[Chuckster]

I accidentally did something similar in intermediate last year. I had bought a spot off someone last minute, hence the bump down. Anyway, an instructor sand bagging & looking over their shoulder down the front straight and I was focused on them trying to see if they were following a slower rider or what. Didn't see anyone, made the clean pass, hit the braking marker, then realized I was coming in on another rider REAL fast. Like REAL fast. I think they were on a 1000, and took the picnic basket out on T1. It was a huge gap between instructor and this bike so I don't think it was their student.

To avoid ass packing them into the sand trap, I dove to the apex. There was a good 4 - 6 feet between us, inside passing is technically allowed, but I scared the fuck out of them. I gave them a foot up "I'm sorry!" once I was back on line. I got black flagged and lectured. I didn't get a good look at the bike, and neither did Walter (guy managing pit-out, giving me a lecture) so I couldn't go apologize. I felt bad.

Moral of the story: ALWAYS keep your eyes up and don't let your distracted glances linger too long.

Stories like is is where I have problems with some coaches. There are guys in Advanced that shouldn't be there. There are guys in Intermediate that shouldn't be there. Koth, you were there when I got bumped down at NCM (and since then I've been told Blake gets off on doing that, and that I shouldn't have been bumped), so obviously I'm not one of the elite. So if I'm blowing your doors off in A on a 15 year old 600, you probably shouldn't be there. That's why I really like STT. You can't go A with them without either a racing license, or being evaluated by them.

To your story, when someone is out there in anything but beginner and is creating an unsafe speed differential, they need to be pulled. Even though I'm an A group rider, I'm just barely an A group rider. According to some, you need to turn 1:16s at Putnam to be in A group. I run a consistent 1:19-1:21. The thing is, I'm consistent, I don't get spooked, and I'm predictable. Now, watch this video from a MTD session from last year. This guy was causing an unsafe situation. It was the point I almost ran off the track one session. So bad, I went to Jeff and reported it. Not because I felt he didn't belong, but because I didn't feel safe. Start at the 5:00 mark. Third bike in front of me. Obviously he's got horsepower because on the straights he's gone. Watch him into T1. This is NOT what and ADV rider does on a sunny July day in session 5. I saw it coming, so I slowed down. What if the guy behind me didn't see it? Even if it was a new track to this guy, by session 5, you should at least be off the seat and hanging off. Speed wasn't the real problem, but the lack of skill created the speed problem.

 

[tigerblade]

I'm hoping the injury at Blackhawk was long ago and you're well healed.

Yeah that was Sept 2004 at the end of the CCS season. A couple of titanium rods, 16 screws, bone graft, and I was good as new! Was off the track after that until 2015 which just proves I don't learn nuthin'. (actually it's more like F cancer)

 

[tigerblade]

My best advice is "You can't win a trackday but you sure can lose one."

 

[Todd_Sails]

Nice video.

Stories like is is where I have problems with some coaches. There are guys in Advanced that shouldn't be there. There are guys in Intermediate that shouldn't be there. Koth, you were there when I got bumped down at NCM (and since then I've been told Blake gets off on doing that, and that I shouldn't have been bumped), so obviously I'm not one of the elite. So if I'm blowing your doors off in A on a 15 year old 600, you probably shouldn't be there. That's why I really like STT. You can't go A with them without either a racing license, or being evaluated by them.

To your story, when someone is out there in anything but beginner and is creating an unsafe speed differential, they need to be pulled. Even though I'm an A group rider, I'm just barely an A group rider. According to some, you need to turn 1:16s at Putnam to be in A group. I run a consistent 1:19-1:21. The thing is, I'm consistent, I don't get spooked, and I'm predictable. Now, watch this video from a MTD session from last year. This guy was causing an unsafe situation. It was the point I almost ran off the track one session. So bad, I went to Jeff and reported it. Not because I felt he didn't belong, but because I didn't feel safe. Start at the 5:00 mark. Third bike in front of me. Obviously he's got horsepower because on the straights he's gone. Watch him into T1. This is NOT what and ADV rider does on a sunny July day in session 5. I saw it coming, so I slowed down. What if the guy behind me didn't see it? Even if it was a new track to this guy, by session 5, you should at least be off the seat and hanging off. Speed wasn't the real problem, but the lack of skill created the speed problem.

Thanks for the video. I'm assuming this is you Chuck? Nice.
I've been watching a lot of on boards like this, and watching on boards of Autobahn too trying to get to know it in my mind beforehand.
This is one of the smoothest, if not THE smoothest rides I've seen! Your transitions, etc. are so smooth!
You just flow so well, so smooth, Nice!
I'll be watching this vid several more times for sure too.

 

[koth442]

** Edit- Oh wait! I think it is your excellent way of saying that they were 'parking it' in T1? And taking so long, they pulled out their picnic basket too? LOL Brilliant!

Yeah, that's what I meant Todd.

You're right Chuck, that's a HUGE speed differential.