This seems like a good idea in theory, however, in practice how can it be accomplished unless there is virtually one-on-one review? Every year the bikes get lighter with greater HP... add to that mix improvements in tires and people can be really fast without having the necessary underlying skills... or they lack the sense to ride within their abilities. Throw in a healthy number of highly adept people who enjoy small displacement 2 strokes and some Motards and everyone on the track really needs to be well rounded and capable of riding not only fast, but experienced in dealing with whatever situation arises. I ride in the Advanced group with 4 organizations and will be doing Control Rider work with one of them this year and like most people, we see some rather dumb-ass stuff. The sad reality is that especially in the A group, the repercussions of making a bad choice are much higher - and they can easily involve numerous nearby riders... So, I am also interested in how abilities will be 'policed'?
Easy one Hank! This can be determined at tech. Those with the most carbon fiber belong in the A group. Those with llittle carbon fiber but other "trick parts" go in intermediate. Those with near stock bikes belong in novice. Before anyone gets their panties in a knot, I've had more than my share of carbon fiber and "trick parts."
Now that's funny! Another method might be to bring a dyno print-out so they can determine who belongs in what group... :lol:
One of the main issues I've seen with STT track days is that you will have people sign up in groups they don't belong. I know last year at Barber there were people in the A group that were doing 1:55 laps IF they were lucky. I know it's not a race but when you are rolling around at 1:38-1:40 playing around with friends and you come up on somebody 15 seconds off that pace, it can make for a dangerous situation. Now granted this was last year and maybe there have been changes in the way people are moved up and down but it used to be you just identified the rolling chicanes in the AM sessions so you could avoid them easily later. HOWEVER, I tried out NESBA last month at VIR and of course you can only sign in up I and have to be evaluated. Well I was being very nice and following all their rules about passing and was told that I looked too nervous in traffic. Next session a just went out and passed everybody in I with less regard for other riders spacing, but still safe passing mind you. Well, after that the CR told me I was passing too agressive, that I needed to watch out because at the speed I was closing on peolple it could be dangerous. Needless to say it was very frustrating having to ride the whole day in intermediate when I could watch the A group and see I was faster than a good portion of them. I can respect each orgs way of doings things, but each is frustrating. Oh, one thing that's cool abot NESBA once you get in the A group you can pretty much sign up for a track day whenever because it appears the A group virtually never sells out. However, getting in that group can apparenly prove problematic.
"Now that's funny! Another method might be to bring a dyno print-out so they can determine who belongs in what group... Laughing" I got a better idea. Let's group bikes by their replacement value. That way, guys with more expensive bikes are riding with people that at the same financial risk of crashing. After all, don't guys with the ratty bikes cause the most crashes? Kind of like parking your new mercedes away from the rusty old dodge pick up in teh parking lot. Hows this for the new groups: Untouchables: $20,000+ Respectibles: $10K to $2K Semi-Ratty: $5K to $10K Ratty bikes: under $5K Net value of the bike at the time of registration (to be determined by a combination of blue book value, receipts, and an expert panel of judges) I've never owned a motorcycle that was worth more than $6,000, so i guess that moves me down the semi-ratty bunch. I guess I better get some more frame sliders and body armour!
If they went with that and factored in age, my relics will be only eligible for use as pit bikes :roll:
I think a bright colored arm band worn on the bicept may work better. I can see a lot of ego-riders not taking too well to wearing the Newbie vest. Arm band might be a bit less intrustive and cost a little less as well.
If you made riders wear colored bands or tee shirts according to thier laptimes we'd probably see more crashes due to trying to get rid of that color insigna . Enough people already put too much thought into what thier fastest flying lapstimes are when they should be more concerned with what they can do consistantly/smoothly . I have no idea how to group riders fairly/safely . Maybe we should be penalized for trying to ride over our heads no mattter the class . Something like , run off track you get to sit out the next session . Crash and you sit out 2 full sessions . Cause a crash and you go home . That's still a bargin compared to screwing up on the street ... Lots of egos at trackdays lately with too many people willing to chance a crash to get that "fastest" laptime .