Manfeild track day, 19 April 2009

**slydesigns** · 21st April 2009, 00:45

The infeild needs a marshall though... saw 3 bikes in one session shot across the track from the slip road to the pits while bikes were still at race pace coming onto the front straight! A few of us in the stands puckered up at the sight of the highspeed bikes baring down on the oblivious riders crossing!

**Beemer** · 21st April 2009, 09:55

Originally Posted by slydesigns

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The infeild needs a marshall though... saw 3 bikes in one session shot across the track from the slip road to the pits while bikes were still at race pace coming onto the front straight! A few of us in the stands puckered up at the sight of the highspeed bikes baring down on the oblivious riders crossing!

This should have been brought to the attention of someone IMMEDIATELY - this is the kind of behaviour we will not tolerate and those riders would have been spoken to and possibly asked to leave if their actions were deemed to put other riders in danger. Unfortunately we don't have eyes in the back of our heads and we can't see everything at once. Possibly with such a large turn out of riders we were not on to this, but rest assured, if it had been brought to our attention, it would have been acted on at the time. I hope those riders read this and realise they could have caused a fatal accident. There is a lead rider in each group apart from the fast and race sessions and they lead the bikes to the infield slip lane before crossing the track when the last bike goes past. This is unacceptable and will be mentioned to the organisers.

**Beemer** · 21st April 2009, 12:42

Originally Posted by cowboyz

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As a suggestion, I like the idea of nominating a group but found it curious why someone on the loud speaker was calling out for the fast group to line up and if they dont hurry they would miss out.
If there are 30 riders allowed on the track (for instance) and 30 people sign into that group then they should be able to get on the dummy grid 2 mins before going out and be guarenteed a space.
Would like to see G1- race, G2- fast, G3- med, G4- med, G5- slow.
And if you have a G4 tag on your bike you go in G4 not G3.
Followed a couple of bikes round in G3 and then watched them circulate in G1 as I was watching from the stands. I realise that volenteers cant catch everyone session hoping so it takes a bit of honesty on the part of the riders to ensure everyone gets a fair crack at the whip.
At some stage there we were lining up when the race guys were out there and sitting on the dummy grid with the fast guys and then med guys and end up going out in the second med group.
If you had a number on your bike and were guarenteed a session then it would clear the dummy grid faster.
By the same token, if the session is over and you are coming down the back striaght is there any real point in circulating to the slip road? surely pulling off into the pits striaght away and missing the 1/4 lap that is run down speeds things up. Maybe another chequered flag on the back striaght for those who can to pull off to the pits early to clear the track for the next group?

Just to address a couple of those points - the idea of setting a limit per session when signing in was discussed, but we thought that it could cause problems in two ways. If the novice session was full but someone really wanted to do the track day, they could sign up for the medium instead and either piss people off by being too slow, or try too hard and crash. Likewise if the fast session filled early, people would sign up for the medium and start causing trouble by going too fast. Usually we get the right number of riders and it allows us to have one each novice, fast and race, and two mediums - between 120-150 riders. This time there were obviously more, not sure exactly what happened there, but it did cause problems, particularly in the medium group.

As for the chequered flag on the back straight, I don't think that would be a good idea. People are used to the flag being waved on the front straight and would perhaps not be looking for it along the back straight. And although it is only a short distance between the front straight and the infield, it does give people two chances to realise the session has ended - if they miss the flag then they should spot the other riders lining up. I bet we'd get a few moaning they'd missed another chance at the corner along the front straight too!

**KiwiKat** · 21st April 2009, 13:01

From all the comments I have heard an awesome trackday. One of the best ever.

Well done to those CD volunteers who were there and all those riders who helped out when things got busy.

I've just been looking at online photos with Marcus. Some outstanding shots. http://www.wfactor.org/?p=gallery&g=trackdays

**cowboyz** · 21st April 2009, 13:31

Originally Posted by Beemer

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As for the chequered flag on the back straight, I don't think that would be a good idea. People are used to the flag being waved on the front straight and would perhaps not be looking for it along the back straight. And although it is only a short distance between the front straight and the infield, it does give people two chances to realise the session has ended - if they miss the flag then they should spot the other riders lining up. I bet we'd get a few moaning they'd missed another chance at the corner along the front straight too!

fair call.

I guess the point I was trying to make was about riders helping out by paying attention to whats going on.
I can understand the race group completing the lap at race pace. Often these guys are testing their bikes and (unofficially) have a clock on them and want to get that last lap in. But in the other groups if the session is ending and alot of bikes are already sitting on the slip road then why not just pull off striaght into pitlane instead of going round to the slip road. It may seem like a minor thing but it can save a couple of minutes a session. Not an official thing but just if it is safe (and by safe, again I am assuming riders taking responsiblity for their actions) just pull off and save a little time.
Another point I can see a small time saving is letting the bikes out as soon as the track is clear, ie, when the other group is still coming up pitlane. Say that saves 3mins a session over 4 sessions is 12 mins a round which would give time for another group to go out. Maybe would have to have cones or something so riders cant come past the gate to the riders heading out.
Maybe I am just expecting too much from riders and personal responsibilty and giving everyone else a fair go. Afterall, Every trackday I have been to it has been clear that no wheelies in pitlane and every trackday I have been to I have seen at least one.

Originally Posted by KiwiKat

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From all the comments I have heard an awesome trackday. One of the best ever.

Well done to those CD volunteers who were there and all those riders who helped out when things got busy.

No doubt about it. It was a fantastically run day. Some small improvements over the groups and some improvements over riders thinking about how to improve things for themselves.

**quickbuck** · 21st April 2009, 16:21

Originally Posted by 7mmWSM

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This is for safety reasons only.
I saw a couple of times bikes almost running up the back of one another due to people following the leader coming in on the last lap and cutting accross other bikes lines when the following rider was still coming around at race speeds.
The infeild dummy grid is there to slow riders down and get them leaving the track as a group as this is the fastest way to get the next session under way.

Cutting across the line of other bikes is just stupid... and there is no reason for it out of Dunlop! None at all!
The pits is to the left.... just like the fast line out of the corner... If you are taking the quickest line you actually cut off the kink in the track and point the bike toward the start/finish marshall post.
If you are slowing you have heaps of room to slow and enter the pits.

The pit entry is in a relativly safe place, and everybody coming out of Dunlop should realise a vehicle coule enter the lane there.....
Ansl, anybody who is about to enter the pits should recognise to stay to the outside of the track.

**quickbuck** · 21st April 2009, 16:22

Originally Posted by cowboyz

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...... riders thinking about how to improve things for themselves.

Agree.....

**sinfull** · 21st April 2009, 16:36

Originally Posted by Beemer

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Just to address a couple of those points - the idea of setting a limit per session when signing in was discussed, but we thought that it could cause problems in two ways. If the novice session was full but someone really wanted to do the track day, they could sign up for the medium instead and either piss people off by being too slow, or try too hard and crash. Likewise if the fast session filled early, people would sign up for the medium and start causing trouble by going too fast. Usually we get the right number of riders and it allows us to have one each novice, fast and race, and two mediums - between 120-150 riders. This time there were obviously more, not sure exactly what happened there, but it did cause problems, particularly in the medium group.

As for the chequered flag on the back straight, I don't think that would be a good idea. People are used to the flag being waved on the front straight and would perhaps not be looking for it along the back straight. And although it is only a short distance between the front straight and the infield, it does give people two chances to realise the session has ended - if they miss the flag then they should spot the other riders lining up. I bet we'd get a few moaning they'd missed another chance at the corner along the front straight too!

Just like to point out that alot of organisers have stopped using the slipway for that very reason ! Ya turn ya back for a second and someone could die !
Cone the stupid thing off and instruct everyone to complete the last lap and come in at the riders breif

**slydesigns** · 21st April 2009, 17:06

Originally Posted by Beemer

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This should have been brought to the attention of someone IMMEDIATELY. I hope those riders read this and realise they could have caused a fatal accident.

For our part we saw the lead rider trying to stop anyone else from doing it and assumed he would take care of the matter. I guess I should have been more proactive and told someone.

For the riders invloved, I don't think they even realised as it was the easy group and when they went passed us we were yelling and waving at them and they gave us pretty confused blank looks.