1st Track Day... :-)

[1000RR]

My first track day and…

First off… a BIG thanks to Sandia BMW for putting on (sponsoring) a GREAT track day yesterday. If you came on/brought a BMW they bought your ticket for you. They also sponsored a guy from RaceTech Suspension to come out and tune the BMWs for free (what a difference that made on accelerating out of the turns!!)… Plus catered lunch, just couldn’t beat it! SMRI runs the track in Albuquerque and a big thanks to them as well!

Not much too say except – why did I wait so long! Met a couple of our forum members there too – pretty cool putting faces w/some screen names. One was ‘mrsantafe’ who I’d like to especially thank for working w/me throughout the day on lines and body position. There were a couple other racers there too that took some time to let me follow them around the track (and follow me around) too. Learned a good deal about late apexing… man does that make things ironically easier. Counter intuitive it seems, but running in the turns too early just makes you fight it all the way around instead of getting down and in and then back out and on your way again. Great folks out there, always willing to help you out – really cool!! Had a couple moments to practice REALLY looking through the turn/exit where I want to go when I figured out (late) that I was coming in a little hotter than anticipated. Talking about target fixation is one thing... actually getting the mind to not fixate on the wrong thing and look to where you want to go is much tougher. I was able to do it on the track so that is certainly one thing I'll take with me to the street to make for a safer rider.

Learned a LOT and gave me a whole new perspective on superbikes that I thought I knew but didn’t really. Also gave me another level of appreciation for you faster track riders and what you guys really do to turn in the times you do! By the end of the day, I left a different rider than when I came. Won’t be long I’m sure… till I’m back down there – once can never be enough!

[Swanny]

Right on man! Nothing like a track day to feed the ego AND get it in check all at the same time!
You become a better rider by going faster than you ever have before (and not in a straight line!) as well as finding out real quick just how friggin' slow you really are! Those track junkies have so much talent I leave the track absolutely HUMBLED! I am so NOT fast!
Glad you had fun....and got pro.'s to help set the bike up....that right there is HUGE!!!!!

[misti]

Great, glad you had a good time! Now watch out because you will be addicted

Ride safe,

Misti

[1000RR]

Originally Posted by Swanny

Right on man! Nothing like a track day to feed the ego AND get it in check all at the same time!
You become a better rider by going faster than you ever have before (and not in a straight line!) as well as finding out real quick just how friggin' slow you really are! Those track junkies have so much talent I leave the track absolutely HUMBLED! I am so NOT fast!
Glad you had fun....and got pro.'s to help set the bike up....that right there is HUGE!!!!!

Humbling when you get stuffed with a big bike (Big BMW) or the like It was actually cool and talked to a couple of the guys after riding a session (that were riding the bigger BMWs)... one was a racer, the other was actually the GM from Sandia BMW. Both good riders, the racer guy was really good. Cool to talk to them afterwords and continue to get helpful insight/tips/suggestions. I started out in the 4th Group and after a couple sessions asked mrsantafe (forum member aka awesome rider ) if he thought I could bump up to Group 2 and he thought it'd be fine... much better pace. I was certainly in the lower 1/2 of the riders (in Group 2) but not the slowest, probably the newest (to the Track) though There is certainly a lot to learn about choosing your lines and having the proper riding/body position. I learned a bit already that I can take to the street... but at this point, I'm gonna have to see when the next Track Day is so I can see if I can fit it into my schedule

Originally Posted by misti

Great, glad you had a good time! Now watch out because you will be addicted

Ride safe,

Misti

Too late! Definitely will have to go back. It was just way too much fun along w/a great bunch of folks! Plus you can ride in a manor you just can't on the street (safely). A controlled environment is MUCH better . It was great.

[Brainfry]

Originally Posted by 1000RR

My first track day and…

First off… a BIG thanks to Sandia BMW for putting on (sponsoring) a GREAT track day yesterday. If you came on/brought a BMW they bought your ticket for you. They also sponsored a guy from RaceTech Suspension to come out and tune the BMWs for free (what a difference that made on accelerating out of the turns!!)… Plus catered lunch, just couldn’t beat it! SMRI runs the track in Albuquerque and a big thanks to them as well!

Not much too say except – why did I wait so long! Met a couple of our forum members there too – pretty cool putting faces w/some screen names. One was ‘mrsantafe’ who I’d like to especially thank for working w/me throughout the day on lines and body position. There were a couple other racers there too that took some time to let me follow them around the track (and follow me around) too. Learned a good deal about late apexing… man does that make things ironically easier. Counter intuitive it seems, but running in the turns too early just makes you fight it all the way around instead of getting down and in and then back out and on your way again. Great folks out there, always willing to help you out – really cool!! Had a couple moments to practice REALLY looking through the turn/exit where I want to go when I figured out (late) that I was coming in a little hotter than anticipated. Talking about target fixation is one thing... actually getting the mind to not fixate on the wrong thing and look to where you want to go is much tougher. I was able to do it on the track so that is certainly one thing I'll take with me to the street to make for a safer rider.

Learned a LOT and gave me a whole new perspective on superbikes that I thought I knew but didn’t really. Also gave me another level of appreciation for you faster track riders and what you guys really do to turn in the times you do! By the end of the day, I left a different rider than when I came. Won’t be long I’m sure… till I’m back down there – once can never be enough!

Yep, you never forget your first time! Congrats!!!

[mrsantafe]

Shameless plug for the club (SMRI) and of course my new found buddies at (Sandia BMW in Albuquerque NM). I would like to see more BMW's and of course S1000rr's out at the track.

1000rr: I'm glad you enjoyed the experience and look forward to seeing you at one of the next coming events.

[AMRRA12]

Very good! glad you liked it! now try racing..then you will become a real addict! my wife says she wishes I had a bad drug habit, because it would be cheeper then racing!

[1000RR]

Signed up for the 9/12 Track Day down in Albuquerque... The ones before that just (unfortunately) won't work into my schedule

This one is also sponsored buy Sandia BMW...