Track day report

dirkmc1 · 08-02-2004, 9:15 PM

Now.....my report:Blackhawk farms raceway Rockton Il.

Conditions: Hot as Hades, near 90 degrees and sunny. Track was clean but T3d (bus stop) is strting to show signs of wear and getting a little roughed up but still able to shoot through care free.

Great day though it was VERY hot out on the track..quite taxing and lord knows how much gatorade and water I drank. I think I lost 10 pounds out there. But on the other hand I was fortunate to have kept the bike upright and still knock out some good lap times. The slicks were working overtime but I think the round front profile and the faster corner speeds require more effort and my forearms are feeling it today. Maybe I'm just a Wuss...lol?? If I got hamfisted through T4 I was pulling the front off track at lean, mid corner...!! unsettling when it comes up AND down.
As for the group outing: We had a LARGE group of people from Madisonsportbikes.com show up...3 awnings..20+people..and 6-7 riders? ....thanks to all who came out to cheer us on and be our pit and film crew. It sux we had 3 from MSB get off yesterday...3 lowsides The site owner had a hard lowside that banged his noggin off the deck rather hard and put his ride out for the day. Another lowsided in T1 coming in too hot and was just fine but the bike took alot of damage. !st trackday after moving up to a new GSXR 750 from an SV650.He said "damn...lots different coming into a corner at 145 vs 125.. and the third, at the end of the day, went down in front of me at T4 with a lowside. He was simply outriding the DOT tires: D218's. What sux is the new Gixxer 750 he dumped is a long term test bike belonging to Suzuki...I would hate to make that phone call on a Monday morning. Plus he got a broken collarbone out of the crash. Lesson?? The track asphalt was very hot... and was pushing limits of steet tires not designed to handle surfacetemps of 115 + the additional temps from track use. I actually saw a Set of Bridgestone BT020's melty gooey...

All in All...everyone WALKED away from the day...some bruised, some broken, but all under thier own power.
AND...
.................... ZIPPY got bumped!!!

Zippy...thanks for again proving to be a formidable adversary on the track!

Red Rider · 08-03-2004, 1:46 PM

Great report...sounds like it was a pretty good day other than the heat.

tigerblade · 08-03-2004, 1:54 PM

Blackhawk is a workout, I imagine especially so in the heat. Glad you had a good time!

sl954 · 08-03-2004, 2:03 PM

I was there on Saturday, had a great time. My first time there and I couldn't believe what a workout it was! No place to relax! The temp Saturday was't too bad.

Steve

oldgoat · 08-03-2004, 2:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirkmc1

Now.....my report:Blackhawk farms raceway Rockton Il.

Conditions: Hot as Hades, near 90 degrees and sunny. Track was clean but T3d (bus stop) is strting to show signs of wear and getting a little roughed up but still able to shoot through care free.

Great day though it was VERY hot out on the track..quite taxing and lord knows how much gatorade and water I drank. I think I lost 10 pounds out there. But on the other hand I was fortunate to have kept the bike upright and still knock out some good lap times. The slicks were working overtime but I think the round front profile and the faster corner speeds require more effort and my forearms are feeling it today. Maybe I'm just a Wuss...lol?? If I got hamfisted through T4 I was pulling the front off track at lean, mid corner...!! unsettling when it comes up AND down.
As for the group outing: We had a LARGE group of people from Madisonsportbikes.com show up...3 awnings..20+people..and 6-7 riders? ....thanks to all who came out to cheer us on and be our pit and film crew. It sux we had 3 from MSB get off yesterday...3 lowsides The site owner had a hard lowside that banged his noggin off the deck rather hard and put his ride out for the day. Another lowsided in T1 coming in too hot and was just fine but the bike took alot of damage. !st trackday after moving up to a new GSXR 750 from an SV650.He said "damn...lots different coming into a corner at 145 vs 125.. and the third, at the end of the day, went down in front of me at T4 with a lowside. He was simply outriding the DOT tires: D218's. What sux is the new Gixxer 750 he dumped is a long term test bike belonging to Suzuki...I would hate to make that phone call on a Monday morning. Plus he got a broken collarbone out of the crash. Lesson?? The track asphalt was very hot... and was pushing limits of steet tires not designed to handle surfacetemps of 115 + the additional temps from track use. I actually saw a Set of Bridgestone BT020's melty gooey...

All in All...everyone WALKED away from the day...some bruised, some broken, but all under thier own power.
AND...
.................... ZIPPY got bumped!!!

Zippy...thanks for again proving to be a formidable adversary on the track!

Nice write up.

Sounds like alot of HOT fun.

Love the Avatar !!!

dirkmc1 · 08-04-2004, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sl954

I was there on Saturday, had a great time. My first time there and I couldn't believe what a workout it was! No place to relax! The temp Saturday was't too bad.

Steve

The sliderphoto.com pics are up....what is your nesba # ?

Yea...Blackhawk is a workout...only one real straight on the whole track...it IS a very busy course. Fun track though ..and for me only an hour from home. This was my first time on slicks and they really help, although my buddy on his 04 R1 was still making time on me with Diablo Corsa's...with some wheel slide though. I was able to clip down to 1:17's my best times there with no real "moments" except the front end trying to come up on the gas through T4 .

Glad you had a good time AND a workout! Will you be there for the sept 4-5 weekend?

sl954 · 08-04-2004, 2:01 PM

I'm going to try to be there for the sept dates. My nesba # is 416. I'm way slower than you, my best was a 1.30 even. I'm hopeing to get into the 120's next time.

Steve

Zippy · 08-04-2004, 2:20 PM

That was so much fun running in the "A" class with you guys. I know what you mean about the heat. You really had to manage the various resources, like water, food, energy, tires, to make sure that you run out of any. I did both days, so I was especially thrashed. I could barely walk at the end of Sunday. My forearm was fried, so I found myself grabbing the brake level farther and farther from the pivot as the day went on. It's still recovering three days later!

The energy level that it took to ride in that group was pretty extreme, especially on such a hot day. No time to rest anymore, because there are fewer traffic jams. In the last session, I was just trying to relax on the straights and take a breath or two. Every lap is a fast lap, with no breaks. Since they don't make you wait as long before starting each session, I think you get a couple extra laps in too. I need to work out more... and learn to relax more.

It was great riding with you Dirk. Thanks for the sandwich too. I can't wait until next month!

dirkmc1 · 08-04-2004, 2:32 PM

It never dawned on me about the lack of traffic issue...you are right though...every lap is a fast one...even the "not so fast" riders move along at a good pace. Passing is very tough and even more so at BHF..the whole damn track is a corner! lol

The soreness is just now settling down for me. !