Haha, i wouldn't necessarily say "excuses", more of reasons of why doing it just doesn't make any kind of sense at all (financial, logistical, time, etc). That same money would get me 3 complete WERA weekends, doing 10-14 races in all 3 weekends...where I would actually have multiple good opportunities to win, earn points (and contingency money), etc. I am someone that has to have a logical reason/justification for things (even if it is just in my head), and for the life of me I can't come up with a single reason or justification for doing Daytona.
Oh yeah if something goes wrong there its magnified 10 fold .... lost a chain going into #1 ... got lucky (on the 250 ) , went up threw the tail and wrapped around the subframe ( how it missed me I haven't a clue and lucky it didn't lock up any where ) .... seized up the bottom cylinder in Nascar #4 one year ! That was fun and lucky too
Then of course there is that whole thing of 70 damn riders all charging towards T1 at once thinking they are all going to win $25k. That is just asking for somebody to be taken out. Perhaps if they split it into 2 different races/groups it wouldn't be so bad.
…other than checking it off the list of race tracks that have been major racing history that you haven't been to. Only reason I did it. Then I did it again the next year only because JU's team was delivering a bike for me there, so I figured I might as well fly down and race it before my friends bring it home.
I hear ya. Daytona is a crazy expensive weekend for sure, but maybe not as bad as you think, especially if you raced the sprints instead of the 200. The layout is simple to learn and you get to ride a track with a lot of motorsports history. When I raced there in 2013 I was kind of taken back about how it made me feel just driving through the tunnel!! But I get why some people never race there too. I was mainly busting your balls....your list kind of cracked me up! lol
There was a 2 wave start. Lets just say... there were a "few" riders that were fucktards of the umpth degree. Like one that kept blowing the bus stop and finally got meatballed after the 4th time doing that. Personally I wouldnt mind if the first lap off the start the grid went from pit road to Nascar1 (turn 6) Let the first real turn be the bus stop and give the grid a chance to filter out. That would require some workers to cone off T1 after the start. The "winning" setup was quite suprising... suspension wise. I have to only guess what the leaders had for motor power.. but probably ~50 ft lbs of torque or at least 135hp at the tire! I saw the tech garage after the race... looked like a motorcycle engine shop class...lol. All disassembled & dissected on metal pans to show officials combustion chambers, cylinders, etc. Also learned that you can go 20-21 laps on a full tank of fuel with the R6 at a 1:55 lap time avg
Scariest thing in my life ever, literally. I skidded all the way to the bottom where all the extra pavement is for the NASCAR guys. CW gets there and says "are you ok". I just said "if you can hear me I am". Still have the piece of tire I cut out and saved with a big hole in it.
Only reason I did it. Cool experience but way too much money to want to go back plus it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. Still glad I checked it off the list though.
Seriously if you've never ridden Daytona you need to. Much like a Ducati, until you've ridden it you cant quite fathom why its worth all the hassle. After you do its an experience you will never forget.
I've thought about that. But if that is the case, then I might as well plan on traveling to Miller, Laguna, Portimao, Assen, etc. I can see the "bucket list" aspect of it. But I've never been a "bucket list" kind of person. I never do anything "just so I can say I did it". If I decided to do the D200, I would do the Hammer school, have all the quick change shit and gas tank, get the crew together multiple times in advance to practice pit stops, train like a beast, stop lifting weights and try to lose 30lbs of muscle, have Livengood build me a new motor for Daytona, stock up on MR12, etc. If I'm going to do something, then I am going to fucking do it. Im not going to just "show up and hope for the best". I'm going to give myself every opportunity to win (or come as close to winning as I can). ...or I won't do it at all. There is no middle ground.
Or do it in the Fall and decide if you want to do the 200. Skip the Hammer school, Playstation practice and 1 day race practice was enough for me to qualify for AMA 600SS...on a LTWT bike as an Amateur.
Exactly. In fact I chose a Miata so power wouldn't hide mistakes. If you get the Chicane right and Turn 6 you can almost F up the rest of the course and have the same lap time. Probaby ran 300 laps and watched Melkas videos another 200 laps. The only thing I wasnt ready for was looking straight up on the banking to see straight with the throttle pinned.
Might break even if you're paying for everything. $25K and a $15K watch, if you're the rider and not the team owner does not suck. It's like a colonoscopy when you turn 45. You need to but you're still getting something stuffed up your ass and if you're not into that kind of thing, it sucks. Daytona was a great track back when we were all stupid, the bikes were slower and we didn't know any better. Now, it's not.
The first time I went on that banking trying to stick with someone felt like that time I went on (king da ka) spelling*** roller coaster in six flags. After the first lap going slow I thought road racing would was not for me. It's def an experience
