Track Laps at BIR May 17 & 18 with INGE

[Rufus]

Hello INGE,

You said in a previous post that you would be racing at BIR on May 17 & 18 with your Formula Ford club. You also mentioned that you were a volunteer for the noontime track laps and that if some Victory riders showed up we could get on the track.

How many riders have to show up to get access to the track?

Does it start precisely at noon or does it start more like 12:30 - 1?

Are track laps done both Sat and Sun? (I don't think that I can make it Sat.)

What safety gear is required to be worn? (Armored racing leathers,boots,gloves, full face helmet? Just shorts and tennis shoes? Is a DOT approved half helmet good enough?

How long can you be on the track? 1 lap? 1 hour? Do you have time to ride more than one bike?

What other issues do we need to know if we want to participate?
(How do we sign up, where at the track do we meet, will there be other cars and motorcycles out there at the same time, etc, etc )

To be able to ride in a controlled enviroment where you don't have to worry about sand in the corners, speeding tickets, or oncoming traffic seems like it would be worth the ride up there.
Anyone else interested in going?

[Inge]

Only one Vic needs to show up and I will lead around the track for 2 laps. You need long sleeves and long pants, helmet highly recommended, any type is ok. Saturday motorcycle tour will be about 1pm, Sunday motorcycle tour will be about 1:30.

To get into the track, you just need to go to the front gate and sign the waiver to get a wrist band, that gets you in. I'll have my Vic near the pit entrance by the tower.
allow yourself some extra time to get into the track as I race right after the tour so I can't delay the tour.

[Rufus]

I can't make it Sat but am tentatively planning on Sun. I am waiting to hear from a friend of mine who lives in Pequot Lakes. I may ride up Sat eve and hit BIR on Sun.

Rufus

[Rufus]

I know that you can't delay. I will try to get there early if I come. My cell phone # is 612 386-5303

[Inge]

Sounds good.

I don't know if you are familiar with the track. Once you get in the main gate, make a hard left before you go over the bridge to get to the paddock area. Our racers will be parked in one of the pole buildings, I think it's a white building. You need to get the rules and sign a release there. My car is a little single seater red #98. I'll have the Vic there too. On Saturday after the afternoon race, I'll probably be leaving the track for a while to go for a putt. I should be at the track most of Sunday.

The tour is scheduled for 3 laps, I've been informed the insurance company requires helmets (any DOT type).

We have at least 3 bikes lined up so far.

Pete, will you be there?

Jeff

[ghost]

I'll be out of town Sat. Hope to be back around 4 or 5. Sunday I have a birthday party in the early afternoon. It would be great to go for a putt if the timing works. I'll see what I can do.

Pete

[Rufus]

3 bikes for Sunday?

[Inge]

yes, so far......

[Inge]

Rufus (on his Vegas) and I had a few really great laps on Sunday. We were leanin' into turn 1 at about 70mph, and my Vic handled great through all of the turns. I didn't scrape any floor boards, however Rufus said his "curb feelers" were making contact.
My Formula Ford race didn't end quite that well. I was having a great dice with a buddy in a another 'ford, and as I was leading out of turn 9 under the bridge, I heard the Big Bang right behind my head. I now have a well ventilated oil pan, but the block looks to be in tact. The tell tail on the rev counter showed 8800 rpm, on a motor that normaly red lines at about 6500. That didn't make sense, as I would normally be pulling about 5500 rpm at that point on the track. When I got home I tried to put it in gear to keep it from rolling, but no gears. Apparently something broke in the trans axle, allowing the motor to free rev when I had my foot in it, and the resulting spike was more that the con rod could handle. Oh well, I have always known this hobby is not for the faint of wallet. Then there was time I rolled my MGA on the first lap of the first practice session of the weekend.........

[Big-Foot]

JEff - sorry to hear about the failure(s) in the Ford! Major bummer! You are correct in that racing is not for the faint of wallet!

I hope the block escaped major injury.