Educate Me - First Track Day Novice - Mid-OH

[DerekClouser]

So I'm planning to do my first track day at Mid-Ohio sometime in the next month or so.  I just recently went and spectated a track day so I kind of have a generalized idea of how it works, but help me understand the full process.  I've read the website trying to understand everything to be prepared as I can be (I think this is why I've not done it in the past).  

As I understand it, I'll pre-pay/register for a novice track day.  Show up in the morning, go through tech inspection.  I've read through the tech requirements so I understand what is required there.   

The website says the helmet doesn't have to be SNELL rated, but I've heard otherwise.  I have a Shoei GT-Air that has the flip down visor so it doesn't pass SNELL, can I use this helmet??  I have a one-piece BILT suit (I know it's not the best, but I didn't want to spend too much money on a suit until I know I'll need it), A* Gauntlet Gloves, Sidici full race boots.  This is acceptable gear correct?

Is there a class before hand to talk about things,?  How do I get assigned a 'rider coach'? As I understand it, after the 20 minute session, we go back into a classroom for 20 minutes with our rider coach and review to learn from our mistakes and improve. Is everyone together and talking generalized information or is it with your coach and more rider specific improvements?? 

Are there any limitations they put on the novice group that they don't put on the intermediate group??

How does lunch go?  I heard it was provided??  Is it enough food or should I plan to bring my own?? 

Lastly, if you could back and re-do your first ever track day, what would you do differently so I can prepare myself to not make those same mistakes??  (I plan to bring cooler with drinks & a pop-up tent.)  

 

Another random question, a buddy of mine has been interested in getting his son (15) out to do a track day.  I read they require you to be at least 18 years of age?? How strict are they on that rule or do you have to contact someone to get it approved??? 

 

Just looking for some insight to calm my nervousness of not knowing.  I was hoping to have some guys I know there to kind of learn together, but that doesn't look like it'll happen and I don't want to wait any longer before getting out to the track. 

 

Also I apologize if these questions seem dumb or silly, I'm just trying to be fully-prepared so I can focus on improving my riding while at the track and not worrying about the technicalities of how the track day is run. 

Edited July 6, 2016 by DerekClouser

[Trackbikez]

Start here: 

 

This is a very recent upload

I'll circle back to the rest of your questions later this evening.

 

[ludwb675]

36 minutes ago, DerekClouser said:

The website says the helmet doesn't have to be SNELL rated, but I've heard otherwise.  I have a Shoei GT-Air that has the flip down visor so it doesn't pass SNELL, can I use this helmet??  I have a one-piece BILT suit (I know it's not the best, but I didn't want to spend too much money on a suit until I know I'll need it), A* Gauntlet Gloves, Sidici full race boots.  This is acceptable gear correct? I can't say anything about the helmet but the rest sounds good. 

Is there a class before hand to talk about things,?  How do I get assigned a 'rider coach'? As I understand it, after the 20 minute session, we go back into a classroom for 20 minutes with our rider coach and review to learn from our mistakes and improve. Is everyone together and talking generalized information or is it with your coach and more rider specific improvements??  There will be a riders meeting in the morning before the first session. After the meeting, the groups break up (Novice/Int/Advance). As novice, you will get broken up into groups of 3-5 depending on crowd size and number of coaches. There will be numbered cones in pit lane you will meet at before each session with the coach and follow him out. They explain everything very well and the coaches are amazeballs at Mid-O. 

Are there any limitations they put on the novice group that they don't put on the intermediate group?? In the morning you will be doing different drills learning the track and your bike. By the afternoon it's pretty much open track. The only difference is novice can only pass on the back straight. Sometimes front straight depending on coaches. 

How does lunch go?  I heard it was provided??  Is it enough food or should I plan to bring my own?? I've never had them run out of food on me. I bring snacks but never a lunch. 

Lastly, if you could back and re-do your first ever track day, what would you do differently so I can prepare myself to not make those same mistakes??  (I plan to bring cooler with drinks & a pop-up tent.)  I wouldn't have wrecked. My first day was at Nelsons. I took turn 4 too hot and instead of leaning it in, i looked at the grass and off i went. The only damage was a bent gear shift and marred fairings. I bent the shifter back and was back out the same session. 

 

I answered what i could. It's a blast and wish i would have started earlier. But it spoiled me as well and now i don't own a street bike anymore. It took all the fun out of it (since i live in North Olmsted and the closest fun roads is like 2 hours away.)

[330racing]

that "crashed" thing is why I'm keeping my ass off the track.  Insurance frowns upon wrecking your 16k bike at a racetrack and will deny the claim....

[Vagabound]

This is how my day went in Novice last Monday. 

Tech inspection bike: They checked front brake pads, made sure oil plugs stick had silicone or safety wired, checked tired for tread, checked throttle returned to close after full open. Take anti-freeze out and use water wetter. All items taped up, fusses pulled for lights  

Tech inspection PPE: My helmet did not have a Snell rating, moduler Schuberth and was accepted. Later I was lectured was not good enough past novice class. Checked boots, leathers, gloves and back protector. 

Track: Placed into groups if you have ever done track day, and if you done a track day at Mid-Ohio. Or if your brand new. 

Follow instructor first two sessions. Then instructor would follow students and critique after session. Slowly ramp up. 

They run different than ANY other track day I've done before. Your always in your group with instructor. So if you get a slow rider it kind of sucks. You don't get any open track time to yourself. 

I've been around so I found the track day very frustrating. I was literally bored to tears. After I called bullshit, I got bumped for a Intermediate evaluation it started raining. As a customer, I felt like it was not money well spent. 

But if you have never done a track day and require your hand held, this would be perfect. Also found a few instructors a bit brash and deamening. Have thick skin. Luckily my instructor was very laid back. 

This is my opinion and experience. I'm sure I'll get flammed. However others shared my thoughts. 

[Vagabound]

36 minutes ago, 330racing said:

that "crashed" thing is why I'm keeping my ass off the track.  Insurance frowns upon wrecking your 16k bike at a racetrack and will deny the claim....

Pay to play! But it is a "rider improvement course! Wink wink

[Limitedslip7]

7 minutes ago, 0hi0 said:

This is how my day went in Novice last Monday. 

Tech inspection bike: They checked front brake pads, made sure oil plugs stick had silicone or safety wired, checked tired for tread, checked throttle returned to close after full open. Take anti-freeze out and use water wetter. All items taped up, fusses pulled for lights  

Tech inspection PPE: My helmet did not have a Snell rating, moduler Schuberth and was accepted. Later I was lectured was not good enough past novice class. Checked boots, leathers, gloves and back protector. 

Track: Placed into groups if you have ever done track day, and if you done a track day at Mid-Ohio. Or if your brand new. 

Follow instructor first two sessions. Then instructor would follow students and critique after session. Slowly ramp up. 

They run different than ANY other track day I've done before. Your always in your group with instructor. So if you get a slow rider it kind of sucks. You don't get any open track time to yourself. 

I've been around so I found the track day very frustrating. I was literally bored to tears. After I called bullshit, I got bumped for a Intermediate evaluation it started raining. As a customer, I felt like it was not money well spent. 

But if you have never done a track day and require your hand held, this would be perfect. Also found a few instructors a bit brash and deamening. Have thick skin. Luckily my instructor was very laid back. 

This is my opinion and experience. I'm sure I'll get flammed. However others shared my thoughts. 

They must have changed it in the past year or two. Before, the sessions before lunch were mostly instruction, then after lunch they cut you loose for open track time (with rules). If I remember correctly in the fast novice group we were turning low 1:50s before lunch...

Edited July 6, 2016 by Limitedslip7

[Vagabound]

4 minutes ago, Limitedslip7 said:

They must have changed it in the past year or two. Before, the sessions before lunch were mostly instruction, then after lunch they cut you loose for open track time (with rules).

Nope! Was very frustrating. I like to feel and figure things out. Get some rhythm. Then go ask for help on corners I can't figure out. I felt micro managed and couldnt get a comfortable. 

Basically I'd get one lap then drop behind other students. Get another lap then drop behind other students. Frustrating

Edited July 6, 2016 by 0hi0
Duh

[DerekClouser]

I definitely don't need my hand held.  I'm just trying to learn better body positioning and gradually pushing my perceived limits of the bike.   

I know from watching there were some people out there in the novice group that seemed afraid to lean the bike and then there were some whose pace I felt could have competed with the intermediate guys.   

The video was pretty much exactly as the documentation shows on their website so that's fairly straight forward.   

Edited July 6, 2016 by DerekClouser

[Vagabound]

1 minute ago, DerekClouser said:

I definitely don't need my hand held.  I'm just trying to learn better body positioning and gradually pushing the my perceived limits of the bike.   

I know from watching there were some people out there in the novice group that seemed afraid to lean the bike and then there were some whose pace I felt could have competed with the intermediate guys.   

The video was pretty much exactly as the documentation shows on their website so that's fairly straight forward.   

Good point, the instructors were pushing lines only. No talk about body position. And they definitely didn't want you going fast! Snoooooze! 

Luckily I had a instructor who was laid back and understood. He picked up the pace as much as he could before running into groups. We only passed others after the key hole. 

Again, this was my experience of one day only. Unfortunately I have this thing called integrity. If you never rode at Mid-Ohio you must be put in Novice. I could of lied and been in Internediate from the beginning. 

[RHill]

modular helmet is questionable based what track/group is running the show, not sure for the Mid-O rules.

Mid-O has always had great food and I haven't ever attended a day where they run out.  Bring a small snack to get you going in the morning....they have had coffee the last couple days I've attended(maybe I just missed it before)

Bring plenty of water/Gatorade and literally down at least a bottle between every session.

"what would you change?" nada.  But I will say, speak up if you have any questions, comments or concerns.  Get the coaches input, tell them how you are feeling on track and listen.....especially if they are critiquing(as ego shattering as it can be).  The saying "ride your own ride" still applies to the track; don't get rushed picking up the pace just because someone else is moving a bit faster...even if it happens to be your CR.  Track time is about learning and expanding your abilities; going fast is a byproduct.  Pace yourself, get comfortable, figure out where you want to be on the track(lines/apexes), then slowly pick it up.

 

1 hour ago, 330racing said:

that "crashed" thing is why I'm keeping my ass off the track.  Insurance frowns upon wrecking your 16k bike at a racetrack and will deny the claim....

For a non-experienced trackdayer, taking a mint $16k bike to a trackday is like handing the keys of a $50k+ car to a 16 year old and telling them to go to it.....oh yeah, ignore the speed limits and go as fast as you want too.  Your buddies want to "race"???? Sure, go right ahead! 

There are plenty of CHEAP track bikes out there.  If you are worried about insurance or the cost of repairing the bike after an accident, you are focusing in the wrong direction.  My bike could burn to the ground in an accident....as long as everyone walks away after, it wasn't a bad day.  The bike is a toy.

There really should be a bike rental/trackday program sponsored/incentivized by insurance companies.....that is, if they had any actual interest in preventing bike accidents.

1 hour ago, 0hi0 said:

Nope! Was very frustrating. I like to feel and figure things out. Get some rhythm. Then go ask for help on corners I can't figure out. I felt micro managed and couldnt get a comfortable. 

Basically I'd get one lap then drop behind other students. Get another lap then drop behind other students. Frustrating

Sorry to hear about your experience....you end up getting the bump or did it start raining before the evaluation?

With novice group, and starting with unknown experience levels, they have to start out very mild and slowly work up .....if not, people would get sucked into turns and be crashing out of novice left and right.  I know when I was in N with MotoSeries; after getting past the nerves of the first 2 sessions, I was bored until the leapfrogging 5th session, then for the 6th and 7th we really picked up.

Edited July 6, 2016 by RHill

[Vagabound]

3 minutes ago, RHill said:

Sorry to hear about your experience....you end up getting the bump or did it start raining before the evaluation?

 

My evaluation happened when the rain came. Bikes started to go down. I did get the bump, but seeing THE most expensive bike on the track go down soured me going another session. 

I still had a good time. Ran into Mark,surprised he remembered me from the endurance days. Met some great people whom I introduced them to Ohio Riders. Plus riding arguably the most storied road course on the east coast was an awesome experience. 

[330racing]

RHill:  agree on the cheap track bike...not in my plans.  

Disagree on the toy comment : I am not broke, but still not going to be a "good day" if my "toy" is burned to the ground.  

[what]

On Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at 5:07 PM, 0hi0 said:

My evaluation happened when the rain came. Bikes started to go down. I did get the bump, but seeing THE most expensive bike on the track go down soured me going another session. 

Hope it wasn't Tom?

Novice has different rules from Intermediate and Advanced groups, but it's not a bad thing to go by the Intermediate requirements as I have no doubt you'll be moving up as soon as you want to Derek (knowing how you ride). 

 

Anyhow, as for things I wish I'd done on my first track day:

 

Trailer the bike to the track and do all the prep work beforehand - I had to ride and get there extra early to disable/tape up all lights and so on. Kind of a pain in the ass, especially having to put everything back together after a pretty intense day of riding. The ride home was also a bit hairy because you get used to being at 70+mph, I caught myself  doing triple digits on the way home and could have sworn I was only going 65. 

 

Bring a chair - Turk was nice enough to lend me one of his chairs but I felt like a dolt. 

 

See if you can go halfsies with someone on a paddock - Being able to get out of the sun between sessions is worth the extra $$. 

 

Bring fuel - There are fuel pumps there but I think the lowest they run is 98. Not a big deal but a way to save a few bucks, if it matters. 

 

 

 

Everybody there was friendly, even if they were assholes about it. If you know how to take criticism constructively then you'll learn a lot. That said, if you do something that's seen as dangerous you will get reamed for it. I made the mistake of looking behind me to see if another coach's group was catching up and boy oh boy did I get it after that session. Don't take things personally and learn from your mistakes and you're good. I can imagine the track gets all kinds of yahoos doing stupid shit so the best thing to do is shut it down quickly. 

 

I will be going up to the the track on the September 5/6 dates this year. Sadly I'll be out of town due to work on all the days before then. 

Edited July 10, 2016 by what

[Vagabound]

5 minutes ago, what said:

Hope it wasn't Tom?

Everybody there was friendly, even if they were assholes about it. 

Is Tom Asian and ride a bad ass Ducatti?

Sorry, no excuses for anyone being a asshole at a track. The organization needs to make money. I'd say there was 1/4 of the instructors being assholes. 

If your in the sport it's because you have done well at other things in life. No one needs belittled. And no one goes to the track to hurt anyone or crash. 

Sorry you got your ass reamed about looking back. Many people do the same thing all the time. Ever see qualifying practice? Hopefully you weren't on the race line when doing such? 

I was counseled about lifting my visor one turn before pitting in on a red flag. Almost lost my biscuits, but calmly walked away. Mid-Ohio needs to do some serious evaluation on Coaches. 

Again my opinion. 

[RHill]

23 minutes ago, 0hi0 said:

My evaluation happened when the rain came. Bikes started to go down. I did get the bump, but seeing THE most expensive bike on the track go down soured me going another session. 

I still had a good time. Ran into Mark,surprised he remembered me from the endurance days. Met some great people whom I introduced them to Ohio Riders. Plus riding arguably the most storied road course on the east coast was an awesome experience. 

Well, at least the bump is taken care of for the next time out.  Can honestly say, I'll never ride Mid-O in the wet again, one time(crash) was enough.  The track really is amazing; it's too bad the traction is so dependent on outside conditions.

 

2 minutes ago, 330racing said:

RHill:  agree on the cheap track bike...not in my plans.  

Disagree on the toy comment : I am not broke, but still not going to be a "good day" if my "toy" is burned to the ground.  

A day involving a crash(me, you, friend, or complete stranger) is "not a good day"; a day involving someone getting hurt....that's a whole other level.  Not pretending that I would sit there and smile at my burning bike if I was OK, a crash isn't a good situation in any case.  Just saying a binned bike vs a hurt rider; I'd vote for the binned bike even if it was a one of a kind.  From a $ perspective, an ambulance ride costs more than what I paid for my bike(not including goodies).....so yeah, if there was a choice between walking away and it burning, there would be no hesitation.

[blue-yamaR6s]

You will have so much fun doing a track day.  It is very addictive.  Go with the expectation of learning and riding within your comfort zone while learning.  Take all the constructive criticism you can. You will be tired when you get done so drink plenty of fluids during the day. Check with your insurance company about your bike policy.  Mine let me be covered as long as it was an instructor lead class and I wasn't racing.

Had to take off the mirrors and tape off the lights and reflectors and speedometer.  Didn't take mine at Mid-Ohio so check with them and others about specifics. If you are trailering there, you can take all the extras you will need like pop up tent, gas, chair and cooler, etc. 

I would say your current gear would be good. It's preferred that you use a one piece suit anyway. Your helmet should be 5 years or newer.  They might check the manufacture date.

Go to the riders meeting and they get you started. 

Lots of good track guys here that can and will give you good advice.

Have Fun!!!  You will be fast anyway.

[Tonik]

Go fast, don't crash.

EOT.  Mods, lock this one up. Its done.

[Vagabound]

3 minutes ago, Tonik said:

Go fast, don't crash.

EOT.  Mods, lock this one up. Its done.

Lock? 

Hmm, not sure if I seen any forum rule violations. 

[rusty]

3 hours ago, 330racing said:

that "crashed" thing is why I'm keeping my ass off the track.  Insurance frowns upon wrecking your 16k bike at a racetrack and will deny the claim....

You wrong .track day at midohio is cover by your insurance,because is midohio school day.

[J_Copeland]

Not sure who your novice instructors were,but with mine,we were moving pretty good even in the 1st session.

[Vagabound]

2 minutes ago, J_Copeland said:

Not sure who your novice instructors were,but with mine,we were moving pretty good even in the 1st session.

I was moving pretty good in the 1st session! Was a minor miscommunication. Apparently some instructors got butthurt.  Oh I kid I kid. 

[RHill]

1 hour ago, what said:

Everybody there was friendly, even if they were assholes about it. If you know how to take criticism constructively then you'll learn a lot. That said, if you do something that's seen as dangerous you will get reamed for it. I made the mistake of looking behind me to see if another coach's group was catching up and boy oh boy did I get it after that session. Don't take things personally and learn from your mistakes and you're good. I can imagine the track gets all kinds of yahoos doing stupid shit so the best thing to do is shut it down quickly. 

 

1 hour ago, 0hi0 said:

Sorry, no excuses for anyone being a asshole at a track. The organization needs to make money. I'd say there was 1/4 of the instructors being assholes. 

If your in the sport it's because you have done well at other things in life. No one needs belittled. And no one goes to the track to hurt anyone or crash. 

Sorry you got your ass reamed about looking back. Many people do the same thing all the time. Ever see qualifying practice? Hopefully you weren't on the race line when doing such? 

I was counseled about lifting my visor one turn before pitting in on a red flag. Almost lost my biscuits, but calmly walked away. Mid-Ohio needs to do some serious evaluation on Coaches. 

Again my opinion. 

 

Everybody has their own way of wording and approaching things....with a little adrenaline going, it is easy for things to get misconstrued.  I'd hope that if anyone is being a legit asshole and spoiling someones day; it gets taken care of so it can't happen again.  At the same time, IMHO, anyone and everyone should feel free(and the need) to bring up potential safety concerns. If nothing is ever said, nothing is ever learned, and the issue will repeat until it becomes a real problem.

 

[330racing]

57 minutes ago, rusty said:

You wrong .track day at midohio is cover by your insurance,because is midohio school day.

I read some info and looks like it is possible insurance would cover it if not a "race".  Still taking a chance with a lot of money as it is not a cut and dry situation.

Thanks for the info!  Makes my decision less cut and dry now too

Edited July 6, 2016 by 330racing

[Vagabound]

3 hours ago, 0hi0 said:

"Rider improvement course!"

@330racing