Thunderhill Walk Through by Michael Earnest

[MrCrash]

Michael just updated his original walk-through for a Thunderhill newsletter. He asked if I could post it for him here as well.

*****

This is a description of a FAST lap piloting a 185HP GSXR-1000 at Thunderhill Park by 23 year veteran motorcycle racer Michael Earnest of www.PacificTrackTime.com. Holding 30 events a year, PTT offers open track time, competition licensing, schools, and lots of fun. If you want to go fast on your motorcycle, Pacific Track Time is the group to ride with.

Thunderhill Raceway is located in Willows, CA, just an hour and a half north of Sacramento off of I-5. The track has over three miles of high speed sweeping turns, blind corners, doglegs and dramatic elevation changes that makes this challenging track very popular with motorcyclists. Thunderhill is a very safe track with plenty of runoff and 36' wide pavement offers exceptional grip. Thanks to Mike Solis of CityBike magazine for providing the exceptional photos.

NOW LET'S RIDE!!!

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 1

Coming up the front straight, shift at redline in every gear at 175 mph in 6th gear with the throttle pinned on my 185 HP 2007 Suzuki GSXR-1000 approaching T1. Move to the right side of the track to set up for T1, a wide 115 MPH left hand turn.

After braking hard and downshifting twice, square it off with a late apex, turn in and aim for the last part of the inside curb while rolling to positive throttle with your knee just skimming the curbing.

Open the throttle soon here because the exit of the turn is uphill leading onto a relatively long straight to T2. With the throttle wide open the bike will slide to the outside edge of the track. The front end becomes light and will headshake as you crest the hill into a wheelie as you stand the bike upright for maximum acceleration.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 2

Over rev 4th gear as you come down into Turn 2, a fast, sweeping 180 degree left-hand turn. Brake hard, downshift to 3rd trail braking to the inside. Once you're off the brakes, aim to keep the bike within two feet of inside of track before completing the first 1/3rd of turn. Maintain positive throttle throughout the turn. Rolling to full throttle on the exit the rear tire will spin to finish off the corner. Hold 3rd gear wide open and use about 2/3rds of the track on the exit. Aim to left side of track for upcoming T3.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 3

Set up for off-camber right hand Turn 3 about 1/3rd of the way from the left edge of the track. Brake hard, turn in aggressively using the flat cambered section before cutting across the off camber section entering T3. Aim roughly 5 feet from inside of T3, gradually turning in to bring knee over last bit of curbing on right, setting up for a late apex T4 while maintaining positive throttle control.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 4

Turn in late with bike tight across curbing on left rolling on throttle aggressively spinning the rear tire to finish off the corner, standing the bike up for a brief wide open throttle drive up the steep hill approaching T5. Allow bike to drift under acceleration to very edge of track on right to set up for T5, Thunderhill's infamous Cyclone.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 5

The Cyclone has a steep uphill approach with a sharp blind left dropping into a steep, downhill right (T5a). Wait until the last second before steering left and rolling to positive throttle, heading for the inside curb at the top the hill. Most of the turning is done before the crest using the additional traction. The bike is beginning to come upright over the hill and your body is ready to shift to the right for the T5-A downhill right turn. Since the exit of T5 is an elevator drop, bike will momentarily not have much grip until it settles.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 5a

Turning to the right for T5A aiming approximately 4 feet from inside of track using positive throttle as you pass the G out at the bottom. When the suspension compresses as the bike G’s out use the added grip to turn in for a tighter exit. Roll throttle, spinning the rear to finish the corner with a brief full throttle blast as you look towards your T6 entry.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 6

Brake hard on the approach to Turn 6. Turn aggressively pulling bike as tight as possible mid corner. Passing mid-corner, begin rolling the throttle to the stop, the rear tire will spin on the exit assisting in finishing the turn. Drifting to the right curbing as the bike stands upright, while power wheeling on the exit, grab a quick upshift. Your drive is important here for Turn 7, a high-speed left-hand kink. Grab another upshift before leaning the bike over for Turn 7, which is taken at full throttle.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 7

The camber in Turn 7 is slightly negative, upsetting the chassis just slightly, and interferes with your sighting of the corner exit. The bike will shake, spin and slide, at over 140mph. Don’t back out of this aggressive section as it is imperative for a quick lap time.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 8

Speed through Turn 8 is very important for a good lap time because it exits into an uphill straight. Set up on right, 1/2 inch inside of concrete patch. Brake hard, downshift, and late apex - aim for the second part of the inside curb with your inside knee over the curbing. Roll to full throttle early for a good drive up the hill towards Turn 9. Upshift as the bike wheelies up the hill and allow it to drift wide right.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 9

Turn 9 is a 90-degree left that crests a blind hill with a large amount of positive camber at the entrance. Aggressively brake late on the right side of the track, bang a downshift and throw it in. Aim for the inside curb while rolling the throttle on. Do not turn too much to the left, only the amount necessary to stay on the track. The bike will wheelie as you crest the hill almost running off the right edge of the track. As you bring the bike upright at the crest, upshift early to allow the bike to settle and the front wheel will stay low. Use the momentum of the steep downhill for the wide open 150mph straight. Grab one more upshift, head toward the right side of the track to set up for Turn 10.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 10

Brake hard, downshift twice, steer left aiming to strafe the inside curb. Grip is very good there with the exit opening up. Be smooth on the throttle, rolling to full throttle on the exit. The rear tire will spin and the bike will drift to the edge of the track. The straight between T10 and T11 may be short, but still important to be wide open.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 11

The T11-T13 complex is a momentum section, carry lots of entry speed as all the quick turns will scrub off speed unless maintaining positive throttle. Setting up on the right edge of the track, brake hard, downshift once, square off, and aim for the second part of the inside curb as you keep the bike very tight. Use the positive camber on the inside, aiming to make the bike turn sharply. The bike will slide to the right on the exit as you finish T11 on the gas. Sliding to the exit curbing, you are immediately in T12, so prepare yourself for a quick body position swap.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 12 / 13

For the best lap time, do your best to straighten out this section. Using a snapping transition, maintain the throttle into Turn 12 - a right hand kink in the T11-T12-T13 combination. Grab a quick upshift exiting T12 beginning a turn in that will put you tight at the center of T13. Roll to full throttle through Turn 13 as the bike stands up on the exit and will drift to the outside edge of the track while spinning.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 14

Holding 5th gear down the back straight at well over 140mph, bring the bike to the left side of the track to set up for Turn 14, a slow, decreasing radius right. Brake hard after crossing under the bridge, three downshifts and wait for the rear tire to settle before trail braking to the inside of the turn. Roll the throttle to the stop, with a quick upshift on the exit allowing the bike to drift wide under acceleration.

 

[MrCrash]

Turn 15

Drifting to the left side of the track, use a late apex and square off T15 with knee over the curbing as you exit the right-hander that leads onto the long front straight. The bike will slide under acceleration to the outside edge of the track on the exit. As the bike wheelies and slides, don’t let up even if the bike is on the curbing – it’s just more positive camber, use it ! Hold it wide open as the bike stands up, keeping your weight forward.

 

[MrCrash]

Continue to upshift as you accelerate up the high-speed front straight heading for the Start/Finish line. Rip off a 150 mph victory wheelie as you wave to your fans.

BRING IT ON !!!!!

Michael Earnest AFM #26 / AMA #70
2007 GSXR-1000 185 HP
Best Lap Time 1:49.9
www.PacificTrackTime.com

 

[Ratters]

I will never ever have a lap like that as long as I live.

Almost makes me appreciate being the slow guy that I am. :teeth

 

[RedMist]

Famous last words from most besides Earnest and a few others.

"The bike will slide under acceleration to the outside edge of the track on the exit."

:laughing

 

[trkdydumper]

how come my speedo never reads that high... can some one fix it?