Hey anybody out there in the DC area who could help me get started racing? i.e., racing license, getting track time etc..... I've got a 98 GSX-R600. I really need to get out of traffic. Anyway, hope I can hear from somebody soon!
CALL on ED Bargy racing schools he can show you more in one day than you can learn on the street in 5yrs.ED is a great guy that really knows how to put a bike around the track.Only one problem,he has taught just about all of the racers that you would be racing against.The 600 class is really tough I would suggest a small twin but thats my class and it's gotten tough also.Call Ed and ask him he's really helpful. See you on the track I hope.
Get your suspension close and buy some good tires and then buy lots of track time. Take Ed's school and get some more track time after that. Then get some track time. The 600 class is a very aggressive class (the competitiveness) so you should be prepared. I suggest the same thing as AnthonyDuc, get a small bike and start in clubman for your first year. You can pick up an EX500 or GS500 ready to race for about $1000. That's less than what you'd spend on your GSXR suspension alone. It's still a competitive class, and just as fun. Good luck....
Your in the DC area? Summit Point is your local track... visit marrc.nova.org Eds good, but these folks handle one of the racing schools (in conjunction with CCS race weekends) at summit, and can help you race prep your bike, etc. Rochester RoadRacers also do a school and teach in conjunction with WERA events at Summit. MARRC will have a booth at the Baltimore Bike show this weekend...
Yup, what Mike said. Our schools are a pretty basic orientation school run on Saturdays at most of our events, if you can hook up with an all day school like MARRC runs at Summit (or like Ed does but you'd have travel a bit from DC) you'll learn a lot more and heave better track time with other newbies before being thrown to the wolves... Anthony also has it right about the bike - if the 600 is what you are used to and what you have, go for it but you'll learn more on a smaller machine to begin with and then switch to a bigger machine later. And last but not least in my agreement with everyone - nothing makes you faster than track time no matter what bike you race.
May I also humbly suggest that after taking a school you take part in a few track days to get your "sea legs?" It's a good non-competitive environment to practice your technique in before your first race. There are several clubs in the North East that do days at Summit as well as several other tracks in the area. I'm personally partial to NESBA ( www.nesba.com ) but I know other BBS members have had good experiences with other clubs as well.
1- sell the GSXR6 2- buy a reliable LW (FZR4) from SpeedWerks (in Camden, DE) 3- use the leftover $ to buy better insurance (health&disability) and gear (leathers, etc.) 4- use the rest of your leftover $ to take a 2-day Ed Bargy race school this spring at Talladega and buy race licenses, entry fees, track grub, hotel rooms (or tent), hookers, tires, tools, canopy, stands, more tools, duct tape, Bridgestone slicks, spare rims and rains, spares, a generator, lawn chairs, race gas, tow vehicle gas, emergency room fees, ortho fees, a shrink (who can also be a hooker), a massive enclosed trailer, and a big V8 or diesel to pull it all with... 5- work until you die or retire broke 6- have a friggen blast!
Besides the fact that Ed's the man!, following around Jeannie in her pink leathers is something every racer should experience at least once...
One more plug: Be at Talladega(AL) Gran Prix Raceway Sunday (14th) morning 6:30 AM Unload Prepped Bike and gear Go to Registration, Spend money Go to Tech, get hassled Listen to what you are taught, do what you are told DON'T FALL DOWN DON'T FALL DOWN (IT'S REALLY DISCOURAGING) ASK questions for the things you don't understand graduate with grace and grins you will come away with most of your questions answered AND a new appreciation for the guys that do this race thing Good Luck Hope to see ya Sunday, I'll Be waiting,in tech hasslemeister
I will agree that the 600 class is very competitive, but it's also where I started last year. My only suggestion is to ride what you are used to. If you like the 600, ride the 600. You may want to sell your street 600 rather than trying to convert it into a track only bike. There are a few Gixxer6's on the BBS for sale, all capable of running at the front with a good rider. I have leathers for sale (plug for me) also, from the 2000 season. A lot better priced than having to buy new ones. Good luck in 2001. 1 pc Teknic leathers w/ pucks for sale. Used in one track day and one race at VIR last August. Scuff marks on the rear area from a low speed crash at VIR. Size 44/54. Purple/yellow. Matching purple/yellow boots USA 10 White Teknic Violator (carbon/kevlar in hand and fingers) gloves, used one year but in good condition. Size large. Teknic 7-link backprotector. Used one track day and one race in 2000. Everything but helmet to go race! Make me an offer I can't refuse.
Just to get on the track, you could just safety wire your bike and do the required changes (lights, no "coolant", etc.). That should be fine for a track day or school. When I took my first school, I just taped up my lights and TURNSIGNALS and that was it. It was a Team Valvoline school, so street bikes were allowed. They may still be?
street bike prep for track day: take off mirrors take off side stand (when ya get to track) tape over headlamp, remove fuse that operates lights. empty radiator of coolant, use water wetter, ... buy at autozone for $6.99 make sure ya got gas,... gas can ask ed if you need lowers on the bike if you have portable air.....excellent don't forget leathers, boots, gloves,helmet listen intently but laugh, chuckle and nod attaboy when ed pauses for, oh,...about 10 seconds...he's lookin' for audience reaction don't stare at jeannie
Since your in Maryland, you should try talking to Dave Yaakov at Cycle Accessory Discounters - he might be able to give you a few pointers with respect to racing - and, if you run stickers, you'll get a few discounts while your at it! How's that for promoting? Too bad I won't get anything out of it!
Originally posted by Girlfriend of Mid-Atl Rcr: How's that for promoting? Too bad I won't get anything out of it! C'mon now. Someday, when he's a world famous superstar, you'll be that great woman that stood behind him the whole way. (Then divorce him and take half. )
Dear Pnk, Having raced in the DC area for the last 4 years, on a LW, MW, & HW bike, I would highly recommend that you not convert your current street bike for track use. There a plenty of used bikes, ready for action, that will reduce the amount of time and money that you will need to spend to prep it. You will be spending much of that hard earned income on other things, so make it easier on yourself. Keep in mind that you don't even know if you like it yet, and you probably haven't done so much as a cursory budget analysis to determine how much you can spend. With the proliferation of the 2001 GSXR's, there are at least fifty 97-00 GSXR's, race prepped, with spare everything's for less than $5000.(This sentence is to reiterate the importance of spare parts at your level.) across the country. Go scan the WERA BBS classifieds and see. Once you put your street bike on the track, it's value depreciates greatly. It is a good idea to sell it, and look to the used market, leaving you resources to buy the other accutriments that the hobby requires. More things to consider: $750 Leathers $300 Boots $150 Gloves $100 Backbrace $250 Helmet $125 Race School ==== 1550 Startup $300 - 1 set of race tires. $175 - Race Entry Fees $ 20 - Track Gate Fee $ 5 - Fuel $100 - Travel, Food, Hotel, crash, whatever ==== $600 per weekend. It can be done for less, but often times more. Good Luck.
$600 per weekend? It can be done for MUCH LESS: - Keep in mind, he is a novice. He won't need a set of tires per weekend. - He may not spend $175 on entry fees. Some people just do 2 races in a weekend and are happy with that. - If he is in the DC area and races at Summit Point, he easily can save on lodging, travel and food expenses. Bottom line is, it can be done for half TSR's estimate, if you're just trying it to see if you like it. If you don't want to travel and just do WERA and CCS events at Summit Point during your first season, you won't nearly as much money as someone running an complete season and travelling around his/her region. That is, of course, if you're fortunate enough to avoid crashing in your first year. Otherwise, the $600/weekend can be a low estimate. So in my opinion, what you end up spending varies largely depending on what kind of program you run.