By Michael GougisY
ou're in. You've decided that
you're going to do this. And
you don't want to screw up
your fi rst track day.
But there are a few things
that you really, really want to get
right on your fi rst track day. And
it starts well before fi rst call.
Dylan Code of the California
Superbike School says it is ex-
tremely helpful to learn as much
as you can about the course and
track day before showing up.
"Do as much familiarization
as possible beforehand, know
what to expect, so when you get
there you don't have to worry
about the little things—which way
does this corner go when you come
over this blind rise? Familiarize
yourself with the track and the fa-
cility as much as you can," Code
says. "Know where the gas vendor
is. Take as many of the variables
out, take out as many of the lit-
tle things that can chew up your
bandwidth. You want to put your-
self in a position where you have
as few unanswered questions and
things tugging at the back of your
mind as possible."
Aaron Stevenson, director
and chief instructor at Corner-
speed/Cornerspin track days
and schools, says your fi rst day
is a whole lot better if you bring
a well-sorted motorcycle. That
doesn't mean you need a World
Superbike with Öhlins forks—just
a motorcycle that works properly.
"You can’t make good music with
an out-of-tune musical instru-
ment. A properly set-up bike, like
an in-tune instrument, will al-
low you to make your own sweet
music turn after turn," Steven-
son says. "The modern age has
made everyone an authority on
YouTube. Make sure that you get
correct information. The few dol-
lars you spend to have someone
help you go through your bike and
get it set up will be greatly worth
it when your day ends on a high
note instead of a high side."
Once you are there, take a
deep breath and try not to stress,
says Jim Hoskins, co-owner of
TrackXperience, which has been
staging track days in California
and Nevada since 2004. "There's
so much to it! Relax and try not to
worry so much about what every-
one else is doing," Hoskins says.
"The anxiety on that fi rst day can
be pretty profound. It's just learn-ing to relax and be like a sponge,
to learn as much as you can at
whatever rate that you can, and
just enjoy it. That's the biggest
thing. If you can't, you hold your-
self back from actually learning."
It's hard to learn when you
think you know everything. Rog-
er Lyle of Motorcycle Xcitement
Track Day and Road Racing
School says part of his advice to
fi rst-time track riders is very sim-
ple. "Listen to our instructors!"
Lyle says. "You're going down a
road you haven't gone down be-
fore. You don't know what's going
to happen around the next curve.
We want to get you comfortable
with the motorcycle and get you
comfortable with the racetrack."
And remember that a track
day is simply more of what got you
interested in performance riding
in the fi rst place, says TrackDaz
New Racer School Instructor Stu-
art “Stu” Smith."It's supposed to
be fun. And if you're intimidated
or scared or worried about people
passing you, you're doing it wrong.
Track days are about having a ton
of fun on your motorcycle, and if
you're not having fun, you're notdoing it right," Smith says.
The advice for what to do
once you hit the track tends to fol-
low along the lines of take it easy.
There's not going to be anyone
there who will look at your fi rst
session and sign you to a multi-
year Repsol Honda MotoGP con-
tract. Trying to hang with a Moto-
America Superbike racer when
they fl y past you on track is a very
bad idea.
"Start out slow, and work
on the smooth part. The speed
will come later," Lyle says. Don't
start out by trying to revamp ev-
erything you know about riding a
sportbike. Make your changes in-
crementally. And it's perfectly OK
to not be fast, as long as you are
predictable and follow the racing
line. It's hard to learn new things
when your hair is on fi re because
you've out-braked yourself into a
corner for the third time in a lap.
"Look, you've made it this far
as a rider, so you've done a num-
ber of things correctly. Whatever
your best practices are this far,
I would stick with those and not
expect something outside of what
you're familiar with when you goAn instructor (in orange vest) rides with two students during a Motorcycle Xcitement Track Day and Road
Racing School event at Summit Point Motorsports Park. School founder (and former racer) Roger Lyle says
part of his advice to fi rst-time track riders is very simple: “Listen to our instructors!” Photos by etechphoto.com.18—Roadracing World, Trackday Directory 2019Making It
EASIER
GETTING ON THE TRACK: