Similar to CC thread : Who races not to win?

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Catanonia

17/01/2006 at 18:48

Strange question, but been reading CC's thread about winning.

I am starting my 1st season to make friends, be part of the racing scene, ride my race bike in a sfe(ish) environment as I have giving up road riding after my accident.

So who here actually, truely honestly is about to, or does, race for the participation. Knowing they don't stand a chance of winning against the 'big boys'?

If I get a top 20 all season i will be over the moon, if I win I will be dreaming, but it might happen who knows?

So who is entering or does enter for the 'scene' and not the racing commitment?

I know I may get flammed for this, but it takes all people to make a grid for the real racers to win against.

The Cat
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EddieJ

17/01/2006 at 18:57

Catanonia wrote

it takes all people to make a grid for the real racers to win against.

Exactly

Sounds like a lesson that could be taught to a few people at some meetings that I have attended!

Plonko

17/01/2006 at 19:10

This will be my rookie year and I have several goals starting with finishing, then not being last and then several more all the way to race wins.

I think if you start with goals which are too ambitious it's easy to get disillusioned but taking it a step at a time it makes each goal more readily achievable. You never know you might start off and finish your first race in the top three which means you've done loads of them in one go but who knows unless you go out and try.

Mike Edwards

17/01/2006 at 19:33

My only goal is to improve. If I ever get a pot then great (been close a couple of times but no cigar) but that isn't why I race or even why I started racing.

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phil G

17/01/2006 at 19:36

respect to you for knowing why you're there.... as long as you are happy , thats all that matters , and as long as you live up to your own expectations & goals , then thats the whole point.
Winners are just the loser thats fastest IYSWIM , and as with anything , there can only be a top because there's a bottom for it to sit on.

I know that i'll never win against the big boys, but i also know that there are riders out there that consider me as one of them , so its all relative .

I never had a better compliment payed than when i guy who i knew only as a passing knod , said that he was over the moon to have beat me once during the year , over an end of season drink .

I think EddieJ says the riding is only 30% of it for him now, and with the kit he has , i see what his buzz is, but for me, i'n only interested in the race , and the bike is just a tool , i cant stay home and polish my wheels or spend money on stuff that wont make me faster, because it dont float my boat , but i understand those that do ... until they spend money on bling instead of tyres , then moan cos they aint fast enough...

Good call on getting off the road BTW..... have a good first season , steady away gets the job done .

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stud69er

17/01/2006 at 19:40

Catanonia wrote

Strange question, but been reading CC's thread about winning.

I am starting my 1st season to make friends, be part of the racing scene, ride my race bike in a sfe(ish) environment as I have giving up road riding after my accident.

So who here actually, truely honestly is about to, or does, race for the participation. Knowing they don't stand a chance of winning against the 'big boys'?

If I get a top 20 all season i will be over the moon, if I win I will be dreaming, but it might happen who knows?

So who is entering or does enter for the 'scene' and not the racing commitment?

I know I may get flammed for this, but it takes all people to make a grid for the real racers to win against.

me!!!
ive resigned myself to the fact that i aint going to be challenging for any championships, but when i look at it realistically, i know im going to get better with experience.
im too old and too slow to go riding on the limit every lap,but that doesnt mean i dont enjoy every minute of it.
last year was a steep learning curve for me but the whole experience was fantastic!!!
ive met some great people,had some great days out and found out im not going to be the next brit in motogp!!!

roll on the new season and some sunshine.

well it certainly beats watching eastenders omnibus edition!!!!

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Catanonia

17/01/2006 at 19:45

stud69er wrote

well it certainly beats watching eastenders omnibus edition!!!!

fantastic

The Cat
Wot !! Only 3 points c*ntstuble, How about 9 for artistic interpretation.

Derby Phoenix Thunderbikes : No 58 Suzuki GSXR 750 SRAD T.I.B Racing

TIB Racing WebSite

EddieJ

17/01/2006 at 20:12

Plonko wrote

This will be my rookie year and I have several goals starting with finishing, then not being last and then several more all the way to race wins.

I learn't a very valuable lesson a couple of years ago. I over cooked it on a corner at Lydden and rejoined the race in last place. I was determind that I could never finish in last place and managed to get back past two people before taking a big tumble at Paddock bend and ending up in hospital with a suspected broken back.

I saw Barry Chapman do a very similar thing last season at Brands, luckily he was okay but you could see from watching him that the out come was not going to be good.

The lesson that I learn't was that it is better to finish last than not at all!

Wingnut

17/01/2006 at 20:48

I race to do the best I possibly can. When that ain't good enough to win a race (which has been always, so far) then I've still enjoyed it, but I see it as a natural learning curve. Every race has taught me something. I am getting faster and I am getting better, I'm enjoying improving, and the main reason I'm enjoying improving is because there will come a point where I'm good enough to win.

At that point it's mission accomplished!

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Zimbo

17/01/2006 at 21:24

My first year as well, if I can make middle of the field I'll be seriously chuffed, not got any expectations of achieving more than that.

A positive attitude will not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

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Ducati Pete

17/01/2006 at 21:50

stud69er wrote

well it certainly beats watching eastenders omnibus edition!!!!

I bet you tape it and watch it when you get home!

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jon paine

17/01/2006 at 21:54

my first season too. i have done many track days and i dont understand why if someone can go quicker than me then why cant i go that quick, if they can brake later than me then surely i can brake that late, if they can eccelarate quicker then i should be able to do the same.

many people have come past me on track days but i always put it down too them having a bigger bike than me or beetr tyres or so on.

i wanna race just to see how good i am against someone on the same bike as me so they have no advantage. in other words i dont get why that if i was folowing rossi on the same bike as him then why cant i go as fast as him. its possible obvoiusly so why cant i do it. i just watch and learn. simple.

and hopefully this year will make me understand why this is not the case and that it isnt as easy as it seems cause i really dont get why i cant do it.

David H

17/01/2006 at 22:08

I started as a Rookie last year without the slightest chance of winning and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Going to do it all over again, and its unlikely I'll win anything this year. But very little beats the buzz of close racing wherever you are in the field. That's what I'm after and I know I'll find it. Sure I want to go quicker and get placed higher but I still feel kinda priviledged just to be out there in the first place.

Jon Paine,

Track days just ain't like racing. And following a quick rider is one thing. Getting past them when they don't want you to is another matter entirely. Every race has lots of incidents in that would get you chucked off a track day

. Best you open your mind for learning rather than not being able to understand why you can't. I think someone said something similar earlier in this thread. There will be some overweight old blokes/birds riding snotters who will whup your arse.....but that happens to almost everyone when they start.

DavidH

Mike Edwards

17/01/2006 at 23:35

You also have to remember who you are racing against.

When I started it was also Sam Corke's first year doing Rookie 600s. He still didn't win everything but he managed to qualify for the last round of the BSB SuperSport 600s the same year.

Mike Goodfellow also started the same year. Last year Mike won the Bemsee SS600 title (I think) and Champion of Brands. This year he raced BSB SuperSport Cup. That first year he was mostly getting 6th or so place finishes.

Anyone trying to win MiniTwins in 2004 would have been up against Chris Firmin, Matt Bond and Gary Smith. All of whom are very talented and very, very fast. The MRO MiniTwins this year had Matt Bond and Graham English riding fast enough so they wouldn't have finished last in BSB SuperStock Cup races!

The first year of MiniTwins I was regularly battling for third, fourth and fifth places. Would I like to have got a pot, you bet! Would I be more pleased with getting a single point for fifteenth place in the 2004 series or getting a pot in the 2003 series? To be honest as long as I improved my times in 2004 against a bigger and better field I would have been happy.

MIST Suzuki Racing - Brand new GSXR1000K7 for sale. Race prepped just needs suspension.

stud69er

17/01/2006 at 23:55

Ducati Pete wrote

I bet you tape it and watch it when you get home!

damn!! ive been rumbled.

EMRA no.69

weeksy

18/01/2006 at 07:59

Cat, i don't see any reason you can't be competing for the Novice championship title. That may not seem like a hell of a lot, but in reality you're really only needing to race the others of simillar experience to yourself.

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Wingnut

18/01/2006 at 08:57

Mike Edwards wrote

Anyone trying to win MiniTwins in 2004 would have been up against Chris Firmin, Matt Bond and Gary Smith. All of whom are very talented and very, very fast. The MRO MiniTwins this year had Matt Bond and Graham English riding fast enough so they wouldn't have finished last in BSB SuperStock Cup races!

Tell me about it. Put me right in my place, they did

Danny_Two

18/01/2006 at 09:40

I race for the buzz and being part of the scene, no chance of winning or even top ten realisticly.
I came 15th in my first race, straight in the points and have gone backwards position wise ever since, although at the end of the sesson I was a second faster at every circuit I raced at which was a sort of acheivement in itself for me.
Looking forward to this season, bike has been completley rebuilt from the wheels bearings up by me so Ill have a lot more confidence in it.