Trackdays' effect on racing?

[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 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.

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:Me]

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:Me]

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

[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

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.