I've heard some amazing things about Summit Point Main (and some variable opinions on Shenandoah), but the motorsports park is a rather large complex housing four race circuits (Jefferson and Washington).
My journey started picking up a UHaul in the Bronx, and picking up some of my girlfriends stuff to take back to her mom's house before she makes the big move to my apartment.
My buddy Jerry had generously agreed to help me load, and I painfully navigated with an enclosed trailer through Manhattan.
Once we were on the highway though, the truck worked great, and I was finally able to use the tow hitch I had installed last summer.
On the way, we stopped by my family's house in Pennsylvania for the day, where I picked up my track bike,
and blew out a few birthday candles with my niece. We spent the night in PA, and made it down to Landsdowne, Virginia the following afternoon, celebrating both of our birthdays with a great dinner.
But my present was going to be the next day. I woke up (I must say a little worse for the wear from my birthday evening the night before) about 5am, to be on the road by 6am to make tech inspection at 7 in Summit Point, West Virginia.
I must have had a little bit of a lead foot already though, as I got pulled over on the way. The highway cop was nice though, and let me go after running my license.
I had realized the day before that I had forgotten my Pittbull rear-stand, which is kind of necessary on this bike as it doesn't have a kickstand. I spent the first hour after tech running around asking other Ducati owners if they had an extra mount.
Luckily, a guy named Justin of Trackside Parts Club showed up, and saved me from spending the whole weekend propping my bike up against my truck by selling me a new Pitbull stand.
I immediately made friends with my neighbors (as I'm wont to do), and heard very soon about how "technical" of a track Shenandoah is....
First of all, the track itself is tiny, more of a Go-Kart track than a raceway- and is filled with non stop turns.
There are no real straights, and I never managed to figure out the bowl (Karussel) the entire day.
Then, the surface is incredibly patchy... with literal potholes and dirt spilling out onto the track,
which is unnerving to say the least.
Over the course of the day though, I started to master the circuit, and found I could build up a fair bit of steam coming into the Karussel, and along the back straight.
The most challenging part was the corskscrew, which also had the best spectator visibility,
and where which my girlfriend and her mom came and took some photos.
I somehow managed to corrupt my GoPro footage from the day, but I got one video, and some cell phone coverage thanks to Caitlin (below):
My boys from Gotham Ducati in NYC are joining me at the track today. James showed up after dinner last night, but Jerry and Tommy got in late. They decided to ride down, and didn't get in till after midnight and unbelievably, they rode down from NYC.
After staying in Ship Bottom NJ and a full NJMP EvolveGT track day yesterday, I was riding a high and looking to continue to hone my skills.
This would be my first back to back track day, which several friends told me is the only way to really learn.
I got up super early, and took a few shots of the New Jersey Motorsports complex.
There is a hotel right on the track running about $130 / night, with rentable garage space directly below.
We got our bikes prepped, and suited up for the day.
Tommy and I raced intermediate, and James and Jerry signed up (quite smartly) for GT1, Evolve GT's race school for first timers.
While Tommy and I were busy blowing session starts ;), Jerry and James were studying the track, body position and fundamentals...something I wish I had done more of when I started.
The first half of the day seemed incredibly educational, and it's easy to forget fundamentals at the racetrack.
Tommy and I traded places leading in intermediate, though I have to say- I was starting to feel incredibly comfortable on the track.
There's this weird progression experiencing a new track, where at first you're scared shitless, then you just feel uncomfortable, which diminishes down to just feeling weak in certain corners, till finally it just clicks.
I checked my lap times when I got home, and I was putting in mid 1:40's by the end of the day (hardy race-pace, but certainly respectable).
MotoGladiator was also running a race at NJMP this weekend.
The race was pretty exciting
It was a pretty incredible day with awesome friends.
I have it on good authority that Ducati is rolling out Salesforce Community Cloud to dealers in the next couple months!
