Mladin sums up OG BIR to a tee

First time I ever got off-line in the wet and the wee little fizzer revved itself to the moon, I was very confused…

 

Some delta bravo took me out on the front straight in the rain during a track day. I think I slid until the next day.

 

I guess I really don’t remember it very well at all… I only rode there for riders school and my first novice race after in 93, then once for Yamaha money in 99… not sure if Wera wasn’t going there the years between or if I was doing GLRRA and AMA pro or what… I remember the narrow entrance to the drag strip being sketchy and slick… nothing like Memphis but still not comfortable… I remember liking the carousel, and learning to slide over the paint stripes in the parking lot and liking something in the back maybe the corner off the back straight… I couldn’t tell you which way the track went though now…

probably because this guy was my instructor and I only remember him saying “either gas or brakes, no coasting”

 

I only raced there twice I think but was surprised bikes would spin up straight up and down in the dry… thought my clutch was slipping

 

reminds me of a funny… I guess way before our time the Grattan 1/2 mile straight was a drag strip, you’d never know it no trace and repaved numerous times… but… running CCW in the rain I crashed out of the lead at the end of the straight just as I tipped in in probably 120mph or so and accelerated when I hit the ground and then at the end of the paved would have been staging area hit the grass and accelerated again… anyone that raced there will find this funny… going that way it drops off in two steps down probably 40’ of elevation from 10A&B down to the lowest of 9… I flew off the first ledge with about 10’ of air flailing my arms like I could fly landed smooth and kept sliding then off the second ledge still about half speed getting more air and then finishing the fastest funnest slip and slide ever to stand up… still in the lead as I made it all the way down the hill to T9 standing there with my arms crossed before all my buddies made it there fun times even crashing

 

Well? Was I right? Seems to have served you well...

 

Man, you must have crashed early. I never crashed in that corner going CCW, but most guys would end up close to the left going downhill, after they slid through the grass. Now, crashing coming onto the straight going CW was unfortunately fairly common. I remember a guy who managed to keep it upright after he hit the dirt wall at the base of pit lane, and he rode almost up to the guardrail, then crashed coming back down.

 

yep, used that advice often, thanks!

 

yeah, I had just grabbed a handful of brakes straight up and down, so I thought… it threw me good, but all smooth landings thankfully

I’ve never crashed CW in the last corner but the most spectacular one was a novice race… bunch of us were on the other side of the garages and the guy flew so high after his bike slammed the guardrail that we saw him over the garage roof and then watched him land through the doors right in pit lane… no idea how he got perpendicular to the straight/guardrail at the top of the hill… he plopped down like a bag of potatoes… got up and walked away…

that happened at Putnam too thankfully… after Bienes, a local guy at his PN weekend hit the T10 guardrail and plopped down on pit lane… then bounced, he was really round, got up and went back for his bike, that was toast

they should’ve bought lottery tickets

 

Yikes. Sounds like the Grattan guy might have got target fixation when he got off line, and just drove straight up the hill. I didn't carry a horseshoe up my ass when I crashed...some did.

 

Circa ‘07. What was left of a buddy’s ex Hooters 750 after having an incident in T1 during practice with CRA.

 

Hmmm that looks familiar. Bike made it to the tree line.

 

You thinking of this bike?

 

Did your wrist heal up yet?

 

https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcyc...5G89Gjn3nfXYXHaW6OPdkOnTzlXlsB-L5xxZcd8xMxblw

 

Clip a sage brush with your knee through 8 to set up a 2 wheel drift on the entrance to 9. Look for Jesus and then turn? Something like that? I was only on LWT, I actually can’t imagine a liter bike through there…

 

I managed a real nice high side/flying w in front of Brent Bixby drifted too wide coming out of 8 and ran off the end of the curbing. <facepalm>

 

Any crema in brainerd?

 

Haha. I'm no writer but I'll give you my version.
As you crest the fast off camber turn 6 and head down the hill, momentum will carry you out to the far left side of the track. Click 5th and pull the bike slightly to the right to straighten up turn 7 which really isn't a turn. Then a quick shift into 6th just before bending left into 7. The down hill along with the usual willow wind blowing out in turn 8 turns the back straight into a quick blip. About as soon as you have bent left into 7 it is time to commit for the ultra fast turn 8. On a big bike you have to breathe it a bit to get the bike transitioned and not lose the front. As you roll out of the gas on the transition the rear will slide just a bit as you enter eight. As soon as the bike is set on entry you are rolling on the gas driving through 8 as you look for the exit. If the wind is blowing you have to really pay attention. As you drive through 8 and see the exit, roll on the throttle harder and drift the bike as you let the bike stand up and run towards the outside edge of the track as close as you dare knowing there are no easy run offs here. About the time you just reach the far outside of the track on turn 8 exit it's time to enter 9. Pull the bike back right as you sort of straight line the entry. There used to be a cone on outside of 9 that you would almost head straight for. Acceleration from turn 8 to 9 is brief and then you back shift 2 gears, and listen to your engine scream for mercy as you sail it off into 9 on the far right side of the tire. Ride the front hard as you look for the dip at the inside of 9. About the time you see the dip you are turning the bike towards the apex, rolling on the throttle for a good drive off. Drive past the apex a few bike widths in usually to avoid the dip, and momentum carries you all the way out to the left side of the track on exit. Click 5th gear just before pit exit and as you roll over the bump the front wheel will loft slightly when you have a new tire and a good drive. Look left and check your pit board as you click 6th and pass start finish.