completely new to this........with lots of questions

I think I'm ready to pull the trigger on my first race day/ weekend...but i have alot of questions.

To start off, I'll give a bit of details and background.

*Bike: GSXR K6 1000 (complete street trim except some basic bolt on goodies)
*Currently have done about 15 t-days.
*All have been between little tally or barber.
*Still in upper "I" class but haven't asked for the bump to "A" yet.

A few things i know i need to do.
*Send application to aquire license.
*sign up for a school
*sign up for a race and get to it


Here's where the questions start.
I do not want to take a "race school" class that cost $400.00 if it's not necessary. I see that WERA offers a school at certain tracks on certain dates. I read somewhere that the cost is around 80 bucks.
Is this the same style class that the "schools" offer our is this a "come in and take a test"

Do I need to aquire the license prior to this class?

Will this class hold any tracktime like the schools or just class time?
Will it be held prior to the race weekend (friday) or on the first race day?
If it's held on the first race day. ...will I be able to compete on Sunday?

I know that the bike needs to be safety wired. ...but what about the belly pan? Any suggestions? I have read that a turkey pan works best for a temp solution. How dies that actually work? Doesn't seem like there is alot of room under there for a pan.

I have swapped my master cylinder out with a r1 brembo (stock unit). Will that eliminate me from the stock class? Would it be who of me to go back to a stock mc if it does push me into the super stock class?

How will I know what races I can actually sign up for?

Are there "novice only" races? Or "newly licenced" races?

Are case savers required. I only ask because I believe CCS requires them on suzuki's for certain year models.

My goal is to be ready by July for Barber. Think it can be done?

While I'm nearing 40 with 2 teenagers and 1 toddler, wife, and a career. ... obviously my time and money are limited so I want to try to keep this venture on a budget......not looking to become a full time club racer with every sponser under the sun....just looking for a bit of fun at a competitive level.
All though t-days are awesome. ..i think i could learn alot more, become faster and more skilled while having a blast if I stepped up the game and actually raced.


Thanks in advance.

 

1st time license-$75-good for 1 year from date of purchase, $125 renewal there after.
rider school-$80 for new students

If you come to a weekend that rider school is held, you get class time and track time in the morning (lets say there are 7 practice groups, rider school would be #8, just keeps going in rotation until practice is complete) After lunch is the mock race for rider school which is usually 4 laps. As long as you don't crash you can grid up for races on Saturday and races on Sunday. You will be a provisional novice (get a transponder rental for free and have to wear an orange shirt any time you are on track) After 2 crash free weekends you can get signed off to become a novice racer (no more free transponder rentals, no more orange shirt)

I would seriously look for some used race body work for your bike, you wouldn't want to rash up your street plastics, as the used race body work will take care of the belly pan issue. (should be found for no more than $200-400, savings of 50% or more over new) http://forums.13x.com/index.php?threads/2005-2006-shark-skinz-painted-for-sale.329474/#post-4799218 follow this link to a thread of someone selling body work

If you put a stock m/c back on you can run A-superstock, A-superbike, Formula 1. If you keep the Brembo on you can only run A-superbike and Formula 1

There are novice only classes but some races are combined with experts. If you run a combined Expert/Novice race, run your race-good lines, smooth, predictable, the experts will get around you.

I would put case savers on, cheap insurance to keep from rashing a hole through a cover and leaking oil and ruining your weekend.


You have lots of time if July is your target date, but better get cracking time is ticking.

Wera Rulebook: http://maps.wera.com/rulebook/?x=1098

 

you can sign up for everything right at the track at registration (license, rider school, race entries, transponder rental paperwork even though provisional novice get their first 2 rentals free)

 

What's the deal with the transponder?

I understand that new racers get to use or free for 2 weekends but dies every racer need it every race? Dies it log your personal lap times?

Can I still or do I need to run my own timer?

Is the cost the same for any race you are eligible for? And how much is the cost? 100?
So if I sign up for 3 races in one day. ...that's 300 bucks plus track fees?
Is that how it works?

 

You get your transponder free for your first two weekends. It has to be on your bike to be scored, you don't share it if thats what you mean.
and yes it logs your laptimes.
You can still use your laptimer, but it's up to you, it's not required A laptimer and transponder aren't the samething fyi.
Your first entry is 100$ after that it's 80$ if i remember correctly.
After you pay the entry fee the only other cost would be gate fees which are 20$ per person normally for the weekend.

 

Transponder is how they keep track of scoring position and it also logs your lap times. You can run your own laptimer if you want, but you don't have to.
Lets say you run 3 races saturday and 3 races sunday, so 6 races total--1st race is $100, then the next 5 races are $80 a race--$500 for 6 races. No track fees.....an entry fee into the racetrack of $20-30/person depending on how many days you are there.

 

If you race a whole weekend, the transponder stays on your bike for the whole weekend and return it after your last race of the weekend. Every racer has to have one.

 

Thanks guys.....

Seems there is alot of info. I've been reading back through some of the post's and found myself reading info dated back into 2011. Not real sure how accurate that info is at this point. But I think I have the overall understanding of the entire thing.

One thing i could use clarification on is the whole PN to N licence.

You need to do 2 entire weekends to move from PN to N? Can that be 1 race sat. And 1 race sun. On weekend 1 and weekend 2 the same thing or do you have to enter more than 1 on each day?

Then to go from N to E.....is that by accrued points?

Do you only gets points by placing top 3 or are points spread out based on placement?

 

2 weekends is two weekends, unless one is a double-points weekend.

Don't get hung up on the PN thing. It's just a way for other racers to know who might be less predictable. I have seen PN's podium.

I crashed my second PN weekend and Mongo said he still would have approved my novice license based on my earlier finishes and lap times (plus my crash wasn't on a dumb inside pass or anything).

You WANT that free transponder rental for a second weekend

 

The New Racer Handbook is intended to answer these questions so I'd appreciate your recommendations regarding changes that can be made to the handbook to reduce the number of questions that aren't clearly addressed.

With that said; the NRH isn't intended to answer every question because if it did it would limit interaction with the Community through this forum which is invaluable. We're all here to help make your first race as stress free as possible up to and including meeting you at the track and walking you through registration, tech and preparation for your first race. All you need to do is ask...

Welcome!

 

Thank you!

I look forward to a new adventure as many of you have already taken.

 

Good luck . I'm in the same position as you.
I'm 39 4 kids and one on the way. I have done about 12-14 track days in Ca. Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. I just mailed my app for AFM and am enrolled in NRS ( new riders school ) March 19.
Riding stock 06 Gsxr 600. I also have brembo master. I will prob remove to race in stock novice.
I still need to safty wire my bike. I been reading the rules and there is a lot I didn't know I have to do.
Little things like not having rubber air valves on the wheels.
So read your rule book and make sure you'll pass tech. Keep us posted!!

 

Wow. Didnt know about the air valves....guess I need to read the rules again.
Sucks that a stock MC from another bike (r6/r1 brembo) puts you into a different class. I mean, come on.....its a OEM part from another manufacturer. Ahhaha

Sounds like youre much further along than I am.
Keep me posted on your progress. And good luck.

 

Very good thread answers alot of questions I had.

 

You will also be eligible for Senior Superbike being over the age of 40. Good news there is another class to race and not worrying about gridding up with a young turk looking to go to MotoGP in his first weekend.

edit- You said nearing 40.

 

So true. But in the same breath.....the guys 40 or over may have as many years of experieance as the youngster has been alive. Hahahah

 

Where are you actually located? If you're not planning to race until July, you should spectate an event first. That would get a lot of your questions answered right away. Just hang out near tech and registration, or find someone in line and and walk through the process with them. You'll probably make some new friends.

 

I'm in Atlanta, Ga.

And I'll have to day. .......

That may be the single best suggestion Ive heard.