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So you wanna be a Roadracer? Part 2
Your first race weekend
Finally, the first race weekend arrives. There’s a sort of relaxed intensity in the paddock. A lot like a trackday, but with just a little more nervous vibe. Your bike, and your protective gear, will need to pass a tech inspection. There will be a riders’ meeting, where they will go over some rules and details of how things will work that day, and remind you to be good sports out there. Finally, it’s time to gas up the bike, put on the tire warmers, and get ready for your first practice session.
Every club will have a slightly different schedule. In our case, practice day was on Saturday, and race day was Sunday. They did some Clubman races on Saturday, as well as the endurance races, but mostly Saturday was a practice day. We had three practice groups – fast , slow, and Clubman, which alternated in twenty minute sessions. The practice sessions are a lot like a trackday – riders doing laps, working on technique, learning the track, getting their bikes set up properly, and trying to improve their lap times.
Like a trackday, during the practice sessions you’ll figure out fast that there are some guys (and gals) a lot faster than you, but also a bunch of people that you are passing. This is comforting, as for many of us first-time racers, our big fear is finishing in last place. As you ride around in practice, suddenly things are feeling a lot more comfortable, because instead of just sitting around in nervous anticipation, you’re actually riding – something you are comfortable with (and probably pretty good at).
Between practice sessions, they posted sheets up on the wall that would show everyone’s best lap times from the previous session. How’d I do? If you are a competition junkie like me, you’ll be competing during practice sessions, not just in the race. Sometimes it’s just competing with your previous lap times, or your buddies, but it’s always about improving.
At the end of the day, it was fun to watch the Clubman and endurance races. I watched and tried to learn in anticipation of my races coming up the next day. How are the announcements made to call the racers to the pre-grid area? Where does everyone line up on the grid? How does the start procedure work? Is it just like in my mock race when I got my license?
The races I watch just make me that much more excited about what’s coming up tomorrow. Some things I observe, and learn from talking to my experienced buddy, Todd:
· When they post the grid positions, take a piece of duct tape and put it on your tank, with your position written on it. In all the excitement, you can forget, and then you’re the idiot on the grid in the wrong position, holding everyone up.
· Pay attention to the schedule. I’ve seen some guys miss their races because they weren’t keeping an eye on the clock or listening to the announcements.
· “First call” means get your gear on. About five minutes later, you’ll hear “Second call,” which means get your helmet and gloves on, and maybe start warming up the bike. “Third call” – yank the tire warmers off and ride over to pre-grid.
· Pre-hydrate! You won’t believe how thirsty you can get out there on the track, even if it isn’t that hot out. Lots of water and sports drinks.
· Get to pre-grid too early, the bike gets hot and the tires get cold. Get there too late, and you miss your start.
· From the pre-grid, they send you on your warm-up lap. Don’t just cruise – ride fast! Put some heat in those tires.
· Be careful about getting into the right grid position. It’s really irritating when you are sitting in your grid spot, waiting for some boneheads that got it wrong and are having to move around, while your engine gets hot and your tires get cold.
· The start and the first turn are really intense, exciting and kind of scary (actually, that’s my favorite part of the race). There is a huge pack of riders all going for the same small patch of real estate. But, just like you see in the races on TV, after a lap or so, things spread out, and you start to have more individual battles, rather than this huge pack.
Tomorrow’s race day. Good luck sleeping tonight.
Your first race day
It's finally here. Your first race day. Yesterday there was some nervous intensity in the paddock, but today it just went up about 20 notches. Still, everyone is friendly and helpful. New, shiny bikes, old, beat-up bikes, young guys, old guys, skinny guys, fat guys – you’ll see it all at a typical race weekend. Mostly everyone is there just to have fun and compete, but there are definitely some guys there that want to win, badly, either for contingency money, or just because they have that need. In my case it was mostly about fun (but I really like to win, too).
At our club there are two practice sessions (for each group) in the morning before the races actually start. This is good, because you can go burn off some of that nervous energy on the track, and make any final tweaks to the bike setup that you need to.
Another brief riders’ meeting, then it’s time to confirm the schedules for the races, along with your grid position in each race. Double check those positions, mark them down on your piece of duct tape on the tank, and make sure you and your bike are ready to go. Tire warmers plugged in? Gas in the bike? Guys have run out of gas during a race, believe it or not.
In the paddock, the time before, or between races, is a good time to just chill and hang out with your buddies, or watch some of the races that you aren’t racing in. Do something to avoid just nervously awaiting your race!
First call for your race. It’s here. Awesome! Get the gear on. This is going to be so much fun. Second call. Drink some water. Stay cool. It’s just motorcycle riding. Fun. I can do this. Check that helmet strap – again. Breathe. Warm up the bike. Third call. Holy crap. Yank those tire warmers. Cruise over to pre-grid. Breathe. Keep telling yourself that it’s just riding around a track – something you’ve done many times before. You’re there to have fun. Be smart. Stay in control of your emotions, and your bike. Breathe. Enjoy the rush. The pre-grid area is sort of a little impromptu parking area for bikes before they are sent out to do battle on the track. You look around, sizing up the competition. You probably see a couple of your buddies. “Geez, I hope I don’t look as nervous as those guys” (you probably do). Okay, track’s clear, everyone’s here, send ‘em out. Warm-up lap time.
Ahhh, back on the track again. The riding part is easy. That’s what you’ve done before, so many times. Push it a little, heating up your tires, feeling the grip, thinking about how it’s going to be during the race you’re about to start. Keep breathing.
 Before you know it, you’ve exited the final turn and are approaching the starting grid. What’s my grid position again? Oh yeah, it’s on my tank. Row 2, position B. Line up your bike along where the “B” positions will be, then when you get up to row 2, you aren’t trying to move sideways. Find the little marks on the asphalt where your front wheel is to be positioned, and try to relax. As everyone else gets into position, click the bike into neutral, and look up at the starter guy. Try to look cool for all your friends and family at trackside, cheering you on (and praying for you!).
Now get ready for one of the most incredible experiences of your entire life. Seriously – it’s that cool.
The guy with the red flag at the front of the grid moves off to the side of the track. Eyes on the starter. Adrenaline city. Visor down (don’t forget – I did once!).
The starter is holding up his number board. 2. The guys around you start revving. The intensity just went up even higher. 1. Click into first gear, revs up to about 6,000 RPM, finger on the brake, clutch released to about engagement point.
1 board turns sideways. Holy crap, here we go, baby. I can’t freaking believe I’m doing this. GREEN FLAG! The bikes explode off the line like they’ve been shot from a cannon. You’re trying to find just that right mix of throttle and clutch to get to turn one ahead of everyone else. Screw it up, and you bog or wheelie, and the pack leaves you in the dust. Don’t forget to shift into second! That rev limiter comes up pretty quickly in all the excitement. You pass some riders, while others pass you, and you try to decide just how deep you can go into turn one before getting on the brakes. Suddenly you find that there are just too many bikes for this tight little corner! And all of those trackday courtesy rules you’re used to? You know, like the six foot passing rule, stuff like that? Forget about it. It’s MAYHEM. Absolutely gonzo. See a gap in front of you? Take it - now. If you don’t, someone else will. Yeah, I know. It’s crazy. But so damn cool. The start and turn one are truly the most exciting moments I’ve ever experienced in my life. Ever. A rush like no other, and one that I’ve found to be very addictive.
But be prepared - it is a shock to the system at first. I remember thinking, “This is nuts! I’m not sure I’m crazy or ruthless enough for this.” After a while, however, I figured out that the better my start is, the more I can get out ahead of the pack, and let the craziness go on behind me.
After the first few turns, you’ll kind of settle into a groove more like your trackday riding, and realize that it’s pretty similar, just way more intense. You’re trying hard to catch or pass that guy in front of you, while someone is behind you trying to do the same thing to you. You’ll see some opportunities to pass, but you’ll wonder if you can do it safely. Or someone will pass you, sometimes cleanly, sometimes like an idiot.
You’ll see someone faster out in front of you, and you’ll think “hey, if he can go that fast, why can’t I? And you’ll push a little harder, praying that your tires can keep gripping.
Your throat will be so dry you won’t believe it. You may actually remember at some point to try to swallow, but it won’t be easy. Your mind will reach a level of focus more intense than you may have ever experienced.
A short race of just seven or eight laps, which normally would seem like no time at all during a trackday, will suddenly seem like an eternity. You’ll see the starter holding up the crossed flags (indicating the halfway point in the race), and you’ll think, “Are you kidding? We’re only halfway done?”  Finally, you’ll see that white flag – just one lap to go! Can I hold off that guy (real or imagined) behind me? I need to push hard enough to keep him behind me, but not so hard that I crash. Maybe that guy in front of me will just make one tiny mistake, and I can get by him before the checkered flag.
At last, the finish line is in sight, the checkered flag being waved to celebrate your accomplishment. You did it! You survived your first race. You are absolutely drained. 100% exhausted – physically and mentally, from just 15 minutes or so of riding. You’re thinking, “Holy crap. That was unbelievable. I’m not sure I can go through all that again. All those close calls. All that intensity. Un-freaking-believable. Wow."
As you circle the track on your cool-down lap, the cornerworkers applaud, as you wave to them in thanks for their unselfish work on your behalf. You and the other racers give each other the thumbs up, or shake hands as you ride, knowing how hard each of you rode to finish where you did. Maybe you won. Maybe you came in 12th. Doesn’t matter all that much at that point. You just experienced the most incredible, intense rush. One that most people will never achieve in their entire life. You are a roadracer.
So, is racing for you?
It’s not for everybody. But, you might be ready to try roadracing, if:
· You’re a reasonably skilled trackday rider
· You like to compete on the racetrack
· You can handle the additional risk factors of higher speeds and lower courtesy
· You can afford it (tires, entry fees, parts, gear, etc.)
If you do give it a try, be smart, ride safely, and have fun! But, I must warn you. Certain activities that you used to find incredibly thrilling – you know, trackdays, roller coasters, sex... You may just find that suddenly now they don’t quite compare.
See you on the starting grid…
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