Let's Go Motorcycle Racing!

exalted512

So I've been doing track days for about a year and a half now. I've got to where I'm decently fast. I've also started instructing at one of the local track day organizations. People have asked me why don't I start racing. My answer has always been it's too expensive. It is. Its $180 for 3 races. Not to mention the licensing fee of $145 every year. There's also the one time class fee that's $75.

Compared to track days, where I can ride all day by simply putting in a days work worth of either corner working, track marshaling, or instructing...racing is ridiculously expensive. Especially since a race probably averages 5 laps as compared to 1 session at a track day being 7 or 8...and you get 7+ sessions.

Anyway, some friends of mine got together and started a pool for me. I have some pretty awesome friends. They raised a few hundred for me to start and go racing. I couldn't believe it. I really couldn't.

The final CMRA round was this last weekend right in my back yard at Texas World Speedway. My favorite track. But I still had to get my license. They have a Friday 'practice' which is basically a track day on steroids full with racers. They also offer the licensing school during that time. The school consists of some classroom time. You have to complete a 'mock race' at the end of the day...and you have to go all day without crashing.

I told myself just to take it easy all day that way I don't crash. Well, that went out the window. I was there to race...and I needed the passing practice (something I'm not very good at). I wouldn't say I was going 100%, but I wasn't taking it easy...especially when I needed to pass someone. I also got a little carried away with my lean angle. Enough to where I was dragging elbow around a 90 mph turn. No action shots...but here's my suit (Which is 2 track days old)


Got through the end of the day and was ready for the mock race. I got a terrible start. Went from 3rd to 6th (of about 12 total) before I ever got to the first turn. I was picking people off one at a time. Stuffed one of the instructors in the process and almost ran him in the grass...oops. I finally got the person in first. I got him on the brakes in turn 3. He got me back on the inside of T7. I got him on the brakes again in T3. I took a more defensive line and he couldn't get around me. I won the mock race. I found out afterwards the dude I was battling it out for lost the front in T7 on that last lap. He was perfectly fine, the bike wasn't. It'll take a pretty penny to get it back in order. The motor and frame was probably okay...maybe the forks...everything else is probably getting replaced. It was the last lap of the day. Besides the obvious of not having a bike, he failed the class and couldn't race this weekend like he had planned on.

Here's my video of the mock race. It cuts out half way though I ran out of memory on my card. I wasn't terribly happy about that, but what can ya do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkwsIBDw6uY&feature=g-upl

The mock race really calmed my nerves. I had been anxious all week...but now I was calm again and ready for Sunday. Only problem was it was only Friday night. Saturday seemed to fly by though. I finished all the wiring and put the number plates on my bike, got teched and registered.

Sunday:
We had 2 practice sessions. Just used them to get a feel for the track conditions, scrub in my new front tire for both sessions, put a new rear on for just the 2nd session.

Due to day light savings, they cut all the races from 6 laps to only 5...which hurt me since I was in the very back of all my races.

My first race was Superstock B. Superstock limits the modifications you can do to the bike. The 'B' is the size bike. You can run up to a 750. I'm on a 600. Disadvantage There were 38 people in this race. Having acquired no points and not being able to register until Friday night (since I got my license Friday), I was at the 2nd to last row (in all my races). Another big disadvantage. I managed to get 13th. Up until this point, I was only ever to hit a 1:56 lap once. This race I hit it twice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-g-ekMYkhs&feature=g-upl

Second race was Superstock C. This is a 600 class, so no disadvantage there. But there were 43 people in this class...and I was in the back again on the second wave. Managed to get 8th this time. I also hit a 1:54 that race This race is probably the most entertaining of the 3 to watch. At the very end I couldn't get around one guy...although I had multiple chances...I still haven't mastered the art of passing quite yet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHG3npjfYAE&feature=g-upl

Last race of the day was Superbike C. The superbike classes allow upgrades to the bike that superstock doesn't. Things like better master cylinders and calipers...or slicks instead of DOT's. Grid size was 35 and still in the second wave. Managed another 8th place.

The scariest pass I made all day was in this race...although it doesn't look scary at all. On the last lap, around the 8:15 mark, I'm sucking up a guy and make up a good 50 yards through turn 1 and 2. I tell myself I have to pass him in T3. It's the easiest place to pass on the whole track, besides T1 and T2, which I just went by. My camera is on a fork mount. So all the side to side motion you see is my forks going side to side under acceleration. Well, I was braking so hard coming into T3, still completely straight up and down, that my front tire was losing traction and making my forks shake ever so slightly. I wanted to hold the throttle until I got completely around him before I hit the brakes...and that's what I did - with my balls in my throat. By the time I hit the finish line, I had number 7 in my sights...and 5 and 6 right in front of them. If it had been any other weekend with 6 laps, I definitely would have passed number 7 and would have tried my hardest to get 5 and 6, but that would've been a stretch. Oh well, there's always next year. Oh, and I hit a 1:53! In fact, I ran a faster time than the guy that got first I was pleased with that. Managed to knock off a HARD 3 seconds in just 15 laps. Incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAGLLYTOVt4&feature=g-upl

That was it. Now that my weekend is over, everything seems to be moving slowly. A few guys are hopefully moving up to the expert class next year, which will hopefully allow for me to get on the podium next year and win some contingency money to help pay for some of this crap. It gets expensive. I plan on racing 4 rounds next year...all of which I should be starting in the first wave...so we'll see what next year holds!

Here's me in my first race, first lap...just got passed on the outside of turn 4 by a friend of mine who is INCREDIBLY fast...and also on a 750. He's number 380, I'm number 985.
http://www.hart-photography.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=1873103

-Cody

scottyboy76

That has got to be the biggest rush.

I could tell ya about debs nephew matthew, who went to a track day event at road atlanta a few years ago, on the last turn of the last lap lost control at 100 MPH plus after another rider swept in front of him creating an air disturbance.

I could tell ya about his wrist, elbow and shoulder being shattered,the surgerys, the scars, and the clavicle area that will always pop out when stressed very much.

I could tell ya all that, but I would rather tell ya about his new kawasaki, and his days here in the mountains, on the regular roads, or on the dragons tail, or the road between here and Dahlonega Ga. on Blood mountain just loving every turn.

Ride safe and have fun.

mrbigbluelight

Nice videos, Cody. Caught myself leaning into turns, too, just watching.
That does take some cajones to do that to be sure, more than what I have. Interesting to see how you improved on each race, especially off the line. Kind of cool how you closed some big gaps on the straights. That's either due to your bike or your cajones, or both maybe.
Stay safe out there !

exalted512

I have a quick shifter on my bike, which helps a little...but mostly, the better drive you have out of the last corner, the better it's going to set you up for on the straight. The 09+ zx6's do have one of the strongest motors in a 600 though, so that helps. But I gain the most on people in turn 1 and 2, after the long straight...and that corner is just about balls...haha. That last video around the 8:15 mark...you can see how much time I made up in just turns 1 and 2. After that, I was going to make sure I passed him in T3 so all that work wasn't for nothing...haha
-Cody

Clipdat

Very impressive, thanks for sharing the videos!

exalted512

Finally got around to buying the pics



Friend of mine (380) showing me how's it done













And a couple from last MSR-Houston day with RS

Me showing my buddy how it's done


Me failing at dragging elbow in the carousel. Not even close. **** is wayyyyy too bumpy


Thanks again!
-Cody

jeremymarcinko

Ahh come on man, whats up with that last pic, look at you hangin way off your seat just tryin to scuff up those sliders. HaHa, Lets see the scuffs on you boots cause they aint even close. Im just playin with ya, have fun out there.

exalted512

haha...I was trying to drag elbow in that picture. Wayyyyyyy too bumpy on that section of the track.
-Cody

nikolas812

Very cool. I'm going to try and make it to the track next year for the first time... How do you like the 636? I had a 2006 a couple years back and hated it. It was one of the fastest 600's I've had but with a odd power band. Came on Really hard All of a sudden up top. Almost like the power band kicking in on a two stroke. It was a little scary actually. But it was the front end and steering being so finicky that bothered me the most. Would get a lot of wobble's like it was on the edge of slapping the bars at any moment..

Anyways I'll probably have a few questions for you around spring time regarding racing and what I need.

jeremymarcinko

nikolas812 wrote: »

Very cool. I'm going to try and make it to the track next year for the first time... How do you like the 636? I had a 2006 a couple years back and hated it. It was one of the fastest 600's I've had but with a odd power band. Came on Really hard All of a sudden up top. Almost like the power band kicking in on a two stroke. It was a little scary actually. But it was the front end and steering being so finicky that bothered me the most. Would get a lot of wobble's like it was on the edge of slapping the bars at any moment..

Anyways I'll probably have a few questions for you around spring time regarding racing and what I need.

I think its a 599cc now. no more 636

exalted512

I love it. All 600's can be somewhat 2-stroke-ish. None of them make power until you're 8k+

As Jeremy mentioned, my model is a 599, although they are bringing the 636 back for 2013. Mine was dynoed at 113 hp, not bad for something that weighs less than 400 pounds. It's one of the fastest 600s out there. On the long straight at Texas World Speedway, I pull on almost every other 600. You can really tell here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHG3npjfYAE&feature=player_detailpage#t=141s

I do get quite a bit of head shake. You can see it in my videos since the camera mount is on the forks...so when the camera shakes side to side, that's what my front wheel is doing. That's the nature of the front end getting light and the contact patch in the front getting smaller from acceleration.

I would love to race one of the new 636's next year! Too bad I couldn't even dream of buying another new bike...
-Cody

jeremymarcinko

exalted512 wrote: »

I love it. All 600's can be somewhat 2-stroke-ish. None of them make power until you're 8k+

Yeah, had a R6 raven, bought new in 06 it was just awful under 9.5k. Then it came on pretty fast, fun in the twistys but a real downer in town. I think Honda and Suzuki are a little better on bottom but still lacking compared to the all of the earlier 600's of ten years ago. The current lineup of streetbikes are far more track ready with engines designed with road-racing as its main function.

exalted512

...my second weekend of racing is coming up this weekend at Motor Sports Ranch Houston (MSRH)

No extra money for the Friday practice, so I'll be rolling up tomorrow to get ready for the sprints on Sunday.

Decided to mix it up a little. I have a 09 zx6 (600cc). Decided to do both C (600cc classes), B superbike (750cc class), and A superbike (1000cc class)

This track is slightly more forgiving for small bikes because the straights aren't as long as TWS (the one I raced at previously)...BUT, the longest 2 straights are at the end of the course, whereas TWS the longest straight is at the beginning and the 2nd longest is in the middle. So if you get passed on the throttle, you still have time to pass them back using skill...haha

I'm definitely going to have to be on my A-game this time. I have no idea of the starting order yet, but I'm hoping to be at least mid-pack this time, instead of the very back like last time. This track isn't as wide as the last track I was at, so it's harder to pass. There will also be more fast people than at the last race.

I'm going to have to pull out a miracle if I want to podium. Wish me luck!

Here's the schedule with what the track looks like
http://www.cmraracing.com/pdf/2013/Schedules/MSRH_FEB_2013_SCHEDULE_2PG.pdf

And a video from last weekend when I was there

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GspTm6U4z4E

-Cody

Oldfatdogs

I'm going to have to pull out a miracle if I want to podium. Wish me luck!

Balls out baby!!

Have fun and good luck.

exalted512

Not a good weekend. Almost wrecked because of a faulty tire warmer. Had some mediocre performances due to 'meh' starts and **** starting position.

Then, to top it off - I blew my motor. And the video cut out on the last session too. FML. Oh well, it's the game we play.

Got a little close to a guy at one point. Here's a screen shot, video will come later. You're looking at my dash cam. The black on the bottom of the screen is my instrument panel.


-Cody

exalted512

Videos of my races last weekend with CMRA at Motor Sports Ranch Houston:
Almost wrecked in this one. Faulty rear tire warmer almost made me high side on the first lap. Then it was sliding all over the place as it was getting warmed up. Managed a 15th. All my races I started from about 30th place. I had to slow down the video to .25 speed so you could see what went on during my mishap. The camera is on a fork mount, so the back and forth motion is what my front forks (and front tire) are doing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnvHd9nn-UU

Next up, superbike b, the '750cc class'. Didn't get as good a start, I made a pretty questionable pass around the 7:00 mark...but its racing. Managed another 15th.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6t7vkHJuKM

Superbike C was after that. It's a 600cc class. Another bad start. Pretty drama free in this video. Lots of good passing. I got - you guessed it - 15th place. Which I'm still confused about since I passed a couple people that were placed higher in the results than me after I crossed the start/finish and before the red flag came out. I think I should have got 13th. Oh well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22iNOKtl1KU

Last race was superbike A, the 1000cc class. Even though I was going up against liter bikes on my little 600, still got an amazing start. This grid was smaller, I started around 20th. Great view of a wreck in the first turn! Anyway, I was doing great up until I blew my engine up I was actually up to 9th place before it went. To add to that - the damn video cut short too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbPV7deQVpU

Overall - not my best weekend. I'm hoping to get back out there soon, but if I need a new engine - it'll be a while. I don't have $1000 to throw at the bike right now

ZLTFUL

Raced for years and years myself. CCS, WERA...even did a few CMRA races years ago (Colin was still racing CMRA then...yeah it's been that long ago).
I stopped in the late 90s and then took it back up in the early 2000s. Raced CCS for a couple of years and just started to lose interest in the competition aspect of it.
Quit again and then 5 years ago decided to start doing track days with my buddies. NESBA... Went from their B group to their A group in half a day. A lot of AMA pros used to like to use their A group as extra training. Got to run with Geoff May at Road America back in 2009. Was actually able to hang with him in the rain...once it got dry though, I was WAY out of my element.
Had way more fun doing track days because there was no pressure.
But then NESBA pulled out of the Mid Central region in 2010 and MidWest in 2011. Leaving just Sportbike Track Time and TrackAddix (run by Ducati Omaha at a couple of tracks up this way).
I have done a few random MotoMondays (open track at Mid America Motorplex) since then but then I ended up selling my Gixxer last February.

My knees have finally had enough though now so I am pretty much only riding street and dirt.
I miss it and I attend races pretty regularly to cheer on friends in CCS and WERA but I doubt I will do track days or race ever again...maybe a motorcycle Cannonball or something on my new street bike but other than that...hehe.

Had a nice reunion with Colin Edwards at Indy in 2009. I was there as a guest of Monster Energy and he came to the suite to sign autographs. He walks in and sees me and goes "Holy ****...now there's a dog as old as I am!" We talked for about 30 minutes and then he had to head down and get ready for the race but he gave me his personal contact info and gave me an open invitation to the Boot Camp any time I want to go.

Anyway, rambling now.

That crash in turn one on your last video is odd...a high side over the low side crash hehe. Saw him get out of shape on the curbing to the right and then boom on the ground sliding left...

I can ask around. I know Lithium Motorsports in Sioux City has a plethora of spare engines laying around if you end up needing one. Plus Rob, the owner, is pretty fair to other racers.

exalted512

Awesome! Can i have your open invite to the boot camp? haha. It's actually about an hour and a half away from my house. I'd love to go, but the $2k+ for 4 days a riding is expensive, no matter which way you dice it. A few of my friends have and they say he's about the coolest person ever...haha.

As far as the crash goes, I think he just got way too hard on the brakes, didn't transfer the weight to his legs on the tank and instead put uneven pressure on the bars, causing the back end to come up and swing out, which overloaded the front. It's amazing he got a 'gutter ball' when it most certainly should've been a strike...haha. If you look closely, he never hit the curbing.

Hopefully I won't need another engine. I'll know more in a couple weeks.
-Cody

ZLTFUL

Nope! Gonna use it myself in the spring of 2014. Was going to go this year but Puerto Rico is the priority this year. (silly wife and her honeymoon)

Btw, here are some pics from the Indy 2009 trip...and yes...Colin was giving me **** for the shirt the WHOLE time he was there. He actually autographed it for me too as a joke but then later on I got Rossi's autograph on it and my GP Tech Dreamtime replica.
Me and Colin

Me with the loves of my life...especially the brunette on the far left. Her eyes made me weak in the knees...

Who's this dork? LOL

More of the girls...I think the one on the right is oogling me again...

JT. RIght up there with Colin on the cool as **** scale...

Mr. Daytona and I were definitely slurpin' up all the Java Monsters...

JL's handlers wouldn't let him talk to anyone. The guy over his shoulder always looked like he wanted to punch someone...

Gonna be fun to watch these guys on equal footing again...

Draggin' elbows...


I was there again in 2011 as a guest of Ducati. Even got to have dinner with Nicky and his team. That kid is about the nicest kid in the paddock. Sucks he still is stuck on the Duc (I am a Ducati fanboy btw...have a 2012 MTS 1200S-Touring and a 2000 Monster 900i.e.).

exalted512

jealous...

ZLTFUL

BTW, if you look closely, I slapped Colin on the **** just as the picture was taken...

A few of me on the track...
A bad day at Motorsports Park Hastings (NE) as I decided to mow the alfalfa and break 4 ribs...

Return trip to Hastings the following season...




Road America in the rain...because of crashes and nobody else really running, it turned into open track time...you could go out as long as a control rider was circulating.
160mph is a whole new experience in a driving downpour. Hehe.



Putnam Park in Indiana...

Getting scolded for an aggressive pass...DOH!

jeremymarcinko

I have to stop lurking this thread. You guys having all the fun,making me miss my riding days.

Sherardp

Looks like fun, I don't even do the track anymore man. I just cruise my GSXR 1000 on the streets. Loving it though, ride it safe man.

exalted512

512 is the number i wanted! haha.
-Cody

pstrev

exalted512

Thanks for the bump?

Anyway. Terrible year at the track for me so far Found out I spun a bearing in my engine. Getting the whole bottom end replaced (crankshaft, connecting rod assemblies, cam chain, and piston 4), but it won't be ready in time for this weekend, which is the next round. It also happened to be at my all time favorite track, TWS

If I was made of money, I'd buy another engine, but I don't have the change to spare for a hobby.

So I was planning on continuing to instruct to get some money to put towards my expenses on the track bike by using my street bike, a 09 650R. I was teaching our beginner group when someone a few bikes up, lost their coolant cap and dropped coolant all over the track.

Well, I was the lucky one to find it and had my first ever crash on the track. My track times are on par with some of the slower expert level club racers - have my first crash teaching the beginner group

Anyway, I came out fine. Wasn't even sore. My bike is mechanically sound, but she is tore up otherwise

I low-sided, so the bike just slid out from under me. It was fine until it hit the grass. Tires hit, grabbed (NOW they stick? lol), and tossed the bike on the other side. Broke both mirrors, cracked the front fairing, rash on both sides, huge dent in the tank (luckily still holds gas), cracked fairing stay, and the worst part was it broke the gauge cluster. Those things alone are $250 used. I don't really want to spend more than $150, so I'll be out a gauge cluster for a while until I can find a good deal.

No pics. Been too busy / depressed to even do that yet...haha, but I do have video.

The camera is mounted on my helmet. When I hit the asphalt, the camera falls off and is dangling by the tether. So it looks like I tumbled a little more than I did. I only rolled once when I hit the grass. All my gear is still perfectly fine, just a little scratched up. Thankfully, I never hit my head, so nothing will have to be replaced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZJfLZeCrA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZJfLZeCrA


I'm just hoping the rest of the year will get better for me
-Cody

ZLTFUL

Dang the luck man. Sorry to hear. :-(

I got invited to start teaching some of the beginner MSF courses locally this year. I remember my last class that I taught, I was demonstrating emergency braking in a corner and hit a patch of sand and managed to highside myself off of a 250 Rebel.

Pretty much the same type of crash you had there...Doooo Deee Dooo WHOA! PLOP!

exalted512

Well, lady luck wasn't with me this year. After the blown engine and wrecking the street bike while instructing and waiting for my engine to be repaired, I wrecked my track bike for the first time ever...thread here:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?150734-Crashed-the-bike-(-(have-video)

Anyway, I went from wanting to make a minimum of 4 rounds and hoping to make around 5 or 6 to only making the first round where I blew my engine. I use my money I make from instructing to pay for this hobby, but instead of going to racing, it just went back to fixing bikes.

So here it is, October, and the last race of the season is coming back up. It's at my 'home track' again. But instead of starting around 40th place, I'll be starting around 20th...and HOPEFULLY will be in the first wave this time. We have some FAST guys this year, so getting on the podium ain't going to happen, especially starting from 20th...but 5th might be a possibility if I can get through traffic. I just have to hope the weather holds out. I'm excited!
-Cody

ZLTFUL

A buddy who races CRA (Brainerd) managed to grenade 2 bikes and crash a third this season...seems like a crappy year of racing all around...except for my buddy Stallsy who broke the lap record at Brainerd (that includes the WSBK guys when they raced there)...had it broke the same weekend by 2 others and then went back out and broke it again.

Ducati Guy

Looks like you're having fun.
Hey any day you crash and walk away from it, It's a GREAT Day!
Personally, never raced. Have 8 years of hill country riding experience though.
The ducati is tooo expensive to fix.

Ducati Guy

Have you been to the motogp in Austin?