track day at T.W.S.
04-16-2006, 05:14 PM
#1
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track day at T.W.S.
Just completed my third trackday this season with a great ride out at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The track is fast and the conditions were ideal. Weather was around 70 degrees at sunrise, and it warmed up to about 85, maybe 90 by the afternooon. I bought and mounted some new Pilot Powers out there at the track, what a DEAL. The Michelin Man out there mounted and balanced both my tires for $243.50 after tax. As for the racing, the track is very fast, and it is totally a liter bike track. There is even a banked straightaway for those of you not familiar with this track. 15 turns in all, most of them high speed (3rd gear or higher). The other track days really helped me adjust quickly to the new track, and I'm just about ready to move up to level 2 and run with the "big boys". I'm happily addicted to track days, and I hope to prove to the world that superhawks are awesome all around bikes, no matter where they are riding!
04-17-2006, 08:44 AM
#2
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
COOL !!!
Glad you had a good time and no problems.
Just how fast IS turn 1 off the NASCAR straightaway?
Any places to watch out for?
Wish you could make next weekend's TWS trackday
Glad you had a good time and no problems.
Just how fast IS turn 1 off the NASCAR straightaway?
Any places to watch out for?
Wish you could make next weekend's TWS trackday
04-17-2006, 09:57 AM
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
I was at TWS on sat. CNI, turn one for me was at about 140+ but by the end of the stright I was damn sure not looking at the speedo 
its a very fast track, but I think I like both msr tracks better, more tecnical then just plain ont fast. loco are you going to be at MSR C on the 15 the track map looks great. level 2's not that bad you should come play with us. the only things that are big for the most part are ego's 8)
what rpm were you at running third gear with the 15-43 set up I'm running 16-43 and found my self in 2nd most of the times to get the drive out but I was right up at 7500-8000 and was really pounding the engine off the rev limiter before I could get it stright up for a up shift with out getting to much rear slide?
its a very fast track, but I think I like both msr tracks better, more tecnical then just plain ont fast. loco are you going to be at MSR C on the 15 the track map looks great. level 2's not that bad you should come play with us. the only things that are big for the most part are ego's 8)
what rpm were you at running third gear with the 15-43 set up I'm running 16-43 and found my self in 2nd most of the times to get the drive out but I was right up at 7500-8000 and was really pounding the engine off the rev limiter before I could get it stright up for a up shift with out getting to much rear slide?
04-17-2006, 10:24 AM
#4
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
If you don't want to spring for a GPS you can get a SpeedoHealer installed that'll tattle-tale your top-speed run and display it on the analog speedo with the flick of a switch. Since the SHawk is around 7% fast on the speedo-reading, I recommend one!
It's such a rush to NOT crash on a track and survive it well, isn't it!
It's such a rush to NOT crash on a track and survive it well, isn't it!
04-17-2006, 10:25 AM
#5
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I wasn't in 2nd gear except for the pit lane. That and around the carousel when I had too many squids in front of me (that would be just about every lap).
I can tell you though, I might have preferred stock gearing on this track. I was following Lane, not me, the instructor, through the home straight, and I was getting close to redline in 6th, I was reaching for 7th, which puts me pretty close to 150mph. Honestly, by the end of the day I wasn't even laying off the throttle coming out of the bank. So many riders, even you level 2 "badasses" would take that curve too slow, and I could sweep outside with all that speed and pass rider after rider. I think the only people who need to lay off the throttle are the I-4s that can go over 170 through there. I just lean in and goddamn is it exhilarating dragging a puck at 125 mph.
I was in 3rd gear most of the day, because I like to pull wheelies (yes i know.. rule#1.. blah blah) but I wasn't in the right gear. Did you know that 9 people crashed on Saturday? Two level 4 guys crashed on the same LAP!
The track is way faster, but I consider a track like Cresson to be more challenging, technique-wise. This track is a lot more about who can stay off the brakes longer.
I am considering doing the track day at MSR C but my bosses are getting a little suspicious of me taking off all these Mondays. I am also considering going down to Laguna Seca to watch the motoGP race there this summer. Anyone interested in a bad-*** roadtrip?
I can tell you though, I might have preferred stock gearing on this track. I was following Lane, not me, the instructor, through the home straight, and I was getting close to redline in 6th, I was reaching for 7th, which puts me pretty close to 150mph. Honestly, by the end of the day I wasn't even laying off the throttle coming out of the bank. So many riders, even you level 2 "badasses" would take that curve too slow, and I could sweep outside with all that speed and pass rider after rider. I think the only people who need to lay off the throttle are the I-4s that can go over 170 through there. I just lean in and goddamn is it exhilarating dragging a puck at 125 mph.
I was in 3rd gear most of the day, because I like to pull wheelies (yes i know.. rule#1.. blah blah) but I wasn't in the right gear. Did you know that 9 people crashed on Saturday? Two level 4 guys crashed on the same LAP!
The track is way faster, but I consider a track like Cresson to be more challenging, technique-wise. This track is a lot more about who can stay off the brakes longer.
I am considering doing the track day at MSR C but my bosses are getting a little suspicious of me taking off all these Mondays. I am also considering going down to Laguna Seca to watch the motoGP race there this summer. Anyone interested in a bad-*** roadtrip?
04-17-2006, 11:55 AM
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
I stared the day running level 3 but droped down after watching level 4 try to kill themselves practicing ( they were up there bumping wheels literaly)for next week race. I was in the session when they did that it suckes we got like 7 laps total, bumed though I really wanted to practice with ty and learn a few things. but yeah people were lossing there minds out there, at least one was cuz the guy on a cbr1000 was trying to race a guy much who was slow a sin but he sucke in the back end of the track so he pushed to hard through 7 and blew right off 8 coming over the hill stright up didn't even get a decent lean angle. but they red flaged every crash when half of those folks just picked there bikes up and keep riding, let see some yellows and if the're not hurt leave them out there till the session is over
04-17-2006, 12:02 PM
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I didn't know it was possible to go into 7 too hard.. that's probably the fastest turn on the track. A guy in my group was acting like a jackass too, cutting people off right at the end of a straight, he actually tried to pass me on the inside of turn 1 and I freaked because its so dangerous. Then, sure enough, there he is, laying in the grass on the outside of turn 15. Not to say these people deserve it, but if you are gonna act like a madman, sometimes you gotta pay the price. I don't give a crap about laptimes or who comes in first, that's why I race level 1.
04-17-2006, 12:19 PM
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
it was comming out of seven coming over the hill he was still on the gas with the fron wheel flying. it was a dump *** move cuz you can't hold your lines on the horseshoe. wanted to tell him to quit trying to win practice and work on acutaly getting better where you are weak on the track.
I tweaked my leg so the last two sessions I was just crusing and had people that I had passed eralyer tying to back me in as if there was contingency money at stake it was funny watching them run wide and trow off there lines trying to show every one on the track how big their ball where when really they were just makeing error after error. my favorate thing to do all day was just sit behind some one and set up all the differant passing points on the track and play with the lines rather then trying to see how may people I could lap in a session.
I tweaked my leg so the last two sessions I was just crusing and had people that I had passed eralyer tying to back me in as if there was contingency money at stake it was funny watching them run wide and trow off there lines trying to show every one on the track how big their ball where when really they were just makeing error after error. my favorate thing to do all day was just sit behind some one and set up all the differant passing points on the track and play with the lines rather then trying to see how may people I could lap in a session.
04-17-2006, 12:30 PM
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Good info, thanks.
I'll be trying it out Friday's CMRA class & again Sun in Prov/Nov if my ride comes thru.
Loco you must have rode Level 2 if they allowed passing on the inside. Didn't they prohibit that in Lvl 1?
Interesting info on the crashes & getting back on the track.
Took the time to read the CMRA rule book the other night.
After a crash they make you get clearance from a corner worker to get back on the track and then only to ride to the tech inspector in pit row for a check out & release
I'll be trying it out Friday's CMRA class & again Sun in Prov/Nov if my ride comes thru.
Loco you must have rode Level 2 if they allowed passing on the inside. Didn't they prohibit that in Lvl 1?
Interesting info on the crashes & getting back on the track.
Took the time to read the CMRA rule book the other night.
After a crash they make you get clearance from a corner worker to get back on the track and then only to ride to the tech inspector in pit row for a check out & release
04-20-2006, 12:30 PM
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Wait a second.. you're not talking about going out there with the level 4 guys are you? I hope you are running a different class than they are, because it's too skilled even for me, I know I'm fast, but they would completely own me, and if you've never ridden the track, you have a substantial chance of literally killing yourself. Is this something other than the race?
04-23-2006, 08:58 PM
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Wait a second.. you're not talking about going out there with the level 4 guys are you? I hope you are running a different class than they are, because it's too skilled even for me, I know I'm fast, but they would completely own me, and if you've never ridden the track, you have a substantial chance of literally killing yourself. Is this something other than the race?
They did not run a C group so all the CMRA license class riders ran in B.
i was slow but held my line & was safely passed.... repeatedly!
The Prov/Nov race Sunday had about 30 riders (only the yellow shirt beginners)
Clint. our Ride Smart instructor, was one of them...remember him?
I gridded 11C in the second wave out of 13 grid lines. Clint gridded 10L.
I finished next to last....DOH !
It was my worst ride of the weekend...I was too tired by Sunday.
I ran a 2:47. Expert class runs 1:44 laps. I know... I suk!
Oh well...At least should be easy to improve on that time! :-)
My goal was accomplished.
Get my Provisional/Novice license so I can go practice at Oak Hill for $75/day!
Now just one more corner working day and one more Prov/Nov race before the end of the season & I'll have a full license renewable at $100/yr.
If I don't do it by then I'll have to retake the class again for another $245 + another $100 for the actual license!
I'm thinking MSR-C in June would fit my work schedule.
One bad crash in our race.
On the third lap couple riders bumped coming out of turn 14 accelerating for the straight-a-way. One rider went down & slid all the way up the embankment on the straight hitting the wall at the top.
His bike made several big scrape marks all the way to the wall then marked up the wall too!
Trashed his bike & knocked him out.
They red flagged our race & restarted... then ran the last 3 laps.
You would think they wouldn't mix it up so hard when your instructions are "Don't crash for 2 races while you are wearing the PROV/NOV yellow shirt"
04-23-2006, 10:03 PM
#16
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
Just completed my third trackday this season with a great ride out at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The track is fast and the conditions were ideal. Weather was around 70 degrees at sunrise, and it warmed up to about 85, maybe 90 by the afternooon. I bought and mounted some new Pilot Powers out there at the track, what a DEAL. The Michelin Man out there mounted and balanced both my tires for $243.50 after tax. As for the racing, the track is very fast, and it is totally a liter bike track. There is even a banked straightaway for those of you not familiar with this track. 15 turns in all, most of them high speed (3rd gear or higher). The other track days really helped me adjust quickly to the new track, and I'm just about ready to move up to level 2 and run with the "big boys". I'm happily addicted to track days, and I hope to prove to the world that superhawks are awesome all around bikes, no matter where they are riding!
Anybody know around the north texas area, specifically north of Dallas, where I can get my own tires mounted and balanced for a decent price??? I think I may have 200-300 miles left on the set I am running now....
04-24-2006, 06:43 AM
#17
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
I was at TWS on sat. CNI, turn one for me was at about 140+ but by the end of the stright I was damn sure not looking at the speedo
its a very fast track, but I think I like both msr tracks better, more tecnical then just plain ont fast. loco are you going to be at MSR C on the 15 the track map looks great. level 2's not that bad you should come play with us. the only things that are big for the most part are ego's 8)
what rpm were you at running third gear with the 15-43 set up I'm running 16-43 and found my self in 2nd most of the times to get the drive out but I was right up at 7500-8000 and was really pounding the engine off the rev limiter before I could get it stright up for a up shift with out getting to much rear slide?
its a very fast track, but I think I like both msr tracks better, more tecnical then just plain ont fast. loco are you going to be at MSR C on the 15 the track map looks great. level 2's not that bad you should come play with us. the only things that are big for the most part are ego's 8)
what rpm were you at running third gear with the 15-43 set up I'm running 16-43 and found my self in 2nd most of the times to get the drive out but I was right up at 7500-8000 and was really pounding the engine off the rev limiter before I could get it stright up for a up shift with out getting to much rear slide?
Dunno if I can get off or not yet.
04-24-2006, 09:24 AM
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
yeah it is, but the new track looks great. very technical. I think it's worth the extra 50 for the 3.1 track and ridesmart is still the cheapest. lonestar wants 185 or 200 for the same track. but I'm alreay register in level 2 so I hope to se you guys there
04-24-2006, 10:13 AM
#20
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Hm.. I'll think about Level 2. I'm not sure I can keep takin off these Mondays here at my corporate job, but I'll try. 
I kinda like the pace of level 1, but there are a ton of squids on the track at that level and I'm sure level 2 would be a lot more aggressive. I'm just not familiar with the new track, but I guess everyone is in that boat.
I kinda like the pace of level 1, but there are a ton of squids on the track at that level and I'm sure level 2 would be a lot more aggressive. I'm just not familiar with the new track, but I guess everyone is in that boat.
04-26-2006, 05:06 PM
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Re: track day at T.W.S.
yeah people were lossing there minds out there, at least one was cuz the guy on a cbr1000 was trying to race a guy, who was slow a sin but he sucked in the back end of the track so he pushed to hard through 7 and blew right off 8 coming over the hill stright up ( on one wheel) didn't even get a decent lean angle.
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