Trackdays' effect on racing?

[Tony.OK]

Ok firstly I don't want anyone to read more in to this than just me being bored and having too much time to think....

What affect do you think the amount of trackdays available now is having on NZ's racing scene?
There are alot of threads about how to get more people into our sport lately, so started thinking.

I for one got into racing after doing trackdays and getting sick of going too fast on the road.
Most people I have met during racing have had the same idea and realised that a trackday doesn't quite give the same buzz as racing.

Now that trackdays are so popular and so often, I wonder if now a person can get all the thrills they need without the associated risks (insurance etc) and costs, thus not feeling the need to compete in the racing scene.

Is it just a certain type of person that feels the need to compete that makes one take the leap?

How did people get into it before track days? Must've been a huge leap to get out there without ever being on a track before:clap:


Just some thoughts.......................................... ....

[roadracingoldfart]

Ok firstly I don't want anyone to read more in to this than just me being bored and having too much time to think....

What affect do you think the amount of trackdays available now is having on NZ's racing scene?
There are alot of threads about how to get more people into our sport lately, so started thinking.

I for one got into racing after doing trackdays and getting sick of going too fast on the road.
Most people I have met during racing have had the same idea and realised that a trackday doesn't quite give the same buzz as racing.

Now that trackdays are so popular and so often, I wonder if now a person can get all the thrills they need without the associated risks (insurance etc) and costs, thus not feeling the need to compete in the racing scene.

Is it just a certain type of person that feels the need to compete that makes one take the leap?

How did people get into it before track days? Must've been a huge leap to get out there without ever being on a track before:clap:


Just some thoughts.......................................... ....


I think track days help people to make the transition to racing , as you found when you started.
When i first started i had to do D, C & B grades to make the jump into the class my bike suited. Most of the classes were proddy based and as such the newest model won and the guys associated with a dealers shop were the ones that got the bike when it was new.
I had to run in F2 with my 400 and that was tuff lol.
Club racing equipment has become so much higher in the standards set by most of the riders , just look at stuff like tyre warmers and slicks etc , never considered really only a few years ago and yet now if you dont have them the chance of doing well is very limited indeed. Tha t will never take away the fun you can have but it does limit the progress you can make in your chosen class.
The biggest fields are seen in Post Classic and yet you compare the equipment used now with the equipment available when those bikes were the cutting edge . What i would have done for that kind of stuff when i was racing in the 80s lol.
Track days are a good amount of fun with all your mates on similar bikes but if only one of you in a group gets into racing then the fun is not as attractive but if the whole bunch of you get into it then that fun factor can transfer but it requires a bigger commitment to make the transition to full time race bike conversion.
Long live the club scene and heres to lots of fun doing it . Thats why i kept doing it as long as i have.

Paul.

[cowpoos]

Ok firstly I don't want anyone to read more in to this than just me being bored and having too much time to think....

What affect do you think the amount of trackdays available now is having on NZ's racing scene?
There are alot of threads about how to get more people into our sport lately, so started thinking.

I for one got into racing after doing trackdays and getting sick of going too fast on the road.
Most people I have met during racing have had the same idea and realised that a trackday doesn't quite give the same buzz as racing.

Now that trackdays are so popular and so often, I wonder if now a person can get all the thrills they need without the associated risks (insurance etc) and costs, thus not feeling the need to compete in the racing scene.

Is it just a certain type of person that feels the need to compete that makes one take the leap?

How did people get into it before track days? Must've been a huge leap to get out there without ever being on a track before:clap:


Just some thoughts.......................................... ....
hmmm...good Idea for a thread tony.

[NinjaBoy]

Personally I got into racing because I got bored of circulating round at trackdays. However I still do an ocassional trackday but its more relaxed for me now.

I have seen many people move from Trackdays to having a go in the Clubman's class. If anything I think its bridged that gap between riding on the road to the track. Yeah I did wonder what people did before trackdays were easily accessible.

[sharky]

I did one trackday on my road bike and was hooked. Bought a track bike soon after. I suppose I have a competitive nature so wanted to start racing, rather than do trackdays. I guess if I hadn't done that trackday I wouldn't be racing now though.

[Sparky Bills]

I have not been racing forever, but I did start when we were lucky to have 1 maybe 2 trackdays a year. I have growen up with bikes in the blood.
Most of my family members have raced buckets or been involved with bikes at some stage.
It was always going to happen for me.
I remember being shit scared at the first trackday I did.
Once I got my gsxr400 (roadbike), I started to really move on the road. I mean I rung the shite out of that thing! hehe.
It was Mitch (some will know the person) who suggested I have a go at racing. She then lent me her spare fairings so I didnt have to risk my good ones. So there I was, converting my roadbike into a race bike (Thanks to Dan for doing the hard work for me). And so it began.
I hope people these days keep supporting the trackdays. They are a great way for road riders to improve their riding. I know it worked for me. Most dont even realise how much they are improving.

[roogazza]

I don't think we had trackdays, (well official ones) in 1970 ?

Racing, maybe we just thought we were ok at riding and wanted to have a go ?

I certainly don't treat trackdays as racing, you just don't know what some muffins are going to do. It's good to give everyone a little more room.
I use them as a safe, fun day out with a bunch of mates. No effect on racing. Gaz.

[Dreama]

Shit, I just can't see how people can have money and time to do track days AND race.
I mean, wtf ...don't they have jobs, businesses, family, other sports, girlfriends ... and one things for sure ... they sure as hell wouldn't have teenage fuckin kids !!!!!

In 10 or so years of racing I have been to one track testing day at Puke which was a complete waste of time ... 1 1/2 hrs between sessions made things seriously boring.
I know the track days, especially at Taupo, have gotten way better ... bikes only helps a tad .... and I'd really really love to do some, but jeez, where to find the time ??
Obviously my racing reflects the few times I can actually get onto the tracks ... but,given the choice between a track day and a race day, well .... one sprint race has gotta be way more fun than a whole day circulating at 60-70 % pace

[Wingnut]

I went to a track day on the saturday - Loved it - bought a race bike the following tuesday. Have ridden my road bike twice since. The road just doesn't do it for me anymore.

It took a track day to open my eyes to what really is fun.

[ktm]

paul and gazza, what can I say, get out there Guys, we can argue about the results at the pub later.

[Taz]

I think some riders just want to have a little fun on a track and have no intention of taking up racing. I have no intention of returning to racing.

[CHOPPA]

A mate of mine came with me to a track day last saturday done 7 sessions for $100 bucks, i talked him into racing the next day it cost him $150 entry and he did 18 laps and waited around for a long boring day! Doubt he will race again....

[Tony.OK]

A mate of mine came with me to a track day last saturday done 7 sessions for $100 bucks, i talked him into racing the next day it cost him $150 entry and he did 18 laps and waited around for a long boring day! Doubt he will race again....

Thats exactly the thing that got me thinking about this thread.......

[scott411]

A mate of mine came with me to a track day last saturday done 7 sessions for $100 bucks, i talked him into racing the next day it cost him $150 entry and he did 18 laps and waited around for a long boring day! Doubt he will race again....

thats about were i sit as well, i would rather go to a track day and get more laps in,

offroad have the same problem, trail rides are much more popular than racing, people like more riding time

[Patch]

you also don't have the political bs to put up with or the problems of trying to find/fund a competitive bike, sponsorship etc etc

but I think it is trying to compare apples with oranges. But one would think it has an impact of sorts but how does one quantify it as there are so many variables to consider.

Good question tho Tony.

[Sully60]

you also don't have the political bs to put up with or the problems of trying to find/fund a competitive bike, sponsorship etc etc

but I think it is trying to compare apples with oranges. But one would think it has an impact of sorts but how does one quantify it as there are so many variables to consider.

Good question tho Tony.
Buckets for the win!
This weekend $90 bucks ,two days, two tracks and enough laps you actually start to get dizzy.

Then you fall down, or run out of gas.

Seriously though, I started racing before the track day phenomenon started taking off. There were two decent days in the year and there was plenty of track time. Back then there was less 'fuckwit control' so some people having a good time at their own pace ended up getting carved or worse skittled by aforemetioned fuckwits, so the trackdays were less apealling than race days.
All this was before the VMCC club champs turned into the winter nationals and back then the Suzuki series was in full swing so I was racing twice a month sometimes with two trips to Taupo within a week, so track time wasn't an issue for me back then.
They're good value for money and relatively safe, well run affairs from my recent experience and good if you don't want to commit to a full championship which being the competitive type I find hard not to do.

One effect, though probably not what you've started the thread about Tony, is dudes or dudesses turning up to tracks like Manfield for the first time ever and busting out 14's in qualifying:shit: That never happened back in the day (if so it was extremely rare) 'back in the day'.

[sinfull]

Yeah least trackdays i can do on the current bike i have ! I can even win



In group 3 !

[MazTLR]

Me and my mates, used to go and watch the bike race meetings at Brands Hatch. We always said how bad some of the new racers in the orange jackets raced, with comments like we could do better, look he’s not even laying it over. Then I lost my licence, my mate comes up to me and says I’ve got something for you, a racing licence form, lets see what you can do. So joined a club, and got my licence. What a buzz, loved it, raced for about 6 years, still have the urge to restart, I don’t think you ever loose it.

[svr]

Yeah least trackdays i can do on the current bike i have ! I can even win



In group 3 !

Times have changed fer sure.
Starting racing in the late 80s, my first time on the track was racing. It felt like a big jump, but thrown in with good racers (no clubmans then) you (a) learnt whether you were any good and (b) well, just plain learnt
I got back into racing after a 12yr break due to doing trackdays - It seemed for the same money I could do a little racing. Personally, I don't like lots of laps - you just wear out tyres. Lots of short races are way more fun. Also, riding with better riders is safer - it's the random lines, early braking, slowing for wheelies on corner exits, parked bikes in the corners etc that gives me the trackday shits. A `racing' group is a must.
Track dayers will know if racing would suit them or not - track time helps but racing definitely takes riding to a new level. I guess those dedicated (latest fireblade on trailer) trackdayers have their reasons for not racing (not money, apparantley...), and no-one likes getting their ass kicked in public when beating your buddies at a trackday makes you feel good about your riding, which is understandable.

[jrandom]

Personally, I don't like lots of laps - you just wear out tyres. Lots of short races are way more fun.

What he said!


Also, riding with better riders is safer... A `racing' group is a must.

:yes:

Group 1 at MotoTT tends to be like that. Nice pace, safe as houses.


track time helps but racing definitely takes riding to a new level.

Aye. I found that after a year or so of trackdays, they felt boring and a little bit pointless. Racing's never boring, though. I'd be doing the winter series if I wasn't broke, but I simply can't squeeze it in this year.

Ah well. Never mind. Priorities. I'm kinda looking forward to riding on the road again on Tuesday, even, after almost nine months of no licence!

Regarding trackdays, I think the current situation with regular well-run trackdays at each of the NI tracks is wonderful, and has probably already saved lives on the road, not to mention getting people interested in racing who would otherwise have never dipped their toes in the water.

[FROSTY]

Tony you quite frankly just scared the friggin shit outa me.
Back awhile ago I thought trackdays were THE answer to a shit load of issues.
One was diminishing feilds in road racing. My idea was that if 100 people go to a track day then 5 of em will go racing. Its the funnel theory
I figured have enough trackdays and you'll pulll into the racing scene people who never concidered it before --Real grassroots stuff.
Your point has really struck home. Basicly with so many trackdays available its actually become counter productive.



Then again I REALLY hope that its actually more pulling guys off the ROAD that were getting their jollies on the coro loop or similar.

[FROSTY]

hmm --have we actually got smaller fields at club level than say 10 years ago??

[driftn]

I my self am getting a bit sick of paying $200 per round entry, $500 for a set of tyres (new set every round), gas for both the bike and the car to tow it there, accomodation for the 2 day events it works out to be the besst part of a grand for what? two 6 lap races. Maybe even less as they could red flag the race.

Track days, Sure I would still put a new set of tyres on for it but the amount of track you you get for your money is far more worth it.

Dont get me wrong I love the start line jitters and being in the middle of 30od bikes all trying to get to the same spot of turn one as much as any body but this has been on my mind for a long time now. I say track days are the way. Oh well thats my 30 cents worth.

[Tony.OK]

Perhaps there is another option for the seemingly lack of track time within club races.
Disregarding the obvious need for extra marshalls and club organisers.....................................wit h a two day event, why not separate the classes into having a day each.
That means half the bikes per day and in turn a shit load more track availability per given hours in a day.
And you'd only need to pay for 1 day as opposed to 2, less accomodation ..........................much more track time:Punk:

[CHOPPA]

Perhaps there is another option for the seemingly lack of track time within club races.
Disregarding the obvious need for extra marshalls and club organisers.....................................wit h a two day event, why not separate the classes into having a day each.
That means half the bikes per day and in turn a shit load more track availability per given hours in a day.
And you'd only need to pay for 1 day as opposed to 2, less accomodation ..........................much more track time:Punk:

Less classes would be the ticket, why the f*&k have 2 motard races! All the 450 riders rode the open class anyway why not just score them seperate, same as the 600 and 1000s.

Surely the bikes from the previous race dont have to be back in the pits with there tyres warmers on before we can go out for warm up as well. Once there half track on there warm down lets go!

[scracha]

organisers.....................................wit h a two day event, why not separate the classes into having a day each.

It's been suggested before and ignored..............

[codgyoleracer]

Trackdays = low stress & chance to learn what an " open road" with no traffic coming the other way + what a " full width" surface is like to use, especially for newbies.
For the more experienced - its a matter of using them for testing of components and refining riding techniques.
I see a lot of " roadies" still treating a trackday as a chest-beating opportunity to show mates who is the quickest rider . - And theres nothing wrong with that , it brings out the 'competitive edge" in peolple and may well tempt them to have a go at this racing lark if the they are half good at it.

Racing is different - it is a hunger to beat the guy in front and is also the buzz you get from travelling in damm close company to them at speed. This is very different to a track day and is not everyones cup of tea.

My guess would be that track days bring more entires to clublevel race meetings but have little effect on pumping up national grids.

Overall though they have been excelllent for promoting safe, fast riding in a controlled environemnt and have been especially good for bike sales, part sales and aftermarket parts suppliers (suspension & tyres etc)

Glen

[Matt Bleck]

I agree in some part with the likes of Driftin and Tony, I love trackdays, good value for money as far as track time goes and if you bin and have the right insurance cover then ya sweet.

I did 3 rounds of the Vic series last year, and I too found the lack of track time a issue. The tipping point being Rd 4 being cancelled due to flooding on the track. Thats alot of money spent for ten minutes trac time!

But it's not quite the same buzz at trackdays as Glen say's. 30+ bikes trying to get to the first corner, trying to catch the guy infront, and racing in the wet with the right tyres is the best drug you get ya hands on.

[Whitebait]

Interesting.........

I started racing last year. I didn't already own a raod bike and I had only been to a track day on a borrowed bike.

Cheap NSR on trademe with a blown engine and a bit of a brainstorm and what do you know I have a race bike.

From what I've done so far I prefer racing to track days but "test" days at manfield are pretty good for track time without all the normal crowd you get at a track day.

The best value for money has to be Brain Bernard track days! The last one I went to was open gate come and go as much as you please. Ask if you want some tips from people that know what they are talking about. I did 6 x 20min sessions.

The biggest thing for me when I moved into F3 was the speed that the front guys come past you! Not naming any names but NZ F3 #1 made me shit my pants a good few times!!

[roogazza]

I my self am getting a bit sick of paying $200 per round entry, $500 for a set of tyres (new set every round), gas for both the bike and the car to tow it there, accomodation for the 2 day events it works out to be the besst part of a grand for what? two 6 lap races. Maybe even less as they could red flag the race.

Agree with you there Driftn, I have my doubts these two day events are the best way to go ? Thank christ I'm over it all. Gaz.

[wharfy]

A mate of mine came with me to a track day last saturday done 7 sessions for $100 bucks, i talked him into racing the next day it cost him $150 entry and he did 18 laps and waited around for a long boring day! Doubt he will race again....

Pretty hard for a track day to compare with the feeling lined up on the grid, or the charge for turn one, or trying to figure out how to get past someone who is lapping about the same as you are.

[wharfy]

Trackdays = low stress & chance to learn what an " open road" with no traffic coming the other way + what a " full width" surface is like to use, especially for newbies.
For the more experienced - its a matter of using them for testing of components and refining riding techniques.
I see a lot of " roadies" still treating a trackday as a chest-beating opportunity to show mates who is the quickest rider . - And theres nothing wrong with that , it brings out the 'competitive edge" in peolple and may well tempt them to have a go at this racing lark if the they are half good at it.

Racing is different - it is a hunger to beat the guy in front and is also the buzz you get from travelling in damm close company to them at speed. This is very different to a track day and is not everyones cup of tea.

My guess would be that track days bring more entires to clublevel race meetings but have little effect on pumping up national grids.

Overall though they have been excelllent for promoting safe, fast riding in a controlled environemnt and have been especially good for bike sales, part sales and aftermarket parts suppliers (suspension & tyres etc)

Glen

What he said...
I did a couple of track days to try and improve my times in the Cliffhanger and ended up racing.
My behaviour on the road has improved considerably as well. Things that a year ago I would have considered a "challenge" are now passed off with a smile and the thought "I bet they couldn't get round Wanganui in 58 seconds". I figure that the riders of the other 190 bikes that competed at Wanganui have a similar reaction. (Just for the record 89 people did get round faster than 58s ) :)

Umm... back to the topic:

Track days got me racing
Racing is better than trackdays
I need to do some trackdays to get used to my new bike as it is "track" only

[owner]

Buggar this thread!!:bash: I was all keen to get Choppa's old 6R.
Now you lot have got me thinking
I have done a load trackdays and love them. I'm not competative at all other than racing myself.

Does this make sense

After a couple years doing track days. Is the best way to get faster to go racing?

Or to buy a lap timer and just race myself (unofficially ofcourse!) at trackdays on my insured road bike.

[sinfull]

Buggar this thread!!:bash: I was all keen to get Choppa's old 6R.
Now you lot have got me thinking
I have done a load trackdays and love them. I'm not competative at all other than racing myself.

Does this make sense

After a couple years doing track days. Is the best way to get faster to go racing?

Or to buy a lap timer and just race myself (unofficially ofcourse!) at trackdays on my insured road bike. DMNTD is selling his 07 600 at a bloody competitive prive and yeah ya do go quicker when ya start from a grid !

[NinjaBoy]

After a couple years doing track days. Is the best way to get faster to go racing?

Or to buy a lap timer and just race myself (unofficially ofcourse!) at trackdays on my insured road bike.

If you do enough racing you will get faster but there are other ways of going faster. Getting a dedicated track bike which doesn't financially ruin you if it goes down the road can help as well as talking to and following the lines of faster guys also helps. At the risk of being flamed... fancy suspension or at least well setup suspension gives you more confidence to go faster ! Along with nice new track tyres.

I started racing because I got bored of riding around on trackdays without much purpose. Racing filled that gap.

Also you will find that laptiming is strictly forbidden at trackdays due to insurance reasons.

[puddytat]

In the latest news letter from Motorcycling Canterbury, there is special mention of "the large number of new members joining", which Id put down to a great club organizing with sponsors, well run trackdays.
I think that at the last one there was about 190 odd bikes there:yes:
It was them that got me started racing,as I found it simply more of a buzz than the road & the fuzz:Police::no:
Road bike is for sale....:rolleyes:

[owner]

DMNTD is selling his 07 600 at a bloody competitive prive and yeah ya do go quicker when ya start from a grid !

Yes I know mate bloody good deal that bike thats what got me thinking

[owner]

If you do enough racing you will get faster but there are other ways of going faster. Getting a dedicated track bike which doesn't financially ruin you if it goes down the road can help as well as talking to and following the lines of faster guys also helps. At the risk of being flamed... fancy suspension or at least well setup suspension gives you more confidence to go faster ! Along with nice new track tyres.

I started racing because I got bored of riding around on trackdays without much purpose. Racing filled that gap.

Also you will find that laptiming is strictly forbidden at trackdays due to insurance reasons.

Thanks I hear what your saying. I know about no timing at trackdays. But the missus does a mean stopwatch
I think racing a trackbike might make me push that little bit harder than I do at trackdays which will probably mean......... I'll crash and hopefully only financially ruin myself

[Spyke]

We need more production indurance races! now that would be cool. then you'd have so much time on the track.

[Kickaha]

Your point has really struck home. Basicly with so many trackdays available its actually become counter productive.

I doubt it, a track day is not even close to real racing, those who are interested in taking the next step up to real racing will take up the sport regardless of the trackdays available

[DEATH_INC.]

A mate of mine came with me to a track day last saturday done 7 sessions for $100 bucks, i talked him into racing the next day it cost him $150 entry and he did 18 laps and waited around for a long boring day! Doubt he will race again....
That's a point we've gone on about for ages....value for money is pretty shit as far as track time goes when you race....and to be competitive it get's even worse.... :(

[DEATH_INC.]

Also, riding with better riders is safer - it's the random lines, early braking, slowing for wheelies on corner exits, parked bikes in the corners etc that gives me the trackday shits. A `racing' group is a must.
Have you ever raced here? I've seen at least as much bad riding when racing as in some of the trackday groups...

[DEATH_INC.]

To answer Tony's original question though, I think they do help. I know a few who've gotten into racing from doing trackdays (me included), mostly from doing them with someone who races talking you into it. It helps to have the confidence to know (or at least think) that you can do ok if you go out on a trackday and run competitively in your group.

[DEATH_INC.]

Less classes would be the ticket, why the f*&k have 2 motard races! All the 450 riders rode the open class anyway why not just score them seperate, same as the 600 and 1000s.

Surely the bikes from the previous race dont have to be back in the pits with there tyres warmers on before we can go out for warm up as well. Once there half track on there warm down lets go!
Both good points, I've suggested mixing classes before too, why run f1 and f2 seperate when most of f2 run in f1 anyway....same with the mootards, and I'm sure there'd be others....

[scrivy]

I doubt it, a track day is not even close to real racing, those who are interested in taking the next step up to real racing will take up the sport regardless of the trackdays available

Hang on a second Kick........

For a moment there I almost got the impression that you actually thought you were racing when you were out there (rather than just doing a track day).......:dodge:

[zxr400#150]

I have to addmitt, tracks are good. No stress, and gets rid of the itch you get when where not racing. as i dont have a road bike, cant aford a car, race bike and road bike while studying.
But i no for a ract that when im at a track day im never pushing it to the limit, im normaly about 3 seconds a lap slower then while racing.
Racing does take the cake, theres nothing like the adrenalin buzz you get from it, being able to push the bike to the absalute limit!!! having awsome battles with people around the same pace as you, and knowing you can pass them with out them freaking out on u when u shove it up the inside inches away from each other. and just looking aross at eachother down the straights and both of you have massive grins on ur faces egging each other to keep it coming! cant beat it in my oppinion

[Peter Smith]

Here is a thought.
Track days have around 4 groups, so they get lots of track time.:)
Race meeting (club events) have around 7-8 classes (F1, F2, F3, Posties, protwins, motards, 125GP, bla bla bla) so they only get 2 races at 6 laps each.:(

When I started racing club events (Tauranga club, Bay Park winter series)
The meetings had grades, A grade lap times less than 1:05, B grade 1:05 - 1:12, C grade 1:12 - 1:18, Clubmans/Novices 1:18+ and BEARS.

5 classes, heaps of racing, and all bikes doing the same laptimes was much safer. If you went faster than your graded time too often you were asked to move up next meeting.:headbang:

I have considered doing some of the Vic rounds at Manfield, but for the cost and travel down there a trackday would give me more track time.:(

Perhaps clubs could look at running grades rather than specific bike type classes.

[scracha]

But i no for a ract that when im at a track day im never pushing it to the limit, im normaly about 3 seconds a lap slower then while racing.


I'm the opposite. I don't do many track-days but I just try so many different lines and start moving my braking points and "experimenting". If anything, I take more risks on a track-day as there are no points at stake. There are no other bikes to chase and "distract me" so once I get it right I try and bang in lap after lap of consistant fast laps.

[mossy1200]

Here is a thought.
Track days have around 4 groups, so they get lots of track time.:)
Race meeting (club events) have around 7-8 classes (F1, F2, F3, Posties, protwins, motards, 125GP, bla bla bla) so they only get 2 races at 6 laps each.:(

When I started racing club events (Tauranga club, Bay Park winter series)
The meetings had grades, A grade lap times less than 1:05, B grade 1:05 - 1:12, C grade 1:12 - 1:18, Clubmans/Novices 1:18+ and BEARS.

5 classes, heaps of racing, and all bikes doing the same laptimes was much safer. If you went faster than your graded time too often you were asked to move up next meeting.:headbang:

I have considered doing some of the Vic rounds at Manfield, but for the cost and travel down there a trackday would give me more track time.:(

Perhaps clubs could look at running grades rather than specific bike type classes.
If you cross enter into f1 thats 2 qualify at 5-6 laps and 4 races at 10-12 laps on short track Peter.Your old body will handle no more than that.

[NinjaBoy]

I have considered doing some of the Vic rounds at Manfield, but for the cost and travel down there a trackday would give me more track time.:(


Its not about the quantity but the quality. 4-6 sessions at 70-80% or 3+ at 110% :rolleyes:

[Kiwi Graham]

Track days are about mega track time for similar money to a race entry which gives you half at best track time.

No, track days will never replace racing because the two things a track day doesn't give you is the start line buzz and the competative nature of racing. It does give you the opportunity to practice............heaps. There is a place for both.

[Peter Smith]

If you cross enter into f1 thats 2 qualify at 5-6 laps and 4 races at 10-12 laps on short track Peter.Your old body will handle no more than that.

Bingo, that is why there are so few F1 (superbikes) racing. They cant cross enter, so they buy 600's and get twice the races by doing F1 and F2.
So when the nationals come around there are stuff all superbikes on the grid.

This old body gets around half ironman events and the K2 cycle race, so you don't have to worry about my condition.:)
Good luck for next weekend:)

[Peter Smith]

Its not about the quantity but the quality. 4-6 sessions at 70-80% or 3+ at 110% :rolleyes:

Good point, but as I need to learn the track I'd only be going 80% any way.
After a couple of track day I might grace you with my presence.:)

[Peter Smith]

I'm the opposite. I don't do many track-days but I just try so many different lines and start moving my braking points and "experimenting". If anything, I take more risks on a track-day as there are no points at stake. There are no other bikes to chase and "distract me" so once I get it right I try and bang in lap after lap of consistant fast laps.

I agree, trackdays give you plenty of time to experiment with racing lines and bike set up. I tend to make the biggest improvements during a trackday than at a race meet.