Submitted by Tom Meister
My tent is still in a state of shock from the Husker Rally, but with a little TLC I think it will get me past this riding season. So I decided to attend Track Day at the Mid America Raceway.
About a month ago I visited the raceway to see what the track was like. A Porsche car club was using the track that day. Admission was free. Just had to sign a paper to not hold anyone responsible for damages. The track is a little over two miles long with 12 curves and about a mile long straightaway. Using my watch I timed the cars that day. The cars were doing a lap in two minutes & twenty seconds and I was told would hit 140 mph on the straightaway. This Sunday I timed the BMW S1000RR and it would due a lap about twenty to twenty five seconds faster than the cars. Nate Kern would even pull a wheelie about two thirds of the way down the straightaway. Just like my 90/6 can do!!!!!
I had decided to just watch, admission was again free. To my surprise they had a parade lap and let us use the track for two practice laps. In my group I was the only one with saddle bags - which were still loaded. Also had the oldest bike. I was third in line and was determined to hold my own and not be passed or, heaven forbid, be lapped. I kept telling myself this is not a race. It was nice to be able to use all the track to take a curve. At the end of two laps I was still in third place and never was even close to being passed. Nate Kern “eat your heart out”. They even had someone wave the checkered flag for us, just for the three of us. Hey third place is still third place.
It was fun to watch, maybe a total of some 30-40 bikes circle the track. Some were quite good and never held back & were there to race. Others were just there to learn and have fun. If they have this event next year I recommend this for anyone who wants to improve his skills or just to have some legal fun.
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