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June 27-28 Event Report

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GN6A8220What an incredible two days at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA with Jason Pridmore, Caroline Olsen, Benny Solis, Redspade (Anna Rigby), her hubby Steve and David Kolb (marketing/social media/transportation-jack of all trades).  We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to come instruct and ride, than this crew.  The weather was stellar, the people were in wonderful spirits and the pits were filled with riders grinning from ear to ear.  Jason being the consummate professional and perfectionist squeezed in a lesson plan so filled to the hilt that it will require the remainder of the year to work on the intricacies of those techniques to feel confident enough to execute them consistently.  The general consensus being that those who took the special session learned more in one day than they ever knew was possible.  _N6A8066

In an environment of overcrowded track days and after instructing in many so overly filled every session that it was more a parade lap than the chance to work on practicing your techniques and working on your riding, we proved there is a better solution.  The danger associated with overcrowded track days comes down to the sheer numbers of individuals on the track and the various skill levels.  The two combined lead to crashes that could be avoided if we had less people on track and more room to maneuver.  If we can provide an environment with far less riders where people can learn, go faster, is significantly safer and you can get knowledge from a renown world class coach who you can ask anything wouldn’t you want to?  It’s a question I’ve asked myself through the years and after witnessing this during our event days, know that this dream is now a reality.  Less traffic on track means more opportunity to work on your riding, making that plan and being able to implement it to practice and improve the timing and confidence of that technique.

_N6A8208JP and his crew are amazing people, not just referring to their riding abilities, but as individuals.  Knowledgeable, kind, helpful, gracious, lovely and immensely talented people who truly want to better this sport and raise rider education awareness.  JP having retired from racing, although still quite involved in training riders such as Caroline Olsen and Benny Solis (who are on the rise in MotoAmerica) as well as commentating with beIN sports for MotoAmerica, is still at the top of his game.  JP and his crew rode with our clients, towed and instructed them and by the end of the day I saw remarked improvement in each rider.  Sitting in the classroom and listening to JP teach and answer questions made me want to hop on a bike and go out and ride with all of them but alas I could not and still run the show.  JP’s teaching style is one I’m especially receptive to, purely because when a question was asked, it was answered with facts to support the answer.  No one left that room without a plan to adhere to on their session out on track, yet with that mission there was a levity and ease knowing that while we are working on these drills, we can’t forget why were are doing this…our love of riding.  While this sport is inherently dangerous and things can happen, with the proper training you can only improve…your riding, knowledge and confidence._N6A8205

From the outpour of emails, texts and calls since the event it is clear to me that people want more of what we offered with JP and our event days.  When I started instructing, it was different, there was a sense of family and community in the organizations, but over the years that has changed.  My goal is to kill two birds with one stone, provide an environment where staff feels appreciated as well as a part of a family and the clients have the best experience possible while in our care.  I do this out of passion, for the love of the sport and keeping riders safe.  This is not a lucrative business (very seldom is one done from passion), I could very easily just do track days and jam them full of people, but I love this sport and teaching riders is important to me.  A great deal of planning goes into keeping costs down to pass them on to the clients, this is in hopes we make lifetime riders from everyone we touch.  Whether you ride a cruiser or a sport bike, we just want to you have the skills necessary to enjoy this sport and share it with everyone around you.  If you missed our event with JP we will be bringing him back again next year, so stay tuned for the announcement later this year (once I can pin him down with a schedule).jp43

Our second day ended with a birthday celebration for Troy, the last two years have been celebrated at the track and how poignant since motorcycles brought us together three years ago.  Clint and Di prepared a feast for JP, Caroline, Benny, Anna, Steve, David, Troy and I where we stuffed ourselves then got everyone on horses to show them what horsepower used to mean! The friendships we developed from this event, the memories and laughter we shared are experiences that we will remember for a lifetime.  More than being about business is the sense of community and family which we will strive to bring back into our industry.  Passion fuels my desire to make this successful, giving people opportunities that are hard to come by and options to achieve their goals, creating an environment to develop and grow, supporting our industry by providing continuing education to riders and advocating for rider safety.

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Come out and ride with us, we have another date on September 10th and signups are limited.  JP will be in New Jersey, but Troy Cook will be holding classroom sessions which will be listed the day of the event.  The schedule will be that of a typical track day, 20 minute sessions every hour.  Check the event listing for more detailed information.

Special thanks to Oliver Jervis (for breaking in my new bike and driving me around the track in his snazzy car), Spero Benias, Wendy Leber, Chrissy Wiley, Jenny Besaw, Brian Pinkstaff, Moaka Clay, Alan Schwen, Steve Cook, Troy Cook, Pat O’Connor, Adan Mendoza, Matt Staples, Chris Larabee, Tyler Oxos, Matt Darling, Marie Kile, Renee Johnson, Cory Osburn and James Ketchum who with their dedication and support on these days made it possible for me to focus on making this event fantastic for all who attended.  Thank you Clint and Di for the lovely BBQ and fun at the farm for the gang after our two day event, they had more fun than they ever could’ve imagined.  Also, huge thank you to Fred and Andy at the Ridge Motorsports Park for allowing us to take it over and put on an amazing two days.  Not to be excluded all of our sponsors who so generously donated products to help make this event truly special:  Ducati Richmond, Pacific Powersports, Triumph of Seattle, South Sound Honda, South Bound Honda, I-90 Motorsports, Sena, AGV, Dainese, Dunlop Tires, Cycle Gear, KFG Racing, Mike Sullivan, Cycle Wipes and Racer Gloves.

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Sena Prism review at the track

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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wetiXfijJSU[/youtube]Optimum Performance Rider Training had it’s last track day of the year on August 16, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park, it was expected to be full and it did not disappoint.  The pits were full of eager individuals to get their last taste of riding before the season was officially over for OPRT.  Unfortunately that also meant a lot of people hoping to run their fastest lap times of the year and it led to many get offs on the track.  Sunday was not unlike any other day at the track, but the feeling was thick with a level of anxious tension and we all know what to expect when that happens so we try to keep our students safe and everyone having fun as the day progresses.  The classes were full in both the beginner and intermediate classes and we had every instructor out to help make the day run smoothly.  One of our riders crashed out in the first session and he was absolutely adamant on getting his bike from home to finish off his day.  After asking him did he know why he crashed he said he tucked the front through the turn and completely totaled his bike.  When asked the question about his tire pressures…he said he was running Pirellis and they should stick.  HUH!  Well when asked what kind of tires and pressures we concluded that 32 lbs. of pressure in the front and rear of Pirelli track tires was ridiculously high and they are supposed to be 29 cold in the front and 20 cold in the rear.  There could’ve been a completely different outcome but not making a simple inquiry about his tire pressures and having a pressure gauge caused him to total his bike.  Quite literally a question and a $20 gauge would’ve completely changed his day.  While this is only one example of things we see during the day we can’t help but shake our heads at individuals who get passed, get that red mist and next thing you know we see them off the edge of the track hopefully upright, but majority of the time, not.  This set the tone for the day and it got worse as the day went on with the bike toll.

I was asked to ride with Jonathan the next session, when I met him he seemed nice, but he is asian and not to be stereotypical (I’m asian too) I didn’t want to ride with him if he was going to be some arrogant rich asian kid who was willing to take unnecessary chances and not listen.  It turns out I was wrong and was so happy about it, it turns out this kid can ride, but he has a few things that need to be worked out, so I asked if he minded if we did some film?  I used the Sena Prism anchored to the rear cowling of my GSXR and asked Troy to take him around since we were going to be going out again in the next session with another student to record his riding.  Jonathan is great getting on the gas, however he man handles his bike with his upper body and his body positioning changes drastically after a few laps letting me know he doesn’t use his lower body properly and engage his core.  Anyone that says this sport isn’t physical is wrong, I haven’t met a single rider who doesn’t take their helmet off who isn’t sweating like crazy.  He gets so tired he starts yanking his bike instead of allowing his lower body to stay anchored and control the bike with the change in which peg he weights.  He’s great going left, more tentative going right.  His lines are ok, but they can be better, he needs to use the track more and not be following the turn so long at a lean to get a quicker and better drive.  He needs to look further.  I know you have all heard this and what this means is seeing as far down the track as possible, but still seeing and using rapid eye movements to focus in and out to the reference points.  For example, when entering the turn you should see the apex, but be looking for that exit and all the while focusing in and out from apex (without concentrating on it) to the exit ready to get on the gas.  It takes practice and sometimes when you are tired your eyes just get lazy and you find yourself looking only to the next reference point.  Jonathan was a great student, he listened, he asked questions, he understood and when he got on the track he went to work.  It is students like this that make being an instructor fun, being able to touch people and change their lives in some small way and to give them direction to work on things that may be holding them back.  Unlocking their potential and giving them the confidence to get out there and do it better each time.  Thank you Jonathan for letting me use your video and just talk briefly about the footage as a learning tool and letting me discuss your riding.  My Sena Prism has been an invaluable tool in my teaching at the track and I look forward to recording, posting and critiquing many more students in the upcoming year.  I want to thank Robert Knoll for sponsoring me, my company and what we are doing for women riders, it is individuals like this who believe in our causes that help us to succeed.

Vixens Ride!

Motorcycle Racing

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Racing isn’t for everyone, it requires a certain level of skill, tenacity and hard work to achieve a level that most people will not have the time and funds to accomplish.  I’ve heard people be blunt in saying that racing isn’t for the faint of heart, if you are willing to stack $100 bills and light them on fire then you may be crazy enough to race.  I chuckled at this comment, but had I been smarter, I may have actually turned and ran.  However, I am who I am, I love a challenge and instead of heeding that comment and taking it to heart, I decided that it was something I wanted…needed to do to prove to myself I could accomplish that unlikely goal.   If you are interested our local club racing chapter is WMRRA.

It has been a journey to get my expert license, to race those ten races and finish.  Just because you sign up for ten races doesn’t mean you get credit for them, you must finish, which means you cannot crash and you must cross start/ finish.  I’ve done more than ten races and crashed out on a few, it is heartbreaking, you question your abilities, the pain of the injuries makes you second guess your skills or your bike, you get the picture.  As a racer, you are constantly trying to improve yourself or your bike to give yourself the upper hand.  Let’s be clear, I don’t have the latest bike, I have a 2004 Yamaha R6, bone stock and with Ohlins cartridges and a GP suspension revalved and resprung rear shock (cuz I’m a girl), Vortex brake and clutch levers, rearsets, clip ons, case covers, sprockets, sliders and chain.  There is no slipper clutch, no electronics or gp shift.  It’s old school and it has made me a smoother rider not being able to rely on electronics to save my ass.  What I have developed is skill and smoothness, no dumping clutches, trail clutching and trail braking, learning it takes patience to initiate a turn with precision at times and that multitasking all these things as you are entering a corner in triple digits is an accomplishment like nothing else.  Not everything goes right all the time, timing can be off, your mind not clear, so many things can happen to mess up that could be perfect turn, but it is the trying over and over again to do it that says volumes.  We are not anything if not tenacious and seeking that feeling of the perfect lap (i.e. the drive onto the straightaway, patience to your brake marker, braking, gear selection, trail clutching and trail braking to the apex, letting the bike finish the turn, rolling the bike up on the fat part of the tire to get the perfect drive out of the exit, repeating this process 16 times a lap at the Ridge Motorsports Park)  is what brings us back over and over.

June 27, 2015 I finished my last novice race and when all was said and done I came in 7th.  It was a personal goal that I achieved on that day, I had promised myself one day I would get my expert number and at least place in the top 10 and that day I did both.  I went from #809 to my chosen number #72.   My love of riding, whether it is on the track or on the street, is about passion for a sport unlike anything else.  Anyone who rides understands, those who don’t, think we are bonkers risking our lives.  It just appears that our sport raises more fear in people than many other sports, yet I find motorcyclists to be some of the most interesting intelligent individuals out there.  Even if you never race, come to the track, take lessons from a trusted individual, read, absorb as much information on how to be a better rider.  In doing so you will be a rider for life and reap the benefits of that information when a situation arises that requires you to use your skills appropriately.  Ken Hill was the person that said to me, “Practice makes permanent” meaning practicing without a plan means the development of bad habits that will be hard to break, so go into every practice with a plan and make “Perfect practice permanent.”

Round 6 at the Ridge

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Nothing beats the excitement of the racetrack, the hoards of ez-ups, the smell of gasoline, the racers all lined up for tech inspections and the riders meeting to get the day started. Nothing can top visiting with friends, who are family at this point, as we all get ready for the upcoming weekend. There is a camaraderie that I’ve never experienced anywhere else, but we are all there to race fully knowing that your friend could be your stiffest competition. It is a strange dynamic, yet at the end of the day we all come together and recount the days events, the records broken and the personal accomplishments we conquered. The fact that you get the opportunity to be around talented racers who are more than willing to help you, loan you what you may have forgotten or even give you advice and encouragement is a plus coming into this as a novice this year. This was my last race of the season, I had made plans to get my bike fully equipped for next year so it was bittersweet. My goal was focused on coming in with a time I could be ultimately proud of and build upon that next year.

I started this year with a bike, minimal knowledge and a passion to do what very few women would attempt. My hopes were to show women just beginning or even those who had been riding for a while, that if you had passion, you could accomplish great things. I’ve had my share of spills, very lucky ones at that, but with those mistakes came a knowledge an understanding and respect for the machine that you man. Truth be told, your machine doesn’t make the mistake that causes you to crash, you do, whether it is a poor decision to pass, too much throttle, whatever it may be you are the reason…it makes you accountable each and every time. It is interesting to say that it translates to things in your life, I relive each and every crash in my mind for days to recount the decisions I made and what I could have done to avoid them. We are all in search of the perfect feeling…the lap around the track where everything seems to fall into place, where your body and the bike feel as if they are one and working in perfect harmony…it keeps us coming back for more.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to ride my bike has said it is a solid and happy bike and I tend to agree. I also understand that there are changes I must make on my bike in the off season to even be competitive, things that I honestly had no idea about until I took the leap to racing. Equipment, feel, knowledge, hard work and determination are key to being competitive and just the desire to race doesn’t make everything else work in your favor. However, having a trust and bond with your bike, as odd as that may sound, is very important. I’ve ridden bikes before that make me nervous (break out in a sweat), that you just get this strange feeling that something isn’t right and you can’t wait to get off of it. My little R6 has given me some very happy memories even before it came to the track and to have those to take into racing is an awesome experience, with that being said, my season ended with my best lap time to date at 2.01 with no upgrades made to it whatsoever. I have plenty to work on for next year as I came hoping to break under 2.0, but with the improvements I hope that I can do that within the first two races. Keep checking in this fall and winter as I will continue to post the improvements on the bike, the new design and sponsorships for the upcoming year. Come join me sometime next season at the races to cheer us gals on or a track day…I am looking forward to seeing you out there!

2 Fast Track Day at The Ridge

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In preparation of the race weekend, I signed up for 2 Fast on Friday, August 30th to get some laps in and to have some fun before the races.  There were quite a few gals, which I love to see and one gal in particular who has attended a few track days who I’ve come to know…such is the nature of the sport, you start to see the gals who love riding so much that they start to become regulars at the track.  I hope that women riders know that this setting is far from intimidating, it is an incredible opportunity to learn and ask questions you may have about riding, gear, etc…

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Track days are not about racing, it is about riding your own ride and improving your skill set, gaining knowledge and getting to go as slow or fast as you wish to your comfort level.  Speed and skill come with time and that is something that just can’t be rushed without consequences.  There is a wealth of information to be sought in the pits alone, caveat being not all information is good information, that being said everyone is extremely willing to help all you have to do is ask.  Also, if you have never ridden two up with one of the guys, take the opportunity to do so.  It will teach you how hard you can actually break, show you better lines around the track and give you pointers on gear selection, it will really open your eyes!

Sullivan has a track day coming up on Thursday, September 5th at Pacific Raceways and currently has openings and OPRT has one coming up on September 9th at the Ridge where I will be instructing.  Also, don’t forget Ducati Bellevue has their Women’s Track School coming up on September 30th, sign up for the first time or again, you will learn something new every time.  Come on out and join us track rats!

2 Fast Performance School for June 10, 2013

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Vixens, for those of you signed up for the track day on June 10th at The Ridge (Women’s Track Event in our Event section), you are in for a jam packed day of information, sweat and adrenaline! Mark DeGross, owner of 2 Fast Motorcycle Track Days and Instruction, fills the day with an immense amount of learning combined with track time and has a staff that are at the top of their game. You will be learning from the best so make sure you are well rested and most importantly hydrated (I typically have a rule of hydrating a few days before a track day and avoid alcohol if you can the day before, it does make a difference). To keep your sanity, make a check list of things you need to bring such as your gear (riding suit of two piece zip togethers), boots (socks too), gloves, helmet and some type of back protector and get it in the car the night before. Also, don’t forget to bring water (they have it, but it’s always good to bring some of your own) and snacks in case you are not able to eat what is being served. I am a vegetarian so most of the time I just bring my own food since they typically serve hot dogs and hamburgers at the track. Note: It is really cold in the morning, wear layers so you can stay comfortable and if you are new to riding suits, wear some type of compression gear underneath or it will be impossible to get your leathers off after you start sweating, getting that suit off to pee will be a challenge.

As some of you may know, I have been writing about my crazy introduction into motorcycle racing. It has been an enlightening experience, scary as crap and also where I’ve felt most accepted into a community than I have ever felt possible. Every individual I’ve come into contact with has been nothing but genuine and open to sharing their knowledge and if asked, provide advice. Mark DeGross, my mentor (in this nutty adventure), has been a wealth of information which is why I chose him to be my guide through this overwhelming process in order to get ready. I am told that eventually this will all be second nature, but for now, I do feel like a minnow in an ocean of sharks. 2 Fast is an amazing performance school which I had the opportunity to attend as part of my Novice Racer curriculum. Everything I learned, you will learn, our class was just more entailed and had simulations of what we would encounter on race days. Before you come, make sure your bike is in good working order, have decent tread on your tires and nothing is leaking or it will be a lousy day sitting in the pits (unless you can bribe one of the Ducati guys to ride one of the demo bikes, then it will be awesome).

Your Schedule will be:

7:00am Registration and Tech Inspection, have bike taped (mirrors, if not removing and lights)
7:40am Complimentary track ride around in trucks (highly recommended)
8:15am Mandatory Rider Meeting (Rules, Flags and Passing)
8:45am Performance School Orientation for students
9:00am Session 1: Body Positioning
10:00am Session 2: Turn 9 Experience
11:00am Session 3: Relaxation & Fear Management (This one is big!)
12:00pm Session 4: Lunch Break
1:00pm Session 5: Scrubbing Speed – The Art of Slowing It All Down
2:00pm Session 6: Powerband Management
3:00pm Session 7: Vision – What You See & Where You Are Looking
4:00pm END OF DAY

Please understand that this day is not about speed, this day is about learning. Sure you can push yourself, it is natural and encouraged, but don’t be a hazard to others because you want to prove something. We all play a part in being responsible and respectful of the other riders on the track. Ask loads of questions, the staff is an invaluable source of information and they are generous with their expertise and advice, listen and learn. Don’t let this be your only track day, sign up for as many as you can and just keep improving. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so why try? Also, visit 2-fast.org or ducatibellvue.com for full listings of their track days, prices and videos. If you are still on the fence because you think your cornering isn’t what it should be and want to get some extra instruction before, we have a class that is being offered by WMST on Sunday, May 19 from 9am – 5pm (check the events section for more details). If you can’t make the class, don’t worry, we will all be there to help you at the track. This is about empowering you so take full advantage of it, they want to see more women on the track and no one is going to judge you. Truth is they have respect for any woman that has the balls to come to a track day, so let those bad boys swing Vixens ;)!!!!