Level 2 with Ridesmart at MSRH - 3/9/13

Yesterday started out wet but finally dried up. Level 2 was a crash-fest with one concussion and a couple of broken collar bones but I avoided any mishaps. I had 2 riders collide right in front of me, and I had to avoid one of the motorcycles that fell right in front of me and went sliding down the track right in my path.  It may be time to level up and escape the madness!

I had the Dunlop tire guy put me a set of the new D211GP-A dot race tires on in the afternoon and I almost immediately ripped off a lap a full second faster than my previous best time. I should pick up more speed as I get used to the improved grip.

Riding with the RideSmart organization was ok but I still prefer Fastline.  Ridesmart was more restrictive on the level 2 riders, mainly by only allowing passing on the outside in the corners.  While the intention is good, I think it also bunches up the field more by removing some passing opportunities.  A big issue I saw was riders not getting off the racing line to slow down.  I saw several times where a rider would put a hand up to signal that they were slowing to pit, but then rolled off the throttle without moving out of the path of overtaking traffic.  I saw several near misses because of those.  And also, when a yellow or even a red flag comes out, that doesn't mean that you should immediately roll completely off the throttle.  Instead, back off just a little to kill your acceleration, keep going, and be careful.  Ridesmart should send out a feedback email in the next day or 2 and I'll mention those in my response.  I know I've heard them mention it before at other events.

The next event is just 1 week away on March 16.  We'll be back out at MSRH, but with Fastline this time, and we'll be running the track counter-clockwise, which is "backwards" to the direction it's normally run.  70-80% of the track will be the same, with just a few adjustments in a few key areas.