Tips to do good your first race?

[Eclipse3130]

How do you know if you're prepared for your first race? What should be the main thing you practice when you're practicing, to succeed in a beginner class race? Corners, starts, body position, confidence? I've been riding tracks for only about 2 months now, august/september earlier this year, and the guys that I talk to which are way faster than me and race junior say I should do just fine when I start racing. I want to be prepared going into my first race, and finish strong! Any tips are helpful. What did you do for your first race? And how was the outcome?

[Dirt Addict]

very cool. personally for my 1st race I wouldn't go out trying for a hole shot. stay with the pack, keep your head up, look for pile ups and avoid them. Get in to a race pace rythm and work on passing whoever is in front of you. Make your 1st race experience a good one.

have fun!

[kx910]

Haha. I have only been in 2 races so far. All I can say is, make sure ur bike is working properly. Take a few hours if you have to to make sure everything is secure and in working order. At my first race, my shift pedal kept falling off, and it almost ruined my experience. Make sure you practice at the track before the day of the race, becaue practice is only about 10 to 15 minutes long on race day, and I garantee you wont know the track that quickly. Try and get the track down, remember all of your riding techniques, and most of all, just have fun. It doesn't matter if you come in first or last, because you WILL get better in the future.

How many times have you practiced on a track so far, and how long have you been riding a dirt bike altogether? I'm seriously a beginner like you, but I had only been on a full size MX track 2 times, and a mini track 3 times before my first race.

Tell us how you do, and GOOD LUCK : )

[tye1138]

How do you know if you're prepared for your first race? What should be the main thing you practice when you're practicing, to succeed in a beginner class race? Corners, starts, body position, confidence? I've been riding tracks for only about 2 months now, august/september earlier this year, and the guys that I talk to which are way faster than me and race junior say I should do just fine when I start racing. I want to be prepared going into my first race, and finish strong! Any tips are helpful. What did you do for your first race? And how was the outcome?

Heh, motocross ain't no joke when it comes to racing. My first tip is to get some more seat time before making the jump. At least give yourself the opportunity to have the skills necessary to get out of trouble if you need to.

Racing requires all your basic skills to be imbedded into your head, riding should be second nature. You should be thinking about the guy in front of you and behind you, not what gear your in, or if your inside foot is up in a corner. The most important part of racing is the art of racing, the craft. You will never become a better rider during a race, if you don't have those basic skills down.

What I practice is putting down clean laps, even with interruption by other riders. The goal is being able to do 6 - 8 laps clean without getting worn out or faltering. That stamina building is key to being successful, so is being creative about getting around people. You've gotta practice the art of racing which includes passing, practicing different lines during the race so your prepared to pass when the time comes. When your in the groove, in the rhythm, its an unbelievable feeling. Being able to hit that rhythm quickly and staying in it for the whole moto is also critical. That comes with practice and honestly, having someone chase you down on the track, so simulate what its like to be in a race. I find if I'm under constant attack, I will just pop into the rhythm and I'll throw down some good quick laps.?

Just because your friends say you're ready to race, doesn't mean jack. In fact, I wouldn't listen to them at all. You will know when your ready to race when OTHER random people come up to you and ask you if you race. You will know its time when your riding and arn't getting passed, but are passing everyone else on the track. Trust me, that day will come, that moment will arrive at some point. All you need to do is stay focused, practice and seat time is everything. ?

[Eclipse3130]

Thanks guys! Have a good Thanksgiving

[CRF450_beast]

I'm in the same boat as you and will start racing in the spring and I cant wait! MX season up here usually starts at the end of april once the snow melts.

I've been riding dirt bikes all my life but just started the tracks this summer and got pretty comfortable on it. I went to watch some local races just to see what the beginner class was all about and to see if I'd be ready for it. I think you will do just fine, the class seems to spread out quite a bit with a few sandbagger fast guys up front, an average middle group and a few sunday drivers in the back so you will definitely find a "niche" of riders within your ability and its always way more fun to race against people at your level.

My game plan for my first race is not to go for the hole-shot and avoid the first corner pile-up and just ride within my comfort zone from there! This was established through reading threads on here and talking to friends who race.

Let us know how your first experience goes!?

[showtime280]

dont worry about how you finish, worry about keeping it fun and staying on two wheels n out of trouble. i agree you wont become a better rider during a race but race expierence will go a long way. you never know until you try but my best tip is to ride withing your abilities, have fun, and at the end of the race dont really worry about how you end up. the more you race n the more comfortable you are with it will bring results

[db330]

as said above work on coming home in one piece, most new racers/riders go out and try to ride above of their level which gets themselves and others hurt.

so don't worry about holeshots, or winning worry about staying on the bike. Remember never try to ride above your capabilities or you will get hurt (i learnt this the hard way, being hospitalized 3 times in 18month when i first started with broken bones and torn ligaments)

I'm not saying don't try, i'm saying don't try things that you're not ready for. And most importantly enjoy yourself out there

[bg10459]

Lap times The guy who consistently puts down the fastest lap times usually wins the race. Way easier said than done ? Most techniques can be honed during the practice sessions, but passing and riding in a crowd; agressively, for the win, rubbin's racin' ya know, is something that only comes from race experience. Enter and race to finish, but more importantly, to race again.

Edited December 19, 2011 by bg10459

[Datz a DRZ]

I have been racing for only a few years. Vet bigginner and now novice. While I have taken a FEW hole shots, my best starts have come if I back off. Particularly in beginner races. And even more so if there is a tight first turn. WHY? With beginners, more often than not there is going to be a pile up in that first turn. You don't want to get caught up in that.

Also, the most FUN races i've been in were not the ones that I won but the ones where I actually got "RACE" with other riders that were my skill level. Back and forth all around the track. That is fun!

Typically I try to do these things. Clean start, get out of the first turn alive, BREATHE, ride for smoothness, finish the race, have FUN.

Something else that will also help a lot is if you have someone who can help you. Supportive. Don't let them give you too many tips at the starting gate. Your brain is already warp speed. It will just mess you up.

Did I mention to have FUN!!

[Athelite]

"If you can't win, take out someone who can." - RC

jk

[tye1138]

Lap times. The guy who consistently puts down the fastest lap times usually wins the race. Way easier said than done. Most techniques can be honed during the practice sessions, but passing and riding in a crowd; agressively, for the win, rubbin's racin' ya know, is something that only comes from race experience. Enter and race to finish, but more importantly, to race again.

Yep, lap times are a critical part. I use to ride the tracks I'd race way ahead of time to put down a base set of laps. Then I'd work on my lines and see if I could drop them. Sometimes if the track didn't change, I could go on youtube and take notes on other people's lap times. Its good to know where you sit compared to your competitors, so even if you're out a moto and you can watch guys race, measure a lap time on your iPhone or something, just to get an idea, that always helps. It is critical to be prepared and part of that preparation is to watch other riders, its not gonna make you faster, but it will show you options that you might have overlooked.

I agree, finishing the race is more important then anything else. I see people mess that part up all the time and its sad, puts a bad wrap on motocross.

While I have taken a FEW hole shots, my best starts have come if I back off. Particularly in beginner races. And even more so if there is a tight first turn. WHY? With beginners, more often than not there is going to be a pile up in that first turn. You don't want to get caught up in that.

Everyone forgets, the start is 50% or more, of your race.

If you spend all your time practicing the rest of the track, then you're loosing 50% of your race preparation. Practicing the start, at the gate and then the first few corners, getting down a strategy that make sense, is the way to roll. Its important to get out front and stay out front whilst the carnage happens behind you. Easy to say, not easy to do...

Don't let them give you too many tips at the starting gate. Your brain is already warp speed. It will just mess you up.

Yep, gotta tune out everything around you. I can't imagine having someone come over to me and try to give me pointers as the gate is about to drop! ?

Edited December 20, 2011 by tye1138

[emerybrian]

Try to have fun, like others said.

Setting yourself up with expectations of doing good will likely lead to a dissappointing experience. Two big reasons are:

1. Racers are much faster than non-racers. For example, at a track I go to a lot, something like 25% of the guys roll this step-up during open practice. But during the last race, I noticed every single C rider jumped it during the race:

2. The track usually gets waaaaay more rutted and bumpy during a race. On a practice day the can take time to groom the track so the 25% of the guys that don't do the big jumps can still have fun, since they probably are not too excited about peg-dragging ruts either. On a race day the tracks can get gnarly.