Interesting trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway

[BaconAndScotch]

So I get this email at work for an opportunity to ride to Atlanta Motor Speedway and actually ride on the track. The cost was $30, and would be a group ride from a local H-D dealership to the track, do some laps, then off to Hooters for lunch (which was included in the $30). All of this was for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Granted, I knew that I'd be the minority (sportbike vs harley's), but two co-workers and I decided to go anyways (one of the two was a Harley rider). When I arrived at the dealership, I got all kinds of odd looks, as did my friend (he was on a ZX-6R). So immediately I'm thinking "great, this is gonna suck". So I reluctantly (at this point) pull into the spot they wave me towards, shut off my bike, and dismount. Almost as soon as I get off my bike 6 tattooed harley guys walk up to me. I'm thinking "shit they're gonna lynch me." I take my helmet off and am met with smiles and handshakes. Whoa.. Smiles and handshakes.. This instantly throws me off, and I can almost guarantee that it was noticable. The guys instantly start talking shop and asking me about the bike. I really got a thrill outta that. These guys were talking about "never owning a crotch rocket, but they'd love to have a Duc." I spent about an hour and a half meeting people, chatting about bikes, etc. It gave me a fresh outlook on H-D riders. The ride to the track was police escorted, which was cool as I'd never been in a ride like that before. Granted, it was slow the whole ride (about 25-35 MPH the whole way), but we didn't stop at any lights as the police blocked all the traffic. After the safety brief and waiver signing at the track, we got lined up on the track. With a pace car out in front, we got to take about 15 or so laps on the track. During the last 5 laps the pace car sped up to about 110mph. The 30 degree banked curves were very different to ride on. After I got used to them I really started to enjoy them. Below you will find some photos. The quality isn't the best, but then again it's not my camera and I didn't take them.