05-18-2003 Trackday at Gateway

ER · 05-20-2003, 7:35 PM

Once again it was a blast. We had overcast skies but it stayed dry for us. Jack from Sliderphoto.com was there to take some shots and I was lucky enough to get a few. Unfortunately, he didn't get me in Turn 6 which is my best one!

Turn 2

Turn 2

Turn 4 - Start of Chicane

Turn 4

Straight at about 130mph

Start of Turn 7

A few notes from the day:

- Riding manners were good. I was passed with clean technique and no one took my line or stuffed me.

- Speaking of passing -- I need to learn how to do them. I'm starting to be able to lap faster and am coming up on slower riders in the infield. I tried to learn from some of the racers but I didn't want to take anyone else's line away.

- My Sportecs are chewed to #### around the outside but they're still holding up. They only slid a few times (that I noticed anyway) and stuck like glue everywhere else. Some of the racers admitted to using them as race tires. They just rock.

- Some poor sap on a 954 with a full Ohlins setup didn't tighten his oil filter properly. It blew out in the straight and he ended up highsiding. He went to the hospital but was alright from what we were told.

- Another guy lowsided hard at the start of Turn 5. He was doing about 80mph when he went down. His Teknic Chicane one-piece had the stitches torn apart in the ass. The suit is done.

- A guy I met and ended up riding with had a nice gixxer1000 with 170HP at the rear-wheel! :Q He was smoking everyone in the straights and was pretty fast all around.

- Phuck street-riding -- trackdays are where it's at. I'd do one every weekend if I could. It's so much fun out there and you can safely go faster than you ever can on the street.

ConqSoft · 05-20-2003, 7:37 PM

Moved to 'Events - Track Days / Riding Schools'

ccwilli3 · 05-20-2003, 7:40 PM

Quote:

ER : - *Phuck street-riding -- trackdays are where it's at. *I'd do one every weekend if I could. *It's so much fun out there and you can safely go faster than you ever can on the street.

I'm with you on that one!

ConqSoft · 05-20-2003, 7:44 PM

Quote:

ccwilli3 : Quote (ER @ May 20 2003, 6:35pm)- *Phuck street-riding -- trackdays are where it's at. *I'd do one every weekend if I could. *It's so much fun out there and you can safely go faster than you ever can on the street.

I'm with you on that one! *
Too much boring scenery on a track though. I'll stick with going the speed limit and seeing the sights.

ER · 05-20-2003, 8:38 PM

Seriously....riding on the street is for the birds now. I'm going to try and catch as many trackdays as I can this year and will hopefully be able to try out Grattan or Blackhawk Farms this year.

tigerblade · 05-21-2003, 10:18 AM

Quote:

ConqSoft : Quote (ccwilli3 @ May 20 2003, 6:40pm)Quote (ER @ May 20 2003, 6:35pm)- *Phuck street-riding -- trackdays are where it's at. *I'd do one every weekend if I could. *It's so much fun out there and you can safely go faster than you ever can on the street.

I'm with you on that one! *
Too much boring scenery on a track though. *I'll stick with going the speed limit and seeing the sights. *
Nothing wrong with that either.

tigerblade · 05-21-2003, 10:20 AM

Cool pics ER. Jack does great work.

Hopefully I'll get over to Gateway for a trackday soon. You can show me the lines!

ER · 05-21-2003, 11:38 AM

Hey thanks...glad you enjoyed. I'll show you the lines for the first few laps and then I'm sure you'll pass me and leave me from there! I'm starting to get faster and faster and I love it. If I can gain enough confidence to just rip it through the chicane I might start turning some respectable lap times.