WERA @ Road Atlanta 7-4-04?

[jkflatt]

Any aprilia racers going to RA this weekend? If so, look me up. Being new to racing the mille and RA, any advice would be appreciated.

[Aprilia94]

Take the first few laps at RA rather cautiously and at your own pace. Lots of blind corners and elevation changes. Don't feel you have to go fast right away or you will likely crash just from being off the racing line and leaving the track surface. Try to be first out for practice so that not everyone is up to speed yet and you are not jumping in on someone's "hot lap". Have fun! it's a great track. You should really enjoy it once you get the hang of it.

[TheWheel]

I'll be there this weekend. Road A is my favorite track. Nice flowing track (except for the new chicane) with elevation changes and a long back straight. Avoid the left side of the track at the end of the back straight. The track has ripples on that side and tends make the rear hop as you brake heavily for the left hander coming up. Of course, if you are on the left side, you're on the wrong side to set up for the turn, but you might be tempted to make a pass there. It's a good idea to find a reference point for your line going under the bridge. It's blind going up the hill and as you crest it, you can find yourself in the wrong position setting up for the final turn.

[Aprilia94]

exactly what TheWheel said above. My first day at Road Atlanta I went up the hill under the bridge the wrong way and found myself in the grass going down hill hoping to get it under control before hitting the pit wall. This was on a GSXR750 back when they still had the gravity cavity...so I was really hauling ass...that was scary even though I did save it and turned into the pits when I reached the asphalt. Now the pit/paddock are on the inside of that same corner instead of the outside and the gravity cavity has been filled some 18 feet and there is a chicane. I can understand why they changed the layout. I was standing on the bridge when someone got the gravity cavity all wrong and crashed into the bridge and was killed at the GNF several years ago. From what I understand that was not an isolated incident. It is now much safer for everyone, but the corner under the bridge is still blind and drops out from underneath you a lot quicker than it looks on TV.

[BigTuna]

good luck, have fun and stay upright

[BigTuna]

how did it go?

[jkflatt]

Had a great time. R.A. is an exciting track. Being the first time to race there, it took time to get comfortable with the track. Weather for Friday morning practice started out wet but cleared up and was great the rest of the day. On Sunday after the 4th race it rained hard and they stopped for about an hour. The next couple races were wet and then the track started drying by the 7th-8th race. Also my first back to back race. Sr. Superbike - I started next to last row, 18th or so, next to last row. Had a great run and finished third.

Next race was HWT twins. The one I really wanted to do good in. Again started next to last row, around 20th. Got a good start gained 3-4 positions by turn 1. Had a good first lap and gained a couple more positions, got behind a duc going up turn 1 into the chicane when he got alittle off line and I went around him, as I passed him I hit the throttle alittle too much in the turn and nearly high sided. God must have help me pull out of it, because it was a heck of a ride. It shook the bike so much the tip over switch shut off the engine and I coasted down the esses without power. Since this was not a good place to be with 10-15 bikes on my tail, I waived my arm hoping no one would hit me and watched everyone pass. Once I regained composure, I turned the key off and on again and refired the engine. I was so mad that now I was in last that I almost did the same thing in turn 5 but this time the rear just stepped out. Needless to say I decided to back off, and just finish the race. I ended up gaining a few more spots and ended 13th. I really felt that I could have been in the top 3 - 5.

Anyway I had a great time and WERA did a great job with the event. Everyone there was very nice. Got to meet aprilia racer Frank Shockley who was very nice and did very well there representing aprilia.

[Dug206]

Were you running HWTSS or Superbike?

[jkflatt]

HWT SS

[(diet)DrThunder]

I did the rider school on Dan Carr's RS250 on Saturday, what a hoot! Road A was a bit intimidating for a n00b, but I like the track. After I got 6 or 7 laps in I started to feel comfortable, and for the rider school race I was able to go under the bridge to turn 12 w/o shutting off out of fear :) so that was good.

I had a TON to learn...I haven't ridden GP shift before, haven't ridden a 2 stroke in 15 years, never seen Road A before and havne't been on a track but once in 15 years...yikes!

I had a ball though!

Oh, did I mention I weigh 300 pounds? :D That poor RS...

This is me! (http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=04SQ003Y6K0050&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1&d=0)

[BigTuna]

Originally posted by (diet)DrThunder


Oh, did I mention I weigh 300 pounds? :D That poor RS...

This is me! (http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=04SQ003Y6K0050&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1&d=0)

oh shit, looks like you had fun....poor RS :happy:

[TheWheel]

I had a great time but it was HOT. I did the Solo 20 (why don't they rename it Solo 16 since they are 16 lap races????) on Saturday, the HWT SS and SB on Sunday. My best finish was 6th in the HWT SS race. Got my patented terrible start but had a great battle with a group of 4 or so guys in front of me. Passed one guy exiting onto the back straight and thought I could get another at the same time as I was closing on him at a pretty good rate. As we approached the kink I knew it would be tight but I was hoping he would leave some room on the right. Wrong! He shut the door on me and I had to slam on the brakes! Luckily, no one was right on my tail. Had to wait a little longer but I got by him. Had a guy on a 250 pass me going into turn one. Later on the back straight, I had to remind him what an extra 750cc can do! :D Had a great time. You going to be at CMP in a couple weeks Jkflatt?

[jkflatt]

CMP - probably not. Too many things going on this summer. Will probably do Barber w/CCS in August and VIR in September. My racing partner is trying some AMA events and I will be helping him at Rd. Atl. and VIR in September.