Open Track Days

Open track days as in NO groups...

 

Sportbike Track Time has run this format under our "MaxTime" banner. They have been popular as both full day and afternoon events.

 

Thanks for the imput guys. I've heard mostly good about this format but I've also heard bad.

 

I think of myself on my first trackday, and 2010 me would be scared shitless to ride on the same track as 2008 me.

IMHO, beginners are too unpredictable to be on the same track as Advanced riders, and the Advanced guys are at a fast enough pace where their 'reaction' options are limited. At a certain pace, there's only one way around the track... if the beginner suddenly moves into that path for no real reason ("swooping?"), there would be no way an A rider could avoid the B rider, and no reason for the A rider to expect the B rider to make such a move.

Now if you had open track, with each group somehow identifiable (colored shirts? works for WERA...), that might at least be a warning to 'expect the unexpected' in some cases.

 

will there be any this year?

 

2010 me wouldn't want to ride on a track with any rider at a track day that was riding at a pace where he was limiting his "reaction options" so drastically.

It's up to the passing rider (especially one who claims to be an expert) to evaluate the slower rider, assess the situation, and make a clean pass. I don't care what pace you're on or what skill level you think you're riding at; that is your responsibility at a track day.

Traffic is part of track days, and, if you are so inclined, racing.

 

Never done one but as an A group rider it dosen't appeal to me at all. And I'm not one of those A group riders. I make clean/safe passes almost always on the gas exiting corners.

 

With all due respect, as a slow rider on bikes with relative low speed, I am very good a keeping my line and not panicking. I do agree with the overall concerns regardging the majority of slow riders (noob) but please do not think that noobs (or slow riders) are always at fault (remember where the responstibility lays).

Since I ride relative small displacement bikes (mostly stock) the problem areas that I have encounter with both slow riders is right at the exit point of a turn.

Where I am able to take the outside on gain through the middle of the turn, a slower rider with a bigger bike and I always seem to get to the point at almost the exact time. The same can be said when the shoe is on the other side however, it typically reflect a much faster rider trying to square off a bit and meeting at this same point, on the exit.

Per my riding instructor, I was instructed to leave some room on the inside. I never had an issue with leaving the door open for faster riders. That is until I did a combined practice with WERA/AHRMA at Jennings. On two consecutive laps, I opted to run off track due to a train of riders at turn 11 (right at the exit on C). Having left the door open at the entry, the train of riders (those towards the end) due most likely to the fact that they were unaware of my presence left no room for me as they were on the perfect line, meaning that while I was outside on the turn, at the exit, the was no room for me to remain safely on the track. Ever since I have been particular about my participation on track. I have no real desire to be involved in an incident, regardless of who is at fault.

I pick and choose. Typical track day, Novice (on a stock motor Hawk), Intermediate on the SV.

I have done open track days with small numbers and it was some of the safest riding, even on the Hawk.

By far racing is the safest I have felt on track mostly to the smaller number of riders (AHRMA F3). Even the combination of F3 and F1 was not an issue.

In the end, it is about being smart and patient. Know yourself, be aware of the people around you and know the goal of the day.

And there should be no doubt I enjoy my time on the Hawk. Last out of the pits, I mostly have the track to myself!

 

No offense taken at all. I'm only a B grouper myself but I have ridden with some A groupers and have been stuffed on the corners myself a few times. Seeing how some A groupers ride in B group, if they ride the same with C groupers, I see it as a crash fest.

While some A groupers are responsible and respectful of newer guys some aren't. I've even seen the same with some control riders in the 3 group format

 

Metrics trackdays are done amazingly well. The key is limiting the number of riders. I never had a single issue at 2 of his "open TDs". The closing speeds are fast, but you have ample time to decide what to do. It isn't a race, so if you can't get it done say on the brakes...who cares what another 3 seconds and do it safely.

I would often come by 4 or 5 people at a time on the brakes and no one ever spooked me. Unfortunately, I did spoke/stand someone up and immediately apologized after the session.

Looking forward to it again!

 

Open trackdays FTMFW!

If any of you guys are in nor cal I highly suggest a THill open day!

 

Yes.. we are looking at a couple of them and three different venues. When we frim it up I'll post up. Thanks for asking.

 

First, I'm not that fast, and I would consider myself to be a very cautious and courteous rider on the track.
The last Intermediate day I did, I did with a friend so I could ride with him. It was a little frustrating at times, but I don't think it's a reasonable goal to go to a trackday where you KNOW FOR A FACT you're going to be in slower traffic and then reasonably think you're going to be able to put down 7 consecutive laps that are all personal bests.
It seems reasonable that the fastest and slowest guys would have the biggest concerns. My first few trackdays, I would have done it, but I thought I was Rossi, so maybe my opinion shouldn't count.
Being not so slow now, I would do it in a heartbeat. If you can't find a few clean laps in 7 hours, you're not paying attention.

My first "combined" day was the STT day at Mid-O when we were splitting time with the AMA guys. I had never done an A group, and figured this was a good way to stick my toe in the water, and still have the company of the other I group riders:up:

 

That's actually what I'm considering now. I haven't riden T-Hill yet but it's on my list for this year

Any chance you've done the double track day at Willow Springs? It's 2 tracks, 1 day. You can bounce back and forth between big willow and streets of willow as much or as little as you want for one price

 

I haven't traveled outside or nor cal for track as of yet. I still gotta hit up Sears & Laguna this year hopefully (depending on my schedule). Would like to hit up some so cal tracks as well as miller in the future. Times are tough and money is hard to come by now a days!

 

SoCal tracks are way cheaper than NorCal tracks. Even though I live 30 minutes away from Infineon, I have yet to ride it because of the cost, not to mention my trackdays in SoCal are usually free. I plan on hitting up Thill, Infineon and Laguna this year.

 

imo, open days are almost too much. even w/two groups, riding at or near pace, i'm looking for pit lane after 30 minutes! first time i did Stick's Turn One days it was July 4th weekend & NOBODY was there, so we alternated w/the cars 30min each. PUNCHED.

i did a day at Jennings once & it rained all day. nobody was riding so they just opened the track & i did laps in the wet until i could hardly hold on. last two "sessions" the sun came out, but everybody had gone home so there were two of us turning hot laps for about an hour. i had a hard time getting off the bike under my own power. putting me on an open track is like throwing a tennis ball for a black lab...

 

Im sure so cal tracks are cheaper but the cost of just driving there and back will make up for the cost of doing a track around here.

After I master the inexpensive tracks around here & run a decent pace around the expensive ones ill make the journey out to so cal and BEYOND!

If you're interested there are a few people hosting open track days @ THill this season. Cap off is around 50 riders! Let me know if you're interested and I can PM you the info.

 

Save Laguna for last.. once you've done it you won't want to go anywhere else

 

It would have to be a small group no doubt. Make it stringent. If someone complains about your lines once you get paired with a control rider next session. A second complaint and you go home. Run off track once, warning. Run off track twice, go home. Hell I'd like to see those rules at every trackday.