ApexTrackdays

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why should I go to the track?
• Why should I do track time with APEX Trackday?
• What if I've never been to the track?
• How does APEX trackdays run their sessions?
• What if I wreck during the day?
• What group should I be in?

Why Should I go to the Track?

The following quotation is from page 85 of the book Sport Riding Techniques, by Nick Ienatsch, contributing editor of Cycle World Magazine, former racer [can we beef this up with a title? What does the author bio say?], and lead instructor at Freddie Spencer's High Performance Riding School.

“You will benefit enormously from track time even if you have no interest in actually going racing.

Why do I believe it is so important to introduce more street riders to the delights of a closed-course racetrack? The track is an environment that stresses skill and technique without the severe punishment for mistakes that the street doles out. The racetrack encourages you to focus on your skills, and as you have probably realized, skill is the only factor that consistently keeps you alive. (You can never count on luck.) Every veteran rider I know feels that time spent circling a racetrack adds a huge measure of skill in a very short period.

Track riding focuses you on the basics of motorcycle operation-accelerating, braking and cornering-and on the skills needed to perfect those basics. The environment leaves you free to experiment and expand your performance envelope, leaning over farther, accelerating harder, braking better. These skills will not only save you in an emergency, they will also make your next ride more confident and fun. When your mind is free to focus exclusively on riding, your skill level starts to improve in quantum leaps.”(Ienatsch 2003)

Ienatsch, Nick, 2003. Sport Riding Techniques, David Bull Publishing 2003 , pg85

Nuff said.

Why Should I do Track Time With ApexTrackDays?

We run affordable, no frills, no nonsense track days designed to give you the most track time for your money. Track days are the only safe environment to test the performance envelope of your motorcycle, and we believe that more riders would take advantage of track days if they were more affordable and less of a hassle. Apex does everything possible to keep the cost of a track day affordable; we keep overhead low and pass those savings on to you. We provide a safe environment complete with ambulance service, but we are not paternalistic, bossy, or condescending. There are no big egos here, just fellow riders who want you to have the best riding day of your life. Apex wants you to feel like you belong, especially on your first track day. At most dates, we have photographers, videographers, instructors, and a other amenities designed to maximize the value of your track time. We even skip the lunch break when we can to give you more track time; you can eat between sessions. If attendance is low toward the end of the day (many people tend to pack up early as the afternoon wears on because they wear themselves out with so much riding time), we will allow riders to run in both sessions the B Group riders are comfortable with the open format and the A Group riders remember to be extra courteous while passing in the B Group.

What if I've never been to a Track?

Not a problem. We run a Track Orientation School (see School) for first time track riders for the first few sessions ofthe day. It is free of charge and mandatory for first time track riders, but experienced track day riders are welcome to attend. You do not miss out on any track time by taking the School; you receive classroom instruction on the proper lines, body position, braking, shifting, and passing while Group A is on the track, and then you practice what you learned during the Group B session.

How does ApexTrackDays run their Sessions?

Our format consists of two groups. The "A" group is for more experienced track day riders and the "B" group for less experienced or slower riders (see Rider Info). Our maximum capacity is 30 riders per group. The "A" group takes to the track first, and the groups alternate throughout the day in 20 minute sessions. The Track Orientation School rides during the “B” session and attends a short class during the “A” session. We do everything possible to avoid taking a lunch break. You can eat between sessions. If we must break for lunch it will only be for 30 minutes. Our goal is to keep the track green. If we must close it for breakdowns, debris, crashes etc., we try to split the delay evenly between the sessions. If attendance becomes low as people begin to pack up early, we try to allows riders to ride in both groups like a no-session format to further maximize your track time, provided the Group A riders pass with a courteous 6 ft buffer while riding in the Group B session.

What if I wreck during the Day?

Crash happens. You can avoid crashing by riding within your limits, pitting when you get tired, and not pushing too hard to keep up with or pass someone going faster. Should you be so unfortunate as to crash at a track day, your misfortune will probably continue as we seldom allow crash victims back on the track for the remainder of the day. We evaluate each crash on an individual basis. Obviously damage to you, your gear or your bike will keep you off the track until such are repaired. If the crash was caused by stupidity of any kind, which includes riding too hard for a practice setting like a track day, your day will be over regardless of how fit you are to continue.

What Group Should I Be In At The Track?

We try to provide a controlled environment that allows you to ride as fast as you want (in keeping with the paragraph above) and explore the performance of your motorcycle without the hassles and dangers of the street. To accommodate different riding levels, participants can select between two different riding levels/groups. More...