I had a fun afternoon at the track yesterday. Wet in the AM but cleared up by noon. I didn't go out until after lunch but what a fun afternoon.
Here is a little story I thought I'd share with you. I was out having fun, no school, regular track day so I get to have fun.
I was coming out of a left hand sweeper at the end of the long front straight at a moderate pace which has a dual apex. It's a really fast but fun corner. As I drifted out to tighten up the second apex, I could hear a bike behind me and as I hit the apex i could see a black bike (R6 I think) passing me way to the outside. The guy had a nice clean black street bike with cool two piece black leathers, black helmet, etc, had that Darth Vader look.
Here is where the fun comes in
He was way wide on a 600 at the apex with maybe a wheel on me. I am tight on the inside line with a straight shot down the fog line to the next right hand corner. I have my bike stood up straight while he is still at full lean. Now picture us both exiting a corner with me at the inside and him on the outside with at least 20 feet of distance seperating us. All he has to do is stand his bike up and it's a race to the next corner. Why he didn't do that is beyond me.
This poor bloke held his lean (and it was a good deep lean) and here he comes across the track with evil intentions of forcing me to GTF out of his way. He wanted the line I had and was not going to take no for an answer. Ordinarilly I would have checked the brakes and let him by. But for whatever reason I decided to stand my ground.
When he got to me, he was still leaned slightly and just as the empact occurred I leaned into him with a shoulder to shoulder block and stood his a$$ straight up. He gave it the granny wobble, chopped the throttle and made a quick retreat to the rear. I made the next two quick tight corners onto the back straight, picked the front up for a 300 ft victory wheelie and never saw the guy again. Was funny as hell. I was still giggling in my helmet three laps later when I got back to the pits
In reality, I don't think the guy ever saw me. I think he had tunnel vision down the track and actually thought he had passed me. Extremely bad judgment call on his part and probally poor judgment on my behalf as well. May have been the best thing he did all day because I'm sure it will be a long time coming before he does something that silly again. I didn't see him the rest of the day so he may have been at the laundry matt washing his panties!
When you guys are at the track keep in mind it's your responsibility to make a clean safe pass. Never take for granted the guy you are passing will back off and give space if you have a wheel on him. Track days are more fun than a barrel of monkeys but they are only as safe as YOU make it!
Here is a little story I thought I'd share with you. I was out having fun, no school, regular track day so I get to have fun.
I was coming out of a left hand sweeper at the end of the long front straight at a moderate pace which has a dual apex. It's a really fast but fun corner. As I drifted out to tighten up the second apex, I could hear a bike behind me and as I hit the apex i could see a black bike (R6 I think) passing me way to the outside. The guy had a nice clean black street bike with cool two piece black leathers, black helmet, etc, had that Darth Vader look.
Here is where the fun comes in
He was way wide on a 600 at the apex with maybe a wheel on me. I am tight on the inside line with a straight shot down the fog line to the next right hand corner. I have my bike stood up straight while he is still at full lean. Now picture us both exiting a corner with me at the inside and him on the outside with at least 20 feet of distance seperating us. All he has to do is stand his bike up and it's a race to the next corner. Why he didn't do that is beyond me. This poor bloke held his lean (and it was a good deep lean) and here he comes across the track with evil intentions of forcing me to GTF out of his way. He wanted the line I had and was not going to take no for an answer. Ordinarilly I would have checked the brakes and let him by. But for whatever reason I decided to stand my ground.
When he got to me, he was still leaned slightly and just as the empact occurred I leaned into him with a shoulder to shoulder block and stood his a$$ straight up. He gave it the granny wobble, chopped the throttle and made a quick retreat to the rear. I made the next two quick tight corners onto the back straight, picked the front up for a 300 ft victory wheelie and never saw the guy again. Was funny as hell. I was still giggling in my helmet three laps later when I got back to the pits
In reality, I don't think the guy ever saw me. I think he had tunnel vision down the track and actually thought he had passed me. Extremely bad judgment call on his part and probally poor judgment on my behalf as well. May have been the best thing he did all day because I'm sure it will be a long time coming before he does something that silly again. I didn't see him the rest of the day so he may have been at the laundry matt washing his panties!
When you guys are at the track keep in mind it's your responsibility to make a clean safe pass. Never take for granted the guy you are passing will back off and give space if you have a wheel on him. Track days are more fun than a barrel of monkeys but they are only as safe as YOU make it!
