Where Do Amatures Start Racing?

pepsifat · 06-11-2006, 11:43 PM

Yeah, I was wondering what are the Diffrent organizations that host sport bike racing? I know there are org. like AMA, AMF, but where do regular day peeps start racing? Peeps without sponsors and what not.

badgixxer · 06-11-2006, 11:49 PM

WERA, AFM, CCS or a lot of tracks have a local race series....

GSXR RACER MIKE · 06-12-2006, 09:59 PM

Different regions of the country have different racing organizations that concentrate their efforts generally to a section of the country. CCS and WERA are the 2 biggest ones on the Eastern 2/3rds of the USA, AFM is more out West (correct me if I'm wrong west coasters).

Typically all you have to do is some basic bike prep (mainly safety stuff), take a racer licensing school to get familiar with what happens during a race weekend and the BASICS of being on the track and at a race event, then GO RACING!!!!!

I personally went directly from being a street rider to a racer licensing school, then right to racing as an Amateur (never even did a track day before racing - Hell, they weren't even really around back in '95!). I know this is a VERY controversial opinion I have about this, but I personally wouldn't do more than a few track days before racing (if you feel you need to do any at all) - I've known too many people that thought they needed to be almost as good as Rossi in order to start racing so they did literally YEARS of track days in order to "get good enough to go racing". That is not the intent of the Amateur status at a race track, Amateur status is for learning, not for people who have YEARS of track riding experience to come in and smoke everybody who's there to learn how to race. I'm suggesting this route because you said you want to race, most track days legally can not allow racing at their events (due to insurance), so you totally miss out on the competition aspect of being on the track and can even be somewhat intimidated by it once you do start racing.

Don't hesitate to ask questions, there's alot of info at your disposal here.

badgixxer · 06-12-2006, 10:11 PM

AFM is out west - i mentioned it since it says he's from SAC i took that mena Sacremento, CA.... AFM is extremely competetive....

GSXR RACER MIKE · 06-12-2006, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgixxer

AFM is out west - i mentioned it since it says he's from SAC i took that mena Sacremento, CA.... AFM is extremely competetive....

I wasn't sure what he meant by that abbreviation.

I have heard the same thing about AFM, quite competative.

badgixxer · 06-12-2006, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSXR RACER MIKE

I wasn't sure what he meant by that abbreviation.

I have heard the same thing about AFM, quite competative.

especially in central to northern Cali....Laguna, Thunderhill and Buttonwillow.....

FNGrx7 · 06-13-2006, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSXR RACER MIKE

Different regions of the country have different racing organizations that concentrate their efforts generally to a section of the country. CCS and WERA are the 2 biggest ones on the Eastern 2/3rds of the USA, AFM is more out West (correct me if I'm wrong west coasters).

Typically all you have to do is some basic bike prep (mainly safety stuff), take a racer licensing school to get familiar with what happens during a race weekend and the BASICS of being on the track and at a race event, then GO RACING!!!!!

I personally went directly from being a street rider to a racer licensing school, then right to racing as an Amateur (never even did a track day before racing - Hell, they weren't even really around back in '95!). I know this is a VERY controversial opinion I have about this, but I personally wouldn't do more than a few track days before racing (if you feel you need to do any at all) - I've known too many people that thought they needed to be almost as good as Rossi in order to start racing so they did literally YEARS of track days in order to "get good enough to go racing". That is not the intent of the Amateur status at a race track, Amateur status is for learning, not for people who have YEARS of track riding experience to come in and smoke everybody who's there to learn how to race. I'm suggesting this route because you said you want to race, most track days legally can not allow racing at their events (due to insurance), so you totally miss out on the competition aspect of being on the track and can even be somewhat intimidated by it once you do start racing.

Don't hesitate to ask questions, there's alot of info at your disposal here.

This would be awesome, except that racing schools cost a shitton! Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School is like $1200 (if you have your own Suzuki), and I can't imagine the other certified racing schools being much less. Is there any cheap school out there that will get a guy licensed to race in the WERA or CCS?

GSXR RACER MIKE · 06-13-2006, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FNGrx7

This would be awesome, except that racing schools cost a shitton! Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School is like $1200 (if you have your own Suzuki), and I can't imagine the other certified racing schools being much less. Is there any cheap school out there that will get a guy licensed to race in the WERA or CCS?

A RACE LICENSING SCHOOL is different than a riding/racing improvement school, a CCS licensing school is less than $200 up here in the Midwest. The goals of one of these schools isn't to improve your riding, it's to get you ready to be out on a race track during a race event. Minor things will be taught to you about lines and such, but more focus will be on safety, rules, and general stuff about going racing - you have to take such a school in order to race. Team Hammer Suzuki has one as well, but I think they have really scaled back on how many they do.

sv4me · 07-03-2006, 07:57 PM

anyone have a link to any of these liscening schools? im really wanting to get into the amatuer racing next season and want to get the ball rolling now before its too late. btw, i live in jersey if that makes a differences

GSXR RACER MIKE · 07-03-2006, 10:40 PM

If VIR is do-able for you http://www.learningcurves.com/ has a school there later this season. This is the school I took back in '95, they're good people. There are other good schools out there as well, I just need to know what tracks you can get to. Most certificates you recieve for finishing a race licensing school are good for 12 months from the time you took the school so you could take the school toward the end of this season and start racing next season, that's what I did.

ruel · 07-29-2006, 06:30 PM

what organization would cover texas?

Philbie · 07-29-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruel

what organization would cover texas?

CMRA

ruel · 07-29-2006, 08:59 PM

thanks very much

Hanya · 08-05-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgixxer

especially in central to northern Cali....Laguna, Thunderhill and Buttonwillow.....

Yeah good luck finding an enthusiastic track in the South as compared to the West. Seems like I'm gonna have to travel 5+ hours for a ridiculously expensive weekend class. :/

Any advice on the tracks and classes out here?

wrparrish · 08-09-2006, 11:14 AM

I attended cornerspeed at VIR, its not that bad of a drive at all, and affordably priced all things considered. The link was posted above, check it out. As far as the track they host a multitude of track days, i suggest joining NESBA and or WERA who have a couple of days at VIR either North, South or full course. Cornerspeed is a good start, I head up there 3-4x a year, I just found out i work with one of their instructors ( Scott Carpenter, 5x WERA national champion, AMA supersport rider, fully sponsored ) At UPS so i'm going to try to convince him to give me private instruction for ~500$ a day or something like that.

The only other track within proximity is carolina motorsports, but its kind of seedy in my opinion and they cater to more 4 wheeled endevours, i havent heard of them offering any licensing for motorcycle racing.