CA Speedway 24/25 January

Mattress · 01-05-2004, 2:28 AM

Alright, sign up ppl, they are contemplating moving it to Feb due to low sign-ups

. Fasttrackriders

CanyonCarver · 01-06-2004, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattress

Alright, sign up ppl, they are contemplating moving it to Feb due to low sign-ups

. Fasttrackriders

It's a shame, but I'm not sure their business model works.

As much as I love the track, (despite an ugly high-side out of turn 6 one time

) the last time I was there was a nightmare. WAY too many people, with FOUR rider groups, at 15 minutes per session. Even with 4 groups, there was approx. 30 riders per session, and every session for my group except for one (or 2, not sure) out of a total 6 was shortened due to red flags (crashes). Just when you'd get into the groove, you'd get a checkered or red flag.

Don't get me wrong: David is a great guy, and works very hard to put on a great day for everyone. However, according to his own numbers, they NEED approx. 120 people per day to break even, due to very high track rental rates and insurance costs. The e-mail I just received said they are going back to a 3 group format, but I wonder how many riders per group. Truly a shame, as it is a cool track, and FastTrack is a 1st rate operation.

I'll probably run with them at a different track this year, if they offer it.

Mattress · 01-23-2004, 7:29 PM

See the few, the faithful, tomorrow at Ca Speedway

CanyonCarver · 01-24-2004, 2:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattress

See the few, the faithful, tomorrow at Ca Speedway

If you wouldn't mind, Mattress, could you post a review after your day? I'm curious to find out if the revised 3-group arrangement helps out any. I'd love to go back to Cal Speedway (and support David & Fastrack) if things have improved.

TIA.

BTW, ride safe & have a great time.

Mattress · 01-26-2004, 5:41 PM

There were a lot of people on the track at once. I showed up late at about 10am, I think the last to show, and was #49 in level 3. And I think all 49 went out every time. Not sure how level 1 and 2 were for people. It was a great day though, it's a big track, so traffic wasn't much of a problem, they staggered the start pretty well. About average for crashes too, a few lowsides here and there. Overall great trackday, my confidence returned since my last crash at Fontana, so my lap times improved dramatically by the end of the day

CanyonCarver · 01-27-2004, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattress

There were a lot of people on the track at once. I showed up late at about 10am, I think the last to show, and was #49 in level 3. And I think all 49 went out every time. Not sure how level 1 and 2 were for people. It was a great day though, it's a big track, so traffic wasn't much of a problem, they staggered the start pretty well. About average for crashes too, a few lowsides here and there. Overall great trackday, my confidence returned since my last crash at Fontana, so my lap times improved dramatically by the end of the day

Cool! Glad you had a good time. Still sounds as if it was a bit busy on the track, though. And the weather should have been about perfect, I suspect.

Where did you crash the last time? Last July, I highsided coming out of turn 6.

I was making good time and some good passes there, and just got too aggressive while leaned over a bit too much. Hurt like hell & left me unconscious for a minute, but I went back to the Speedway four weeks later. Still a little wobbly and sore (and VERY careful coming out of 6), but was back to speed by the end of the day. The track photographer happened to be standing at 6 taking pics, and got one of me just B4 the crash, heard me get off and spun around in time to get a sequence of 8 photos of the wreck.

If you're gonna toss it, may as well have photos, I guess.

Going into 6:

http://www.fireblades.org/photopost/..._small-med.JPG

Eating grass coming out of 6:

http://www.fireblades.org/photopost/..._small-med.JPG

Mattress · 01-27-2004, 6:10 PM

Can't remember which turn, I never can memorize turn numbers

.
It was the sharp right hander coming into the infield straight, lost the front end (H2 is the

), damage was minimal, rode it back. The front broke loose 3 times that day before I lowsided, I shoulda backed off of it a little, but I was going for better lap times so I kept pushing it

CanyonCarver · 01-28-2004, 2:06 AM

Glad to hear you got off somewhat easy and it was rideable. That turn going into the infield straight is kinda awkward for me. I'd like some more laps at that track one of these days. Sounds like my wreck was similar: going for better times, dropped 9 seconds in 5 laps, then... ouch! Too fast, too soon. Like you said,