Your very first race

[jbot]

This came up during the conversation in the first motoseries round discussion... tell us about your first race

I'll go first and then feel stupid when nobody else posts:

It was 2 seasons ago, I think it was september or something. I had just done the race school the month before (at nelson) and was feeling like I was improving but wanted to try racing before the year was out.

So the next race coming up with motoseries was at Beaver (now called PIRC or some crap) and I signed up for the mini 20 (20 minute race).

I was so damn nervous. I was glad I didn't do the sprint because there were way more bikes on the grid and I would've shit big black throbbing bricks if i had to go into turn one with that mess... the mini 20 was bad enough.

Also, I was so frantic and nervous, i didn't give myself enough time to scrub my brand new tires in (Q2's... dont need much break in but still i was going crazy with worry). I did manage to go out during a sighting/warm up lap the race before (1 lap before they grid up) so I calmed down a bit.

As race before came to a close, my heart started thumping even harder than before, and I must've triple checked my gear. Then they finally called the mini 20 and I just rushed to get my helmet and gloves on. At this point, my heart feels like it's going to put a dent in my rib cage.

We do the warm up lap, and I manage to grid up in the right spot (some kind soul wrote it down on duct tape for me, i think it was craig) and I just try not to die from heart failure as the board goes from 2 to 1.

The flag flies, and I do my trademark "way too much clutch, slow as fuck" launch. I have to note here that the flagger did an excellent job (lol)

Here are the highlights: first lap, into turn 2, I get cut off by a guy on an SV like a boss. i get around him a couple turns later. Some unknown number of laps in, i finally catch up to craig and we have a lovely moment where we're both converging on turn 7 or 8 and we locked eyes... and I thought I was going to hit him before I stayed on the throttle just long enough to eek by. In reality, it was probably not as close as I think it was, but that's how i remember it (sadly, this is about the last time i'm faster than him and he pays me back the next time we race at beaver). The rest of the race was pretty inconsequential. There were a couple guys on sv's that we lap and some sv's that lap me, and some of the fast guys lapped me 2 or 3 times. Near the end of the race, there was a battle of 2 bikes that I just didn't have the marbles to get around and I finished the race that way.

in the last 4-5 laps of the race, my braking arm was KILLING me as I had to keep braking harder and harder from brake fade. I was exhausted everywhere else by the last 2 laps, and my mind exulted when the flag finally went.

Then I ate a giant prime rib and drank mead and made sweet sweet love to 3-4 women who all totally climaxed and didn't lie about it. that, or I ate some left over granola bars, drank 4 bottles of gatorade and passed out in the car on the way back home. It was almost certainly the former.

Anyway, it was glorious.

[magley64]

I was racing a mustang, flapping my arms like a penguin...

[Exarch]

My 1st street race I got SMOKED by some neon sounded like twin turbos to me, most people dress neons up for looks so I figured he was a poser... he left my buddys 87GN in the dust(which is tough to do with any car, let alone a fucking neon...)

my 2nd street race I had the edge on a mustange in the cornors(he would of tore me up on the.straight ways) I think I won though cuz I got the speeding ticket doing 85mph around a 40mph cornor

My 3rd street race I got smoked(litterly) by a M sport, he was winning till he busted a radiator hose lol, so I think I won that race

[blue03636]

Some unknown number of laps in, i finally catch up to craig and we have a lovely moment where we're both converging on turn 7 or 8 and we locked eyes... and I thought I was going to hit him before I stayed on the throttle just long enough to eek by.

Dude, this was funny as hell. First time I saw the whites of your eyes.

I was laughing my ass off because I knew you were freaking.

I guess I will do mine even though it wasn't as exciting as yours.

august or september 2009, I think Jinu was there. The held the endurance and mini races on saturday after the trackday. It had rained all day and I had never been to nelsons. I went out as much as I could to figure the place out. Wouldn't you know it, the sun came out for the race. It was a 30min race then and I think I made it through about 22 min before my arm locked up from arm pump. I had to come in as there was no way I could finish. I guess lack of sleep and not eating all day didn't help.

[natedogg624]

SJC and myself went out to Summit Point with WERA. Only thing I was really "nervous" about aside from all the other n00b stuff was T1. Long ass straight that comes to a pretty tight 2nd gear acute turn. This was my first official race other than the mock race. First time gridding, first time launching, first time riding with an angry pack of bees (racers) gunning for that top spot. I just tried not to die/crash, I really didn't want to extend the time I wore the shirt. All that and then this happens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFGuES-07U

One dude was out for the year, suspension or injury don't know. Other broken collarbone and another bumps and bruises.

[tyler524]

My 1st street race I got SMOKED by some neon sounded like twin turbos to me, most people dress neons up for looks so I figured he was a poser... he left my buddys 87GN in the dust(which is tough to do with any car, let alone a fucking neon...)

my 2nd street race I had the edge on a mustange in the cornors(he would of tore me up on the.straight ways) I think I won though cuz I got the speeding ticket doing 85mph around a 40mph cornor

My 3rd street race I got smoked(litterly) by a M sport, he was winning till he busted a radiator hose lol, so I think I won that race

street racing is not road racing

[blue03636]

wtf was that Nate. Damn, that looked rough.

[natedogg624]

wtf was that Nate. Damn, that looked rough.

story on the wera board was the dude who blitzed T1 had won or podiumed his first race earlier that day and was on a confidence high. over shot the 1st lap brake marker by a long shot, realized his mistake - nosied, recovered, nosied again and bounced up high enough that the back wheel hit the rider next to him in the back. these two crash out collecting a few more in the process.

[blue03636]

Wow, I have seen some crashes up close but nothing like that one.

[magley64]

at 20 you can see him "hop hop hop...bang"

[Moto-Brian]

It was the summer of 1994 when I took the WERA race school at Putnam Park. I thought I had this whole road race thing. Was watching on TV and had been street riding for a few years and had bought a year old CBR600 F2. My father was a drag race guy and we had numerous family friends that were road race car guys. Even one that had qualified for the Indy 500.

The point is, I had confidence. I felt good. Real good... Too good...

So, went out there on bone stock Bridgestones and everything stock. Back then, even the factory guys were running those stupid flat number plates on the tail sections and guys like Street and Competition sold the molded front plates that fit over the headlight hole... I looked pimptastic.

Got out on track and felt like I was so out of element. Totally had issues with the speed, the cornering, the whole deal. The school was pretty basic and minimal. Hell, I didn't even understand counter steering, throttle control, etc. We didn't have track days back then. You raced or you watched. When I bought the bike at the local dealership, they thought it was a joke and never thought I was serious. I bought the whole racer starter kit. Suit, helmet, boots, race set up stuff, bike, etc. All but race tires...

So, after the first session, I thought it was nerves and it would get better. I was a serious baseball player and soccer player in high school. Was up for scholarships and was always being pushed respectively by my father. I had this inner competitive drive that refused to give up.

But, after the third session, I came in frustrated and really nervous. I told my dad, "I think I made a mistake, pop." I really thought it was something I couldn't grasp ahold of. My dad took me aside and started his typical dad to son talks we always had when I was frustrated. He simply asked me what the problem was. He told me that if I wanted to quit, he would support that and we'd load up and head home with no problem. He said he wasn't going to force it.

I sat and thought and I told him that the tires sucked. They really did... So, he asked if it would be better if I had race tires. I said I'd like to try. Low and behold, after buying a set of the magical D364 Dunlops, I had an instant turn around and instant confidence.

I made it through the mock race well enough, but my first "official" race was that next day in the 600 production class. Holy shit balls!! I was gridded 43rd in the third wave. Yes, 3rd wave at Putnam Park. I was literally almost at the exit of turn 10 from where I started. I could barely see the flagger!

Experts went first and they had a pause. Then they let the second wave go. Then us. I didn't even have a clue how it was supposed to really be. But, did OK and got an OK start. I actually passed a good number of guys, but think it was due to the fact that so many were new like me and were pretty much out of their element.

I made it through the 10 lap sprint. I got lapped on the 10th lap by "Revvin" Kevin Rentzel on his super fast Kawasaki. We actually banged fairings in turn 9. He came up on me and stuffed inside. I was holding my line and we touched. Nothing serious, but left a mark on my fairing and exhaust!! Actually, that scratch was there all the way through the next year and up until I got the new F3! But in any case, we talked after and he was awesome. He felt bad, but I felt worse for holding him up if I did.

I think I finished in the top 30 overall. I think I passed something like 10-15 riders. It felt like 2 as it was so crazy. But, once that happened in my all orange tee shirt and then the second race at Grattan in the rain, I was officially a road racer. That was a looooooooong time ago!

[Moto-Brian]

Boom!

[Uncle Punk]

I tried to race in 2008; I don't remember much about the first race except the crazy uncontrollable urge to pee before it started.

[madcat6183]

Woah Nate, that shit was NUTS!!! Anyways mine was last year end of the season at Nelson. Didn't really plan to race that weekend but as Nate said, I didn't want to hold the prov. shirt/license any longer then I had to and figured I was going to be a back maker either way BUT I knew my lines and was totally safe so screw it.

Gridded up I think I was 18th? Something close to that, and I actually passed about 4 people on the start. I used to drag race cars so the one thing I can do is start, THEN things changed. I rode 1 lap normal after being passed by almost everyone that started on the grid. Then came the clear laps, just me cruising, but everytime I went by the start finish I was like damn, Im slow and WAY behind the others. Then Brian passed me and I think Neyra or Wrobel. Then just rode solid, and kept my line. Andrew passed me, and 1 other dude that I have no idea who it was. Then came the guy that runs the 3hr by himself, dude rocked my shit going into the left turns which is 4-6, stuffed the shit out of me and I was like oh, okay this is how that goes.

That was the only issue I had. Craig passed me with 1 lap left and that was that, I finished without crashing or running anyone out of their lines so I was happy.

I will say drag racing held 0 comparison to being on that starting grid, my blood was pumping so fast and my hard on was about good enough to rock Gatsby's world from the grid. Yeah, Im that good.

[scottb]

I have not raced bikes, but did have a very short lived circle track car racing hobby way back in high school. I understand about the nerves and that " I have to pee" feeling. It is a thought that you don't want to get hurt, or hurt or hold up anybody else.

After watching the video in post #5, I can see how the tunnel vision kicks in and you completely miss the braking points.

I think that my eyes and my brain can figure things out, but not sure my arms,legs and feet would play nice and react in time.

For the last 17 years, I have been a street rider on a 65 HP ( maybe on a good day ) 1982 GS 850. I did have a few years of also owning / riding a 1990 Katana. I think my learning curve would be huge to even street ride any newer bike made within the last 30 years.

[redkow97]

i posted briefly on mine in the other thread, but the full story is:

Took the WERA race school at Nelson on 4/30/11 and Steve and Nathan(?) came up to me on the grid and firmly reminded me "dude. just don't crash." ha.

I was all nervous before the start, adjusting my helmet, messing w/ my lever adjustments, etc. Afterward, Steve told me "we were really surprised when you launched so well."

I am also told that there was some minor drama behind me, as a couple of guys wheelied pretty big, and definitely not on purpose.

The 4-lap mock race was over as quickly as it started, and even with adrenaline pumping, I restrained myself to turning a "best" lap at least 2-4 seconds off my regular pace. Technically I "won," but I know two other guys behind me probably could have passed me at will. One was on an SV, so that tells you how un-fast I was lapping.

My first REAL race was 6/18/11 at BeaveRun, and I had pretty good grid position (4), because I'd registered for the solo 20 fairly early. The start was intense, and in retrospect, I should have been more aggressive into turn 1. I turned two personal best laps in a row (chasing the leaders), then lost touch with them, and gutted out the next 18 laps making a couple of passes of guys who should never have gotten by me off the start.

I ended up 5th, on a grid of 13. I didn't get lapped, and I managed to lap at least a couple riders. All in all, it's probably my most impressive race performance to date. Not my best finish, but my 4th place was with a grid of only 6 riders or something, so this is the one I'm most proud of.

With some work this season, I'm hoping to be on the box at some point.

[Hollywood33]

Great thread! I'll have a story for you guys in a little less than two weeks (hopefully nothing sensational, just something real chill and uneventful, haha).

[Exarch]

Great thread! I'll have a story for you guys in a little less than two weeks (hopefully nothing sensational, just something real chill and uneventful, haha).

GL and stay safe out there, even though you threatened to kick me im the Dick but ya a uneventful story would be great, or even a win story as long as its not a crash story im sure it will be good

[blue03636]

Great thread! I'll have a story for you guys in a little less than two weeks (hopefully nothing sensational, just something real chill and uneventful, haha).

Oh, it will be eventful and I will make sure of it.

[imprez55]

GL and stay safe out there, even though you threatened to kick me im the Dick but ya a uneventful story would be great, or even a win story as long as its not a crash story im sure it will be good

wrong hollywood

[The Murse]

Oh, it will be eventful and I will make sure of it.

Punch him in the dick, when he tries to "dive bomb" you. RoadRash style! Hollywood33 is all about the drama! He also loves a good HJ, even in violent fashion.

[Exarch]

wrong hollywood

remind me to kick you in the dick

Hollywood33 hollywood3586 pretty damn close lol. I would have never been the wiser if you didnt mention it(especially since I have avatars and sigs disabled) if I had em enabled might of noticed he was prob like wtf is this dumbass talking about

[Hollywood33]

Hollywood33 hollywood3586 pretty damn close lol. I would have never been the wiser if you didnt mention it(especially since I have avatars and sigs disabled) if I had em enabled might of noticed he was prob like wtf is this dumbass talking about

Hahaha, I just saw this and I was thinking, "Hmmm, I've threatened to kick a lot of people in the dick, but I don't think this guy was one of them. wtf?" Lol, my fault on the screen name thing. Anyone know if I can just drop the 33 or something?

[Hollywood33]

Oh, it will be eventful and I will make sure of it.

Hell yeah, lookin forward to it. Don't let the orange shirt fool you, I'm gunnin for you from day one!!

Punch him in the dick, when he tries to "dive bomb" you. RoadRash style! Hollywood33 is all about the drama! He also loves a good HJ, even in violent fashion.

Freakin hater. I'll see you at Grattan... in the rain... in turn 10, biatch! Oh wait, you won't see me until it's too late!

[Exarch]

Hahaha, I just saw this and I was thinking, "Hmmm, I've threatened to kick a lot of people in the dick, but I don't think this guy was one of them. wtf?" Lol, my fault on the screen name thing. Anyone know if I can just drop the 33 or something?

Idk, would have to talk to casper on that one it was the Hollywood that confused me, I never even noticed either one of u had numbers in the name