TGPR Track day - SS style

[Revelstoker]

I was in track day withdrawal and was going through the process of putting the bikes away for winter (gas treatment, wash, battery) when I got all fired up to do one more track day.

I knew X-act was running at Little Tally on Nov. 19-20th as my brother from Atlanta was going. I had a chance to duck out of work early on Friday but TGPR is still 9hrs away. WTF, I am going!!! So, I paypal my fee and book a spot in Intermediate.

I is kind of a big deal for me as I just got the bump and desire to move up back in August. I was running pretty good on the Hyper, suffered a setback in confidence, bought the SS and it was taking too damn long to get comfortable on the bike.

Winter is coming, got the bump and hadn't had a chance to run I as my previous chance was thwarted because I just started a new job and couldn't get off early. Friday went to hell and I didn't pull out of my driveway until 6:30pm - instead of the 3:30pm I had originally planned. Half asleep and caffiene wired, I rolled through Birmingham 8hrs later. I did a drive-by @ Barber, took a wizz at the gas station and rolled over to Talledega. I got lost and eventually fell asleep around 4:30 am.

Now, I hadn't connected with my brother but I was hoping to just suprise him by rolling up and parking next to him in the infield. I had never ridden TGPR, never been in I and I hadn't spent a whole lot of time on Youtube trying to get a feel for the track. So, I was doubly nervous about going out into I on a track I didn't know with guys that were going to be fast. I could have used some coaching.

Well, rider meeting came and went, 3rd call for I but no brother. Bastard finally returned my Friday call around 10am on Saturday. Tells me he is booked for Sunday, not Saturday. Bugger me, he got to laugh the longest!!! All good, he wasn't doing anything anyway and rode over to hang out in the afternoon.

TGPR is a fun little course and since the right side of my tires is quite shagged, TGPR is the best prescription for additional track time on shagged tires as the course only has 1 right turn. First two sessions are a wash. I hung out in back, followed and just tried to set some markers and get a feel for the place. 3rd session saw me pick off a few back markers and follow a faster guy around.

Lunch came and went and I went out. This time, a CR picked me up as I was having a hard time getting around a few guys that had more motor but parked in the corners. What a great thing to do. CR fixed my lines and I was able to pick up my pace quite a bit. FARMHOUSE turn was still giving me fits but I was running mid-pack I by the end of the day.

All in all, I spent 22hrs driving in the car, 1 hour on the track riding, $130 in gas and $99 for track fee. At least my brother gave me pizza, beer and a good weekend to last me for the next 4 months.

Barber in March, can't wait!!!!

I am good for winter now but not completely. Bike is still on the trailer in hope of new rubber and oil change.

[Ducatierv]

Little Tally is fun I used to go there almost monthly before they redesigned the track...but if you have not been to Barber be prepared it blows Tally away!

[Varmitcong]

Originally Posted by Revelstoker

Tells me he is booked for Sunday, not Saturday.

Now, don't you wished you'd signed up for both days.

Originally Posted by Revelstoker

All in all, I spent 22hrs driving in the car, 1 hour on the track riding, $130 in gas and $99 for track fee. At least my brother gave me pizza, beer and a good weekend to last me for the next 4 months.

Wow, that was an odyssey.

Tally is a great track and the people who run it are great. I love T1 and T2. T2 with the banking is f-a-s-t. T3 kind of sucks with the patched pavement, but I didn't have any problems with it. T4/T5, for me was tricky. I tried different lines all weekend at a WERA race in August, but never really felt comfortable going through there. Whatever you do, don't be wide exiting T4 and get into the marbles. I did, got a bunch of broken bones for the effort.

The final turn or kink before the front straight is a blast...so fast.

Tally has its own unique spin vs. other tracks in the southeast.