Taken out at +140mph!!!

This is a bit of a long story of me getting taken out last week by another rider at a AZTrackday.com event. I understand the risk involved when riding at the track but was so surprised by the events of this accident that I felt like sharing. We as motorcyclists should try to minimize our risk of injury whenever possible. Disregarding safe passing practices lead to an accident that could have other wise been avoided. Other reasons you might find this interesting are:

1. I was going over 140mph when I hit the asphalt
2. The guy that hit me owned the club
3. I remained conscious the entire time
4. I didn’t really get hurt

As some of you may or may not already know Ted Rich, owner of AZTrackday.com, ran into me on Firebird East track last AZTrackday.com event. I was traveling well over 140mph on an R6. His closing speed on his 1K Honda was much faster than that.

The incident took place at the end of the straight away prior to the braking markers. I still had the throttle pinned and was tucked behind the windscreen when I was hit. I was already to the left side of the track but not all the way to the edge of the pavement. There is a kink in the straightaway that puts you off line a little. I maybe had 3 feet to go before I was to the very edge of the track. I was slowly moving over to the left getting ready to enter the braking zone and about 3 seconds later I felt an impact on my left shoulder blade. I had no idea what had happened. One second I was relaxed getting ready to enter the braking zone and the next second I couldn’t see anything, my body parts were getting very warm, and there were very loud sounds in my helmet. It felt and sounded like I had been suddenly tossed onto a giant belt sander. I quickly realized that it didn’t matter how I had gotten there but was now in fact off of the bike and on the asphalt sliding, tumbling, and I needed to stabilize my body. I eased out my elbows, chicken wing style, and stabilized my slide. I was now sliding on my back facing forward. My vision then came into focus. I saw bikes flying past to the right and left of me with some riders going into the dirt to avoid running me over. I saw my bike sliding down the track away from me with an astonishing amount off speed and no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. All the while I was waiting to feel the impact of another rider unintentionally hitting me while I was on the ground but luckily that never happened. I sat up and had slowed down enough to look behind me. It was a relief to see a clear track after such a long ride on the asphalt. I was still on the pavement when I had come to a stop and I jumped up and ran off of the track to safety. I felt surprisingly good. Good enough to crucify the reckless rider who had hit me!

I realized that someone had hit me but I didn’t know who. I didn’t see any other riders crashing while I was on the ground sliding so I figured whoever it was made it thru. There were two riders who had stopped and I knew it had to be one of them. I figured it out when one of the riders started to accuse me of “moving over” on him and that I had “left him with 6” of pavement” to ride on. If I could have gotten any angrier than I already had been, I would have. How can this guy not accept responsibility for hitting me? I pointed out the simple facts: I don’t have mirrors on my bike, it’s the responsibility of the passing rider to make a safe pass, and of course the biggest one of all, why are you trying to pass so close IT’S NOT A RACE IT’S A FUCKING TRACK DAY!!!!! When he turned to walk away I saw on the back of his leathers the name “Ted Rich”, (the owner of the track day organization). There are countless stories around the paddock of Ted almost hitting people or running them off of the track. Whether he was riding his 1K or giving rides on the two up bike. I have at least three of those stories of my own. After every time I hear one of those stories the storyteller would always end with, “one of these days, he’s gonna take someone out”. I guess it was my unlucky day. I helped the corner workers load my bike onto the crash truck and headed back to the pits.

On my way back to the pits I started to remember the looks on the corner workers faces after I had crashed. They all looked like they were talking to a dead man. I remember thinking it was kind of weird how they were looking at me and I couldn’t figure out why. I know I had gotten thrown down the road but it wasn’t the worst crash I had ever been in. It must have looked pretty bad but I felt ok. My hand stung a bit and my elbow was soar but that was it. Later I discovered a few bruises on my back probably from when I initially got hit.

It felt like I was going fast when I hit the ground. I have always had a piece of tape over my speedometer and I have never had ant idea of what my speed was at the end of the straightaway. I figured I was maybe doing 110mph tops. In the pits I caught up with Dave. I had passed him on the exit of the corner prior to the straightaway. He saw the whole incident and as it turns out, right before Ted collided with me, he had hit Dave. He knocked the right knee puck off of Dave’s leathers but Dave didn’t go down. Dave said that he was going about 140mph when that had happened and that’s when I realized how lucky I was to be uninjured and alive.

I stuck around for the rest of the day. I was helping out some friends in the pits and I didn’t want to bail on them. Ted never once came over to ask me how I was doing.

The whole incident could have been so easily avoided if he would have made a safe pass on the inside or ridden into the dirt after realizing there might be a collision. After all, it’s a desert and there is a lot of run off area. Instead he put me on the ground and sent several other riders into the dirt. Ultimately it’s my fault for riding with AZTrackday.com when I knew how many close calls other riders and I have had with Ted on the track. I knew better but I chose to ride with them anyway. There is another track day provider here in Phoenix that is a lot safer and more professional so it’s not like I didn’t have a choice.

I approached Ted at the end of the day. He finally admitted fault. He took my bike with him and repaired some but not all of the damage. I definitely didn’t get the bike back in pre crash condition. I hope this was as sobering an experience for him as it was for me but I have my doubts.

So I leave you with this:
1. If you’re a track day menace: Take it easy. Give a guy 3 feet when you’re passing. It’s not a race.
2. If your track club has dangerous riders: tell them what’s up. Remind them that it’s not a race.
3. If your track club is unsafe or sketchy: Minimize your risk. Don’t ride with them because it’s only a matter of time before you get taken out.

 

Sucks for sure. That said:

1) Never bring anything to ride on the track you wouldn't be willing to throw in the dumpster - this ain't playing checkers.

2) Be thankful you were able to walk away.

Glad you're okay :up:

 

Glad you're ok! I'd like to see your leathers (or should I say suedes) after that long slide!

 

Wow....that sucks man!

 

Yeah, I'd be interested in seeing your gear after the crash.

 

Well he did say he was sorry even if he did take all day.He did somewhat fix your bke.I guess it wasn,t destroyed.Shit happens.Wasn,t worth writing a 1,000 essay.

 

Glad you're ok! I'm supposed to head out there around June and I'll be at as many track days as I can-- I'll keep en eye out

 

be glad you are okay and be thankful he actually fixed anything on your bike.........

99% of people that happens to dont get anything but an apology and a pile of scrap that used to be a bike

 

Holy shit, I had the same experience at buttonwillow ( high speed crash) bc of me not someone else and it was a race, anywYs i'm jus sayin it's crazy that sometimes we can be Lucky to not get hurt. I know exactly what u mean by getting up not hurt and be like so amazed "did this just happened"

 

Sad situation. Knuckle heads...there's one or two in every crowd. Glad you're OK !! :up:

 

This isnt the first douchebag thing that Ted Rich has done over the years. Read here.... http://www.allstoneallthetime.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9420

 

Pot,.............meet Kettle.

 

wow thats pretty amazing. glad to hear your alright

 

Please produce for me one time in the 5 years that I have been racing that I have injured/taken out another rider. Matter of fact...show me one time where I have ever ridden a dirty race.

 

Does Ted race or does he just have a stickered up trackday bike?
Steve

 

My appology Davie, I couldn't view the link so I was referring to the douche bag comment only.

 

If a person has a track record(no pun intended) of being wreckless...ends up hitting two people in the same session, one of which gets tossed end over end at 140...how many more "sorrys" is it gonna take before them or others end up getting really hurt or worse. The owner of a track day org should never carry such label...go file some paperwork or some shit lol.

 

2 Up?

That really sucks, will make sure to avoid this guy if I ever get down to Phoenix, glad you are ok!

As for the other links, I did the Pridmore school last year and as much as I wanted to I couldn't get up the nerve to take a 2-up with him. Jason is a world-class rider but watching him turn laps faster than my race pace with a passenger kind of freaked me out.

The closest I got to getting taken out last year happened with a guy who had a mega-long thread here where he was accused of ripping someone off, it is a shame that people like this race/track, I like to think I can trust the others out there with my life as they do me, we should all be in it together in the end.

 

The point of the essay was to show that I take 100% responsibility for running with an organization that is sketchy and that it's ultimately my fault for being there when I knew better. I know that this is not the only club in the country like this and if you're riding in a sketchy club you should think twice about it. Trust you instincts. I wish I had.