Well, not racing, exactly (maybe someday). Just a track day or two. You have to start
somewhere, though in this case the starting line and checkered flag are probably not too far
apart. In other words, I don’t think I’ll be quitting my day job and living off cigarette
endorsements anytime soon.
Impressions from track day #1
Summit Point Raceway
Jefferson Circuit
November 2003
Bottom line: exceptionally challenging & great fun. More difficult than I imagined, but
ultimately rewarding, because when things started to go right I was shocked by what a bike
can do. Riding on the track is nothing like riding on the street. The track is more challenging
by orders of magnitude. That's not to say a good street rider won't do well on the track & vice-
versa, but the skill crossover is much less than I had thought. There are two main differences
in skills needed, from my perspective, and both are prompted by high cornering speeds on
the track. First, the most important aspect of track riding is picking a line. On the road you
simply don't have many choices that will get you through a curve. On the track there are
more choices and if you want to be fast you have to make the right one. The right line not
only yields high corner speeds, it allows you to set up properly for the next turn. Second,
track riding requires a lot of moving around on the bike. To ride today’s bikes with today’s
tires at today’s speeds you really have to work the bike like a pommel horse. Track speeds,
combined with the sharpness & frequency of the turns; require hanging off to make decent
progress. The knee-down style that looks ridiculous on the street becomes a necessity on
the track. Not that I got it right, although I did try. In all modesty, I can say that I achieved the
form and speed of a GP champion. Circa 1968. Meaning I looked like this:
See the resemblance?
A good contemporary track rider, such as J.M. Flores, looks like this:
(And, in case you were wondering, Hunsicker looks like this:
I’m kidding of course; he’s one fast dude, and really looks more like this:
)
Prep & the Value of Friends
It was great traveling with Chris & riding with Chris & John, & spectating with Dean. It really
helps to have friends around for your first track day. The event may be a bit intimidating and
everything, from the logistics forward, is new. Chris' help with prep gave me a little breathing
room in which to get my mind set. John's & Cas' tips on handling the track helped me to
improve and to keep things in perspective. So thanks guys, I'm glad you were there.
NESBA
Although I've nothing to compare it to, I thought NESBA hosts a good track day. The
consensus amongst our crew was that NESBA riders are generally much faster than Reduc
riders, and as a slow guy that made me feel better. The NESBA instructors (control riders)
were uniformly friendly & helpful from my beginner's perspective. It’s not a school, so they
don't school you. But if you seek an instructor out they will be happy to talk at length about
how you can improve your style, etc., with both constructive criticism and encouragement.
The on-track instruction (pat on the head to "follow me") can be really helpful if you avail
yourself of it. The control riders always had specific comments; so they are clearly paying
attention to the riders they have follow them. (You can also tell that by the fact that a control
rider will turn around to check your line while he's apexing at 70 mph. Unbelievable). I should
also mention that the control riders do not get in you way on the track. The least of them
could both make and eat a sandwich while lapping anyone in the beginner class, and they
spend their time on the track challenging you to improve and/or keeping slower riders out of
the way.
The day ran like clockwork. They fed us good food even though they said they wouldn’t. No
wasted time at all. I hear that's rare. I felt like I got a lot of track time and plan on going back.
SUMMIT POINT JEFFERSON CIRCUIT
As Chris H. points out, this is a small track. Small bikes have an advantage here due to the
tight turns and the fact that the straights are short and don’t allow enough room to for big
bikes to make up what they might lose in the corners. Only track I've ridden, but I've seen a
few others. Summit Point Main Circuit seems like Le Mans in comparison. Chris H.’s
description of the track as “less than generous” is apt. Slippery. My rear wheel slipped
consistently in the fishhook. I got used to it, but my confidence was somewhat undermined as
the sliding took place in the midst of a tight S where you're moving around on the bike and
transitioning quickly. I did think turns 1 & 2 and the final turn before the exit are fantastic. I
didn't exert much energy trying to hit high speeds on the straights. I'd work on exit speed, but
didn't feel the need to bounce off the rev limiter in 2d & 3d. The straights are also a good spot
to relax (while doing 95 mph) and let the faster riders past. But all in all a nice set up. I love
West Virginia. Going there is like turning the clock back 30 years – in a good way. Where
else can you hang over the concrete track wall and watch the bikes fly by?
BOTTOM LINE
Loved it & will do it again. Challenging and great fun. There were times I simply couldn’t
believe what I was doing. When the horizon is horizontal at 40 mph, and you’re jockeying for
position coming out of the straight, it’s almost too cool to believe.
