PTT Thunderhill Last Weekend

[Thantos]

Theirs only one sure fire way to avoid this aside from staying in the pits and that is go in deeper. Happens all the time at Sears, bus stop and T - 1. And who was the rider with the brake lights.

The bus stop was exactly what I was thinking of, I've seen it happen twice now. It's what got me to up my trail braking game. I can't ride looking behind me, so I just try to be as fast as I can on the track and hope that's enough. I mean that same thing could happen riding to the corner store, it doesn't stop me.

While we're complaining, can we talk about the riders that treat the straights like a NHRA event but take the corners like they have their grandma on the back?

 

[inthewoods]

^^more than likely the same folks who go in out of control on the inside. I saw this once @ Sears by someone 3 turns in a row, but, he did give the arm wave each time.

 

[Tumbleweed]

You can pick and choose who you ride around.

Sorry, but this isn't true. You can only pick and choose them if you are SEEING them. Sure if you see swoopy, bullshit lines....stay clear - they don't understand what a race-line is. If you see herky-jerky spazzy reactions....stay clear - they don't know the damn track or where the line is. These are just the riders that are flaunting their "I'm-such-a-bad-ass" skills in front of you. There's shit going on behind you that you (hopefully) remain blissfully unaware of.

A less experienced rider that is chock full of ego will try to pull a MotoGP pass on you from behind....because that's how they are (currently) wired...they must.pass.now. You WILL NOT see them coming, and you WILL NOT get to make the decision as to whether or not to share space with them.

There is no fixing this stuff in B-group. That is the nature of that group....the great mixing pot of all. Just DON'T BE THAT DUDE. If everyone thought that way and could step back, leave their ego at the gate and just not be a dick, things would be cleaner. Be the rider you would want to ride with/around....

 

[easter bunny]

While we're complaining, can we talk about the riders that treat the straights like a NHRA event but take the corners like they have their grandma on the back?

That's becoming a bigger problem with more riders on liter bikes. I've been guilty of point and squirt on more than a few occasions, but some of these guys park it. I made quite a few outside passes and did a scary endo under the bridge to avoid ass packing a guy who dropped anchor in 14.

 

[jaybocc2]

I once asked an ex AFM superbike champion what I could do about squids running in to the back of me (one of my biggest concerns at the time)...his answer was "go faster into the turns than them!". That advice has stuck with me and although it's not fool proof...I've managed to avoid being ass packed in 15 yrs of track riding.

^^^^^ this.

 

[inthewoods]

A Question. When does one move up to the next group?

 

[Tumbleweed]

A Question. When does one move up to the next group?

You are going to get a million opinions on that question

IMO: Everyone is different. Do you know the track inside/out? Can you anticipate other riders and navigate around them **without impacting them**? Does it seem like you are always passing everyone? What are your lap times? I also do happen to think the bike you are on should be a consideration, but I may be alone in this thought. There is something to consider when you are on a smaller cc'ed bike and considering moving into A-group. You need to be fast, you need to be predicable, and you need to be UNSHAKABLE. You will get passed close, VERYVERYCLOSE, but they will (usually) be good, clean, strong passes....usually, but not always (there are asshats everywhere )

Oh, and you need to be all adulty...no whining and complaining over the above mentioned passes or other "close calls." "Close" to you is probably totally under control for these peeps. if you move yourself into A-group, you are well aware that you are putting yourself with the fast, the faster, and the fastest....notice I didn't mention anything about them being all warm/fuzzy/snuggle bunnies?

I have been back & forth in both. Depending on where I am on different tracks, based on the cirteria above. There are pros & cons to both, and (IMO) different track day providers also tend to have different paces between A and B.....

 

[inthewoods]

That is excellent feedback thanks. I'm thinking predictable/unshakable might lead the pack along with knowing the track inside out. There's always faster than thou.

 

[dtrides]

A Question. When does one move up to the next group?

A better question some riders might ask: " when should I go back to "C" group ?"....

Ok, in all seriousness, when you find you are being held up in almost every corner and you start to notice so many riders in your group are all over the place.
You notice this because you no longer feel lost on the track. You have realized there are preferred lines to take on the track and use them. You have similar braking points of the riders around you.
In essence, you have become predictable and you want to be with others with a like mentality.arty
DT

 

[afm199]

I waved at you. You didn't wave back. My feeling is hurt.

Nooo! Din't see you or recognize you!

 

[afm199]

A Question. When does one move up to the next group?

Easy answer. When an instructor tells you that you're riding too fast for the group you are in.

Hint, the fast 300 riders can turn 2:06s at Thill easily, faster than just about anyone in the B group and 2/3 the people in the A group.

 

[89fj]

I hate those guys

 

[dtrides]

The fast 400's are sub 2min....
I watch them glide by...
DT

 

[Tumbleweed]

The fast 400's are sub 2min....
I watch them glide by...
DT

The baby-bike fast-as-f* lunatics are my idols. So skilled. Every time one of them rails by I'm in awe.

Just to clarify, ^^^^ these people are not who I was referring to in my earlier comment when I mentioned "consider you bike size."