[ReaperAZ]

11/23/05 Part 2
Afternoon Sessions

By now it’s getting pretty warm outside and we’re all drinking a lot of water. It was time to slip the leathers back on and brave the heat again. It’s funny cause the entire time I was riding I never once actually noticed or even thought of how hot it was. It wasn’t until you got off the bike that you really felt the heat. The upside to the weather on Day 1 was the fact that it was semi cloud covered so the sun wasn’t directly hitting you. Mind you it was still 100+. The announcement is made that afternoon sessions will begin at 1:30. I suit up while the fast guys are out on the track and drink some more water. My Suomy is soaked from the morning sessions so I dawn my Arai. Andrew and Peter come in a few laps before the fast guys session ends and tell me to get in between them. I fuel my bike and check chain tension.

We head out. We got to a pretty fast pace and in a few corners I was a bit surprised at just how fast you can go through them. He showed me the good lines and it was strange how well the track flowed once I got them. I followed Andrew for 2 laps and then led for 2 laps. We did this for the entire session. As the afternoon passed I found myself getting faster with each session. Around 3pm we began a session that would contain crash number 2, and the second 2005 R6 claimed by the track in the same day. That session started fine and Peter was following me around. I was trying to catch Bekah and was putting down some good mistake free laps. I finally got my braking points down as well as picked up some very helpful visual markers to use for corners and stuff. Peter was catching me as we pulled onto the short straight, as I looked over my shoulder on exit, he waved. Yup, the old guy waved to me, it gave me a good chuckle. Bekah was only 5-8 bike lengths in front of me and I was going to try and brake really late going into the corner. As I grabbed my first downshift it happened.

It all happened so fast I am amazed at how much I remember now. As Bekah was fast approaching the guy in front of her he grabbed his brakes way early. She is super late into that corner and it’s her favorite on the track. Unfortunately for her the guy she was chasing wasn’t that fast through it, and at the last moment made a move to the right. When he did this she decided that inside would be the best way so when she corrected her line and began to brake really hard he did the unthinkable, he came back to his original line. From my point of view he looked very frantic on his bike every time I had passed him in earlier sessions and as a result I chose to do so on a straight. Well when he came back in on her she grabbed more brake and literally launched herself off the bike. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen. It wasn’t even a gradual climb of the rear; it went from on the track to airborne in one fast move. I saw her hit the ground as the bike was continuing towards her. I was truly scared for her life seeing this. As she was face down the bike came down on top of her. Hitting her directly on the head and slamming her even harder into the ground. For a brief second you couldn’t see her at all. When she “popped” out of the other side she was tumbling and sliding. As she skidded to a stop she was moving a bit and then stopped. It was one of the most horrible things I have seen.

I stopped as fast as I could and knowing Peter was behind me and saw it as well he also stopped. It’s strange because Peter was to her and had his helmet and gloves off before I even got off my bike. As an Ex-Marine with medical training he knew what he was doing so I let him work while supporting her neck. When we got to her she was out. I opened the visor on her helmet and Peter checked her out. She was only out for a few seconds. She came out of it really fast and when she did the first thing out of her mouth was…”How’s my bike?” We told her it was fine and not to worry. As more showed up she began to move about and talk more. No visual injuries could be found. Peter was feeling round to make sure no bones were broken and when he got to her leg she let out a scream. We thought for sure she had a broken leg the way she screamed when Peter touched it. As it turns out I think it was just her realizing what had just happened and was freaking out. It took three of us to hold her still as all she wanted to do was get up and see her bike. Once Peter was convinced she was ok and could move all her parts, we let her get up. I felt so bad for her; you should have seen the look on her face when she saw the bike. It was like she lost her best friend in the world. We just kept telling her it was fine and can be fixed. We were all just super glad she was ok. Peter went to get his truck so we could take the bike back into the pits. That pretty much ended the session.

I wanted to take a break so for the next session I let my buddy Mike ride my bike. He was complaining all day that he just couldn’t get his 1000RR to turn the right way. He wanted to see how the 600RR was on the track. When he got back I knew I had created a monster. The first thing he says as he’s coasting into the pits is, “I want one!” Ah, another satisfied customer. I did one more session for the day and decided to call it quits for the night. I just wasn’t feeling it anymore and the heat was getting to me. One of the girls that came with us wanted to go for a ride so my other friend Mike spoke to the track owner and got permission to go 2-up. Sarah dawned Bekah’s leathers and reluctantly hopped onto the back of the 1000RR. They went out for a few laps and seemed to have a good time. Once they returned we decided it was done for the day and cracked the beers. There was a BBQ going on at the tower and we got invited to join. Mmmmmmmmmm…pulled pork, good stuff. We sat under our canopies till late into the night shooting the **** and talking about the day. The rest of our crew arrived around midnight. It was time to call it a night and get some rest. Tomorrow we would run the track in the other direction(clockwise).

To Be Continued…

[BDA116]

After reading those first two sentences, I thought this was going to be a different kind of story.

[oldfogey]

Thanks for sharing, Reaper. Commiserations to your friend Bekah, hope she heals quickly and gets back onto her wheels (or possibly new ones) soon.

[Pete]

Sorry to hear about your friend's crash, Dan, but glad she was unhurt.

I'm cursious, though, but unless I'm missing something, what kind of trackday is this where they allow riders to stop and assist? Every trackday I have been to, the rules are that unless you are an instructor, you keep on moving so as not to add more danger. Were there cornerworkers and EMTs onsite?

[tigerblade]

I know it's a split-second reaction, but that is extremely dangerous to stop and try to help. Very difficult not to, I know.

Glad she wasn't hurt worse. Probably the scariest thing about trackdays is "the other guy" who may be totally unpredictable.

[ReaperAZ]

It's a pretty open format. The owner of the track usually has his race bike there so he can get to an incident fast. However his bike is currently not running. He said in the event of a serious crash to have a few people stop. At first it was just the two of us, but nearly everyone that was on the track came over. We tried to tell them to keep going and have someone alert the flagger in the tower to stop the session since her bike was in the race line. No one listened of course. I wouldn't have stopped if he had said not to. And the only reason I did was because I was right there.

[ND4SPD]

So there was no ambulance on site?

[ReaperAZ]

Originally Posted by tigerblade

I know it's a split-second reaction, but that is extremely dangerous to stop and try to help. Very difficult not to, I know.

Glad she wasn't hurt worse. Probably the scariest thing about trackdays is "the other guy" who may be totally unpredictable.

I know it was a hazard by stopping but I did my best to get off the track as far as I could. I'm sure if it wasn't someone I knew I would have probably kept going. Seeing a friend go down like that isn't good.

I know I didn't want to be that guy. I applied what I learned in MX, let them make the pass, don't move and just hold your line, they'll find a way around.

[RRWANTR]

Originally Posted by ReaperAZ

It's a pretty open format. The owner of the track usually has his race bike there so he can get to an incident fast. However his bike is currently not running. He said in the event of a serious crash to have a few people stop. At first it was just the two of us, but nearly everyone that was on the track came over. We tried to tell them to keep going and have someone alert the flagger in the tower to stop the session since her bike was in the race line. No one listened of course. I wouldn't have stopped if he had said not to. And the only reason I did was because I was right there.

Hmmm... no cornerworkers, control riders or ambulance? You may want to look into a trackday that provides these VERY important resources! Next time you may not be so fortunate! Having people stop on the track is VERY dangerous. I personally would not attend a trackday where there was not an ambulance or control riders at the very least! Glad things weren't any worse!

[sheepofblue]

Originally Posted by RRWANTR

Hmmm... no cornerworkers, control riders or ambulance? You may want to look into a trackday that provides these VERY important resources! Next time you may not be so fortunate! Having people stop on the track is VERY dangerous. I personally would not attend a trackday where there was not an ambulance or control riders at the very least! Glad things weren't any worse!

Being an old sheep that has plans of getting older I would pay more for the safety crew or not attend just a thought for the future events you attend

[CBRVFR]

Reaper -

I'm very glad you had the opportunity to get on a track and that you loved it. So please take this constructively.

I completely agree with the above comments regarding the necessity of ambulance/EMTs on site and cornerworkers.

Also, I was a little taken back by the interactions you described in your sessions.. looking back, waving, chasing friends. You'd get black flagged and lectured if you did that at a reputable track day around here.

To me, the most valuable time is when I just ride my own ride and try to work on one concept or one section of the track per session. Many here will tell you that they attempted to follow a more experienced friend and almost ended up in a swamp. Or in your case, an arroyo.


My 2 cents. But keep it up, for sure. Your enthusiasm is fun to read.

[sheepofblue]

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

... Many here will tell you that they attempted to follow a more experienced friend and almost ended up in a swamp. Or in your case, an arroyo. ...

Unless said friend lets you ride his SV and is showing you lines at a micropace that you can follow

[ReaperAZ]

Here's some more pics. None of me on my own bike , but my bike in action.

[ReaperAZ]

I too was a bit shocked at the lack of medical assistance at the track. Hell even at MX practice there were at least 3 EMT's at the tracks. Sure there are things I would change about how the weekend went. Day 1 was a learning day for me. I learned to trust my tires. I learned that the brakes are VERY good on these bikes and I used them way more in two days then I ever have in 8 years of street riding. I learned the right and wrong things to do on a track. Mistakes were made and I had some OTE's, but that's what I was there for. To learn. Day 2 was a completely different day. It was in my mind much safer for me because of what I learned on Day 1. I pushed much harder on day 2 then I ever thought I could and at no time felt out of control. I felt very comfortable all day.

[MrX954]

only you would take a picture of your wrist watch.

[Hammer]

So, according to your sig line. You are predicting a knee down?

[JAMI6989]

11/23/05 Part 2
Afternoon Sessions

Is this story going to happen in 4 months?

Trackday? Sounds more like a circus to me w/ no EMT and fewer rules then most are accustomed to. The amount of time it would take an ambulance to GET to the track could cost someone their life. You better be careful out there.