So for those who work nights and do trackdays, how do you make it work? Is it even possible? Anyone ever finished work and set out to do a trackday without any sleep in between, sounds like a recipe for a highside.
Used to at a younger age, now I fall asleep sitting at red light to long. If you have someone to drive and let you nap would be best.
Never was on a night shift, but I had a wife who delighted in not letting me sleep before trackdays or races. Keep energy up during the day with a reasonable amount of carbs. Avoid caffeine and sugar - they work temporarily, but cause a „crash“ later. Consider sitting out a session to nap. Stay hydrated - water, not soda or „energy“drinks. If you feel like you’re losing concentration (not looking through corners, forgetting basic stuff), call it a day.
I work the night shift and with my schedule it makes it tough. I work 6pm-6am and work every other weekend. Would never want to go straight to the track after working a 12 hr shift. I always take off the day before and the day of (if I’m not scheduled off already)that I plan on riding. I use a lot more vacation days working on nights then if I worked days.
I used to make my significant other drive if she could come with me that weekend. If not I took my time and slept on the way home or on the way back if I felt myself falling asleep at the wheel. At “lunch” I would take an hour nap. Drink a lot of water and eat healthy at least a solid week out. Being able to sleep along the way and to get a better quality sleep was a huge factor on why I bought a toyhauler. It’s so nice to be able to just pull over and sleep easily if you have too. Also spending minimal time on “setting up” at the track helps. I have an electric awning on my toyhauler so at minimum I can just wheel the bike out throw it on the stands/ warmers and I’m good to go in about 15 mins if I was rushing. It’s all about time management.
I've done trackways on nearly zero sleep.....not because I work a night shift, simply because I couldn't get any sleep the night before and I usually end up having to wake up around 3:30-4am to drive to the closest tracks to me. Not the smartest idea and I inevitably would doze off a bit around lunch time
