Texwasabi
Well-known member
Ahh yeah, but it was I whom lent your buddy the gloves, I think his seems were busting out. In the pits or in practice, we will meet. :thumbup
What to expect on your first Race weekend/ Day
- Thread starter Holeshot
- Start date
Hellraizer547
Well-known member
Texwasabi
Well-known member
With you on the inside I am sure a few riders will be tasting dirt on their way to two... :wow I keeeed! :teethGridding won't matter as most will be piled up by turn one or two.
Hopefully, not really!
FlatulentDan
Me
definitely some good stuff. I think I'll be compling this into a printable hand-out for new racers 
markermck
Its the "Mad Cow" talking
Fixed:
- After setting your pit area up, be sure to strap down your canopy, and keep it strapped down ALL WEEKEND. DON'T WAIT FOR THE WIND TO COME UP. Its often too late if you wait for that, as you may come back to find it lying upside down on your pit-neighbor's car, and that will make you REALLY popular in the paddock. :mad
SATURDAY MORNING:
- After registration, take your bike to tech. Remember to remove your belly pan and bring all your gear. It helps to have someone follow you with gear if you can. Remember, bikes are not to be started until after 8AM. You only need to bring all your gear at YOUR first race of the year.
- Check your bike over once more:
-Bars tight
-Rear Axle tight/ wired
-Front axle tight/ wired
-Front brake bolts tight/ wired
-OIL PLUG TIGHT AND WIRED
-OIL FILTER TIGHT AND WIRED (note: make sure the old filter gasket does not stick to the engine block anytime you change the filter; inadvertently having two gaskets will create a SERIOUS melee behind you)
-brake levers pumped up and tight
-seat on tight
-no fluids dripping
-bodywork attached tight
-shift lever bolts tight
-belly pan on
-triple Tree Pinch Bolts (this one will save you one day, trust me)
SATURDAY RACES:
- Go to registration and get grid position. A lot of guys put a piece of Duct tape...
Here's an example of what Berto is referring to, and how I do my tank notes (on painter's tape by the way):
-----------------------------
RACE #5 - 250 Prod
Row - 1 Pos - 3
O O X O
-----------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Berto... now I see your problem. You keep using the same old tires!
- Take tires off and to tire guys if you have time
- Put tires back on
Why not install new tires instead? :ride
- After setting your pit area up, be sure to strap down your canopy, and keep it strapped down ALL WEEKEND. DON'T WAIT FOR THE WIND TO COME UP. Its often too late if you wait for that, as you may come back to find it lying upside down on your pit-neighbor's car, and that will make you REALLY popular in the paddock. :mad
SATURDAY MORNING:
- After registration, take your bike to tech. Remember to remove your belly pan and bring all your gear. It helps to have someone follow you with gear if you can. Remember, bikes are not to be started until after 8AM. You only need to bring all your gear at YOUR first race of the year.
- Check your bike over once more:
-Bars tight
-Rear Axle tight/ wired
-Front axle tight/ wired
-Front brake bolts tight/ wired
-OIL PLUG TIGHT AND WIRED
-OIL FILTER TIGHT AND WIRED (note: make sure the old filter gasket does not stick to the engine block anytime you change the filter; inadvertently having two gaskets will create a SERIOUS melee behind you)
-brake levers pumped up and tight
-seat on tight
-no fluids dripping
-bodywork attached tight
-shift lever bolts tight
-belly pan on
-triple Tree Pinch Bolts (this one will save you one day, trust me)
SATURDAY RACES:
- Go to registration and get grid position. A lot of guys put a piece of Duct tape...
Here's an example of what Berto is referring to, and how I do my tank notes (on painter's tape by the way):
-----------------------------
RACE #5 - 250 Prod
Row - 1 Pos - 3
O O X O
-----------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Berto... now I see your problem. You keep using the same old tires!
- Take tires off and to tire guys if you have time
- Put tires back on
Why not install new tires instead? :ride
LongGoneJohn
Gone
You should download this and read it in its entirety:
http://www.afmracing.org/images/downloads/2011_afm_rulebook_web.pdf
They are looking for all the stuff in the rulebook, specifically the requirements for safety wiring and safety issues. Removing the belly-pan helps this.
While race plastics are not "required" so to speak, a belly pan is, and stock plastics rarely come with a belly pan.
xam, which bike are you going to be setting up for racing? But as Ant has said, there are minimum requirements for all bikes. Safety wire and a belly pan are essentials. If you have a full fairing, it must be able to hold fluids. You will have to take off the lowers to have the bike checked. You will also have to bring the lowers to the tech line to have it inspected as well.
Im with him ^^^^^ :laughing
its an 08 zx6r.
i didnt say i was going to start racing this season..
i just plan to in the future.. i dont have the money right now
besides i would be racing my daily driver, i was wanting to wait until i could
make it a dedicated race bike.
with that said i still want as much information as possible
i will be racing in the future..
so its sounding like im going to need to invest in some race fairings?
also what leathers do you guys recommend
http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/JOE-ROCKET-SPEEDMASTER-60-SUIT
seemed like a decent deal.
i didnt say i was going to start racing this season..
i just plan to in the future.. i dont have the money right now
besides i would be racing my daily driver, i was wanting to wait until i could
make it a dedicated race bike.
with that said i still want as much information as possible
i will be racing in the future..
so its sounding like im going to need to invest in some race fairings?
also what leathers do you guys recommend
http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/JOE-ROCKET-SPEEDMASTER-60-SUIT
seemed like a decent deal.
TenacityRacing
Early Braker
i second that!
where was this last year for me
love the AVATAR ... looks like me on my get off last august .. but i tore a hemi
Ghostdog2007
Trackday Hack
Thanks fo the run down on first weekend. Im taking the plunge.:thumbup
andreb
Slow than I was...
Not sure if these points have been brought up but here is a few that will make you look like a pro instead of a newb and keep you from being "that guy" who's new to racing with the AFM.
Beg, plead or even pay for someone to come to the track with you on race weekends. Even if they don’t know anything about bikes its nice to have someone watching your back especially when you are far from home. No skill needed to put ice in the cooler, make sure you are drinking fluids and keeping an eye on you while you circulate the track. When thing go sideways (and they will) its great to have an extra set of hands for repairs or to load up and help drive home.
If your generator is loud, please don't point the exhaust at my pits or move it to where all the sound reflects off your truck or trailer towards me. I spent good money on a quiet generator to NOT piss off my neighbors. If you don't want to hear your generator; neither do I. If your generator is a commercial/Costco special, walk around when it's running and see how it compares to "quiet" version. Check the noise level from your neighbors and see if you can do anything to minimize it.
Don't bring your pets. You're here to race not play with your dog. I know he's your best friend but regardless of how well you think they behave I guarantee when you leave the pits they will bark and whine the entire weekend. Your neighbors will want to kill them and you. There are a few exceptions (Alex's dogs) and if you have someone who can be with them the ENTIRE time it's probably OK. Most animals aren't accustomed to being at a racetrack and freak out the moment you're out of sight. Keep them on a leash but don't tie them up and leave them unattended.
There is a "vendor row" at every race where people who sell stuff (tires, etc.) park. If it's 10 am on a Saturday and you roll in and find a huge space open, it's not for you. Just ask someone if you're unsure. They usually show the area clearly on the map inside the program available at the front gate. Also at Sonoma, the spaces across from the garages between T11 and T1 are reserved for people who rent the garages. Please leave a truck and trailer space deep if you pit on the opposite side. If it's Sunday and the space is still empty you're probably OK but a few guys roll in on Sunday only to race so proceed at you're own risk. Typically racers in the garages know their neighbors so just ask.
Keep your bike and gear clean. What's clean? When was the last time you pressure washed the engine/chassis? When did you last remove all the chain goo around the swing arm/frame? Need a bike for reference? Come see mine. You are more likely to spot a problem or pending failure on a clean bike. It could save your ass. My buddy had a high-speed off exiting T8 at Thunderhill when the rear frame cross member that holds the shock broke loose on his SV. The crack didn’t just happen then, it had been happening for a while. He never saw it because it was covered in grease and dirt.
Work on your bike at home between races. Save your time at the track for riding. An old racer I worked for always said, “the best weekends are when we don’t open the toolbox.” Forget all this if you own/ride a two stroke ;-) Your mostly likely maintenance items will be bleeding your brakes and changing tires. If you haven’t changed the wheels on your bike try it before coming to the track. The front likely requires a special tightening sequence and the rear can be tricky. Getting a rear tire in can be a lesson in patience with all that’s going on back there; wheel spacers, brake caliper, caliper bracket, chain, axle, sensors, etc. I’ve seen many riders miss out on practice session because they were fighting a rear wheel. Also make sure you have all the tools you need to get the job done so you’re not running around borrowing tools.
Motorcycle manufactures publish torque values for a reason. Get a good torque wrench and use it on critical fasteners. A properly tightened fastener will rarely loosen on its own but I’ve seen lots of bolt snapped and nuts stripped from improper torque settings on the wrench. Double check the values and have a sheet of the common values you need taped inside the lid of your toolbox. Want to be MotoGP? Label the fasteners with the torque value and nut/bolt size. No label machine? Use a Sharpie or permanent marker/paint.
Learn how to safety wire properly. Wire anything that will kill you or another rider if it falls off, moves or leaks and causes a crash. If you can’t wire a fastener at least put some silicone on it, red preferably so Tech knows you made the effort. Paint pens or “anti-sabotage” lacquer from an aviation supply co. work well too and you can visually see if fasteners have moved.
If your bike has a key you should try to replace the lock cylinder with a switch. If you can’t, put a spare key for your bike in your toolbox. If you lock your toolbox, put that key on the key chain of you race/tow vehicle. If you have a trailer and or bike locks put that on the same chain as well. The idea being when you get in your vehicle and head to the track, you’ll always have all your keys with you.
Have fun. Meet your pit neighbors. Go easy in the morning when the track is cold. There are no trophies for “winning” practice. Find a bike/class that fits your skills and your budget. Racing can be fun even at the back as long as you have someone to race with. Have a plan, work on you skills. Don’t crash a lot and get burnt out or injured.
Beg, plead or even pay for someone to come to the track with you on race weekends. Even if they don’t know anything about bikes its nice to have someone watching your back especially when you are far from home. No skill needed to put ice in the cooler, make sure you are drinking fluids and keeping an eye on you while you circulate the track. When thing go sideways (and they will) its great to have an extra set of hands for repairs or to load up and help drive home.
If your generator is loud, please don't point the exhaust at my pits or move it to where all the sound reflects off your truck or trailer towards me. I spent good money on a quiet generator to NOT piss off my neighbors. If you don't want to hear your generator; neither do I. If your generator is a commercial/Costco special, walk around when it's running and see how it compares to "quiet" version. Check the noise level from your neighbors and see if you can do anything to minimize it.
Don't bring your pets. You're here to race not play with your dog. I know he's your best friend but regardless of how well you think they behave I guarantee when you leave the pits they will bark and whine the entire weekend. Your neighbors will want to kill them and you. There are a few exceptions (Alex's dogs) and if you have someone who can be with them the ENTIRE time it's probably OK. Most animals aren't accustomed to being at a racetrack and freak out the moment you're out of sight. Keep them on a leash but don't tie them up and leave them unattended.
There is a "vendor row" at every race where people who sell stuff (tires, etc.) park. If it's 10 am on a Saturday and you roll in and find a huge space open, it's not for you. Just ask someone if you're unsure. They usually show the area clearly on the map inside the program available at the front gate. Also at Sonoma, the spaces across from the garages between T11 and T1 are reserved for people who rent the garages. Please leave a truck and trailer space deep if you pit on the opposite side. If it's Sunday and the space is still empty you're probably OK but a few guys roll in on Sunday only to race so proceed at you're own risk. Typically racers in the garages know their neighbors so just ask.
Keep your bike and gear clean. What's clean? When was the last time you pressure washed the engine/chassis? When did you last remove all the chain goo around the swing arm/frame? Need a bike for reference? Come see mine. You are more likely to spot a problem or pending failure on a clean bike. It could save your ass. My buddy had a high-speed off exiting T8 at Thunderhill when the rear frame cross member that holds the shock broke loose on his SV. The crack didn’t just happen then, it had been happening for a while. He never saw it because it was covered in grease and dirt.
Work on your bike at home between races. Save your time at the track for riding. An old racer I worked for always said, “the best weekends are when we don’t open the toolbox.” Forget all this if you own/ride a two stroke ;-) Your mostly likely maintenance items will be bleeding your brakes and changing tires. If you haven’t changed the wheels on your bike try it before coming to the track. The front likely requires a special tightening sequence and the rear can be tricky. Getting a rear tire in can be a lesson in patience with all that’s going on back there; wheel spacers, brake caliper, caliper bracket, chain, axle, sensors, etc. I’ve seen many riders miss out on practice session because they were fighting a rear wheel. Also make sure you have all the tools you need to get the job done so you’re not running around borrowing tools.
Motorcycle manufactures publish torque values for a reason. Get a good torque wrench and use it on critical fasteners. A properly tightened fastener will rarely loosen on its own but I’ve seen lots of bolt snapped and nuts stripped from improper torque settings on the wrench. Double check the values and have a sheet of the common values you need taped inside the lid of your toolbox. Want to be MotoGP? Label the fasteners with the torque value and nut/bolt size. No label machine? Use a Sharpie or permanent marker/paint.
Learn how to safety wire properly. Wire anything that will kill you or another rider if it falls off, moves or leaks and causes a crash. If you can’t wire a fastener at least put some silicone on it, red preferably so Tech knows you made the effort. Paint pens or “anti-sabotage” lacquer from an aviation supply co. work well too and you can visually see if fasteners have moved.
If your bike has a key you should try to replace the lock cylinder with a switch. If you can’t, put a spare key for your bike in your toolbox. If you lock your toolbox, put that key on the key chain of you race/tow vehicle. If you have a trailer and or bike locks put that on the same chain as well. The idea being when you get in your vehicle and head to the track, you’ll always have all your keys with you.
Have fun. Meet your pit neighbors. Go easy in the morning when the track is cold. There are no trophies for “winning” practice. Find a bike/class that fits your skills and your budget. Racing can be fun even at the back as long as you have someone to race with. Have a plan, work on you skills. Don’t crash a lot and get burnt out or injured.
Last edited:
MonicaLeePaige
Active member
Thank you Berto! I will refer back to this before my first race.