Looking for input on a how to help a 16 yr old who wants to try road racing?

Last year's crew. L to R: Jacob Crossman, just coming off of 4 wins at Homestead last weekend, contender for the 2020 Vanson Rookie of the Year award, Ben Gloddy, currently racing for the Quarterley Racing On Track Development team in MA nationals, 1998 Vanson Rookie of the Year, Rene Franco, she's also a contender for the 2020 Vanson Rookie of the Year award, Brianna McHugh, 2019 Vanson Rookie of the Year. She was dirt track racing at 4-years-old.

 

I think the best thing to do, if you are able to, is start with a pre-built 300 or 400 race bike, refresh the suspension, spring it for his weight, and have him do a couple of riding schools. I really wish I could have done that when I started riding on the track. He will need to break some habits that he has from dirt riding and develop new habits and that's where professional coaching will come in. Developing the right fundamentals in the beginning will pay off with less crashes and faster progression.

 

I'm with Mongo on this. Buy a ready to race small bike. I would consider a ridable and safety wired 250. Sooo cheap. Maybe less than the cost of one of the "named" rider schools. Also like Mongo said, go to a WERA event and walk around first. You'll learn ALOT. If it looks safe enough to you and your son then buy a bike and leathers. The WERA school in the morning is cheap and if the instructor says ok, you can run a class race in the afternoon. A ten year old 250 would likely not be competitive but fast enough to be safe on the track. The class basically teaches safety since it is so short. That's what I did. I suggest this can work for someone who can and will FOLLOW safety instructions and in the afternoon race not try to "go for it". Of course track days are an option but I believe racing is safer because the riders take safety more seriously.

 

curious as to what track days youve attended to make that kind of blanket statement? I did a bunch of trackdays to get off the street... racing wasnt even remotely on the radar until I go peer pressured into it. Funny the guy that got me into racing
had 1 crash and was forbidden to ever grid up again by his wife. I wasted a bunch of time doing some "schools" that weren't really focused on the basics... more like gladiator academy. If you crashed you failed which is not a good method for getting folks into the sport.

 

Yes maybe my statement was a little too broad but I do believe racing is safer than track days. The only race organization I have raced with is WERA. I have done several track days at Mid Ohio because it is close to me. Two things that stand out as problems at track days are closing speed and not properly executing smart race lines. There are 300cc and 1000cc bikes on the track at the same time with inexperienced riders making for very different speeds at the ends of straightaways. Also I've multiple times seen track day riders not hold expected lines so you raise the risk of contact in turns. Because I ride vintage bikes I only ride the intermediate group at track days. I ride an old FZR600 at track days so in the intermediate group I at least don't get regularly blown by from big bikes. Maybe the advanced group is safer.

 

I know when our kids were coming up from minis and doing trackdays on RS125's, they would stick them in advanced group because they figured the kids knew lines and even though 1000's would blow bye them, it was far safer versus having them in intermediate.

 

The only think that makes racing safer is the less amount of track time and the class structure of equal powered machines. The grid procedure is fairly safe until someone stalls.
You make it seem like folks are riding above their skills at a trackday and nobody is doing anything to curb it. That might happen rarely... but a good org keeps a very close eye on that (at least the 20 orgs Ive ridden with) The only exception would be ACE. A clown show. Im sure their are others I just havent had the pleasure.
The biggest thing with trackdays is folks dont recognize their physical fatigue... so thats when crashes happen.

 

It wasn't clear to me if his racing experience was just woods (enduro) racing? Or more like MX which would seem more comparable to roadracing (i.e., 'pack racing').

Agreed!

^^^ this right here. Go not only to a WERA event but a MiniCup event and local minimoto races. I think the minimoto scene would be a great start... family, other kids/teens, various race classes along with MotoAmerica race. I'm betting the OPs son would like the Ohvale classes.

^^^ this as well. Much of the basic riders school (street-oriented) will seem a waste but they will teach some safety drills that will transfer. The riders school? Yes.

@TurboBlew I think what @dave3593 wrote is pretty valid in my observation. Yeah, track days are mostly safe but there are many more reasons why track days -- primarily in the Beginner/Rookie/Intermediate classes -- are not as safe as racing. And @dave3593 (and @rob linders) have touched on them enough for those 'in the know' to relate. Lol. I did a roadrace school where our class practiced with the novice race classes (all bikes and novice classes). I had my reservations but it WAS safer even while I got stuffed a few times. Everyone knows their limits. It was a GREAT first race experience for me. I learned quickly that -- fast or slow -- you just hold your line. I have countless track days where it was safe but many fresh memories of other riders not riding safe. Last, some track day riders get bumped to "I" before they are ready, craft-wise and attitude-wise.

 

My 15yr old has been tagging along as my pit crew on track days for years. He's been riding dirt for a few summers and wanted to transition to a track bike. The word "racing " hasn't been muttered yet, but I'd be open to it if he decides he wants to pursue it eventually. As for this season, I bought him a well set up bike. We will head to a giant parking lot to get him acclimated to the bike a bit, then he is signed up for a clinic at Blackhawk for his introduction to the track. My plan is to keep him in novice for his first few track days and see how he does. I'd like to get him set up with a coach or school right off the bat. He's raw. I'd like him to learn the right way first, unlike his old man who's still undoing bad habits because I never took a class.

 

Getting your son with a coach right away definitely sounds right. In just the past 12 months, I've observed 3 kids -- from the MA minicup series -- follow this route. They all ride in the 'A' group now.

The sentence I highlighted in red is ill-advised on its own merit. I'm sure you meant, ride in novice with a coach nose to tail. But, referring back to my comment above, I observed that the coaches kept the kids OUT of the novice group. My 2 cents.

 

I see your point. That makes sense. He is signed up for 2 clinics at Blackhawk. Will be a big step backward to go from the faster paced learning environment to a very slow and amateur filled novice group. I appreciate the input, thanks!

 

You havent been to that many events to paint one safer than the other. Of all the organized days & events Ive attended... I preferred Frank Kinsey's method for practice/track days. 3 groups... 1 beginner race (basic race instruction) & 2 licensed race groups. Slower & faster. The first group pays a higher price because they get more instruction & drills plus a "guest" rider/instructor. The 2nd & 3rd groups pay the remainder. In order to ride Franks days you needed a valid race license and he vetted you for 15-30 mins prior to signing up. If you had proof of other training like Team Hammer or Code or Pridmore... he would accept that. Worked great because you got plenty of track time for <$100. No control riders just corner workers. Worst incidents were guys self certifying themselves at "fast"... in this instance able to run 16s or better at Roebling & 20s or better at Jennings. Not just a 1 lap PB either... resulted in some ego deflation but kept things safe from a crash standpoint.

The biggest benefit... was the time he spent with the first group getting them comfortable with what youre going to experience on a race track. He pulled no punches either... didnt care who you were. Frank was a racer himself.

 

That's an interesting approach. It seems that you'll know what you're going to get. Or get yourself into in terms of the type of riders that will be on the track at the same time. Does the vetting process reduce the group sizes and even the number of track days or locations?

 

Frank gravitated towards Jennings & Roebling because they were easy to learn and he probably got good rental rates. Plus he lived in the Daytona area.
He probably averaged 15-18 beginner race group students per event. I believe it was $150 per. The racers cost was ~$100-120 for the day.
RIP Frank

 

Man, that is a bargain for that type of vetting. It's half-price for most track days I've gone to. But I'm a basic member and wait until the last minute (due to weather-checking) to register for track day events.

Re the OP -- remember them? -- haha... I give his kid 2 years before he's lapping his parent for good.