Advice/feedback to improve track day

[Gixxer 4 ever]

The marshalls did ride in your lunch time.
We missed our second session because of the rain too, and stood out there while it pissed down to ensure your safey.
Other wise the rest of your comments were good ones.

Please do not be offended. I am grateful for all you did. I understand what it takes to do that job. I do it the local bucket racing and we host a round of the 4x4 nationals here. I had a feeling I could offend the people who made the day good. Not what I intended. You did a great job and I appreciated your input. I just wanted to emphasize the compression of time. Even down to having some riders marshal ( and I would be more than happy to do that )and have a staggered lunch. You could ride in the class you wanted to for a session then back to the boxes. So thanks for your time people it was appreciated.

[RiderInBlack]

May be everyone should have a turn at Marshalling. Riders should have to marshal at less one season each (probably shit to organise, but).

Just a side point here (bit off topic):
Is does any racing club have proper training for Marshals (e.g. Race rules, Flagging, Emergency First-Aid, etc.)? Cause I'd love to do some. Hate the almost non-existent briefings I've had at race days.

[M1CRO:Me]

I would suggest for the "novice" riders that are unfamilar with the track, that maybe we could initially split them up into groups of 10's (for example), and then maybe someone could lead the way around the track setting the "line" and the group follow.. The map thing with someone outlining the lines that should be taken is a great idea.

I appreciate all to their own, but my 2c worth as I noticed alot went "high" around turn 1

I also agree with the flags because I know two in the "yellow" group that thought it was the end of the "session" when someone decided to go straight ahead at the hairpin and play in the kitty litter

All in all, a great day Frosty, and I join the rest of the crowd here with nothing but compliments for a job well done (Even tho you called me crazy! lol - From you, I take it as a compliment

[RiderInBlack]

Yes i know mate, its alright.
I think your idea is a good one. I thought to myself as the medium group went round that I would like to do that group. Someone from the novice group for example could come and take over my flag point, as they would not be next, nor would they have just finished... allowing me time to shoot down and grab the bike and get out there.

We could send a van around the track to swap the Marshals at the end off a group session. If we did this, the van could take the lunches out to the Marshals all Racing Puke style (You have your lunch out there Marshalling). Riders could have their's between their sessions. This way there would be no reason to stop the whole thing for lunch.

[DEATH_INC.]

How about taking the noobs out on foot before the ambo gets there to save time and make it easier for all to stand around and listen ?That way it can be taken care of early and they'll get a chance to look at the surface properly.
The wheelie session at the end of the day is prolly a good idea too.

[Racey Rider]

Good day had. Thanks to the marshalls for standing out in that RAIN while I had fun on the rain soaked track. I did it last time in rather better conditions.

I would be up for Riding And Marshalling some sessions on the same day to help with the flow of things. I only got 70km of track time in, so stagged lunch breaks to keep things happening would be the go.

Straight water is better than flavored water.

How can the track people present a track in that condition to a motorbike group???
Did the sweeper truck not work or something???

Did 'Newbe' and 'Slow' really need to be in different groups? What do they think?

People that take a photo of me should not cut my head off! (pt.)

Racey.

[skelstar]

Did 'Newbe' and 'Slow' really need to be in different groups? What do they think?

I didnt feel out of depth or monstered when the two slower groups combined at the end. I think it was important to have one or two sessions separated at the beginning. Just to get the lines and braking points sorted.

[bugjuice]

with all the comments to the sweeper, I don't think the brush-truck that went round could have picked up all the dust that was there. They're only good for bigger chunks of dirt. That crap on the sweeper needs to be water blasted off the track. Something that should have been done a couple of days before, but as everyone saw, it only takes one quick session of rain, and it's back to how it was. Hopefully the track owner(s) aren't finished with the drainage and condition of [that part of] the track.

As for the flow of things, I was happy with the way the day was organised, but just sucked about the rain. But no one has the last say over that. May be the wheelie session could have been put off so we could have got more dry track time, but no one was to know that the rain was coming to stay. And cos of the rain, I think most people got a lack of sessions too, I think I only got 2 1/2 sessions (the half session being 'rained' off), so counted up, I spent somewhere round $300 for the weekend in total, just to have 2 sessions on the track. Not blaming anyone for that (want to stress that bit!), just sucks that the weather can play such a huge part when we really don't want it to. Shame the track wasn't in better nick tho.

[flash]

We could send a van around the track to swap the Marshals at the end off a group session. If we did this, the van could take the lunches out to the Marshals all Racing Puke style (You have your lunch out there Marshalling). Riders could have their's between their sessions. This way there would be no reason to stop the whole thing for lunch.

one of the best ideas so far

[Mental Trousers]

First up, top effort, love your work.

Keeping things flowing more along the lines of what RiderInBlack suggests for the marshall etc is a good idea. And breaking things up a little with a different type of session between the group ones would be great (the 4 groups out there then the pillions, the 4 groups again then swap the marshalls, the wheelie session, the 4 groups again then women only etc). Like that you could have the marshalls possibly paying for 1/2 a day and marshalling the rest or not pay and marshall all day then get a couple of free sessions.

A large (like very large painted on a sheet or something) map hanging on the stand with the correct lines for the corners drawn on it and notes about each corner, what to look out for, pointing out the passing opportunities etc hanging on the side of the stand would be shit hot.

A large whiteboard with an outline of the day near the stand so everyone can see what's happening and it makes it easy to see changes to the day (finished sessions get crossed out and changes are drawn in etc).

A hooter/bull horn to announce 2 minutes until end of current session and start of next in the pits.

A walk session with the first timers/novices and a bullhorn would be excellent. Or alternatively doing the first Novice session as it was but with a bullhorn (I didn't want to turn the engine off cos it gets temperamental about starting until it's cooled a little so couldn't hear Jacques Shi'ite and was sitting at the back so everyone else could hear).

The food van would be nice although I'm very happy with the Subway that was organised. A food van would give a bit of variety but is more of a unnecessary convenience than anything.

Would be nice if there were some photographers going around the track outside the spectator fence taking shots at other parts. Zapf etc took some good photos but I'd love to have seen some shots of the hairpin, sweeper and turn 1 as well.

As for swapping groups, . Stayed well away from the fast group though as I would've had my ass handed to me this time around. Maybe after another track day or 5.

[FROSTY:Me]

folks--please read the first post -lots of time to go but whilst its all fresh in my mind Im taking on board the suggestions and heres how i see it

[justsomeguy]

with all the comments to the sweeper, I don't think the brush-truck that went round could have picked up all the dust that was there. They're only good for bigger chunks of dirt. That crap on the sweeper needs to be water blasted off the track. Something that should have been done a couple of days before, but as everyone saw, it only takes one quick session of rain, and it's back to how it was. Hopefully the track owner(s) aren't finished with the drainage and condition of [that part of] the track.

As for the flow of things, I was happy with the way the day was organised, but just sucked about the rain. But no one has the last say over that. May be the wheelie session could have been put off so we could have got more dry track time, but no one was to know that the rain was coming to stay. And cos of the rain, I think most people got a lack of sessions too, I think I only got 2 1/2 sessions (the half session being 'rained' off), so counted up, I spent somewhere round $300 for the weekend in total, just to have 2 sessions on the track. Not blaming anyone for that (want to stress that bit!), just sucks that the weather can play such a huge part when we really don't want it to. Shame the track wasn't in better nick tho.

What they ideally need is some grass growing on that place (or some of it)- that should prevent some of the run off. I agree the track was shit - a few of us did our best to sweep the hairpin but the dirt was caked in......

It cost me a similar amount too..... which has me thinking twice about the next time -- when comparing it to a day out at Puke - which is not as good - but a dollar saved means more riding time......

Top effort though Frosty - you're a legend for all this and you too Spank.

[flash]

i think there shoud be 4 different flags....

yellow:caution/slow down (someone does a small slip, nothing major)
red:stop/get to the pits (ambulance involved, heavy rain)
white:second to last lap
checkerd:final lap

the reason for the white flag is then they know they have two laps and will speed up, without feeling it finshed too quickly like what you would feel if there was only a checkerd flag and you had only 1 lap left

[froggyfrenchman]

From a spectator - Having a food van there would have been a huge advantage. Also being able to get some pics from other points of the track. For example, at the pacific club series at taupo, spectators can walk down to the hairpin behind the fences/bollards.

Just ideas. If there was to be another held tomorow, with nothing changed at all (well maby weather) i would go for a watch again. Well done and cheers for the FREE TO WATCH day out of the house

[scooterboynz]

maybe have the fast group out first followed by the medium , etc,,, while the fast group are out the novice group could be told the finer points of track riding etc,,,