Advise for First Time Flat Track Racers

[Scott270r]

I have talked about this with many of the "Core" racers in the new league and thought a post would be helpful.

1. Please don't "Race" practice, you might end up getting hurt and no one is keeping score. After all, its just practice. Use this time to get aclimated to the track and how your bike responds to it in all the different turns, get to know the "Edge" and stay a little under it.

2. Don't expect to do too well in the beginning, this sport is quite a bit more difficult than most imagine. Don't be discouraged if the wins don't come till later on.

3. Think your way through the heats, the 2 heats only serve to position you for the main event, you don't need to take any unnecessary chances in these heats if you are going to qualify already. For Example:

If you are in second and think you could pass for the win in a heat race, make sure it can be extra clean. The top 2 transfer directly and that is a situation where you might not want to take that chance and take both of you out. Keep that in mind and save the all out racing for the main, its the only one that really matters and it also comes after youv'e had 20 laps of racing so you'll be best prepared by then.

4. Stay off the cones! they will make you wreck and/or hurt others behind you.

5. Try not to let the bike get completely sideways...EVER. The bike will grab and then you WILL wreck. Try to keep it under control, no one one likes to see anybody get hurt.

6. Try not to touch, sometimes it happens and mostly its just clean hard racing. But it won't make you any friends if the perception is otherwise. Keep this in mind especially in "Practice" or even the heat races.

7. Have fun. I personally hope to see more and more new racers. There were 2 new racers from Ocala this past weekend. I hope they both had fun and plan to be back.


......See everybody in Ocala soon!   

[derek330]

good call scott... these are things everyone should know... things went pretty good saterday except the one wreck in the int. class.. hit a cone and fliped.... i looked at the track at the end of our racing and it WAS pretty torn up!! I bet the cart guys were talk mad $hit after we left...  the carts didnt get to run in between our heats so we were constantly peeling away at the track.. everyone was going slower than normal except dave.. (driftmaster)   the rear shock i borrowed sucked and had me going very slow around the track... i was ashamed to be going that slow... if i knew that before the race i wouldnt have even tryed.... oh well.... on another note fairygary got smoked aff the line !! !! !! imageine that.... how you like that fluke now gary??  give it up man you got no beef!! LOL

[Hoosier Daddy]

Awesome post Scott! 

[fastrnrik]

Excellent post. If there's a way to crash on a flat track, God knows I've done it. I've been more broke up during my short flat track "career", than all the other racing I've ever done combined. I plan emphasizing safety at all costs at the drivers meetings to everyone, especially the newcomers. If they get a little "competitive", like a lot of us tend to do, while practicing or during heats, I will remind them to calm down a little. It's for FUN after all. If there comes a time when a rider just will not be safe, he will be pulled from the track. I'd rather someone be mad than risk hurting a bunch of other racers.

[1fastltr450]

Scott thats some real good advice right there. Some people need to read that and think about it when they  are going around the track.  Good people with good advice thats what we need more of.

[Fox17]

awesome post. that is really helpful. thanks.

[quad450]

this is a good post. however, i feel that there would have been no wrecks at all this weekend had the cones been off of the track like was discussed in the drivers meeting. #37 and #72 were racing clean, it's just that every time they came around turn 4, the same cone would get kicked out to the groove and the flag guy kept putting it back where it was instead of taking it and the others off the track. as we start racing at these different tracks, i think we need to start looking at these things to help us have a more safe time out on the track. thanks for the post scott270r.

[yfz#78]

Thanks for the post. This is great advice. I'm ok after the wreck I had, bruised up, but ok. I'll be back to race another day. I have some work to do on ol' lucky (my quad) ,but that blue yfz will definitely be back. Oh, thanks for the ice pack!

I have talked about this with many of the "Core" racers in the new league and thought a post would be helpful.

1. Please don't "Race" practice, you might end up getting hurt and no one is keeping score. After all, its just practice. Use this time to get aclimated to the track and how your bike responds to it in all the different turns, get to know the "Edge" and stay a little under it.

2. Don't expect to do too well in the beginning, this sport is quite a bit more difficult than most imagine. Don't be discouraged if the wins don't come till later on.

3. Think your way through the heats, the 2 heats only serve to position you for the main event, you don't need to take any unnecessary chances in these heats if you are going to qualify already. For Example:

If you are in second and think you could pass for the win in a heat race, make sure it can be extra clean. The top 2 transfer directly and that is a situation where you might not want to take that chance and take both of you out. Keep that in mind and save the all out racing for the main, its the only one that really matters and it also comes after youv'e had 20 laps of racing so you'll be best prepared by then.

4. Stay off the cones! they will make you wreck and/or hurt others behind you.

5. Try not to let the bike get completely sideways...EVER. The bike will grab and then you WILL wreck. Try to keep it under control, no one one likes to see anybody get hurt.

6. Try not to touch, sometimes it happens and mostly its just clean hard racing. But it won't make you any friends if the perception is otherwise. Keep this in mind especially in "Practice" or even the heat races.

7. Have fun. I personally hope to see more and more new racers. There were 2 new racers from Ocala this past weekend. I hope they both had fun and plan to be back.


......See everybody in Ocala soon!   

[Scott270r]

YFZ # 78,

I am glad you are O.K. That was a bad spill in turn 3, it looked like you bent the left rear rim on your bike. I hope you and your friend, can make it to Thunderbowl Sept, 2. Be sure to sign up for the series you guys are definetely ready for the intermediate class.

[yfz#78]

yeah, left rear rim, axle, tie rod, and left rear hub. I'm just thankful nothing is broken on me. I may not be ready for thunderbowl sept. 2, but someone from our team will be.

[vtx8]

Great advice Scott thanks. My son and i had a blast saturday night and look forward to the races in the future. glad to here you are all right yfz#78

[yfz#78]

thanks Kurt. Is matt still on his cloud?

[vtx8]

Yes and no he knows when he goes to ocala there will be a lot more quads there so he is trying to keep the cloud up there for now thank god he did not win up there his head would not fit in the door when he got home LOL

[vtx8]

Are you going to make it to ocala on the 2nd?

[flat tracker 37]

ya im stil in the cloud and still gona try to be cuz i no im not gona finish that good cuz of all the bikes that r gona be there but im shure gona try my heart off though!!! 

[yfz#78]

you'll be ok Matt. just remember, you'll probably be racing Jon this time. If you can stay on his bumper, you'll get 2nd. lol!  I'm out for a little while. I haven't been to work this week cause i'm sore and all. maybe i'll be back out there around november. i've got a knee surgery coming up on sept. 20

[1fastltr450]

best luck to you on the surgery. hope all goes well.

[yfz#78]

thanks. i'll hopefully be back on the track around late november.

[flat tracker 37]

ya hopefully i wont be behind him holeshot holeshot holeshot ok well see ya then best of luck keep in touch

[yfz#78]

thnx

[Scott270r]

Bump

[dreth]

thats way to many rules i just race as if every guy on the track is my son! I would not take him out NOR would i take you out