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So I just did my first day. It was really, frustrating for me. Talked with a couple of the guys I went with (both I group) they persuaded me to contacted the org and tell them what I thought. So here is my email, its a quick summary of they day.
I think I was expecting to feel more confident than I did. I did not expect to be out dragging my elbow on the curbing, and cutting lap times in the 28's, but just to feel better, and enjoy my time.
My email:
Good-morning,
I wanted to reach out to you guys after having done my first track day. It was a disappointment, to say the least. This isn’t an email to bash your organization, or the CR, etc, but some constructive criticism that maybe you can somehow implement into your future days. I can’t iterate this enough, I am simply trying to be constructive.
About me. I have ridden on the street for 15 years. I started when I was 18. My dad rides as well, he required me to take a safety class to get my license. I started on a 250, then went through a few 600’s, to a 750, then built my first bike. I am on my first litre-bike now, an 1198. 5 years ago I was hit on the road, and nearly killed. Broke 3 vertebrae, broke my pelvis in 3 places, etc…I swore I would never get on 2 wheels again. But that only lasted so long! I have wanted to track days for a long time, since before my accident, and finally decided I have waited long enough. So for the last few months I have thrown every available resource at getting all GOOD gear, getting my bike properly setup, buying a bike, etc. It has been a long, expensive few months (all of you know the money this takes). I am friends with the guys at WCW, they know my history. So I asked them who I should ride with, they told me N2 hands down. I was with one of their guys for the track-day yesterday.
So the morning started well, and I was really happy when you broke the novice group up into those who have done days before, and those who have never seen the track before. I was ok with our group size as well. There was 4 of us with our CR. I am not going to go into who my CR was, because I don’t want this to be a bitch session. Our first session came up at 9.40, our CR literally explained nothing to us. I was completely alone by wheelie hill. I don’t know if I can completely explain to you what that feels like. I have never been on a track before, I don’t know the line through the track, I don’t even know what corner is next, and I am completely alone- except for the flock of riders I am holding up behind me. I think I made it halfway through that session. Literally terrified, I came off the track shaking. I never saw my group, or more importantly my CR again that session. I have this image in my head that I must have been going 15mph out there…. My tires tell me a different story though.
Second session was nearly identical. I am pretty sure the CR knew I was part of his group, as I was lining up with him, he knew my bike number, etc. Again, by the chicane I was by myself. This time I had a little more reference, so I at least had an idea of what corner was coming next. Still the same slew of novice people trying to get bumped stuck behind me. A few laps of this and a different CR saw this, and tapped his tail for me to follow. He paid attention, watched what I was doing- most of it wrong. I had no idea who it was until we were in the garage. It was your CR named Louis. He was actually in the garage with me. He focused on body position with me, with my bike up on stands. I told him I didn’t know what I was doing with the braking zones, or the lines I should be taking through corners, etc. He understood where I was. For the 3rd session, he had me leave my bike in 3rd, and that whole session he stayed with me, working on body positioning, and what the correct lines were, corner braking, etc… it was fantastic. Really fantastic. I cant thank that guy enough.
At lunch there was a mandatory novice meeting. It certainly sounded like that meeting started at 1 through the PA system. I got to the class at 1.10, and it was over. And I think I pissed off Louis by missing the class. Which wasn’t my intention. So I really have no idea what time that class started. And I take full responsibility for missing it.
The first session after lunch my CR never even showed up. Which was terrible. Our group of 4 got put with the other guys, so that CR now had 6 or 7 of us. It isn’t really feasible to expect that CR to be able to see what all of us are doing… with in the first lap it was the same thing. We were all split up, the guy in front of me pitted out the first lap, I went out the second. I am not going to be on the racetrack, figuring this out for myself, holding up other riders.
I was so mad, and frustrated at this point, that this was the end of my day. I was disgusted. I came to you guys to learn. To learn to be a better rider. To learn how to ride faster, and to be as safe as possible while doing it. Maybe you guys forget what it feels like to have never been on ANY racetrack before. My CR should have been able to pick up on the fact that he lost me in the first session, lost me in the second, and never had me in the third. I am not looking for a baby-sitter, nor a personal coach. But it should have prompted him to find out what was going on with me. That never happened. I really think you should run the newbie novice with the intro guys for the first session or 2, that way they don’t feel like they are a moving target, and get a better opportunity to familiarize themselves with the track. Sean from WCW had a CR named Emerson ready to work solely with me for my 5th session, but I was so frustrated by that point I didn’t want to do another session. So it would be great if you could send my apologies to him/her, as I wasn’t trying to blow them off. I will do another day with N2, as I think it is unfair to write your organization off after 1 session. I also don’t want to sell myself short.
If you guys would like to talk, please let me know, and I will give you my cell #
So I guess my questions to you guys are:
was my experience normal? Am I just being a crybaby?
I think I was expecting to feel more confident than I did. I did not expect to be out dragging my elbow on the curbing, and cutting lap times in the 28's, but just to feel better, and enjoy my time.
My email:
Good-morning,
I wanted to reach out to you guys after having done my first track day. It was a disappointment, to say the least. This isn’t an email to bash your organization, or the CR, etc, but some constructive criticism that maybe you can somehow implement into your future days. I can’t iterate this enough, I am simply trying to be constructive.
About me. I have ridden on the street for 15 years. I started when I was 18. My dad rides as well, he required me to take a safety class to get my license. I started on a 250, then went through a few 600’s, to a 750, then built my first bike. I am on my first litre-bike now, an 1198. 5 years ago I was hit on the road, and nearly killed. Broke 3 vertebrae, broke my pelvis in 3 places, etc…I swore I would never get on 2 wheels again. But that only lasted so long! I have wanted to track days for a long time, since before my accident, and finally decided I have waited long enough. So for the last few months I have thrown every available resource at getting all GOOD gear, getting my bike properly setup, buying a bike, etc. It has been a long, expensive few months (all of you know the money this takes). I am friends with the guys at WCW, they know my history. So I asked them who I should ride with, they told me N2 hands down. I was with one of their guys for the track-day yesterday.
So the morning started well, and I was really happy when you broke the novice group up into those who have done days before, and those who have never seen the track before. I was ok with our group size as well. There was 4 of us with our CR. I am not going to go into who my CR was, because I don’t want this to be a bitch session. Our first session came up at 9.40, our CR literally explained nothing to us. I was completely alone by wheelie hill. I don’t know if I can completely explain to you what that feels like. I have never been on a track before, I don’t know the line through the track, I don’t even know what corner is next, and I am completely alone- except for the flock of riders I am holding up behind me. I think I made it halfway through that session. Literally terrified, I came off the track shaking. I never saw my group, or more importantly my CR again that session. I have this image in my head that I must have been going 15mph out there…. My tires tell me a different story though.
Second session was nearly identical. I am pretty sure the CR knew I was part of his group, as I was lining up with him, he knew my bike number, etc. Again, by the chicane I was by myself. This time I had a little more reference, so I at least had an idea of what corner was coming next. Still the same slew of novice people trying to get bumped stuck behind me. A few laps of this and a different CR saw this, and tapped his tail for me to follow. He paid attention, watched what I was doing- most of it wrong. I had no idea who it was until we were in the garage. It was your CR named Louis. He was actually in the garage with me. He focused on body position with me, with my bike up on stands. I told him I didn’t know what I was doing with the braking zones, or the lines I should be taking through corners, etc. He understood where I was. For the 3rd session, he had me leave my bike in 3rd, and that whole session he stayed with me, working on body positioning, and what the correct lines were, corner braking, etc… it was fantastic. Really fantastic. I cant thank that guy enough.
At lunch there was a mandatory novice meeting. It certainly sounded like that meeting started at 1 through the PA system. I got to the class at 1.10, and it was over. And I think I pissed off Louis by missing the class. Which wasn’t my intention. So I really have no idea what time that class started. And I take full responsibility for missing it.
The first session after lunch my CR never even showed up. Which was terrible. Our group of 4 got put with the other guys, so that CR now had 6 or 7 of us. It isn’t really feasible to expect that CR to be able to see what all of us are doing… with in the first lap it was the same thing. We were all split up, the guy in front of me pitted out the first lap, I went out the second. I am not going to be on the racetrack, figuring this out for myself, holding up other riders.
I was so mad, and frustrated at this point, that this was the end of my day. I was disgusted. I came to you guys to learn. To learn to be a better rider. To learn how to ride faster, and to be as safe as possible while doing it. Maybe you guys forget what it feels like to have never been on ANY racetrack before. My CR should have been able to pick up on the fact that he lost me in the first session, lost me in the second, and never had me in the third. I am not looking for a baby-sitter, nor a personal coach. But it should have prompted him to find out what was going on with me. That never happened. I really think you should run the newbie novice with the intro guys for the first session or 2, that way they don’t feel like they are a moving target, and get a better opportunity to familiarize themselves with the track. Sean from WCW had a CR named Emerson ready to work solely with me for my 5th session, but I was so frustrated by that point I didn’t want to do another session. So it would be great if you could send my apologies to him/her, as I wasn’t trying to blow them off. I will do another day with N2, as I think it is unfair to write your organization off after 1 session. I also don’t want to sell myself short.
If you guys would like to talk, please let me know, and I will give you my cell #
So I guess my questions to you guys are:
was my experience normal? Am I just being a crybaby?