A little help for a Homestead first timer Florida Track Days Discuss A little help for a Homestead first timer in the Motorcycles on the Road forums; I was planning on signing up for the Aug 2nd & 3rd trackdays at Homestead, but would love a little feedback. I've never been there before and I'm not sure ...

[ivan]

I was planning on signing up for the Aug 2nd & 3rd trackdays at Homestead, but would love a little feedback. I've never been there before and I'm not sure which group would be best for my first time. I've been to Jennings 5 or 6 times in the past couple years and run comfortably in the 1:30 range in the intermediate group and that is the extent of my track experience. I don't have a huge ego, so signing up for novice is not a problem, but I don't want to spend the day putting around either. I see many of you ride both tracks, so you have a good idea what the time comparisons are. With that being said, what would you guys recommend?

[speedylocksmith]

Start in novice. You can always move up/be moved up judging from what control riders see in you In other words, you aren't stuck in the same group all day.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by ivan

I was planning on signing up for the Aug 2nd & 3rd trackdays at Homestead, but would love a little feedback. I've never been there before and I'm not sure which group would be best for my first time. I've been to Jennings 5 or 6 times in the past couple years and run comfortably in the 1:30 range in the intermediate group and that is the extent of my track experience. I don't have a huge ego, so signing up for novice is not a problem, but I don't want to spend the day putting around either. I see many of you ride both tracks, so you have a good idea what the time comparisons are. With that being said, what would you guys recommend?

What 1:30 range?

1:31-ish?

1:39-is?

Somewhere in between?

With 5 or 6 days under your belt and lap times in the (assuming) mid 1:30's you'll be fine in intermediate. You could be bored in the Novice group, especially the morning lead-follow.

If you want some instruction or someone to follow as a first timer, grab a control rider and have them show you the lines for the first session out.

Look forward to seeing you out there!

[ivan]

Originally Posted by shmike

What 1:30 range?

1:31-ish?

1:39-is?

Somewhere in between?

With 5 or 6 days under your belt and lap times in the (assuming) mid 1:30's you'll be fine in intermediate. You could be bored in the Novice group, especially the morning lead-follow.

If you want some instruction or someone to follow as a first timer, grab a control rider and have them show you the lines for the first session out.

Look forward to seeing you out there!

Sorry, I guess I should be more specific...1:30 range, to me is
1:29's on a fast lap, 1:32's in traffic. I like the idea of pulling a control rider to follow around for the first session. I just figured they would all be too busy with the Novice group to do that.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by ivan

Sorry, I guess I should be more specific...1:30 range, to me is
1:29's on a fast lap, 1:32's in traffic. I like the idea of pulling a control rider to follow around for the first session. I just figured they would all be too busy with the Novice group to do that.

Definitely Intermediate.

The first few sessions of the day some of the control riders will be busy helping the Novice group and doing a classroom session for them.

There will be others available and should be no less than 4 on track during the Intermediate sessions at any given time.

Don't be shy asking for help!

[vcyclenut]

yea deff intermediate

homestead is a much easier track then jennings but requires a diff skill set

stability on the brakes and really being able to finish a corner and get back on the gas are the keys to a good lap time,

[Tungue]

I agree with shmike. Definitely intermediate. After 1 session in Novice, you'll want to move up anyways. It won't take you too long to figure out the Homestead. Yeah, it'll take a bit of time to figure out how to go really fast on the track, but just to figure out the lines won't take so long.

You may even want to consider running the expert class like I did. Yes, I was one of the slowest riders in the expert class, but that usually meant a lot of open track in front of me. The other expert riders had absolutely no problems getting around me. Trust me on that. Not to mention, it definitely helped me drop quite a few seconds watching the lines of all the faster riders.

You and I are running similar times at Jennings. So it's just a thought.

I have another thread up with a video of my best session. I recommend watching it. I've got a wide angle lense on. So you'll get a decent idea of the track.

[alecracing]

Originally Posted by shmike

Definitely Intermediate.

The first few sessions of the day some of the control riders will be busy helping the Novice group and doing a classroom session for them.

There will be others available and should be no less than 4 on track during the Intermediate sessions at any given time.

Don't be shy asking for help!

Originally Posted by vcyclenut

yea deff intermediate

homestead is a much easier track then jennings but requires a diff skill set

stability on the brakes and really being able to finish a corner and get back on the gas are the keys to a good lap time,

Originally Posted by Tungue

I agree with shmike. Definitely intermediate. After 1 session in Novice, you'll want to move up anyways. It won't take you too long to figure out the Homestead. Yeah, it'll take a bit of time to figure out how to go really fast on the track, but just to figure out the lines won't take so long.

You may even want to consider running the expert class like I did. Yes, I was one of the slowest riders in the expert class, but that usually meant a lot of open track in front of me. The other expert riders had absolutely no problems getting around me. Trust me on that. Not to mention, it definitely helped me drop quite a few seconds watching the lines of all the faster riders.

You and I are running similar times at Jennings. So it's just a thought.

I have another thread up with a video of my best session. I recommend watching it. I've got a wide angle lense on. So you'll get a decent idea of the track.

You will be scaring the shit out of us Novice's flying around us that fast

[ivan]

Originally Posted by alecracing

You will be scaring the shit out of us Novice's flying around us that fast

Trust me, I'm not that fast...specially on a track Ive never been on. Thanks for the info guys, it gives me a better idea of what to expect out there. Should be a great time. Ive heard nothing but good things about the Homestead track.

[Tungue]

Originally Posted by ivan

Trust me, I'm not that fast...specially on a track Ive never been on. Thanks for the info guys, it gives me a better idea of what to expect out there. Should be a great time. Ive heard nothing but good things about the Homestead track.

Don't mind him. He just doesn't open it up on the straight aways. So you could be going 100 mph and still be scaring him as you go past him on the straights.


Based on your Jennings times, you're just a bit faster than I am. Last time, I ran in the expert group. The only time I would be holding anyone up was if they caught up to me as I was already began my turn in for a corner. I got passed plenty of times under breaks or just as we were entering a corner. No big deal. I held my line. They held theirs. If I was close enough going into turns 1 and 10, I learned a lot about the race lines thru those corners, which in turn helped me drop quite a few seconds off my lap time.