Fighting For Position: Popping The Cherry

Getting started in racing typically mean going for a race license.  Receiving a club racing license is simply a matter of taking a course at a track day, passing a written test and then participating in a mock race without crashing.  The Champion Cup Series (CCS for short) has made agreements with various trackday organizations to conduct tests and award vouchers which allow riders to purchase licenses.  As I had a bit of history with Absolute Cycle Experience, I opted to take the race licensing course with them.  If ACE schedule doesn't work for you, other organizations like N2 also offer courses in the northeast. The course doesn't actually teach you how to race as it's up to the rider to develop racing techniques. Rather, the focus of the course is to make you aware of what to expect and familiarize you with the rules of racing.  Upon successful completion of the course, you receive a certificate which states you are eligible to purchase a license.  Typically, you would mail the certificate to CCS headquarters in Texas and wait for your license to arrive in the mail, but as I had taken the course one week before the race, I opted to simply purchase my license the day of the race.

I distinctly remember an eerily calm feeling that washed over me as I drove down Friday night.  The air was cooling as the sun started setting over the horizon as I rolled down the New Jersey Turnpike on my way to my first race weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  I had been doing track days for a few years at this point and this "commute" had become almost routine. I entered the gate calmly and unassumingly.  A few friends had been there all day practicing so I drove back and forth through the paddock in search of their camp.  Although the full impact of being at a race weekend hadn't fully hit me yet, I immediately felt that there was something different going on here.  Whereas I was used to typically modest setups and a few people camping out, it was a bit more crowded than I was used to with some high dollar rigs scattered about.  These guys definitely meant business and the excitement in the air was almost palpable.  I unloaded my bike to put it on stands and set up my area before saying hello to a few friends and proceeded to climb into my trailer to go to sleep... or at least, to try and go to sleep.

So it's finally the day of the race.  As I wake up for the third or fourth time at around six-thirty, I just laid in my trailer while staring at the ceiling for a few minutes with the realization that within a few hours I would be on the starting grid.  A light panic wouldn't be the most accurate description for the feeling that was working its way though my head, but it wouldn't be far off either.  After a few short minutes of collecting myself, I stepped outside the trailer to see various racers and pit crews buzzing around 

CCS requires the us of a transponder which you can purchase or rent so the
race officials can accurately track your lap times as well as position.

working on their bikes, cooking breakfast and slowly but surely shuffling over to the registration building.  CCS grid positions are typically determined by the order in which racers register for a race.  As I had to purchase my race license as well as register for the races that morning I ended up starting every race from the back of the grid.  Although I was a bit upset about starting from the last row, it was kind of a relief that I would be able to take off in comfort from the starting grid and let things sort out in front of me.  I had registered for five races in the amateur class: GTO, Superbike Unlimited, Rookies Cup GTO, Supersport Unlimited, and Grand Prix Unlimited.  CCS does a great job of classifying motorcycles based on specifications as well as modifications.  If you're interested to see which races your bike would be eligible for, you can find all information about classes and technical information in the CCS rulebook. 

Standard CCS registration sheet which lays out all available race classes.

After the riders' meeting, racers were divided into several groups to go out for two practice sessions each.  I was told that practice sessions during race weekends were more or less like track day sessions, but from the moment I was passed on the inside and the outside at the same time in the middle of a corner, I realized that this was a different ball game.  The cold weather that had settled in overnight lingered through the practice sessions so I kind of tiptoed my way around the track and I remember pitting in from practice wishing I had just a few more laps to get up to pace.  Unfortunately, practice sessions were done as we were put on lunch break and the first race was only an hour from getting underway.

Racers patiently wait as the CCS staff conducts the morning riders' meeting.

Anticipation building as racers wait for the countdown boards.

My first race was the Amateur GTO.  Despite the general goofing off and laughter during lunch, I found myself nervous and nearly shaking with anticipation as the time drew nearer and nearer.  A few friends were talking me through the grid procedures while helping me to get my tire warmers off and the bike off of the stands.  They were trying to calm my nerves, but every word I muttered in reply only came out as garbled gibberish and random mumbles.  Just recalling the moment now is giving me goosebumps.  No matter how much nervous energy was swirling around inside of me, there was nothing I could do.  This was it and the time had come for my first official race.  I proceeded to pit out and start my warm up lap.  Once the warm up lap was done, I proceeded to find my position on the grid.  I had seen a few race starts from the sidelines, but I wasn't ready for the cacophony of motors being revved up all around me as the tidal wave of sound penetrated my very core.  The countdown began and before I knew it, the flag went up and we were off.  Diving into turn one with the swarm of bikes surrounding me could most aptly be described as controlled chaos.  It's funny, but I was so happy to have survived going into turn one that I actually ended up spending a couple laps in an autopilot like daze... until I got passed.

Like a switch had been turned on, I was knocked out of my daze and started to get back into the groove of things.  Just like I was told I would do, I found myself pushing myself harder than normal.  Luckily, the GTO is an endurance race that lasts twenty-five minutes and my momentary daze didn't last too long so I was still able to recover and fight my way up for an eighth place finish.  As the clock ran down and we whittled down the laps, I finally saw the flag denoting that we were on the second to last lap.  White knuckled, I gave it what I could for the final lap.  I have to admit, it was thrilling to see the checkered flag waving as I crossed the finish line.  I've done a few open track days and been on track for as long as forty minutes at a time in the past, but I found myself  exhausted after the race as if I had been doing track day sessions all day long.  To think I had another race and then three more the following day!  All in all, this weekend will stand out as one of the most memorable of my life.  My next race is a month away, but I'm already growing impatient for it.  I can't wait for the next one.