First Trackday - Motor Sports Ranch In Cresson Tx

[tweek]

Today was my first track day sense going to CSS. I spent the day with Loan Star Track Days (LSTD) at Motor Sport Ranch in Cresson, TX. I rode with the street group on the new 1.3 mile track. After Mid-Ohio I thought I could handle things pretty well. The new track at MSR is a real handful. It is short with a number of decreasing radius turns and to make it even more fun it has some serious elevation changes.

 

 

Straight out of the pits it seems like you dive down forever. Then you are greeted with a great little up hill decreasing radius turn, real fun trying figure that one out (hint - there isn't an answer to it you just slow down). Anyway the rest of the track is just like that.

 

I worked the morning session and took a ton of pictures (183 were kept, I'm going to sort the rest and upload to flickr later) and shot some video (havent looked yet). In the afternoon I manages to video one session. The short video is ready on YouTube:

 

 

The music track got screwed up while I was cutting it down. oh well.

maybe someday LiveVideo will finish processing the whole thing. Then again, unless you're a track coach watching 20 minutes of me blowing turns would get pretty boring. Actually, if you're a track coach 20 minutes of me blowing turns would get irrating.

 

Everything in that video is done in 3rd with no brakes. I tried 4th, but that uphill hairpin sucks in 4th. I bogged down too much. But in 3rd gear I could get a decent drive out.

 

I only used the brakes in two places - coming in to the carousel and at the end of the start finish straight.

 

 

I was on my 99 ZX6. My first session I really didn't trust it and started off averaging about 1:40 per lap (1:37 was best). Everybody was blowing by me. The next set I had more faith in the bike and brought my average down to 1:37 (1:32 was best). Third set was again better: 1:35 average (1:32 still the best). By the end I wasn't being passed as much, but I still need a lot of work. I also need to trust my bike better. However, I kept banging the freaking pegs. I still don't hang off, I just move my chest from side to side. I've never before experienced anything like that. Imagine going around a turn, leaned way over when you all of a sudden feel/hear this bang-scraaaape. Freaked me out big time. Did it three times on the left and once on the right. Basically, the ZX6's suspension is too soft and it is more street/touring oriented. It still did a great job and I should be able to go a lot faster.

 

 

I had good lines and stayed pretty close to them from lap to lap. The trick is that in a few turns I'm still hunting. Finding a better line in a few turns should be worth a second or two per lap. Then it will be time to work on adding more throttle in places where it is needed.

 

Can't wait for next month - Oak Hill. I'm told it is a very technical track too.

 

Thumbs up to the LSTD guys. They put on a great event.

 

 

BTW - big thumbs up to the fine folks at CSS. I don't think I would have enjoyed myself so much without their teaching and training.

[2bigalow]

Nice vid. You were drawing some good lines out there. That looks like a really fun track.

 

thanks for the kind words.