Rockingham July 14th

id: When I did Cadwell last April as my first (and nearly my last!!! []) trackday I had no idea where to group myself as when out with some of the local folk to me on the road I never seemed to have issues keeping up but didn’t know how I’d fare on track. No Limits (the TDO) wanted me in Novice group when I booked as I had not been on track on a bike before. This seems the norm with all the organisers too: 1st track day, you go in Novice.

After a few sessions it was obvious that due to the VERY quick ex R6 cup track bike I was on I needed to move up a group and after an instructor followed me round for a session to make sure I was safe they moved me to Inters for the 2nd half of the day and I was much happier. Its wierd coz its fun to overtake everything but I was doing so much overtaking I wasn’t getting any clear laps (I lapped a bike in one session on my 2nd lap when in Novice group! In Inters I was still overtaking bikes but not so many as to have them in my way every corner and that ment my lap times came down by loads

When I booked into Brands I assumed that all groups would be similar to Cadwell but as it was my 1st trackday since braking me back and pelvis at Cadwell I opted for Novice and told myself to just take it easy. I was in the wrong group to be honest, doin 1:04’s on the Indy circuit and was even being held up by 1000cc bikes! But I knew that going up a group would be putting more pressure on me and therefore more likely that I’d wipe out![] so I satyed put.

At Donny, my confidence had come back (until I saw how wet it was gonna be anyways!) so I booked Inters without a second thought. First 2 sessions had me thinking it was a mistake as I felt seriously out my depth and had what felt like all the other bikes on track sitting on my rear being held up by my wobbling round the very wet track. Turned out that it was about 5 bikes all running wets so had loads more grip than me, the roles were reversed when it dried out and I could put some power down tho! [:p]

I’d say if anyone was doing their 1st track day then go Novice, then if you competant enough move up to Inters either after lunch or on your next track day. I know lots of people who are quite happy to stay in Novice group, some coz they are happy at that pace which is where they should be and then some who go Novice so that they overtake everything and feel like they are really fast. This is dangerous and could possibly even if it dont cause an accident ruin lots of peoples days as the overtakes are normally mid corner and cause people to have to change lines etc.

Was told by a mate the other day I could cut it in the Fast group but I dont have the faith so shall stick with inters till it gets boring []

I am wanting to race next year, but am under no dillusions of being a fast rider, just want the life experience tick in the box rather than to be the next Foggy.

Cool, yeah heard that there isn’t much chance for a break on any of the straights LOL am really looking forward to it!

You pretty much got your bike lent over as far as you wanna be leaning it there! I’ve been having some “tuition” from a mate down in Plymouth this last weekend on a lil ride out to Newquay, he has corrected my body positioning for me as I was doin the same as you by keeping my body inline with the bike but was moving me arse about a lot, now I am positioning my left boob on the right side of the tank on righty corners and vice versa for lefties! Its wierd to get used to for me as I have been riding god knows how many years now thinking I was already doing that! LOL

Yup all booked in and paid for! (have also booked into another day before then too at Mallory)

well ummm, yeah. Did Rockingham…. Shant rush back, tis a stupid circuit!!!! :lol:

Will possibly bother to post pics when the arrive. If not the camping the night before was more fun than the track designed my a 5yr old!

The track was filthy, there were 5 punctures during the day. We had in the morning 10 Red flags and 17 crashes. the way the infield joins the oval is horrid as you are off camber cranked over trying to get on the gas, then you hit the banking and my bellypan ground out each lap. the corners don’t seem to flow, its like a kid has doodled it in a sketch pad and the camber on most of the bends is wrong. I had a couple of blinding laps but generally it was too awkward. I don’t mind a technical track, but this was not technical, just rubbishly designed!

The track experiance was compensated for by the social side for me and I still had a good time, just wont be going back unless they do it proper cheap and clean the track up a bit better!

Here’s a vid of me showing everyone how not to take the first hairpin (I’m the bike infront!)

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=25809162781