brakes are something i'm very obsessive about, i change the fluid nearly every weekend, i constantly check for leaks, sweat etc.. & most of all a good master. That being said if i don't have them, downshift as far and as fast as possible and ride the rear brake then attempt to make the corner, worst that happens is you lowside because of speed & lean angle, but just try and dig as hard as you can. If none of that works.. pin the facker
Always staying on top of maintenance is the best way to avoid something like that happening. And wearing proper gear so that you have a better chance of walking away if it does.
If you hadn't noticed any fade and if you didn't have a head shake coming onto the straight. Then it's something you need to investigate. Because it sounds mechanical at that point. Personally. I show up at the track ready to ride. I know that time is short some weeks but I always make time to go over the bike before I'm at the track. I do a test ride around the block once everything is ready and double check everything. This way when I show up at the track I ready to go. I know that many get tires at the track, I do the same. So when I know that I will be installing tires I have everything prepped to do so. All tools required are ready along with the torque specs written down on a piece of paper solely for tire changes. It's easy to check everything off and saves a ton of time and frustration by having it all ready to go. As far as what to do when the front brakes fail. First thing is to apply the rear and pump the lever on the front to try and get it to bite. It's important to stay as calm as possible because it's happening very fast and you don't have much time. Trying to use the runoff and kitty litter to increase distance you have in front of you while slowing your speed. Still on the rear brake. I can't stress enough about bike prep. Going out on the track and picturing senerios of what might happen and what you'll do if they do isn't the mindset you need. You'll libel to be extremely slow or still quick and not paying attention to what the bike is telling you and end up crashing. If you have any reservations about your bike. You don't need to be out there until you're 100% confident you can focus on your riding.
I don't know about anyone else, but I start my maintenance about a week before every trackday. I go over everything. Hoses, brakes, suspension, tires, etc. Mostly just inspection, but brakes and tires are critical to me.
This is what having the pads glaze over feels like: You grab the brakes per usual, progressively, but the braking force stops changing at a certain point, so that no matter how hard you squeeze, it doesn't change the braking force you feel in the bike. The bike does keep braking at whatever rate it is stuck at, and if you release, it becomes progressive again. I've heard a few theories on why is this is (outgassing, or contamination between pad material types) and I won't say I know why, but I know it was resolved with a change of pads, dressing the rotors with sandpaper to clean off any old pad material and giving the caliper pistons a once-over with an old toothbrush and soapy water. None of that is a cure, it's just how to change your brakes. But to answer what you should do, I hope you understood that the more advanced the rider is, the more likely it is that they will throw it in, before they stand it up.
I think it was air getting in due to a combination of reservoir set too low ( the bracket was shorter than normal due to a quick fix from a previous crash) and being cranked over in the carousel.