Ride day groups, which group should punters choose?????

[doctr-dan]

Now that a number of people scramble to get a spot in whatever group is left available at EC we find guys who are to slow in the faster groups and guys who are to fast in slower groups.

This only leads to people being frustrated and potentially some silly passes.

How is one to judge which group they should be in?

If lap times where available it would be easier. I guess this still could be used as many will have a idea of there lap times before timers were no longer allowed at EC so I guess that still could be posted for some as a guide.

Failing this can we use how many times you may get passed or pass people as guide.

Post up your thoughts.

Personally I was doing about 1.50s when lap timers where allowed and decided to move up to the fast group, while i get passed a couple of times I also pass a couple of times as well. I try to be conscious of not being in the way of any faster guys.
I found I also had a clearer run around the track majority of the time in this group.

[Sprinter]

The biggest argument on the net! Should you be the fastest guy in your group or the slowest? I find myself on the cusp at a few days and struggle knowing what to do. The only way to improve is to be able to follow better riders. Im finding lately that even the riders in my group that are faster arent always better. I chase someone thinking Ill learn something just to watch them take erratic lines or even run off! They are faster because they are riskier and Ill never go back to that mindset so can only improve if I can get better lines or change my style etc. At the same time you do want to be around the pace of your group so its a bit of a catch 22 how you get there.

I dont find slower riders that much of an issue. There were two in our group yesterday that were painfully slow and probably shouldnt have been in that group, but after the first session I knew who they were so as I came up on them I knew what to expect and allowed for them. Theres plenty of corners , and straights, at EC and not every lap has to be a PB so if I get held up for 15 seconds I probably wont die in a ditch.

[JeT]

Yeah good question, most the people that put on track days try go keep an eye on who should be moved up or down a group but they can't see everyone!

I went to Lakeside a couple of weeks ago, felt I was too fast for the middle group but too slow for the race group. although it would have been safer in the race/fast group because they all should be better at passing and not shitting themselves when there is a bike next to them.

Thinking about it now I should have moved up, but it was heaps of fun passing everyone.

[RUSS M8]

I am fine in the fast group at most ride days, unless 1/2 dozen or more national level racers turn up to do some testing... LOL!
Usually comfortable in the 2nd fastest, coz my bike is slow down the straights...

Agree 100% with the statement, the only way to go faster is to be in the fast group. I am always a few seconds faster in a race, rather than a track day, just having fast bikes around helps heaps

[Blurr]

The only way to improve is to be able to follow better riders. Im finding lately that even the riders in my group that are faster arent always better. I chase someone thinking Ill learn something just to watch them take erratic lines or even run off! They are faster because they are riskier and Ill never go back to that mindset

What you call erratic may be just fast. To go fast at around a track requires a bit of wheel spin, some slides and hard braking to the extent where you back wheel may leave the ground momentarily.

Unfortunatly TD groups vary from day to day so it is hard to guage to such certainty.

Bring back timing and group benchmarks I say

[Sprinter]

Yeah I know what your saying and its pretty true...but you may not remember how erratic some guys are down in the mere mortals groups Im not quick but I know where the bike is meant to to be and what a smooth entry/exit looks like. I get a little nervous when the guy Im trying to pass starts running a zig zag line through a corner

Even so I guess the point is without both speed and some idea I should in the group Im in

[MadKaw]

Interesting isn't it...
If you not overtaking most of the ppl in your group, don't move up..
There appears to be a mentality of booking with ego's or what group is available instead of common sense and therefore is a lack of consideration others.
Its easier for a fast rider to ride slow than slow rider to ride fast...
I believe booking should be time based (this may change on the day depnding who's there)- although with no timing thats a bit difficult. But having said that, everyone knows roughly what times they do (especially if they are in green or red) and those that use the no timing excuse to say they don't, are full of shit.. they know...!

Sub 1.48's for Red
Sub 1.58's for Green (this could be 1.55's as there a lot of ppl in this zone)
This all depends on the day of course and this can change. If its before a race meeting it will be about right, if the day is full of road bikes, as theres probly a race meeting on that weekend, this will be too fast and the times can be increased. Its just a guide for booking, so book a lesser group and then change up on the day if its a slow day.

With Red group, ppl seem to think its a right of passage and they should ride there cause they have done a few ride days, are quicker than there mates or they have a fast bike (or just cause its cooler). I believe red group should be a little more restricted - mainly because the times and speeds can be so diifferent. ATM there are ppl doing 1.55+ in there with ppl doing 1.33's... Thats dangerous.
You don't expect someone on the straight to be doing 150kph when your doing 270kph...
ECRD should have someone watching the groups and moving ppl to suit. I only went into A group when they told me to.

Oh, and if you have to ask others if you should move up a group, then the answer is NO YOU SHOULDN'T.
You'll know when to move up and if you don't you'll be told to.!!

[james]

shame.
i thought the hike in trackday cost was supposed to mean more marshalls to take care of all this stuff.
anyhooo, if you guys can pick out the slow riders, the marshalls should be able to just as easily and should be shifting ppl around as required.

[Mick C]

I'll be moving down a group from Green to Yellow next time I'm up at EC.....but that's because I'll be bringing the LC instead of the 10 and I was only doing 2:06 on it at the last round of the PCRA, but I'm hoping the new chambers will mean I'm a bit faster by a couple of seconds next time out.

I'm fully expecting to be frustrated though as I know that at other tracks I carry more corner speed on the LC than the 10, so I'm sure I'll be hammered by the bigger bikes down the straights and out of the corners, but catch them up again into and through the corners.

My main concern is the less experienced riders in Yellow