What a weekend! Took the kids shopping for Mothers-Day gifts after work on Friday. I knew NESBA was running at Summit, so I checked the forecast when I got home and it was looking pretty rainy so I pretty much decided that I wasn't going. My kids had 3 soccer games on Saturday so I got back home from those at around 2 PM. I checked the forecast again and now Sunday was looking like a winner. We had kinda done the Mother's Day thing on Friday / Saturday, and my wife was taking the kids to her parent's house after their soccer games and coming home Sunday - Hmmmm. So at 2 PM on Saturday, I decided I was doing a track day at Summit on Sunday. I spent the rest of Saturday changing 2 tires, getting my gear together, car and trailer loaded up, etc. I had everything ready to go so when I got up I could jump in the car and go. I checked the forecast one last time in the morning, it was still looking good, and I was on the road by 3:30 AM. Of course an hour or two later the forecast changed to a 30% chance of rain showers (the forecasts have been all over the place lately).

It's been a while since I've seen such a big turnout at a track day! I know Intermediate sold out on Saturday and there were a lot of riders in each class on Sunday. I was happy to be riding in the Advanced class. The weather was looking OK and then we hit the track for the first session and it started to rain. It was pretty light, and the track didn't seem to be getting very wet, but it still messed with my head. About 3/4's of the way through the session a rider went down in turn #1 in front of me and I decided I'd had enough and pulled in. I put up my EZup and it stopped raining shortly after.

After the first session the sun came out and the weather was perfect for the rest of the day. The sun was out, there was no rain or wind, and it actually felt like summer! Without the rain coming down, I was much more comfortable for the second session and started riding better. I picked up a tow from some faster riders and I was starting to feel pretty good. I had only ridden Summit once before and had a best lap time of 1:27.89 which I was hoping to improve upon. I put my lap-timer on for the third session. After the session was over I was thinking I probably didn't beat my old time, but I was hoping that I was at least close. I was surprised to find that I had run a 1:24.8 or 3 seconds a lap faster than the last time I was there.

One thing I'm still getting used to in riding with the Advanced class is that everyone goes out on the track at the same time. The control riders send the Intermediate riders out on the track in waves to spread them out a bit, not so in Advanced. I was going out at the back of the group and at first having the riders in front of me pulled me along and helped me up my pace. In the after lunch sessions I was getting comfortable enough with the track that I felt like I could run pretty quickly on my own but I was getting behind riders that we holding me up a bit. Some of them were running bigger bikes so they would pull a gap on the long straight and I'd reel them back in until we got back to the straight and we'd do it all over again. Although I felt like I could run a faster lap than the rider in front of me, the speed differential wasn't very large at all (I'd guess a second a lap or less), and I never felt like I had a real shot at passing them. I ran a few more high 1:24's and did a best of 1:24.75 in the second to last session. I finally got smart for the last session of the day. I lined up at the back, let everyone else get onto the track, waited 30 - 40 seconds, and then rolled out. I had lots of open track and it was the most fun session of the day for me. I felt like I was able to pick up my pace and when I got back into the pits my lap-timer was showing a best lap of 1:24.00. It turned out to be a really fun day, especially considering that I decided to go at the last minute.

Glad the weather worked out for you. It was a beautiful day and I commented once or twice about being at Summit w/NESBA

I sympathize with you on the 600 vs 1000 situation on Main. A lot of the big bikes are slow for most of the lap except the main straight. It gets really frustrating working all lap, passing them into T10 and then getting passed on the front straight. The key is to draft as best you can down the front straight and try to catch up on the brakes into T1. If you can pass the 1000 by T3, then the rest of the lap you can pull away enough that you'll never see them again. You are in the A group now, so if necessary stuff it in there

Nice write up as always Matt! 1:24's are no joke around Summit - congrats.
I've only actually ridden it once, back in 08 on my SV650. The speed differential on the front straight was border line scary. It was probably even more obvious because of the park it and pin it B riders I was with (as well as being one myself at the time).
Summit in the rain scares me. We spent a whole day standing in the pits a couple of years ago, watching the rain, most of us without turning a wheel
I need to make it to Summit again some time this year.

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Thanks Nate. I wasn't getting held up much at all, I just knew that I could go a bit faster with clear track. I really like tracks with a lot of flow like Mid-O and Summit, but they do seem to be tougher to pass at.

Thanks Mike! I was feeling really good during that last session. I looked at my lap timer last night and I did 9 laps in the last session - fastest 1:24.00, slowest 1:24.84. average 1:24.44.

You've only ridden Summit once? Isn't it closer to you than BeaveRun? It's a fun track - I like it a lot! There seems to be a lot of sealer on the surface which reminds me of Mid-O. Mid-O sucks when it's cold and is un-ride-able when it's wet. It was more bumpy that the last time I was there, but nothing worth complaining about. I'm definitely planning on getting back there this year.

Here's some vid from the last session of the day...

http://vimeo.com/23510388

It's pretty much exactly the same for me to Beaver and Summit. Summit may actually be a few minutes closer.

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If given the choice, I prefer Summit over the Beav. Congrats on the new personal best. The track is in really good shape right now and they are making a lot of improvements. Can't wait to see it all completed.

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Dave
2009 R6
Nesba MidAtl Asst Director#561

Thanks Dave! I saw your bike there, but never saw you...

Nice work Matt 1:24 is really hauling the mail around there! Nice video too..."wait for it..." . Where do you think you picked up the most time?

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Ben
#535