Track Virgin - long post

Monday is generally not a good day for the brow-beaten office worker, but for this beleaguered desk-jockey, yesterday was a Monday to remember. My first track day, and at Brands too where a few days previously I’d got sun-burn watching Chuffster carving out the racing lines. I’m pleased I did too (not the sun-burn though), the first time is daunting enough without not being at least partially familiar with the track layout. A video of Highside spanking round it helped enormously too (many thanks mate). Thanks too to Catherine for the ear-plugs, and to the rest of Highside’s crew for the encouragement on the day.

I arrived with plenty of time to spare and prepped the bike before check-in. Check-in wasn’t quite as happy as it might have been as I got stern looks when I explained that I couldn’t produce my license as the DVLA had their endorsing hands on it. It did give me the opportunity to speak to a husky-voiced woman in Swansea though who didn’t have to ask me to spell my name.

And then the long wait until the prep-talk. There was much merriment and joking in the pit-lane, which I wasn’t really in the mood for, so I took myself away to a secluded spot to meditate on what lay ahead; to do some stretches/limbering up, and repeat a few mantras –‘it’s not a race, take your time, learn the track, look where you’re going’. Having lost one bike to the Ring, I wasn’t best keen on doing it on home soil, and certainly not in front of people I knew! This was to be a lesson in restraint and pacing. Slow; slowly getting less slow, and then a little faster and faster still and faster and faster….

Finally, came the prep talk. I know much has been said about evening track sessions, and the fact that there are only two groups, and that people will be stressed out and tired from their days work, so in praise of Focused Events, this is precisely what was hammered home. Consideration for others; awareness of your own condition; enjoyment of the track time; respect for the track; respect and responsibility for the safety of the other people in your group. Anybody construed as exhibiting dangerous behaviour would be black-flagged and then hauled off – no questions asked. It was all done with a great balance of humour and dead seriousness. It’s not a race.

Then it was on your bikes, please. Oh my god. Here we go. Sighting laps, a chance to pussy-foot around the track, and get some idea of lines. Myself and Highside’s mate (Gary?) missed one of them as we arrived late at the pit exit, so two laps later we’re into the pits again preparing to go out in pairs.

First off, it’s Paddock Hill, where I saw at least three people go off on Saturday. Over the brow, into the dip, and heart plunging into groin up to the tighter-than-you-think Druids, and back down the hill into Graham Hill Bend – a roller-coaster of crotch-twitching fun! Along the short Cooper Straight, and hairing up the hill through Surtees and round the off-camber McClaren and Clearways which never seem to end – followed by the wooooof of the dip around Clark Curve (where did that kink come from?) onto the Brabham Straight past Start/Finish and hard on the brakes in time for Paddock Hill again.

Managed to keep a lid on myself for the first session (it’s not a race; smile; it’s not a race). Getting used to the bends, the braking points, the turn-in points, the throttle points, and the sound of the litre-boys blatting blast my ear.

Back into the pits for some serious ear-to-ear grinning, accompanied by stretches, muesli bar snacks (did I really mean to buy Cadbury’s?), and liquids. Can’t wait to get out again. When will the fast boys and girls finish playing? I want to go out again! Must go to the toilet. Don’t want to miss the next session. Go to the toilet. ‘Group 1 into the Pit-Lane, please.’ That’s me – quick, quick. Track time again.

Gently increase the pace, confidence growing – the bike can take it, the tyres can take it (Chicken-strips? What are they? Hehe!) Starting to overtake people. Slightly faster round the corners, desperately searching for the scrape of knee-slider. Not happening – not yet. Once more up to Druids. Brake late, turn in quickly – toe-slider down – next time, next time. And then it happens, right knee down – God bless you Druids corner, COME ON!!! I want to jump for joy, but here comes Graham Hill Bend; left knee down – YEEHAAA! Cherries popping left and right!

But what’s this, a Rocket on Brands? – take him round the outside of Clearways, you beauty! Kissing the tank down Brabham, head up, brake hard for Paddock, again; and again; and again; and again, I never want it to stop. I can’t help myself, I’m making love to my bike; the tyres are creaming themselves on the track – the sound of the wind, the scream of the engine are the pulsing throes of ecstasy….

OH

MY

GOD!!!

And then it’s over.

Stagger; to the pits; exhausted.

Spent.

If I still smoked, it would have been a packet, there and then.

How was it for you?

Ticking metal – melted rubber, the satisfied reply.

Sadly someone from the fast group was ambulanced away after highsiding on Clearways (prayers go out to him or her).

Someone was also black-flagged for trying to prevent me overtaking on Clark Curve. Seems being done by a guy in a rookie vest on a 17-year old CBR is too much for some (it’s not a race, it’s not a race).

Funniest thing about the Rocket-Man was that I saw him leaving the pit complex as I went to pack up. Only it wasn’t him. This guy was short, had a moustache, and looked slightly embarrassed. The guy carving up the track with his pegs was tall, and clean-shaven. Hmmm.

No more a wide-eyed virgin, I’ve found a drug of choice – and this time it’s legal. See you on track!!

Attachments

LSDBrandsIndie4LB.jpg

Nice one L!!!

Glad it ended happy ! Did the Courier boots help ?

Very nicely written LSD, captured losing your track cherry in a very descriptive manner.
See you out on track sometime. Perhaps the next LB trackday 10 Oct Brands?

Well done on getting the most out of it!

Cheers guys. Andrew, the boots are my daily companion, and have, I’m sure added to the distance people give me around town. And now I’ve got calluses in the right place, they’re really comfortable too.

B - lovely to meet you on Saturday. Might be able to do Oct 10, will try my hardest to get the time off, but might not be possible - my biking fun will be curtailed for a couple of months around then. Planning on September 11 for sure though. Met a pair of engineering brothers who have rebuilt a CBR for the track, and will be out on that day. Hope you will be too.

Nice to meet you too LSD, not to worry if you cant make 10 Oct, therell be others.

I won`t be on track on the 11th Sept but do have an evening session at Brands on the 13 Sept if you like.

Great write up Llewelyn! The first time is the best eh, congrats! Keep it sticky side up and it only gets better from here! Have you had a paint-job done on the bike?

WICKED write up I could not have written it any better than I did but yours took me back to my first and put it into words so much better

Its great to be addicted, yeah it costs money but much more healthy and legal than drugs eh Just try not to get too over excited on your second like I did

Jay, this is what was supposed to be my spares CBR, but the other needs too much doing to it for the MOT, so I nicked some of the Red Bull panels which are in better nick.

Note taken LMR - I can feel the adrenalin building up already just thinking about the next one, so I shall definitely be repeating my ‘take it easy’ mantras

really intresting read lsd, sounds like you had a really good time, makes me more determined to get this trackday thing sorted out once and for all!!

Do it Danno, you won’t regret it. And if it’s an evening session I’ll gladly come down to cheer you on. That goes for anyone else too

Awesome post fella, glad you had a good one! Note to self - must take some of my holiday and do a track day this year at some point.

Wicked write up LSD, so glad you enjoyed it. Also nice to know that our Highside was there and helped you along, nothing like having some experience on hand. Bet the grin will last for weeks. Your first track day is something that you will not forget, I still remember mine back in 2000.

Sounds like you had a brilliant evening, but it’s not a race???

Yeah dude! Glad you had a good time… Told ya! My mate was mick, but he has been called worse than Gary so don’t worry. Sorry about the merryment in the pits, didn’t reolise you were taking it so seriously! You looked good out there. I am always willing to help out or give advice (especially at Brands as it is local, one of my fave tracks, and I am pretty quick round there) so nest time you are out let me know. The same goes to anyone else reading this.

Wish I got out there now, but it was so busy even the instructers couldn’t go out in the fast group.

I have to say that the evening went well will considerate ridding and only one off (?) I beleive. And the bloke on the rocket… Excellent, good job he didn’t go down otherwise he would have taken half the tarmac with him!!!

Thanks again, mate. Don’t worry about the merriment - you’ve every right to enjoy yourself, which is why I took myself away for a private moment.

Sadly holidays are not on my side this year, so chances for another might be limited to the one, which I suspect will be either September 11 (day) or 13 (eve).

Would have been a very lonely and daunting experience on my own - really glad you were there

funny write up lsd, enjoyed it. and it still feels like that year after year

i’m glad they didn’t black flag you for wearing shades under your lid too…