HPR Lapping Day 5/18

[JPrider]

Anyone in the area going to HPR and have room for an extra bike? I plan on just doing half-day.

JP

[Redflash3]

Me and a buddy will be heading down but unfortunately don't have extra room for a 3rd bike.

[JPrider]

Me and a buddy will be heading down but unfortunately don't have extra room for a 3rd bike.

Hope to see you guys out there!

[fe911]

pm sent

[Snowman]

It was an awesome day. That is defiantly the best track in Colorado. Turned a 2:22.3 at 114 mph.

[JPrider]

pm sent

Ed
Thanks again for the hook up! :up:Sucks that your bike only lasted about 5 laps, but now you know how fun the track is.

[Desmodromico]

Amazing track, perfect weather, but am I the only person a little worried after yesterday about the future of these events?

Here are a few things I saw that could jeopardize them that everyone should think about and take personal responsibility for:



No tech was ok until guys started showing up with bikes straight off the road, no lights taped, surely still running antifreeze, some smoking like crazy and with bald tires.
Many people there looked to have never put wheels to track before and with no formal riders meeting many were rolling roadblocks in the corners and some were downright stupid in how they used the track ignoring flags etc. and generally pissing people off.
Speed differentials were huge even among the race group (Hendry on his 1098R to a guy riding no more than 30 around T1 in the same session) and with a shorthanded corner crew a big wreck could cause a lot of problems. Race numbers should not automatically put someone in the fast group especially in their first time out to the track.

It is awesome to have such a great track nearby, I just don't want to see these days go away due to anything bad happening...

Feel free to flame me if you wish and this isn't meant to bash Glenn or any of the other folks who put it on!

[UglyDogRacing]

Amazing track, perfect weather, but am I the only person a little worried after yesterday about the future of these events?

Here are a few things I saw that could jeopardize them that everyone should think about and take personal responsibility for:



No tech was ok until guys started showing up with bikes straight off the road, no lights taped, surely still running antifreeze, some smoking like crazy and with bald tires.
Many people there looked to have never put wheels to track before and with no formal riders meeting many were rolling roadblocks in the corners and some were downright stupid in how they used the track ignoring flags etc. and generally pissing people off.
Speed differentials were huge even among the race group (Hendry on his 1098R to a guy riding no more than 30 around T1 in the same session) and with a shorthanded corner crew a big wreck could cause a lot of problems. Race numbers should not automatically put someone in the fast group especially in their first time out to the track.
It is awesome to have such a great track nearby, I just don't want to see these days go away due to anything bad happening...

Feel free to flame me if you wish and this isn't meant to bash Glenn or any of the other folks who put it on!

I doubt anyone will flame you since they are all valid concerns that you brought up. HPR is new and will experience some growing pains in the beginning. I would imagine that as the track days get more popular and crowded there, Glenn will make some changes. He did step up yesterday morning and break it up into sessions after the first 2 hours started getting too crowded.

[Kitten]

Amazing track, perfect weather, but am I the only person a little worried after yesterday about the future of these events?

Here are a few things I saw that could jeopardize them that everyone should think about and take personal responsibility for:



No tech was ok until guys started showing up with bikes straight off the road, no lights taped, surely still running antifreeze, some smoking like crazy and with bald tires.
Many people there looked to have never put wheels to track before and with no formal riders meeting many were rolling roadblocks in the corners and some were downright stupid in how they used the track ignoring flags etc. and generally pissing people off.
Speed differentials were huge even among the race group (Hendry on his 1098R to a guy riding no more than 30 around T1 in the same session) and with a shorthanded corner crew a big wreck could cause a lot of problems. Race numbers should not automatically put someone in the fast group especially in their first time out to the track.

It is awesome to have such a great track nearby, I just don't want to see these days go away due to anything bad happening...

Feel free to flame me if you wish and this isn't meant to bash Glenn or any of the other folks who put it on!

Those are very valid points. I appreciate you bringing them up as I think everyone would agree that we don't want to see anyone hurt or worse. This is why Chicane Track Days are so good. However, I do believe that the lapping days are great and a very necessary part of the track. The easiest way to ensure that people are familiar with with track edicate is to ensure they have completed a track day course.

The one thing that I disagree with is the speed differentials, as long as it's treated as a track day and passes are made safely. The issue that I saw that was a bigger deal than speed was holding a line. I saw several riders all over the track, which makes it very unpredictable to pass. With that being said, it's important to remember that it is a track day and not a race.

All in all a superb day and I love the track! Now that we've seen and ridden the track let's help take it to the next level and donate some money. :)

[motolitho]

Solutions? Sounds like there needs to be some volunteer help at the management level. Even a couple dudes out there to help out the new kids (like me) get familiar with the track AND a tech shakedown. I am excited to try these lapping days (Sunday), but have been a little concerned about doing it with out the help from the Chicane guys for class designation.

[nwatkins]

What are the current requirements? Can anybody just show up and ride, or previous track experience necessary, and if so how are the newbies proving that?

[Kitten]

I believe right now it is the honor system.

[Kitten]

Solutions? Sounds like there needs to be some volunteer help at the management level. Even a couple dudes out there to help out the new kids (like me) get familiar with the track AND a tech shakedown. I am excited to try these lapping days (Sunday), but have been a little concerned about doing it with out the help from the Chicane guys for class designation.


The good riders will always help you. You just need to ask. Have you ridden a track before?

[Desmodromico]

I believe right now it is the honor system.

That's why I mentioned personal responsibility, in quite a few cases I think people who should have asked for help didn't and that never ends well. I am no expert but I have enough time under my belt to give someone new the general rundown and have on several occasions.

I guess the moral is if you don't know, please ask!

[motolitho]

I have 2 chicane days at Pueblo (the last two), and a few at Second Creek many years ago. I am not NEW- but have no interest in mixing it up with racers (even though getting safely passed by DiSalvo was awesome). Everyone has been SUPER helpful- I am so happy about that. Much nicer people than you would ever find in the canyons. I am done with the street- just mounted up the race bodywork 2 weeks ago. So we'll see, maybe next year I can enter some races.

[kevplus2]

i have to agree about tech inspection. as for taping requirements, it appeared as though everyone was in accordance with hpr's policy, which unfortunately doesnt require unplugging lights (brake lights can be a bit distracting).

as it was my 1st time to this track i wouldve liked to at least had a rider's briefing. it always good to get an overview of the track/expectations/etc no matter how many tracks you have ridden on.

other than that i thought it was a great day. kept it safe and still had a couple great exchanges (especially with a yellow duc :up: )

[jplracing]

All -

As you know many changes were made at PMP over the last several years. In my mind changes for the better. In that time there were many people who took "the class". However, many people did not for one reason or another. Even thought almost all people passed the class at PMP, HPR is a different track with different requirements.

As Jim stated earlier, HPR is new and only experiencing growing pains. In my mind, if you were to politly voice these concerns to the track management (Glen the track manager, MRA Prez and HPR Track Manager is The Gecco on this board) only good things will come of it in the future.

Anyway just my $.02

[racedk6]

The one thing that I disagree with is the speed differentials, as long as it's treated as a track day and passes are made safely. The issue that I saw that was a bigger deal than speed was holding a line. I saw several riders all over the track, which makes it very unpredictable to pass. With that being said, it's important to remember that it is a track day and not a race.



Speed differentials make a huge difference especially on this track.

Imagine coming into the cork screw running at a racers pace, while tipping left into the entrance of it in 3rd gear you come across a guys going 30mph slower then you. WTF can you do when that happens. Nothing that will always have a good out come. In that instance it would not matter if the guy was on the right line or not.

If I ever go out to any of the race tracks out here and there is somebody with an unsafe bike riding around, I will say something about it right then and there. Not wait to try and make it a point the day after.

[Kitten]

Speed differentials make a huge difference especially on this track.

Imagine coming into the cork screw running at a racers pace, while tipping left into the entrance of it in 3rd gear you come across a guys going 30mph slower then you. WTF can you do when that happens. Nothing that will always have a good out come. In that instance it would not matter if the guy was on the right line or not.

If I ever go out to any of the race tracks out here and there is somebody with an unsafe bike riding around, I will say something about it right then and there. Not wait to try and make it a point the day after.

That's a very good point. There are definitely some blind entry's. However, you are going to get those speed differentials in a race as well. For example at the HPR race, the top 5 racers in Novice GTU were running sub 2 minute laps, while the bottom 1/4 of racers were riding 2:20+ laps. That equates to a huge speed difference. I don't know the answer, I just believe that you are always going to have a large speed differential when riding a track no matter how well you divide the groups. I did here of several people going of the track or coming close in the cork screw for a multitude of reasons including speed differences.

[nwatkins]

In the novice races, I a middle of the pack btw, the slower guys start in the back and the faster guys are probably not going to lap them in 7 laps. The endurance race is a little different, but that is how the speed differentials are fixed in racing.

[hcr25]

In the novice races, I a middle of the pack btw, the slower guys start in the back and the faster guys are probably not going to lap them in 7 laps. The endurance race is a little different, but that is how the speed differentials are fixed in racing.

This is true to a point. At High Plains the top 3 in novice lapped slower riders in the 7 lap race. In the 30 minute endurance races huge speed differences is always a potential issue. Some of the fastest experts race with the very newest/slowest novices in the same race.We lap some of these guys 2 or 3 times in the same race. It is ALWAYS the faster over taking riders responsibility to make a safe pass. This is the case when racing and should be for track days as well.
Now if someone is being unsafe or not holding their line that is a different story. I am all for talking with the person, just do it in a courteous, respectful way. The rider might not even know what he/she is doing wrong. At one point none of us really new what we were doing our first time on the track.

mike

[nwatkins]

This is true to a point. At High Plains the top 3 in novice lapped slower riders in the 7 lap race. In the 30 minute endurance races huge speed differences is always a potential issue. Some of the fastest experts race with the very newest/slowest novices in the same race.We lap some of these guys 2 or 3 times in the same race. It is ALWAYS the faster over taking riders responsibility to make a safe pass. This is the case when racing and should be for track days as well.
Now if someone is being unsafe or not holding their line that is a different story. I am all for talking with the person, just do it in a courteous, respectful way. The rider might not even know what he/she is doing wrong. At one point none of us really new what we were doing our first time on the track.

mike

Great point Mike, also even though there are blind corners at HPR, they are never that blind. Faster guys will see they are approaching a slower rider, and it is for sure their responsibility to pass safley. My concern is passing somebody and having them get spooked in a way and losing it. Then compound that to bald tire/bad tires and the possiblity of being taking out is real. I had some good advice to not pass on the outside.

Maybe in the future Glenn can offer some expert MRA guys some discounts to show the new guys around. This may help the line issue.

I am looking forward to Sunday as I will not be Hastings, I think it will be a great productive day on a track I need more time on.

[lovinCO]

In the novice races, I a middle of the pack btw, the slower guys start in the back and the faster guys are probably not going to lap them in 7 laps.

I didn't expect it either but as Mike said we did get into lapped traffic in the sprint races. I think it was just that many people hadn't been to hpr before so they were still learning it during the races. The difference in a race situation is that (usually) racers have been on the track before and experienced being passed at speed, so they're not startled by it. The key is definitely to hold your line when the faster rider comes through, whatever your line is.

I heard the track got oiled in a couple places on Monday, was it bad?