NESBA Skill Enhancement @ Putnam 7/31 & 8/1

[idodishez]

July 31 and Aug 1. Surprised to not see it listed anywhere in any threads. Anyone going?

Not cheap by any means. Anyone ever been and know if its worth the extra dough?

Anyone planning on going?

[nukcrash69]

I was looking at going, just watching the weather now.

I have been told it's like a full day of open track. You get with a coach to watch you and let you know what needs improvement and you practice at it. You end up with more track time than a normal trackday.

This is just what I've been told by two members that have went to one when I mentioned I was thinking about it. They told me, it is worth the money.

Maybe a NESBA rep will chime in.

[Dubguy85]

Man a regular track day is plenty of track time for me, especially a track technical like mid o or barber.. Putnam I guess I could go more, but I get tired pretty quickly out there.. But I'm out of shape too!

[idodishez]

Its not so much the extra track time that gets my attention, as the one on one instruction for a newb like me.

What makes Putnam different than Mid o or Barber as far as getting tired? (haven't been to either one) And what makes a track technical?

[MidgetTodd]

Putnam is a great track.... lots of grip, very fun and easy to learn.

[2Wheeler]

I'll be there sat.. I went to an SED day at Beaverun last year and had a mechanical issue early.

No problem getting help on track or in the paddock.

[idodishez]

Looks like I waited to long. Both days are filled up:mad:

My fault for procrastinating.

[idodishez]

K, i guess its not filled up. Website glitch. Now i gotta come up w $400

[redkow97]

What makes Putnam different than Mid o or Barber as far as getting tired? (haven't been to either one) And what makes a track technical?

the long back straight at Mid-Ohio gives you more time to rest. I haven't ridden barber, but I believe the straight(s) there is also considerably longer than Putnam's.

I'll be at Putnam Sunday soaking up every bit of knowledge I can. If anyone is going to be there Saturday, I'm hoping to get there early enough to drop off and set up before the gate closes; maybe even catch the last hour of riding, if I can.

from what I am told, SED's are worth every penny of the $305 you spend on it. Makes sense though. a Typical 2-day event is $300 at Putnam, but i'm getting more like 6 hours of track time instead of 2.5 per day. A bargain, if you're in good enough shape to stay out.

I'm hoping I am!

[redkow97]

so was I the only OR member there?

Sunday gave us perfect track conditions (albeit ridiculously hot), and I got down to the low :21's

I really have no frame of reference for whether or not that's decent, because last time I was at Putnam was my first, and the track was wet most of the day. Regardless, I'm happy with the way I rode.

p.s. - safety wire your oil cap if you're going to do a trackday. drilling plastic is STUPID EASY, and it will prevent your 2010 R1 from spraying oil all over me on the front straight. Not that I'm bitter.

[idodishez]

Ended up not goin.

So it was worth it huh?

[2Wheeler]

I went in B on saturday. My best was 1:27.49.

[redkow97]

Ended up not goin.

So it was worth it huh?

here is my take:

- on a track you don't know very well, an SED is that much more worth the extra money. Great way to learn a layout.

- if you're at the lower end of your riding group, an SED is that much more worth it. Lots of instruction, and lots of faster guys to study.

Would I do it again:

yes, but it will likely be a once-a-season thing, and only at tracks I'm not too familiar with.

you do get a TON of track time for your money, but i'm in good shape, and I still couldn't use all the time available. I left with more gas that I would have in a regular 20 minutes an hour format over the course of 2 days ...but not by much.

I worked with at least 6 control riders, and found their feedback very consistent; i'm just at a point where I feel like i've plateaued a little. that's my fault, not theirs. At the very end of the day, one of the CR's was pretty blunt with me, which rubbed me the wrong way at the time. In retrospect, he's totally right, and I needed to hear it.

i felt like I was out there killing it, and he bluntly told me there were 2 or 3 things I need to work on in general, and that I can't lead a fast lap (i.e. I would following him for 2 laps and we'd be in the :21's, and then he'd wave me by and we'd slow down to :23's and :24's)

I got a little butt-hurt about that, but after stewing on it for a 6 hour drive and reviewing the laps in my timer, he's right...

But on the positive side, I had a couple control riders say things like, "you're going to get passed there in 'A' group," and "you're almost there - just work on X,Y and Z." It's just easier to focus on what i'm doing wrong and overlook what i'm doing right.

So the SED gets a thumbs-up, especially for a track that's further away, and keeps you from taking a day off work to travel. The biggest draw back is that if the weather sucks, there is no tomorrow to rely on.