Walking the track

Goon126
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Goon126
Edited Date/Time 6/14/2019 6:23am
When I started racing as a kid in the 90s at GFI Paris Raceway, we would get to the track early on race day and would walk the track. There would be several people walking the track. Now it doesn’t seem like many people walk the track if any at all. Do any of you still walk the track on race day?
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peelout
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peelout 6/11/2019 11:28am
6/11/2019 11:28am
that was the first thing i did in the morning, right up until i turned 20. then it was "stand on the finish and scan the track"
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shuggs
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shuggs 6/11/2019 11:35am
6/11/2019 11:35am
Always!! For me it’s a chance to move after the drive to track
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NITRODOG
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NITRODOG 6/11/2019 11:36am
6/11/2019 11:36am
I ran a youth mx program for about 13 yrs, I always allowed time for a "Track Walk" after prep was completed and before practice would start. Not only great for the kids (racers) but many family members would join in on the walk also and it really helped to show the parents/adults what the kids were dealing with out there.
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ACBraap
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ACBraap 6/11/2019 11:36am
6/11/2019 11:36am
Used to do it every race. Probably because some article MXA said it was important.

Probably stopped the first time we went to Washougal, because that hill is big.
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The Shop

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Prntscrn
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Prntscrn 6/11/2019 11:44am
6/11/2019 11:44am
Me and my dad always walked the track the day before to go through different lines and possible spots for passing. I'd say it was very good for me as a rider and made me think more instead of just following the typical race line
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Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 6/11/2019 11:49am
6/11/2019 11:49am
Sure, it's fun at a small track. I always walk PIR. But it would take all damn day to walk around Hangtown or Washougal. That's what the sight lap is for.

Its more fun to walk it after a National and see what those guys do to the dirt.

Hammer 663s
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M-M
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M-M 6/11/2019 12:01pm
6/11/2019 12:01pm
Always walked the track.

Remember my dad not walking a track once and bottoming out on a drop off in practice Laughing
LoudLove
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LoudLove 6/11/2019 12:07pm
6/11/2019 12:07pm
Walking the track is cathartic, a calm before the storm, if you will. A chance to share strategies and ideas with your buddies, and dream of railing the outside line. Your most perfect race occurs during the track walk...
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zippytech
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zippytech 6/11/2019 12:12pm
6/11/2019 12:12pm
Hammer 663s wrote:
Sure, it's fun at a small track. I always walk PIR. But it would take all damn day to walk around Hangtown or Washougal. That's what...
Sure, it's fun at a small track. I always walk PIR. But it would take all damn day to walk around Hangtown or Washougal. That's what the sight lap is for.

Its more fun to walk it after a National and see what those guys do to the dirt.

Hammer 663s
Walked the track after the pros at keworthys and Budds creek. The lines was so much different than on amateur day.
CivBars
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CivBars 6/11/2019 12:16pm
6/11/2019 12:16pm
Yeah but we call it a rock walk lol Toss all of those buggers off of the track
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Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 6/11/2019 12:31pm
6/11/2019 12:31pm
Bottom of the hill before the power line triple at Hangtown a few years back. Massive ruts.


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zippytech
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zippytech 6/11/2019 12:34pm
6/11/2019 12:34pm
That's beautiful .
Mr. Afterbar
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Mr. Afterbar 6/11/2019 12:40pm
6/11/2019 12:40pm
I’ve noticed this as well. I always walk the track unless I get there in the morning and don’t have time.
Frodad78
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Frodad78 6/11/2019 12:44pm
6/11/2019 12:44pm
I used to love walking the track, great way to burn off that nervous energy in the morning right before I defiled the portajohn
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Fog 25
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Fog 25 6/11/2019 12:50pm
6/11/2019 12:50pm Edited Date/Time 6/11/2019 12:51pm
I used to walk before second Moto also and always check start turn before both Motos.
TannerMxer
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TannerMxer 6/11/2019 1:34pm
6/11/2019 1:34pm
Goon126 wrote:
When I started racing as a kid in the 90s at GFI Paris Raceway, we would get to the track early on race day and would...
When I started racing as a kid in the 90s at GFI Paris Raceway, we would get to the track early on race day and would walk the track. There would be several people walking the track. Now it doesn’t seem like many people walk the track if any at all. Do any of you still walk the track on race day?
I grew up racing all over socal in 90-92: LACR, Perris, Sunrise, Marysville, Barona Oaks, Glen Helen, Carlsbad, etc.

Always arrived at the tracks on Friday night at the gate, once we got in first thing in the morning, we walked the track - every single time.

I haven't raced in 12+ years, but people don't do that anymore? Last race I did was back in maybe '06 at Piru Mx and I walked the track before the race. Weird to hear people don't.
feelit2morrow 6/11/2019 1:43pm
6/11/2019 1:43pm
My son started racing this year, and it's something we always do. I will point out things for him to watch or do and it's neat watching him take a particular line all race that we discussed. He's 5 so it's important for him to understand where he needs to go.
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TW85
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TW85 6/11/2019 1:56pm
6/11/2019 1:56pm
No for me. Walking the track just messes my head up everything looks a lot bigger walking instead of checking things out on a sight lap.

I also just cruise around during the morning practice on race days. I can’t just go out there and pin it.

I need to man up.
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zippytech
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zippytech 6/11/2019 2:26pm
6/11/2019 2:26pm
lol , there are a lot of used too's in this thread
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race
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race 6/11/2019 2:35pm
6/11/2019 2:35pm
Never walked, as I wanted to conserve every ounce of energy but depending on one's race schedule would ride the bike around to check out how the lines formed at various points on earlier races. And sometimes ended up doing an extra practice in another class .... Evil

Also I always had to go somewhere and stretch, do donuts, mini starts, anything to get pumped up before before lining up for the gate. Don't know how some guys just roll off their beach chair half asleep and go straight to the line.
zippytech
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zippytech 6/11/2019 2:54pm
6/11/2019 2:54pm
I am the guy that just gets off the chair and goes. trust me I have plenty of pumpedupness in side of me,almost to the point of making me want to sleep. yawn..
EZZA 95B 6/11/2019 5:23pm
6/11/2019 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 6/11/2019 8:12pm
At one of our local clubs, the layout would be changed regularly.
One day they decided to put a right hand turn mid-way on a super fast downhill (which they mentioned in riders briefing).

First lap of practice, we're approaching the turn and I hear a bike absolutely pinned while we're all on the brakes.
The dude hits the wall of tyres they put there to mark the track and launches through the air with his bike flipping behind him.

Old-mate ended up with a broken collarbone and a twisted YZ 125. How he didn't t-bone any of us is a miracle!

Same track and my best mate missed track walk and practice. He hit a rut on a 3rd or 4th gear uphill jump (it was way off to the side of the track) and launched into a massive endo, breaking both his wrists.

I remember looking at the rut with some other mates (on track walk) and saying "imagine hitting that" as it had a near vertical kicker at the top.
Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 6/11/2019 7:15pm
6/11/2019 7:15pm
I have always walked the tracks and still do.

Paw Paw
yak651
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yak651 6/11/2019 7:34pm
6/11/2019 7:34pm
Yep always walk it. Usually one of the only ones that do it, although I don't have a fancy toy hauler so I show up in the morning, maybe most people are doing it the night before
KirkChandler
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KirkChandler 6/11/2019 7:38pm
6/11/2019 7:38pm
I used to walk the track all the time when I was seriously racing. Used it as a warm up in the morning. I’d jog around Carlsbad every Saturday morning even though I knew which bump was still there from last week.

Now I usually take a slow site lap on tracks that I know and on new tracks will stop and check out sections off the track.
EZZA 95B 6/11/2019 7:50pm
6/11/2019 7:50pm
KirkChandler wrote:
I used to walk the track all the time when I was seriously racing. Used it as a warm up in the morning. I’d jog around...
I used to walk the track all the time when I was seriously racing. Used it as a warm up in the morning. I’d jog around Carlsbad every Saturday morning even though I knew which bump was still there from last week.

Now I usually take a slow site lap on tracks that I know and on new tracks will stop and check out sections off the track.
But, you can't win practice if you do a slow lap to check the track!
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Myke
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Myke 6/11/2019 8:01pm
6/11/2019 8:01pm
Walking the track gets your shoes all muddy. Better for me to just to check it out during morning practice.
USA
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USA 6/11/2019 8:33pm
6/11/2019 8:33pm
I rarely walk the track, but every time I have I felt an advantage. One particular example, I remember finding a place to triple some rollers that I never would have found on the bike.

I always liked walking the track with my friends who didn’t ride that came with me to the race.
Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 6/11/2019 8:41pm
6/11/2019 8:41pm
My favorite tracks walks were at my own track in NorCal, at the end of the day, with my boy. He was 6 or 7 on a sx50. We’d talk about how we’d nailed certain lines, look at the ruts we’d made, pick rocks, and lie about how fast we were. A cold beer in one hand and his hand in the other. Nuthin better.
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liver
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liver 6/11/2019 8:54pm
6/11/2019 8:54pm Edited Date/Time 6/11/2019 8:55pm
For us Utah/Idaho folks, walking it can paint a picture you won’t see in your races, because it changes dramatically through out the day with deep moisture, that’s what practice is for, just sight lap it and remind yourself it will change. It’s generally a rut race at the tracks we race, and shows who can and can’t ride a bike.


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