I showed up for an MCRA track day at Gateway International Raceway yesterday, and overheard an instructor saying that they had extra spots for the CCS race licensing clinic. I signed up.
The clinic was half classroom, half riding, with a written test and a mock race at the end. Actually it was a real race, open only to the clinic participants, and not counting for any points. They made us wear huge orange t-shirts so they could identify us on track:
For the race, I was gridded on the second row. I got a good start, leading by a wheel at the entrance of turn one, but a guy on a 2 stroke Yamaha was under me, and carried me out to the edge of the track at the exit of turn 2: I let him have the spot, and a guy on a totally race preped GSX-R 750 took the lead.
The 2 stroke Yammy was pretty fast in a straight line, the equal of my Speed Four. I tried again to pass him at the exit of turn 6, but couldn't get far enough ahead to get back to inside line at turn 7. Meanwhile, the 750 was escaping.
I waited until the long straight after turn 8 to try passing the Yamaha again. I pulled even with him on acceleration down the straight, hitting about 120, and then I outbraked him into turn 1.
I caught the 750 just after turn 5, and as he drifted out to set up for turn 6, I closed it up and turned underneath him with tons of room between us.
After that, it was all me. After following the Yam and the 750 through 8 and onto the straight, I knew I could pull a big distance on them. I did. The race ended early a lap or two later when the guy on the 750 binned it in turn one. He later told me he was trying to keep up, and was in over his head. That's a shame, because he didn't pass the clinic - they have a strict "no crashing" rule.
So I'm stoked. I got 100% on my written test, and beat a bunch of guys on race preped bikes with my bone stock Speed Four. On street tires. What does Lightning McQueen say? Ka-chow!
Go me!
. How did it feel riding in a t-shirt? 
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