I got air there once when I had to brake hard just before the top of the rise for a rider swerving wildly in front of me. Interesting having the back wheel off the ground and the front wheel skidding across the pavement with the head shaking.
Can you guys help me? I don't care about the name of the org but I DO care about what made you just toss in teh towel on your day. Can you share with me so we can try and keep from making the same mistake(s) please?
Monte, I don't think you will ever do this but what they did was kind of last minute( 2 weeks out) decided to add a fourth group of cars. The cars took so long to get on and off the track we ended up only getting like 5 sessions that were only fifteen minutes long.
From my experience with that particular club, they often look for a reason to mix/consolidate levels because they are running 4 groups. Usually, since there aren't too many people in the Advanced group, they mix Advanced with Intermediate and want everyone under the I-level passing rules. It usually happens after lunch on days when there have been a number of red-flags and the overall number of sessions run is low. My feeling is that I paid to ride in the A group, if it isn't full, don't penalize me.... especially when the red flags are primarily from the I-level riders, AS WELL AS having signed up too many people. I usually go out for a few laps and see such bad riding that it isn't worth the risk, so I end my day early and work on my bike. Then again, STT's policy of allowing people to self-appoint the group level they ride in can be improved-upon as well...
I agree with Hank. I do not even sign up for combo days (A & I together with I rules) anymore. Higher speed leaves very little room for error. An unpredictable or less experierence I rider with faster A riders will have a higher probability for a disaster. This self-appoint group level in STT can lead to the same problem. For example, if an I rider is closed out for a given track day in the I group, he/she can sign up for the A group if it is open. I was at the Lighting course at the last STT outing, and I think this happened on that track day. There were some riders in the A group that just did not seem to belong in that group.
Sometimes they are easy to spot just sitting on the grid - look for the bikes with a 'Red' (Intermediate) TPM sticker, an 'I' NESBA sticker and an 'A' STT sticker... it is a basic rule of thumb, but effective to know whom to look out for... I even know of a guy that was bumped from 'Novice' to 'I' at NESBA on a Saturday, yet ran 'A' with STT the very next day (Pocono East - he crashed in the first session BTW)... OK, in all fairness he was considered 'Red' (Intermediate at TPM), but prior to the previous day's bump, was still a Novice at NESBA... Of course there will always be variances in bump criteria between and even within clubs... but here at STT, this very subject does come up on a fairly regular basis. YMMV
Don't forget that there is still "policing" of riders in all classes. If you see dangerous riding, first approach the 'offender' and speak to them concerning what they are doing 'wrong' as they very well may be unaware. If it continues, or you don't wish to speak to them directly, give the rider/bike number or description to the course marshal or STT staff and they'll watch the rider and make a decision. It is better to be proactive concerning such issues. My $0.02. BTW I'm happy to hear that most if not all the riders liked the Lightning course and it wasn't an STT event that gave you a bad taste for the place.