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Autobahn Sunday: South vs. North

2K views 38 replies 27 participants last post by  butchf 
#1 ·
Day two at the Autobahn: South Course.

I liked the South Course. It seemed to flow better, kind of like Putnam. (Also, finally got the bike set-up worked out along with some new rubber, which helped a lot). Saw Brian there, along with Sam, Ken, Kruz, Kim, Grover and Dan the man.

Well, with the new tires I was able to run 1:40 flat a couple of times in the morning, but slowed down in the afternoon and never broke into the 1:30's. (Unlike Dano, who ran a 130 flat after only two sessions on the track. Sheesh!) :bow

South vs. North? South for me... :moped
 
#2 ·
It was good to see you again Tom.

Yea - I'm not sure it was Dano or Dano's bother (not sure), but he freakin lapped me - and I started almost right behind him on the grid.

Somebody on a green bike went down the last session thought - but I couldn't tell who it was !?

I like SOUTH a lot - (but I didn't ride North yesterday)
 
#3 ·
selston said:
Somebody on a green bike went down the last session thought - but I couldn't tell who it was !?
Yeah, 2 guys that pitted near us went down in the the final sessions, a pristine orange ZX10 (high side on turn 1) and the other one was a balled up green ZX10 (or 6) formerly pristine, which definitlely looked bad :(

I really, like the south course, and with a couple of helpful tips from some control riders, I actually had fun out there for a few laps :thumbsup I am going to make it a point to get out for the North course, to do a comparison ...... and then maybe run the full 2 courses together in August :2rockin

Nice chattin with you Tom & thanks again Sam for the air :cheers
 
#4 ·
The faller in the last session (Green 2005 ZX6rr) was my friend Pat Mann, from Ottawa. Only his 4th track weekend and he got his bump to A in the 3rd afternoon session. He said the rear stepped out so fast he thought there was oil on the track. No reported rider damage. Minor bike damage.

Was it me, or was A group fuller than ever?

Big props to Ronhix on his A card! Well deserved.
 
#6 · (Edited)
i had a good time ON THE TRACK, at 1st i liked the north track a bit small for me and bit tight in a few places, but just like anything i came to like it.
1:12.69 best that day

the south course, WELL :laughing at 1st i fucken hated it, that course was so bumpy in the breaking zones, also it must have gotten so bad that they chopped those sections out where they repairs which took a while for me to over come and know they wernt that slippery, and NO that isnt a water, BUT a water stain :jester after i dialed in my suspension it was much better and once i figured out the track, i had alot more fun except todays little rain here and there i didnt like and pulled off "didnt feel like fucking my bike up due to rain"


ALSO which is yet to be known, i think my lap timer is fucked up "go to the TeamGofast site to read my problem"
1:46 was my best for the day when i was behind someone for 5 laps holding me up and recording me so he could get some footage of me "which i am thankfull for and should be a SWEET video, cause there was some BATTLING going on :2rockin " at 1:43 so go figure?????? thats why i think my shit is off or something.




now for the BAD!

limited viewing spots for visitors to watch the track goers, the limited amount of bath rooms at pit side "unless your a member" you can not use the normal bath room you have to use the 1 toliet for men "which is actually" the corner workers bathroom UNLESS you go all the way to the front my the foodstand to use a normal bathroom"

the parking was so fucken cramped cause we were sectioned only to certain areas to be out of the way as much as possible for the MEMBERS using the other track for that day "actually both days"

that securty or what ever he is was a ROYAL ASSHOLE 1 minute your fine, the next minute your in the way MOVE your stuff, dont park here, dont go there, the gates wont open till 7pm DONT LEAVE your car in the drive up "even though NESBA people where the only people to use the track coming in that early.

the TOWER worker WAS AN IDIOT! letting riders out " LIKE A" instead of a gap, that jack ass would throw you out there when someone is on your ASS!.


at 1st i thought they were fucking with us, sunday i noticed they did the same shit to a black car with a VETTE RIPPING towards then the car going on locked the breaks and had to go up on the grass to avoid the vette.

also from what i could tell, the corner workers did a good job watching the track, BUTT THEY were LATE by 20 minutes as the A riders were roasting there ASS off while they were getting into place on OUR TIME! do you know what it feels like to on 120-130degree asphalt while in full leathers and helmet in gear POURING SWEAT? any A rider can tell you we wanted to rip there heads off. "on saturday"



other then that NESBA STAFF did a great job, i hope they rely problems like this to that club, because as far as what i saw, i wouldnt pay 5 grand a year to be a member, and after the saftey issues and the tardyness!!!

you wont have me as a AutoBahn member
 
#7 ·
TheGrouch said:
The faller in the last session (Green 2005 ZX6rr) was my friend Pat Mann, from Ottawa. Only his 4th track weekend and he got his bump to A in the 3rd afternoon session. He said the rear stepped out so fast he thought there was oil on the track. No reported rider damage. Minor bike damage.

Was it me, or was A group fuller than ever?

Big props to Ronhix on his A card! Well deserved.

ahhh shit. Pat Mann with the SCUBA shop in Ottawa? Did he play little league for Deer Park grade school? Hope everyones allright!
 
#8 ·
Good seeing you out the past two days Ken. I had my first Intro session and had a blast! Only to find out my dreams can't become a reality until I have money :bangin

But I'll atleast try to make it out to watch some more.

BTY Ken you forgot to mention that the track sucks for spectators too. There no where for people to see the track. Just a little straight away here or there.
 
#9 ·
North was fun, but the south track rocked my world! Got my knee down for the first time in 4 - love those left handers, if only the last of the three wasn't so fuggin' bumpy.

I was even having fun with the bumps in the braking into 1 - plant the front into the ground and ride it out! at least the bumps there don't go into the turn entry.

Congrat on the A bump, Ron, 1:38 is flying out there! And I was silly proud of my 1:52! (B guys, eh? :rolleyes :jester )

What was really great for me was getting to a new track and running the same place relative to my group that I do other places - I must be developing some actual skills, not just memorizing BHF!

Great weekend, I'm still grinning ear-to-ear.
 
#10 ·
Odysseys said:
, i wouldnt pay 5 grand a year to be a member, and after the saftey issues and the tardyness!!!

you wont have me as a AutoBahn member
I don't think the membership is only 5G, I believe it is 30K+ plus additional annual fee and some other expenses. Only limited number of memberships are offered, as a member you could sell your membership back to Autobahn and they will resale it to someone else.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Had fun out there Sunday. Got to hang out with a hand full of you guys. Would have liked to been able to do both days, North and South, but there are these two constraints.....time and money. :laughing
The South course was very fun for me. Some of the corners were way faster than I would have imagined prior to actually riding it. It took me the first part of the day to get my speed up in a couple of them. Turn #4, the left-hand uphill sweeper was one of those flyer corners....triple digits leaned over with the puck on the tarmac....It took me the first three sessions to realize that the reason that my lap timer wasn't picking up any times was due to the becon being on the left side of the bike, (not right like BHF). Once I repositioned the sensor, my best time for the day was a 1.41.65, with most of my other laps between 42-45's.
I was surprised by how bumpy this "new" track had already become. Only other complaint was the lack of spectator vantage points, at least the ones that were obvious and didn't require you to go off-roading to access the other corners.
Congrats to Ron Hicks, you were railing out there bro.
 
#12 ·
RSVMillenian said:
I don't think the membership is only 5G, I believe it is 30K+ plus additional annual fee and some other expenses. Only limited number of memberships are offered, as a member you could sell your membership back to Autobahn and they will resale it to someone else.

i think you missed my point. i wouldnt even pay 5 grand to be a member. :laughing
 
#13 ·
Odysseys said:
i think you missed my point. i wouldnt even pay 5 grand to be a member. :laughing
but as a member those security guys would be kissing your ass, fetchng iced tea and holding an umbrela over you on the tarmac instead of pissing you off :laughing
 
#14 ·
I liked the North course much better...tight and technical is my kind of track plus the North course was in far superior condition...those bumps in T4 on the South course were just ridiculous...more like speed bumps and that's where you're doing all your heavy braking.
 
#15 ·
I had to laugh - the Channel 9 news last night did a little feature on A-bahn!

I liked the layout of the south course. My riding pretty much sucked over both days, but it was great hanging out and seeing everyone again. Even had some of my "non motorcycling" friends come out!
 
#16 · (Edited)
It was nice to see a bunch of you guys out there. The weather was kinda shady on sunday, but it stayed dry.

I've been on both tracks. Either one is ok, they have their safety issues. The north is in better shape then the south, and the south track kinda reminds me of mid america. Lots of decreasing radius and combination turns. Good stuff, the south track is a bit more technical then the north which is more flowing.
I think it's T4 on the south track the really bumpy one on the top of the hill (after the up hill left hander) I made up a second and a half there, I don't down shift and slow down as much as I first thought. just rail thru it in 3rd ya it's kinda of bumpy but the turn is really wide and it's not that tight.
I ended up doing a 1:30.21 on the south track I need to come up with 3 or 4 seconds. It's going to take 26s or 27s to win a middleweight race at the Fusa weekend. Not a problem I'll just have to put my head down and a bit more set up.
I'll be racing on the north track in a couple of weeks, I bet race pace is somewhere 57-59 sec a lap.
We'll see...tho.
 
#17 ·
ahhh shit. Pat Mann with the SCUBA shop in Ottawa? Did he play little league for Deer Park grade school? Hope everyones allright!
I think his dad runs that shop. He called me on his way home and seemed in good spirits. The guy's attitude is ridiculous...3 weekends, 3 crashes, and he keeps coming back with a smile. Of course his progress is impressive...bump from B to I to A in 5 days at the track!
 
#18 ·
TheGrouch said:
The faller in the last session (Green 2005 ZX6rr) was my friend Pat Mann, from Ottawa. Only his 4th track weekend and he got his bump to A in the 3rd afternoon session. He said the rear stepped out so fast he thought there was oil on the track. No reported rider damage. Minor bike damage.

Was it me, or was A group fuller than ever?

Big props to Ronhix on his A card! Well deserved.

That gets me wondering now because I almost lost it there to, my back end shot out and I barely regained it. I wonder if some one was leaking something
 
#19 ·
bmoney said:
Had fun out there Sunday. Got to hang out with a hand full of you guys. Would have liked to been able to do both days, North and South, but there are these two constraints.....time and money. :laughing
The South course was very fun for me. Some of the corners were way faster than I would have imagined prior to actually riding it. It took me the first part of the day to get my speed up in a couple of them. Turn #4, the left-hand uphill sweeper was one of those flyer corners....triple digits leaned over with the puck on the tarmac....It took me the first three sessions to realize that the reason that my lap timer wasn't picking up any times was due to the becon being on the left side of the bike, (not right like BHF). Once I repositioned the sensor, my best time for the day was a 1.41.65, with most of my other laps between 42-45's.
I was surprised by how bumpy this "new" track had already become. Only other complaint was the lack of spectator vantage points, at least the ones that were obvious and didn't require you to go off-roading to access the other corners.
Congrats to Ron Hicks, you were railing out there bro.

I'm with you on this one. I was going go in the 42's to 44 range. It was a easy track to learn but the speed bumps killeds me. Kept turning the dampner a click or two.
 
#21 ·
Yeah Ken, 1:46 doesn't sound right at all, I was doing 1:48's and I wasn't even in the top half of the "I" group from what I could tell. Should be at least in the low 40's or more like high 30's for you guys.

And for STT this weekend, they don't have track vendors, but the STT Truck will sell you Michelin tires and mount them for you. I don't know what their policy is on bringing your own tires for them to mount though.
 
#22 ·
Monte sells Michelin - there will be full tire service available. Should also be a P&A vendor as well (if it's the one I'm thinking, they also offer assistance with suspension tuning).
 
#25 ·
Wow, That was really a blast.

I like when they build racetracks close to home... I hope they do more.

I was going pretty slow and never really did get the last 2 turns after the back straight on the south course figured out, but got some seat time and felt like I was regaining confidence by Sundays end, The Nesba CR's were great and really helped out a lot.

Even though the length of the track wasn't much longer then Blackhawk
there didn't seem to be the traffic problems they have there.


Thanks to CLSB and NESBA for the free track day.
Good times,good peeps.

oh and while I like both, and the north seemed in better condition.. I still liked the south track.. it flowed well and reminds me of Putnam .
 
#26 ·
I just got back from my weekend at Autobahn, I did Sunday and Monday. I liked the south course, although flyin through the corner with all the bumps was nerve racking. The uphill sweeper is fun as hell. My best on the south track was 1:39.60, good times! Today on the north course I learned the track pretty quick and was offered a bump to A after the 2nd session, but I decided to stick around in I a little bit longer. I did a front tire swap over lunch and by the time the storm came and went, track was green and I went out for a while. The beacon was gone so I don't know if I went any faster than before. I was feelin tired and not feeling well, didn't want to have any screwups so I packed up. My best lap was on the second session, a 1:14.47. Wish I was feelin better after lunch so I could have gotten in a good groove, but oh well. Overall, I'm exhausted and had a great time! Can't wait for blackhawk on the 26th
 
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