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Donington park trackday today...What a first trackday!

2K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  ginoo 
#1 ·
So very last minute, yesterday afternoon, i decided to join 3 bmx friends, from London and Manchester, at Donington park for a track day. My first track day, i had no idea how i'd be or what to expect, but i'm sat here now with funny excited feelings in my belly, and a huge want, to do another million trackdays as soon as possible!!!

I rode down last night at 8pm, the 100 miles in the pouring rain, dressed to the hilt in plastic bags, thermals and an all over waterproof gimpsuit, and arrived at Nottingham East midlands airport travellodge shorty after 10pm. Pretty much straight to bed once we'd loaded my bike into Tom's van.

This morning we all got up at 6am, filled up the bikes and headed to the track for 7:30am. We chose our pit garage, unloaded, leathered up, ate some grub, and waited. I changed my stock exhaust to my bean tin sized GP can that i brought in my tank bag lol, and then we had the safety briefing, which basically told us that grass and gravel is bad, tarmac is good, and try not to die...

As this was my first track day, i was supposed to wear a yellow jerkin, which i successfully avoided. I also avoided the starters tips and all that side of things, which rather than being in a cocky way, i just genuinely thought that i have a good grasp on my limits, i am a decent rider who understands racing lines, fast riding characteristics and the importance andconsequences of good/bad body positioning, road positioning and speed. So i thought i'd learn in my own way, asking when i felt like i should. I hope that doesn't come across cocky and people understand what i mean! I'm not by any means against advice!

Anyway, after calling the DVLA to confirm my ridingness...due to a small scare, being that my licence doesn't say i can actually ride a bike, my group 1 headed out on the track at a nice 56mph for 3 laps behind an orange man who knows what he's doing, before we're out on our own.

Now the first couple of sessions were wet, but without a cloud in the sky, it was just a matter of time, so i used the first 40 minutes to learn the right line for every turn. I thought about landmarks to use as braking points, and spotted the things i wasn't too keen on riding/sliding/rolling/crashing into.


The day was much of a muchness, when it comes to typing it out here. We had 2 groups, new/slow/novice, and inter/expert/fast. Once it dried up, i got more and more confidence each lap and by the end of the day i had my knee down on every corner which was amazing, as i only got my knee down for the first time this morning. I was happy enough being in the slow group, not that i had a choice, but by mid day, i was lapping people, and a lot faster than everyone else in that group. It was awesome overtaking people, so i was happy in that group! But next time i'll be in the other group.

No injuries, plenty of crashes, plenty of wrecked bikes. I ended up in the gravel once after thinking it best to sit it up rather than push it that extra bit. Evidentally the right choice, as my bike and my body are in as good of a condition now as before i went!

I learnt a lot about braking, powering out of corners, body positioning, cornering in general, and definaetly what the bike is capable of. It's been probably the best day of riding i've had up to now, and has definately planted the track day seed.

Here is a video, that is probably quite boring to everyone except me and the guy that filmed it, but hey ho, look if you wanna! It does have me going intot he gravel somewhere in it too lol. (i'm the rider, being filmed by my mate Tom.)

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK


Bongo
 
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#2 ·
watched the video, but it looks like u had sum too
 
#3 ·
dude, awesome. you were looking good out there. especially for your first track day.
 
#7 ·
yeah cheers. I got every corner/line smooth at some point, some more than others. It's just a case of practice thought and experience to build consistency isn't it. I'm really happy with how i rode as it was my first time on a trac, so just gotta get a load more done and learn learn learn! Pity it's december and the rain has well and truly set in.

Bongo
 
#9 ·
Shut up Bongo...

<---envious.

:)

Nah...I'm glad you had a great time man. Totally can't wait until I can afford the gear and fees to ride a track... Live it up, mate!

So be honest B...professional BMX or going motorized on two wheels...which takes it?
 
#10 ·
GIJoe007 said:
So be honest B...professional BMX or going motorized on two wheels...which takes it?
Haha, it's getting close to be honest after yesterday!! But it's still bmx! Hard to understand i expect by 99.9999% on this forum, but the engine has got tto come in at a VERY close 2nnd place. That's why i'll do both!

I'm on ebay at the moment looking for trailers lol.
 
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