Left work yesterday, and rode the bike to Craig's, so we can load the bikes on the trailer. Strapped them down, and off we went to rockingham, staying over at the Hilton in Corby for a supposedly early night, ready for our first ever trackday.... Whoopie!! Arrived at 9pm because of a fatal crash on m6, so grabbed a beer in the hotel bar, I had a Merlot. A large one. Checked in, and decided to have another at the weather spoons over the road... 3 hrs later and a few large reds, we where still in there... 12.30 ish, we decided to grab a dominos pizza, as we had no tea. Took it up to our rooms, and both scoffed a large meat feast. 1.30am, we decided to have lights out, and go to sleep. I couldn't sleep, I woke at 2.30, 3.30 and 5 am. Excited and nervous, I got up at 6 am and went outside for a smoke. It was 1 degree, but sunny skies. brrr….. I returned to the room, had a few glasses of water, a number 2 and woke Craig up at 7 am. Be both still felt full after the mammoth pizza, and decided to skip breakfast, having only fresh orange and a few espressos. The itinery said we had to be at rockingham at 8am, for signing on at 8.30. We both pulled up in his car, with bikes on the trailer and were told to go to garage 36, and wait for the registration call. We turned up, and pulled the shutters up on 36 and unloaded the bikes and put them inside. it was the signing on and briefing room, we got it wrong .... Doh! The bikes looked good in the room though, far better than the proper track bikes in the proper garages where we should have been! Hahaha… the first comedy experience…. there was no room left in the garages, as it was chokka. Nearly every bike was a dedicated track bike, most with tyre warmers and on front and rear paddock stands. We just left ours outside by the car. the nerves kicked in now, and we thought we where out if our depth. Briefing was called and signing on.... We both filled out forms, next of kin etc.... Shit. Then the briefing guys asked how many had done a track day... Everyone put their hands up, apart from us 2. Then, he asked how many done rockingham... Yep, you guessed it... Everyone. Apart from us. Then,he went on to say that the day was full, and lots of fast lads where in novices due to no room in inters and fast group. He said just look i front, and let the fast guys pass as they will not intimidate newbies...First group was out at 10am as they had changed the times... We weren't concerned as we needed more coffee. Nerves where kicking in big time by now. So, we where noobs, never done a trackday, never done rockingham, every other bike was in the garages apart from ours, most where dedicated track bikes, tyre warmers, the lot. Talk about intimidated.....Christ. Craig looked at me and just said "shit!". I just looked. first up, the inters. Then fast group, then us, the novices. I watched the 2 groups, and just thought we would take it easy as our bikes are being used for our European trip next mth, so didnt want to bin it, and said we would go to the back of our group. And i had a new rear on, so wanted to take it easy. 3 sighting laps to warm the tyres (dropped pressures to 34 and 32 as advised by the tyre guy) and then we could give it the berries. After the first 3 laps, still taking it easy as we didn't know the track, and we where both trying to memorise the corners, chicane etc... And still at the back... A decent pace keeping with the group. then, one by one we overtook a few bikes..after lap 5 , red flag was waved, so we had to come in... Someone with a gixxer binned it. However, those few laps where enough to calm our nerves... And awaited the next session. Again inters went first, then fast , and then it was our turn. Again at the back if the group, we started off.. Another 2 laps to warm out tyres (most where on tyre warmers, but we had to heat our up old fashioned stylie) then the pace was upped. Lots of bikes where giving it the berries on the straights, but anchoring on the brakes on the corners.. A few times I nearly went up the arse end of quite a few bikes... Not good. After 4 laps, I overtook 3 or 4 on the outside... I didn't know the track, but some of these guys where erratic and slowed down too much and didnt carry enough speed. This settled my nerves and gave me confidence, knowing u was faster than some already. But, another red flag, and came in a lap short. third session before dinner, we again went out, this time not right at the back, a few bikes in. After the first chicane onto the bank for the straight, I upped the pace, and overtook a good 5 bikes on the entry to the firs corner...a small chicane that you could straighten out.... But guys infront braking excessively when they didn't need to... So another few bikes overtook on the outside. Happy days. Confidence was growing, the tyres where fantastic, the new rear well and truly scrubbed in, and the suspension Steve at Motrac set up for fast road was ace! We had another red flag as the guy right infront if me low slides after grinding his pegs, and just slid away... I was conscious not to look at him so carried on. Relieved I didn't target fixate, we came in for lunch early. Craig and are buzzing! Afternoon session, and started middle. Craig in front of me, and again, overtook a few bikes on the first 2 corners. Faster lads screaming past me on Aprillias, ducs and a guy on 675. Quick as fook they where… i wasn't even going to bother retrying to keep up. We are both on the straight, and Craigs bike suddenly weaves and he pulls off. Yellow flag waved, we all slow down,and afterwards, Craig said he hit his kill switch! hahaha! He thought his bike was fooked, until a marshal just flipped the switch, and he carried on…again 1 lap short for him. Next session, no red flags, and i was really getting into the swing of things. Again, a few bikes caning it on the straight, but slowing down too much for the corners, but this time too many to cut through, so just followed for a lap, and took them on the outside again.
Third session, started at the third row from front. First chichanne , than a straight… around 5 bikes screamed past, and caned it into the corners… again, i wasn't going to try and keep up, these guys where quick. Following craig on the second lap, and was about to overtake him, next minute, i thought he made a darkie on the exit of a corner onto a straight. blue smoke everywhere…. my visor just got covered in crap, so i backed right off… his bike still smoking like a good un, he hadn't noticed. I looked behind me and everyone else had backed off, apart from a blackbird who went screaming past, and did an almighty slide into a corner. Craig got flagged off, and pulled in. a lap later, another red flag and i thought it was oil on the track. Got back to the paddock, and a few mins later, Craigs R6 and a Ducati where on the JCB. Craigs bike had blown a coolant hose so he just overheated, the Duc lowsided hence the red flag…. There was no chance of fixing Craigs bike for next session, the hose was behind the downpipes, so he couldn't carry on. I asked him if he minded if i carried on and asked him to take a few pics. He didn't mind and said go for it. I put myself in middle of the group, and decided i wasn't going to cane it, as it was my last session due to Craig not completing the day, so went out with smoothness in my mind. Again, i overtook on the outside as some dudes just slowed right down on the corners…but caned it on the straights. Another red flag and someone else binned it. bummer, but only a lap short. I arrived in the pits, and met Craig, and we decided to pack up, and come back a little early as i didn't feel right doing the last sesh without him… Anyway, a brilliant day, i'm well and truly hooked…the bike was faultless, the tyres where faultless, i just felt them dig in like i have never felt them on the road. They where like wrigleys gum they where so sticky. The suspension that Steve at Motrac set up was amazing, although its too firm on the road, it;'s perfect for a track And, to top it off, i overtook dedicated track dayers, on dedicated track bikes with more experience than me. My confidence has grown immensely, and i will never feel intimidated gain. It's only a fear of the unknown really. and it's unfounded. And, we didn't bin it. We loaded the bikes onto the trailer, put the kety in the ignition……. and the car wouldn't start! hahahaha… jump leads from the guy with the 675 and the car started. I'm still buzzing and wide awake. it was excellent!!!! And, GaryB….you are going to love it mate!!!!!!!
Well done Si, always good to get the first one out of the way. Can we look forward to seeing a new trackbike soon?
Brilliant write up and photos Si, indeed I cannot wait, but, I shall have too, hoping something is in the pipeline soon? One thing I've spotted that's rather spooky, or just a coincidence? Your sporting the same number as what my bike is "hums tune to twilight zone"
Good write up Si, I'm sure the fear of the unknown is the same for most but once you've done it........'what was I ever worried about'? See you out there some time.
Brilliant read that si and glad you had a really good day, out of interest what db did the yoshi make ?? I guess you had to fit the baffle
stunning pics and glad you had great fun Si. i'm off tonight to Donny and hoping to meet Andy from here there tonight or tomorrow can't wait
Nice write up Si... Glad you enjoyed the day, its very addictive!! I have done dozens of trackdays now and even had a couple of trackbikes in the past which I have now had to sell on. I still get nervous and excited the day before. Got my next one at Silverstone on the 5th May and can't wait.... getting butterflies even now!! Well done mate and get planning the next one ...
Cheers! Fez, the noise test came out at 101db with baffle in... Craig's r6 was 106! He got told he may be black flagged going through the noise trap, but he never did.
Good write up mate. Trackdays are great fun aren't they. I really need to book some up for this year, usually have done 2 or 3 by now.
I enjoyed reading that Mr N, well done, and well done to Craig for not shitting his pants when his bike blew up. It's gratifying to see that you were able to read that others taking part had less of a feel for the road than you yourself was getting despite them all admitting to more experience both on the track and this track in particular. That must have been a real boost to your confidence once you'd twigged what was going on. Kudos mate.
