Just spend Mon. & Tue. at Gratten and it rained almost the whole damn time! Got so frustrated I went out on slicks while the track was still wet in a lot of spots (standing water). Talk about survival mode!! I did a whopping 5 laps and called it quits. Nothing like a 1000+ mile round trip for 5 scary laps in the wet......:wtf:
I did that at Jennings in December. Did the Bargy school backwards the first day, even the CR's were pulling off it was so slick. In the first session where we were supposed to stop in each corner, you couldn't see the bike in front of you. I was on Q3's, which did an awesome job, especially as it started drying a bit. The next day it was cold and overcast, track still not dry...I did 3 laps: warmup, one 85% and felt both tires sliding in T13 and decided to call it. Expensive 3 laps...
I hate the rain. I wish it were something that could be killed off! LOL I was just talking earlier about my offs over the years. 4. 1 mechanical, 1 wheelie gone bad over a hill/tank slapper, and 2 in the wet/rain. I hate it! I am recovering from some rash and bruising on my arm from falling earlier this week in torrential downpour. It's not worth it. Sucks when you put so much into a trip and get rained on.
Makes me thankful to live closer to Grattan! At least you got to hang out at the track with friends. I'm new so STT and track days and was wondering how you got to ride Grattan Monday and Tuesday? What event?
That's why spare wheels with rains is a good investment even for TD riders . If I travel a long ways and it gets wet, I can still have fun. Some tracks like Beaver you can skim a knee or two in the wet on rains.
You left just before the weather got nice(r) I ran slicks 2 sessions reverse on Tuesday and all day on Wednesday forward. Down on grip due to just being washed but otherwise great. Of course it only took me putting rains on for a whopping one session to ensure it dried
I only kid :jester: That's a bummer to hear, I don't imagine you'll be back for this weekend? Stories like that make me want to invest in some spare rims and rain tires..
First of all awesome meme...maybe we should make a Smilies like that, it's much needed. Second: Spare set of wheels FTW
I lugged my mounted rains for 1.5 yrs and never used 'em. Don't have an enclosed trailer, so loading/unloading wears on you. I still bring them if weather looks iffy. Sorry that your Grattan experience was a washout .
All that room in the trailer and you didn't pack a set of Rains??? Even on your special, ultra exclusive invitation from Dave Grey, the tire guy??? Was he sold out? 1000 mile round trip and you didn't check the weather??? I go 2 hours to a track and I check the weather religiously! Rain may suck, but it teaches you a helluva lot about being smooth with throttle and braking inputs. It also teaches you that it sucks to ride in the rain.
I will say Grattan is a lot less enjoyable than Barber on rains. The sealer is highly variable on grip which made things interesting. Barber the grip pretty much is what it is. Dry the patches have great grip.
Why do you have to be such a DICK? :wtf: I don't know what your problem is but if you can't say something useful then don't say anything at all.
I get that a spare set of wheels can be quite an expense for a trackday rider (necessary for a racer), but at least get a set of rains to bring with you and swap out in the event sky opens up. I was kind for in your boat when I ran Barber in April, except I can pretty much guarantee I had a longer trip than you. Wasn't raining for the first session, but it had rained that morning and then again later in the day. I was fortunate to be able to buy a used set of rains from a team because tire service eventually sold out of them. Once it really started coming down I was able to use the rains as they were intendended and I ended up having the most satisfying session of my life that day. TL; DR...Buy rain tires now and bring them with you in case tire service sells out of them.
I'd say Justin was being useful. It does seem odd that you drive so far and don't watch the weather or don't have a set of rains or even DOTs in case it did rain. I suspect there was also a tire vendor there from the sounds of it? "Why make a post saying it sucked when it was easily preventable?" I think is what is being said...