Track Day – Part 6
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
What to Expect on Your First Track Day
A typical track day will begin early. Every track day provider has their own schedule, but here is a general outline of what the day will look like.
If you camped out the night before, you will start to hear other riders waking up and starting their day shortly after the sun rises. By 7am everyone is up, drinking their coffee, grabbing something to eat, and doing last minute checks on their motorcycles.
Registration will begin right around this time too. You will go to your track day provider’s tent and check in. You will show your driver’s license and any other paperwork required. You will sign a few waivers and you can usually pick up a track map (good to have to take notes on throughout the day). You will also receive your sticker indicating what group you are riding. Take your sticker back to your bike and stick it on where it is visible on the front of your bike.
Next is the bike inspection. Take your bike to the bike inspection area. They will check your bike for the following safety requirements:
- Brake and clutch levers must have a ball end
- Throttle must spring back when released
- rear brake pedal must be in good working order
- Kickstand must have a spring or be self retracting
- Kickstand must have a kill switch so the engine will turn off when the bike is put into first gear with the kickstand down
- Wheel weights must be taped
- Lights and turn signals must be taped
- They will ask you what you have in the radiator
- They may ask you to start up the bike so before you take your bike to the tech inspection area, start it and let it warm up a bit
You shouldn’t have any problems with the inspection because you took the time to prep the bike before hand. Do your homework and the tech inspection will only take a couple of minutes and you will be good to go.
The next thing on the agenda is the classroom session which will give you an introduction to the track. This is an essential requirement if it is your first track day. During the class you will meet the instructors. They will teach you the details of every turn on the track. They will show you where the apex of each turn is, breaking points, corner entrance and exit points, focal points and hazards. Basically they are teaching you how to ride that particular track.
They will also teach you track rules. You will learn what each colored flag means and what to do when you see a flag. You will learn where the flag stations are on the track. You’ll learn where, when and how to enter and exit the track. You will learn the rules for passing other riders.
It is essential that you follow all the rules the instructors teach you during this classroom session. Breaking the rules will, at the least, get you ejected from the track. Worst case scenario, if you break the rules, you could cause a serious accident. I once heard of a rider who saw the checkered flag indicating that riders are to leave the track at the end of the session. He overshot the track exit point but instead of taking one more lap around the track as he should have, he actually made a u-turn. This mistake resulted in a head on collision with another rider. Both were seriously injured. So, as you can see, following the rules of the track is key to having a safe experience.
As the classroom session closes you will need to take the initiative to introduce yourself to at least one of the instructors. Pick one that you like; and I don’t mean which one looks hottest in his leathers. Pick an instructor that you think will be knowledgeable and will be a good teacher. Ask that instructor if they will help you throughout the day
Track sessions are usually split up into three groups; beginner, intermediate and advanced. Some are referred to as A, B and C group A being the advanced group. As a beginner you will start in C group or beginner’s group. Sessions run in 20 minute increments so you will ride for 20 minutes on the track, then have a 40 minute break to catch your breath.
You will need to pay attention to the announcements over the loudspeaker. They will tell you when to line up at the track entrance. In the beginner group, the first session is usually a controlled pace, meaning an instructor will lead the group around the track. This is designed to be an introduction to the track.
During this session you should be applying everything you learned in the classroom. Find the apex of each turn, find your focal points and landmarks. Pay attention to the instructors line, he or she will be showing you the best entrance and exit points in a turn. There is a lot of information to soak in during this first session and it requires concentration. Taking it at a slower speed allows you to set yourself up mentally for the rest of the day. With each lap of the track (and depending on the length of the track you’ll probably get 4 or 5 laps in) look for the same markers over and over to burn them into your memory. I find that I will talk to myself a lot during this first session. I will say things like, “break at the cone. Ok, now aim for the second shrub, don’t go past that white line, downshift here,” etc. Later in the day I’m still shouting stuff in my helmet like “Cone! Shrub! Break! Turn, turn, turn, push, COMMIT COMMIT!” It sounds a little crazy but it works for me.
So, during this first session, pay close attention to everything on the track. The leader may slowly increase the speed for each lap to help you work your way up to a challenging speed. Another reason for having a controlled first session is to help you shake off those first track day jitters. You’re going to be nervous as you sit there on the tarmac waiting to enter the track. Slow, controlled laps will help you settle down, catch your breath and get rid of the shakes. This will make for a safer riding experience throughout the day.
Between Track Day Sessions
When you leave the track after your each session your instructor may stop in the paddock giving you an opportunity to talk. This is an important time and you should always spend time speaking to your instructor. He or she will give you feedback on your riding, tell you how to improve your riding and will answer any questions you may have. They are there to help and teach. Take full advantage of their knowledge.
After a chat with your instructor, ride carefully back you your home base. You now have about 30 to 40 minutes to relax and reflect on your riding. Spend some time talking to other riders; study the track map and jot down the focal points you found; trace the perfect line through each turn; compare notes with other riders and more experienced riders too. Track days are very social events and you can learn so much more if you take the initiative to talk to others.
Between sessions you should also take the time to refuel your body. Drink plenty of water, especially if it is a warm day. Drink electrolyte replacement drinks if it’s hot. The last thing you need is to be dehydrated. Have a light snack between sessions. Keeping your body properly fueled up keeps you alert on the track. It keeps your energy level up which makes for a safer track day.
Lastly, inspect your bike between each session. Clean your windshield and your helmet’s shield. Check your chain. Check your fuel level and top it off if necessary. If you’re bike is in good shape, take a minute to sit down and relax. By the end of the day you are going to be worn out.
Your Next Session and Remaining Sessions
The rest of the sessions you will be at your own pace. Now is the time to push yourself a little past your comfort zone. Remember, the track is the safest place you can ride so it’s ok to push it. Trust your tires and commit to each turn. An instructor will often pull up in front of you and tap the back of his motorcycle. This means he wants you to follow his line. This can be kind of tricky. It’s a delicate dance between watching your instructor and watching for your focal points. Do not fixate on the instructor’s rear end (yeah, even if it looks good in those leathers). You should concentrate on your focal points while glancing at the instructor’s bike just enough to follow his line.
After a lap the instructor may fall back and follow you for a while watching your line. Do your best to apply what you have learned and copy the line the instructor just taught you. At the end of the session he will tell you what he saw and how you can improve. This pattern will continue throughout the day and by the end of your track day you will have progressed exponentially.
What happens if you Crash?
Crashing sucks, but it’s a real possibility. The crash rule boils down to the track day provider but most providers have the rule: if you crash, you’re done for the day. Even if it’s a low side easy crash that doesn’t do damage to your or your bike. Rules are rules.
The best way to avoid a crash is to ride safe and smart. Be aware and diligent when on the track and follow the rules. If you crash, hopefully it won’t result in an injury. If it does, there will be EMT’s and ambulance ready to attend to you. If you crash and are not injured, make sure you get yourself to the side of the track as soon as possible. You DO NOT want to be standing in the middle of the track…riders will not know you’re there and you’re asking for a serious accident. The track workers will alert the other corner workers so they can put out the caution flag if necessary. Stay with your bike, stay where you are and the track workers will come out to pick up you and your bike. So, if you crash the most important thing to remember is to stay off the track and stay put.
If you are going to be riding the entire weekend, or a second day, hopefully the damage to your bike will be fixable so you can ride the next day. This is why it’s a good idea to bring spare parts and tools with you. I have witnessed a group of guys practically re-build a motorcycle track side and keep it held together with zip ties so it was ride-able the next day.
The trick is to push yourself, but be careful. Stay relaxed and keep your body hydrated and fueled up. Listen to your instructor, study the track map, set goals, ride smart and for Pete’s sake HAVE FUN!!
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