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How did you get into racing?

Discussion in 'General' started by Kadam, Jul 29, 2004.

  1. Kadam

    Kadam Active Member

    How did everyone around here get into motorcycle track racing?

    I'm interested in getting into it but don't know where to start. I looked into picking up a ysr and starting there, but the local kart tracks don't allow ysr racing (as of now). Track days are an option, but I want to keep my street bike in running condition and can't afford to wreck it right now.

    I live in western ny if anyone around here has any ideas for this area, thanks.
     
  2. GixxerBlade

    GixxerBlade Oh geez

    Well I'm not into racing yet as this is my first year of trying but heres what I am doing:
    I went to a school to learn about lines, reference points, and kneedragging. Then I started going to trackdays, I have done 4 this year so far and am continue to go to get practice under my belt and learn how everyone else goes full tilt boogey. Next year I am going to race about 4 or 5 races and call my lawyer becasue by then I will be bankrupt because Sergeants don't make enough to race. As far as getting a bike I searched for almost 6 months before I found a good deal on an 90 FZR600 and went to a couple of trackdays on that then I got some beer money together and got me an SV and I like that lots better. So to re-cap: 1.Get a bike 2. Go to race school 3. Go to trackdays and practice what you learned at race school 4. Race.
     
  3. JamesG

    JamesG Architeuthis dux

    I got suckered in...

    The guy I bought a cheap F2 from threw in his leathers, stands and race stuff. All it took was seeing one race on TV (the '97 GNF if I remember correctly) was all it took for me to think, "Gee, I could do that..."

    Things have gone down hill ever since. :p
     
  4. Kadam

    Kadam Active Member

    gixxerblade....whered you goto track school at?
     
  5. rockinchili

    rockinchili Well-Known Member

    Re: I got suckered in...

    The GNFs get televised?
     
  6. GixxerBlade

    GixxerBlade Oh geez

    Talledega with ol' Ed bargy. 2 dayt school CW then CCW in the cold of December.
     
  7. Kevin Crauswell

    Kevin Crauswell Well-Known Member

    I fell off the turnip truck.:D
     
  8. TXFZ1

    TXFZ1 Well-Known Member


    Was that part of the test? :D

    David
     
  9. Ex CCS Racer

    Ex CCS Racer Banned

    After I moved back to SC in early '94 I started working back at a Honda dealership that 2 hicks named Derek Bennett(Stickboy) and Brian Craig frequented. I used to ride with those guys back in the squidly highschool days around the malls and such. Went to some races at Roebling and helped mark McGrady and watched these bozos trash their shit. The money was tight so I held off until a couple of other friends, Will Taylor and Timmy Godwin, got hooked up with some guys from KWS and befriended Hacking started racing. After hanging out at the track pit bitching and just doing some track days and the Gap it was time for me to start. In 1996 I sold my ZX-6R and bought Andrew Wright's(yup, the one from Valdosta) '93 F2 to crash and bash. Kyle Ray was living here in Columbia at the time and we more or less started together. After destroying my F2 at Road A crashing into Dave Boosales I picked up another ZX-6R to toss around for the next few years. I raced a few bikes ranging from the F2, ZX6R, an EX500 that Rick Guiery basically gave me, a KX85 motard, then finally an F4. I haven't been on the track, as far as a big bike, since January of '02 at Jennings then finally at CMP on the mini.
    The end.:)
     
  10. lfg929

    lfg929 Well-Known Member

    I used to race quads when I was younger. I sold my quad and a few years later picked up a street bike ('93 CBR600 F2). I had always wanted to try road racing but figured it was too expensive to get the bike built up with all of the right stuff and such. Well, in 2001 I signed up for CLASS at Mid-Ohio on my '00 CBR929. I immediately fell in love and did another track day 2 weeks later. The following year I did more track days. As I got faster I started dragging things so I started replacing things (footpegs, etc). Found some deals on suspension and had that done. A year or so after my first track day I looked down and discovered my street bike was basically a race bike with stock plastic (everything had been done to it, shock, forks, rearsets, clipons, exhaust, PC3, etc). That is when the evil thought entered my head that I could do some drilling, a little safety wiring, add some race plastic and go road racing. As someone else said, it has been downhill since then (at least with my wallet).
     
  11. northernyamaboy

    northernyamaboy Yo Terrance! You're slow!

    Kadam,

    Where at in Western, NY. I work in Salamanca about 1 hour south of Buffalo. Shout me a PM with a phone number or e-mail address. I think I can get you going in the right direction.
     
  12. Silo Pete

    Silo Pete We have ignition.

    I did a few track dayz last year [Mid-o, Grattan and Putnam] and had a bad high-side at Putnam. That knocked me out of street riding for 6 months to 1 year for racing- due to a head injury. But I decided to give racing a try this year. The bike I used on the street seemed competive in some classes, was 'broken-in' and paid for. I just took the extra step and prepped it, took a race school, got certified and started racing this year, 1/2 way through the North Central Schedule but just in time to catch the AHRMA Midwest series. I felt that only after Mid-Ohio did I really get the accident behind me and start to relax.

    I used to play music 'full time', and the travel and vans and work ethic are really the same. Just at the end of the day you are just challenging yourself, not you bandmates, and the that 30-45 minutes on stage is replaced by the time it takes to complete your race.

    It's a freekin' blast....
     
  13. JamesG

    JamesG Architeuthis dux

    Re: Re: I got suckered in...

    Used too. On Sports South and the old Speed Vision...
     
  14. oldbeginner

    oldbeginner Well-Known Member

    I went to Daytona this year to watch the BMW Boxercup and was so impressed and moved with the speed. I've always had a thing for speed that I have got everything needed or ordered to go racing except the license. Hope to get riders school at VIR in Aug.
     
  15. AlphaAuriga

    AlphaAuriga Well-Known Member

    Waaaaaay back in '85 had a neighbor who raced a GPZ550.

    I thought it was cool. He invited me over to watch some GP races and I was hooked. Bought a RZ350, learned to ride by being a squid around the So. Cal. mountains

    Early '86 bought a GSX-R750. Did a track day. Then took the New Rider's School and started racing.....
     
  16. Bought a tree from a guy on a street corner, he said it would grow money. I figured if I have money to burn I might as well go racing. Well the damned thing never grew any money, it was a weed.

    Did a few track days and thought it was fun. Some of my buddies convinced me to race and after the first start you get hooked.
     
  17. ekraft84

    ekraft84 Registered User

    It was all my dad's fault! He made me do it!

    :D
     
  18. JClay

    JClay Gone Sailing...

    Got a flyer from California Superbike School in 1988.... went to Road Atlanta for the school and have been hooked on crack (racing) ever since. Taped the lights on my Hurricane 600 and went racing.
     
  19. dtalbott

    dtalbott Driving somewhere, hauling something.

    Always wanted to try roadracing, but the tracks were too far away.

    Then they re-opened VIR (25 minutes away) and I had to try it.

    Now if only WERA would race there each month........:D
     
  20. SmokeSignalRT

    SmokeSignalRT Fat Member

    The strong desire to be broke and tired all the time just pushed me into it.
     

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