STT at Road America

sl954 · 08-11-2004, 4:21 PM

I did the Sportbike Track Time track day at RA yesterday, the weather was cloudy and in the 60's. My first and last session there was some misting rain. It never did completely wet the track though. Even with the not so nice weather I had a blast! I love riding at that track. This is the third time I've ridden there and I improve each time. I did one track day last year, so far this year I've done three and plan on two more. I'm hooked! What a huge difference between RA and Blackhawk Farms, Blackhawk is so much more tiring, but RA is so much faster. I think i used more fuel in the morning at RA then I used all day at BHF. I can't wait to get back to the track! By the way,STT puts on a great event (IMHO)

Steve

Red Rider · 08-11-2004, 4:54 PM

Sounds like you had fun!

Road America is on my short list of tracks that I hope to ride some day.

Zippy · 08-11-2004, 10:39 PM

And here's what happened the next day...

I just went today. What a treat. It rained and stayed wet and cold all morning. About 40 percent of the crowd left by noon. It stayed so bad that by the end of the day, another 40 percent had left. It was a near record low temp for the day. The track was really bad, with lots of slippery rubber laid down on it from the Grand Prix cars over the weekend.

It was horrible for the morning, and graduated to just poor for the last couple of afternoon sessions. In the morning, speed in the carousel was down 50% from normal. In one A session, it was just two of us out there. After 3 laps, another 3 riders joined us. But that was it. No one else even wanted to bother, or to risk the conditions.

There were lots of crashes during the rainy morning. Lots of light damage. I don't recall seeing anything too major as far as bike damage, but the ambulance did roll 3 or 4 times. I think I saw at least two riders and bikes down in the middle of the track. They red flagged the sessions of course.

I had a few wild moments myself. In one, I was coming out of three. After tiptoeing through the turn, I got on the gas just a tiny bit too much and wow! The rear and front both went crazy and I thought I might be on the ground in a hurry, but I caught it. Exiting 14 was always a challenge, with lots of people going down there. 5 was very slow and harrowing. In 6, 8 and 12, I found it was worthwhile to pick your way in-between the tar patches instead of try to ride over them. The long wide patch in Canada (12) was actually the least bad among them.

There was another session where the traction was so bad that I reall wondered what the heck I was doing out there, and that I should pull in. I calmed down and got over it though. I'd had a couple of wacky corner exit whip slides, you know, the instant kind?

There were a couple of semi-dry sessions in the afternoon, which were much better in contrast, but it was not like having full traction. I never did decide to trust the front, because the rear was so iffy.

It was still fun for the challenge and the time with friends at the track. I'm sure I learned something about riding for all that effort! It was kind of a scarey day at the track. I wouldn't want to do that if I knew it was coming, but I did enjoy it and made the most of it.

sl954 · 08-12-2004, 6:57 AM

Wow, I'm glad I went Tuesday! Were many people out there in the I group?

Zippy · 08-12-2004, 10:34 AM

All groups were fully booked. Many riders did not go out in any given session, hoping that conditions would improve later. At STT, anyone can declare themselves "Advanced", so A group was full too. I sure never had any traffic problems all day. There was way too much other stuff to worry about, like where in the heck is any traction.

I went on Tuesday with my bike to see if I could get the spot if someone didn't show up. I was put on a wait list, but it never happened for me.

I ended up buying Wednesday from a fellow that had driven all the way from Long Island, NY. to be there. He had a problem with his $1600 slipper clutch on his Ducati that made it unsafe to continue to ride. He couldn't fix it, so he sold the next day to me and started for home. Poor guy.

The place was flooded with nice Ducati's on Tuesday. I don't think I've ever seen so many at any track day before. Lots of them were heavily modified too.

Tueday started out misty and cool, but improved at the day went on. On Wednesday, the track started out fully wet. It was much colder, and kept raining off and on, mostly on. So the track never had a chance to dry up until well after lunch. By that time, most people had left.

I have absolutely never ridden in more treacherous conditions on a track day. I've ridden in pouring rain a few times and that was much better than this.

My gas mileage for the day was great! And I had fun! I feel like a hero for just not crashing. I sure wouldn't want to repeat that day though.

Baketech · 08-12-2004, 10:44 AM

Great thread....

Did they give you guys a wheelbarrow to haul your testicles around in or did you bring your own...

I'd like to ride RA someday, but it seems like a huevos grandes kind of thing...

Zippy · 08-12-2004, 11:58 AM

It is not that intimidating. Normally, it is just a really fun 4 mile track. There is lots of time to set up for each corner, except for 6, which you can't see much of until you're in it. It will put a big smile on your face.

It was just the rubber laid down by the Gran Prix cars, coupled with the rain and low temps that made it bad this time. They do have tar strips that can be bad on any cold mornings, wet or not. Once the sun is out, those places have good traction and you can pretty much ignore them.

The speeds are fast on this track, no doubt. It takes a couple of visits to take full advantage of it. They had a radar gun out on Tuesday, and were seeing speeds of up to 170+ down the front straight. Still, it is fun.

sl954 · 08-12-2004, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

The place was flooded with nice Ducati's on Tuesday. I don't think I've ever seen so many at any track day before. Lots of them were heavily modified too.

Ducati Corse had a deal where if you signed up through them you got $50 (I think) off

I really like turn 6.
The back "straight" from the new bend until Canada corner was kind of un nerving. It took a few sessions for me to be able to hold wide open all the way through. Something I wouldn't even dream of doing on a wet track.

Zippy · 08-12-2004, 1:06 PM

Yes, it does take some nuts to hold it wide open all the way around that back curve/straight, even on a dry track. Wet, if I were on rain tires, maybe...