duc23

My PSSR Track Day Experience

Attended my first track day yesterday with PSSR at PIR. Thought I'd share my experience and perhaps help motivate others to get out to a track day. This may be a long rambling report but hopefully those looking to do a track day will find some tidbits of value.

Drove into the raceway at 7:00am and saw people setting up in the outer pits. Picked a spot and started setting up. A friendly fellow rider assisted me in setting up my ez-up which is a two-person job. Bike was basically prepped the night before so not much to do besides check tire pressures.

After a while I noticed a line of bikes forming for what I assumed was tech inspection. When I got to the front of the line and was informed I needed to register first (which I thought I'd already done by faxing in the form). Ok, where's registration? Figured this out, got registered, and got back in the tech inspection line. Simple enough.

While going through technical inspection I got to meet Al Edwards with PSSR. I informed him it was my first track day ever, and he took some additional time with me and explained a bit more of the day. I took note that he seemed very nice and friendly.

Soon, it was time for the drivers meeting. The PSSR staff covered all of the details of the day - oh and I learned there's no more dust issues at ORP. After the drivers meeting I joined a group of new trackday riders on a flatbed trailer and toured the track. We were shown where to queue up at the track entrance at the start of each session, the trackday lines, where the corner worker stations were, and where to exit the track. This tour of the track was really insightful and I highly recommend it.

Next, we were instructed to gear up and then meet back at the scoring tower for a group C rider meeting. This was a very helpful meeting where more of the details of what to expect during the day were covered and they took the time to answer questions and to put our nerves to ease. The riding plan for the morning sessions was to follow the control rider for 1 lap and then move to the back of the instructor group and let the next rider follow and repeat this sequence each lap. As I had no idea what to expect on the track, this riding plan sounded very simple and a great way to learn and gain confidence.

Back in my pit area I soon heard the call for group C. My pulse quickened and nervousness soon began in earnest as I realized that this would be my first time on a bike on a race track. Have I mentioned that I was on a new bike I've only had for 2 months? Images of going down and bringing home a wrecked bike kept playing through my head and I had to work to put these thoughts out of mind.

Fired up the bike and made my way to the entrance to the track. Here the instructors lined up across the lanes and we were directed to join one of the lanes behind an instructor. Nerves were high, and soon the green flag waved and my instruction group was told to hit the track. Once we were moving I became much more comfortable and after carving some turns this nervousness was mostly all put to rest as the pace was very manageable.

After a few laps of following the instructor and switching place with other riders in the group the instructor upped the pace. The straightaway speeds were probably the same, but the corner speeds definitely picked up. Again, after a couple laps I felt very comfortable at this pace although it was clear to me I had some areas of technique I really needed to work on to become smoother. While riding, the instructor would glance back often after corners and give me a thumbs up which inspired confidence and was a nice personal touch added to the experience.

The session ended and we came back into the pit area. My instructor motioned me to join him and discuss the session. When we began chatting I realized it was Al Edwards who had helped me through tech inspection. Al gave me some really good feedback and suggestions for improvement. After talking for a bit Al suggested I would be ready to join the B group if I desired, but cautioned that I needed to check myself and ride my own pace. I was happy to hear the constructive feedback and was eager to join the B group to continue my trackday learning experience.

Back in the pits I checked my hot tire pressures, re-hydrated, and soon enough the call for group B came over the PA system. Once on the track I immediately noticed that the speed disparity in this group between the slower riders (me) and the faster riders was high. Although I tried to always leave the outside line open as best as I could, I'm sure I was parking it in the corners for the faster riders.

I'll be frank, in this first group B session I really sucked. The speed on the front straight was eye popping (173 indicated), the breaking points, the apexes, it was all overwhelming and affecting my riding. I blew the entrance to turn 7 after the back straight but luckily kept it on track. Al was right when he cautioned, "ride your own pace". I talked with Al after the session and he basically told me to things slow down, hit the apexes, and do the downshifting and braking a bit earler and not so time compressed.

I went back to the pit area and got into a rhythm I kept during the day. Hydrate, restrooms, check tire pressures (I'm paranoid), reflect on what was working and what wasn't, and develop a game plan for the next session. Each session I became more and more comfortable. Each session the gears, breaking points and apexes came more natural and from memory. Al kept checking with me and following me around in the sessions to help point out where I could improve and I added his input to my game plan.

I quit one session early as I just ran out of steam. I noticed my lap times were becoming much more inconsistent. It was hot, I was exhausted, and needed to keep the rubber side down. Decided to call it a day while everything was still going well.


So - what did I learn?
1. PSSR puts on a great track day - Highly recommended
2. Al Edwards is a great instructor who takes the time and care to provide individual feedback and helped make this a very enjoyable day of safe learning
3. Ride your own pace! Important on the street - also important at a trackday
4. How to brake in a controlled manner from high speeds
5. How to downshift and brake quickly without the engine torque locking up the rear (really struggled with this at first and still working on it)
6. Need to work on arm strength - takes quite a bit of energy to steer at higher speeds.
7. My form needs work as I'm still sitting to upright and not getting my body mass down. Added to game plan for next trackday.
8. I feel the skills learned will translate to an added safety buffer on the street if and when necessary
9. I'm re-evaluating my street riding as the track is a much safer place to up the pace.
10. Trackdays are as much a mind game as they are technique. If the mind game isn't going so well - the technique just doesn't matter so much


Thank you PSSR for a great day. For those of you who haven't been to a trackday yet - get signed up today - you will regret not having done this much earlier - and you will be a safer rider.

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young lion

'Soon, it was time for the drivers meeting. The PSSR staff covered all of the details of the day - oh and I learned there's no more dust issues at ORP. After the drivers meeting I joined a group of new trackday riders on a flatbed trailer and toured the track."

RIDERS Meeting!



Awesome write-up and very well said! We've all been there and you seem like a very mature rider who's gonna enjoy this sport for a long time.

I've done maybe 15-16 track days total now, all at Pacific Raceways and I'm going to hit Thunderhill in November but I'm really hoping to be able to try Portland sooner than later. The track ride in a truck is EXTREMELY helpful, after 2 track days at Pacific we gotthat opportunity to actually walk the track before riding and it was incredible how different it is at walking pace (Duh I know...) but it really reinforced things like camber (T3 is crazy banked but riding it you don't realize just how deep you can brake because of that added camber) and surface imperfections and trust me, Pacific has LOTS to watch for.

Congrats on making it out in one piece!

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Twisties4me

Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Al is Great! I thought the same thing after my first track day. Why didn't I do this years ago? I have to thank Lee (Oldman) for getting me to come out and try a track day with him.

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HellsAlien

You're welcome! Sometimes, somedays, things just click together both ways. This was one of those days for you and me!

I was/am amazed at how much you improved on your FIRST EVER track day and I am proud to be the one tagging along for the ride, I had a blast as well!
This is why I keep doing this, 'cause riders like you who are willing to listen more than talk, think it through in the pits and then "do" on the track.

Can't wait for the next "lesson!" There is always something we can do better safer faster with the bike & rider who is willing to listen, evaluate and make the investment in his/herself to the craft.

You are right: street riding will not be the same for you after this experience. That is OK. But it will not seem "fast," it will seem risky, as you have now had a taste of fast: and it is good & at a reasonable/managable level of risk.

Thanks for taking the time to detail out your learnings, that will help others realize what is possible to gain for the time & $$ invested. What you did is possible for many riders willing to take the time & effort to improve at PSSR track days.

You have just scratched the surface, I am but one guy along your way to the next apex. We've got others with vests who are good at this as well, and I'm sure we will have a few more things to play with into the fast turns!

C U into T1!

PSSR Al

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ezzywave

duc23- Did Al divulge any of his track "secrets" to you? After anxiously waiting a couple of weeks to hear them, all I could get out of him is to "put your in the on top of one of the s".

Interesting enough, even though I didn't instantly learn how to ride a 1:10 lap, I had the best trackday ever that day. I felt more, ahhh, confident and focused.

Hmmm, maybe a secret or 2 were divulged...

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