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Wanna start racing. Need Help!

Discussion in 'General' started by mtnbkrpnk, Jan 10, 2001.

  1. mtnbkrpnk

    mtnbkrpnk Broke racer.....

    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!
     
  2. AnthonyDuc

    AnthonyDuc Well-Known Member

    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.
     
  3. Hammer-117

    Hammer-117 Well-Known Member

    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....
     
  4. mtiberio

    mtiberio Well-Known Member

    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...

     
  5. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    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.
     
  6. Dutch

    Dutch Token white guy

    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.
     
  7. #545

    #545 Keith Palmer

    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!
    [​IMG]
     
  8. thiam1

    thiam1 Guest

    Are y'all on commission from Ed Bargy, or sumthin'? That's all anybody talks about on the BBS. [​IMG]
     
  9. #545

    #545 Keith Palmer

    Besides the fact that Ed's the man!, following around Jeannie in her pink leathers is something every racer should experience at least once... [​IMG]
     
  10. Due North

    Due North Source of Insanity

    The reason being that he's the absolute best in the business.
     
  11. atspeed

    atspeed Praying Member

    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
     
  12. vlwebdesigns

    vlwebdesigns Well-Known Member

    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. [​IMG]

    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.
     
  13. Hammer-117

    Hammer-117 Well-Known Member

    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?
     
  14. td930

    td930 Well-Known Member

    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
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Girlfriend of Mid-Atl Rcr

    Girlfriend of Mid-Atl Rcr Well-Known Member

    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!
     
  16. mtk

    mtk All-Pro Bike Crasher

    My suggestion: bring money. Lots and lots of money.

    Racing makes a crack habit look cheap. [​IMG]
     
  17. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    yeah but the rush is better and they dont try to throw you in jail for it
     
  18. TSR

    TSR Well-Known Member

    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. [​IMG]

    (Then divorce him and take half. [​IMG])
     
  19. TSR

    TSR Well-Known Member

    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.
     
  20. thiam1

    thiam1 Guest

    $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.
     

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