys. (my rear axel was stuck and I didn't want to whack it without a second opinion which they graciously gave along with some other help)  We packed up and went to get some eats and sleep.

Saturday.  Its stinking cold!  Stand in line, get a licence. I got my number now, 213, but what's next?  Park, unload, find a number vendor.  Out of two's, out of threes, so buy these and cut them to fit.  Fine I bought the off numbers and then I looked in the supplies left by my bike's previous owner.  Behold, there were the numbers I needed.  Oh well. I have extra's now.  By the time I paste the numbers and get everything set group two is out for practice so I baja over to tech and get myself checked out.  Tech is cool and they tell me to do a couple of minor things but gave me a sticker.  I am ready to go!  Wait a minute.  I have to mount my transponder.  Bah, after practice I say.

Morning practice was great.  I was on new rubber installed the night before and after my bike wiggled around a little bit it settled down nicely and I was able to work on my timing.  Still not great, but not as bad either.

[MadXX]

First race.  Lightweight GP.  Went up at 2nd call.  I wont bother to do that again.  I was the first one there and was just waiting forever for third call.  Either way though we went out on the track and proceeded to do our warm up lap.  This was the point I learned my first most valuable lesson of the day.  Cold tires are slippery.  I took it easy around 1-6 and once I hit 7, a corner I really like, I proceeded to go around it at a nice clip. My bike decided that it was not ready for that type of commitment and decided that it would protest and told me so in an assertive manner.  With my SV wiggling underneath me I stood it up a bit and proceeded to blow the corner and went into the grass.  Thankfully I was able to keep it upright and after looking carefully, re-entered the track without incident.  Valuable lesson #1 learned.

So here I am gridded for the fist race in the back of the 2nd wave.  Green goes down for the 1st wave.  I leasurely put my visor down and begin to get into gear and suddenly green is down again.  Oh crap! That was faster than I thought! Bang into gear, forgot the gp shift pattern, correct it into neutral, blow the start.    Valuable lesson number 2?  Be ready for the start before the start.  Ok I can recover and did somewhat and did.  Started driving against the track and myself.  Each lap I learned more, became more comfortable, learned to finish downshifting before turning so you don't try to high-side in the last turn before the front straight.   It took me about 3 laps to catch anyone but I was able to pass one person in time to be lapped before 4 laps by the leader of the experts.  I was happy as a lark.  I raced my first race.

Second race of the day.  Started last. Stayed last, improved myself.  Spent each lap learning to go faster, smoother, more consistent.  I found myself behind two other riders.   I could have attempted to pass but I would have had to do it through a corner and they were making as many mistakes as I was.  I decided that I would just work on myself and not take the risk of hitting someone on my first day just to beat last place.  There will be plenty of time for this when I am ready.  

Third race of the day.  Didn't happen.  Hung out all afternoon to get to race 13 and it was postponed until Sunday.  Well, I had a funeral to go to Sunday and that wouldn't work for me.  Super Dave was kind enough to give me some advice and lend me his golf cart to go find out what was going on and then to run to registration to fill out a refund request.  Thanks Dave.  

To make a long story short (too late!)  I met up with a lot of cool people such as Charlie Wright and his family, Super Dave, Nate R., Michael Jordan, Shawn and Tiffany, Joe, and others.  I never did get last names of some of the people I met but will be looking forward to seeing them at Blackhawk in May.  

The learning curves crew was very helpful and supportive of a new rider and were always willing to offer assistance or advice.   They went out of their way to make sure that we had the knowledge necessary to make it a safe and enjoyable weekend.

I would finally like to thank the event staff and cornerworkers who froze their butts off to allow us to race this past weekend.  The staff was always considerate and helpful to myself and my wife and I know the Midwest Safety Crew is the best and most respected crew in the nation.  I have worked with this group and know they really work their butts off to make the race the best possible.  No matter what may happen these guys are trying to look out for your safety at all times.

See you all in two weeks!

[Baltobuell]

Hook, line , and sinker. He's hooked. Welcome to the madness that is roadracing. Each time out, you learn, each time out the hook is deeper. In the end you'll find the guy you're pitted next to is the reason you return. Welcome.

[EM JAY]

  Great report Chad!  Gotten a knee down yet?   ;D  That was a small victory for me my first race!   Look forward to seein ya at Blackhawk!    ;)

[hdpromos]

You'll be amazed at how fast you can get things together when you have to! You'll see! ;) Welcome aboard.

HD

[251am]

 Way to go Chad. Stepping out the backdoor of our house Monday morning I expected to hear the roar of the front straight. Very strange not to hear it and realize I missed it. See you at BHF.

[KBOlsen]

And so it begins...

Congratulations, Chad!!!!

 8) ;D

[Steviebee]

Great first weekend Chad !!  Welcome to our addiction.  
We all leave stuff to do at the last minute !!

Stop by and say hi at Blackhawk!

[Super Dave]

Rosno...my last name...


 ;D

[MadXX]

And my wife told me I was the only person who puts stuff off until the last minute  ;D  Thanks for the support everyone!  I am looking forward to meeting more of you.  The first weekend was so hectic trying to figure out what is going on I didn't have time to get around much.

I never did get my knee down but I wasnt really trying to do that much.  I spent all my time trying to pay attention to the basics so I can avoid doing something stupid.  I guess its the analytical side of me breaking the ride down into pieces.  Master the pieces and the whole will come together.   At  least thats the attitude I have right now. I do however expect to have scuffed sliders after this next weekend.  I just have to put the pieces together smooth myself out some more and relax on the bike to make it happen.

I was driving to work this morning and suddenly remembered the feeling of braking for turn 1 after topping out the SV down the front straight and it was good.

Oh, and Dave. I dont think I could ever forget your last name after seeing you as an umbrella girl.  The image still haunts me.  ;D  

[Super Dave]

Oh, and Dave. I dont think I could ever forget your last name after seeing you as an umbrella girl.  The image still haunts me.  ;D  

And my wife told me I was the only person who puts stuff off until the last minute  ;D

I'm such a good procrastinator that I got a birthmark when I was eight....