PPIR Friday practice

[hcr25]

To let everyone know, practice Friday will have ambulance service on site. Thanks to Rybo and the rest of the MRA board and the folks at PPIR. Western ambulance will be there on Friday as well as sat and sun. This is the MRA's regular crew and the guys we use at all open lapping days at HPR. These guys are top notch, we couldn't be in better hands.

Mike

[chris nami]

Nice, Thank you!!

[rybo]

We're very happy that PPIR decided to staff the day.

Paul informs me that they will have a flagging crew on hand as well.


That being said I want to be clear that the practice day is PPIR's day. The MRA is not running / staffing it. They have been very open to our suggestions / guidance in setting up the day for maximum success following last years practice day.

The management at PPIR is excited to have us racing there and is proactively engaged in making sure we have a good weekend!

Scott

[chris nami]

Hey Scott,
Do you know if PPIR is going to have some hay bails in turn one this year? I would be willing to go out on a limb and say that our top %5 of riders are going to be running times equivalent to the top AMA guys just a few years ago. The AMA felt those speeds warranted the use of such safety measures. I believe that as a club we should also be as,if not more concerned...my soap box. :/ #13

[rybo]

Chris,

While we won't have bales out there we've changed the entry to T1 drastically to accomplish the following

1) The likely point of falling down is now fairly focused and will direct riders towards the area of the wall protected by airfence, where before there were multiple likely trajectories resulting from falling off in T1.

2) Pushing the braking for T1 back onto the straight a little ways promoting a slower T1 entry speed.

3) Making the turn in point for T1 considerably further from the wall than in the previous configuration.

Our old configuration was nearly identical to what the AMA used.

Given the data from last year at PPIR the "fast" laptime (57.9) there was over 1 second slower than the previous MRA record. The current record is held by an AMA rider who was riding an extremely well prepared motorcycle, so I believe that it's representative of what is possible at the track.

In 2004 DiSalvo was doing 55's on a supersport bike there....as a measure.

[random hero]

just to clarify, T1 entry will be the same as 2010 season, correct?

[rybo]

yes

[chris nami]

Thanks Scott, ... for the explanations and the times. I am a little surprised that the times are that much slower than years past. Good info to know! my goal is not to create negative feelings, just getting information and although I still personally feel that bails in turn 1 are the best way to go... I trust that the boards evaluation of the turn 1 is with the clubs best intrest at heart. See you all this weekend!! #13

[T Baggins]

IMO - the current setup is the best/safest we've had since the AMA left the scene... THEY provided the hay bales AND paid the track rental for us since we essentially ran their event there for them.

I believe the BEST possible solution would be:

Using the new T1 entry

Hay Bales in 1

Air Fence in 1

Hay Bales / airfence along the wall between 2 & 4

Unfortunately, the reality is that the haybales would cost more than the track rental... and we're already using all the airfence we have.

Please also be prepared for the water seepage in 4, 5 & 7. Ray and I will be there Friday to watch for any water hazards, and we will be coning off as necessary like we did last year.

IF we do end up coning the track off - THE CONFIGURATION WILL STAY THAT WAY FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVENT.

It would be unsafe/unfair to be continually changing the course during the race weekend.

[oldtimer]

Thank you PPIR for staffing flaggers and ambulance on their Friday track day!

[nobasin]

What is the rain policy at PPIR? Will they still hold Friday practice if it is wet or raining? Same question for Sat I guess since there is still a small chance for showers.

Mike-

Update: Think I found the answer to this in previous year's posts, which is that yes, we run in the rain here for practice and races. If for some reason this has changed, post up and let me know.

[T Baggins]

we absolutely run in the rain at PPIR - and I suspect Friday practice will go on wet or dry.