First trackday at Rockingham

[Scott221]

Hi,

I thought i'd 'blog' todays events here rather than tell each individual the general idea of what happend today. Because so much happend.

Rise and shine early start, we make our way to Rockingham and arrive at 7 oclock, I sign a discalmer to say if i die i won't sue anyway... ok, fair enough, get a little wrist band and then have a briefing. All of a sudden the fast group ran off giggling and rubbing there hands together, started there bikes and fooked off round the track whilst us idiots (noivce group) had a further saftey briefing.
The guys at No limits are awsome, mostely ex-racers, they know what they're talking about, on top of that, ours was a women, and she was fit.
So, finally, its my turn, hearts in my mouth, im on a bike ive never ridden, on a cc ive never ridden, on a track ive never ridden... this will be fun, and OH MY FUCKING SWEET JESUS was it. The first session was a full sighting lap, It went fit instructor, slow blonde and me and the rest of the pack behined us. I was getting bored so id slow right down and then hoon it round, before end right up blondies butt, I wasn't complaining.
Anyway, onto the first proper session, we lined up every race at the end of the pit lane, they'd check your wrist bands to make sure you wern't some Camel who sneeked in a stole a bike, it seemed to take an absolute age. Then it was time to go, give it the beans right left right right left, and, hang on, wtf, I'm in front... First session went brilliant, I was leading the novice group until some Camel on a gixxer thou spoiled my fun by undertaking me with his left knee down, cheeky fucker.
Onto the second session and I'm still very aprehensive. There were bikes there of all kinds, busa's,kwaks,r1's,mostely gixxers. But that one busa, was like trying to get passed a transit with a rocket strapped to his back. The guy couldn't corner for toad. But we'd get on a straight and hed just leave me for dust as im there thinking this thing beneath me is the absolute fastest thing on the planet. So, one of the track instructors overtakes me THAT i thought! I'll tag along with him. So he does the busa, i can do that, oh wait a minute no i cant, straight into the grass.
The funny thing is the busa went off aswell, he must of been watching me, silly giraffe. That didnt really knock my confidence or owt, got it back on the track aswell, happy days.
Third session we head out, previous session was good, (Apart from my conversation with the dasies) my mechanics told me i was looking excellent on the bike, and people wouldn't believe that it was my first time on track, let alone id never ridden a 600. I was dragging my knees here the and everywhere. The session started well, I was off, hooning again. Took the busa happy days, get to my favourite corner (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/gra...rockingham.gif) The Tarzan, dragging my knee, get on the power and BANG. Im down before i know it, whilst im sliding on my butt i'm thinking two things 1) how the f*** did that happend and 2) where the fucks that busa. Luckily it wasnt that fast, about 40 mph, i lowsided on my right side, slid and twist 360 on my butt. So got a good view of the bike flipping and sliding, and a good view to the rear, where i see Mr Busa going off the track. LOL, this guy really was shite.
I was annoyed at myself, all day id been thinking about the torque catching me out and it had, coming from a 400 to a race tuned gixxer something was bound to happen. Oh well, I was fine, bike didnt have that much damage, broken brake lever damage to the fairing and damage to the exhaust crash bung. Total cost of reairs to me £80.
This really knocked my confidence however, had to go to the medical bay where the woman thought i was about to die as I had a low pulse, turns out im just fit as a butchers...
Anyway, I forgot to mention that people had been crashing left right and centre all morning. 17 crashes in total, 3 sessions, 10 red flags. The record was 12. So over came the tannoy 'All racers must attend a 2nd briefing' basically we're in for a bollocking as race control were getting annoyed. Nothing too bad, they just told us to bring it down a notch, which was fair enough.
Next two sessions I took it super easy, no hanging off just keeping the pace. Getting overtaken left right and centre which i didn't like either I really concentrated on getting my braking points sorted, lines etc, where in the final session id put it all together and hopefully not die.
Boy did it work, I was out in the second stig of the noivce group and I was at the front again before i knew it, it really was going well, the first corner is all sweeping, sweeping left into a small chicane which you ride straight though the middle of, then knock it up two (short shift (close ratio gearbox)) and hard on the power, take it all the way out to wall then hard on the brakes for the first left, it was fantastic. Then it was time to come in, OWWWIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I could of stayed out there all day. I did some mean overtaking, up the inside of mr busa, fecked him off and i was focusing so hard on getting it all flowing and sorted.

There were pro photographers there and all, one was sitting right on the corner where i lowsided, so you'll be able to see me in the first few sessions getting my kd, then hopefully theyve got the crash, and the the final session pics will be crap. Oh well.

I want a trackbike now aswell!!!!

All i can say is, get yourself onto a trackday if you havnt already. And those who think rockingham is crap, couldnt be further away from reality. Its an absolutely fantastic track.
Also, cant thank smallboys (trackbike hire) enough, it was like having my own race team, I'd come in, bikes on the paddock stand, tyre warmers on "so how does the bike feel scott?" Bloody awsome! Now, I'm going to collapse in the corner.

[jake]

nice one dude.
ive never been to rockingham, sound good. Ive heard good things about no limits, so im glad it turned out true.
I had a crash the other day too. does'nt hurt at the time does it?? im hurting today tho, dizzy too! I went down at about 70-80, wheel on the grass, and away she went. i landed on me head, then went along on my back, on grass tho, so lovely and soft

how much does the bike hire cost without the oops?

[Scott221]

£170. Incl, fuel, mechanic for the day, paddock stands, tyre warmers, suspension set up. Its bloody quality. I lowsided at aout 40, quite fun actually, looking at my leathers now, they took quite an impact. Think my leg my be abit sore.

[Scott221]

A few pics...

[masterofinsanity]

nice pics scott, bet you had a cracking time!

[Scott221]

WHHHhhhoooppsss...

[masterofinsanity]

did they not mind you trashing their bikes?

[rene]

Nice one, was this on the gixxer junkies day? I really liked rockingham when i was there last. Got a trackday for my b'day in feb but weathers been to crap to actually book anything yet :@

[Scott221]

Nice one, was this on the gixxer junkies day? I really liked rockingham when i was there last. Got a trackday for my b'day in feb but weathers been to crap to actually book anything yet :@

yeah mate it was. Most of my mates were saying Rockingham was toad, but I absolutely loved it, that chicane coming off the oval and then taking it right out to the wall. OHH!! Love it.