Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.racing
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 12:51:19 -0400 
From: Butch_Anton@transarc.com
Subject: Re: Race Bike classes (was Re: Pocono Races)
	<1992Aug25.152142.18883@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>

tft8g@holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU (Timothy F. Tolson) writes:

> In article <51150@seismo.CSS.GOV> tiberio@seismo.CSS.GOV (Michael Tiberio)
...
>   I went to motorcycle races for the first time a couple of weeks ago
> at Summit Point, WVA.  The WERA Mid-Atlantic National Sprints.

Great!  Where the hell were you when I needed help in the pits and my
entire pit crew were out working corner?  :-)

> 
>   I'd been wondering about the classes and lurking to see if my
> question would get answered and sure enough some of them did.
> 
>   I take it from your description above, that a 600cc motor could race
> in the A class.  Right?

Yes, you can always race up classes, but never down.  Also, WERA does
not allow experts to run in Production classes.

> 
>   Also what's the differences between Superbike, Superstock,
> Production and Formula classes, and Formula II and Formula Clubman?

Superbike == pumped to shit
Supersport == modest modifications, namely pipes and jets
Production == don't touch that dial, do not pass go, do not collect
$200.  You can't really do anything to these bikes other than shocks,
steering dampers, fork braces, and some minor jetting.  1mm over on
the motor, some valve work to touch up the seats, and that's just
about it.
Formula == catch-all.  Don't have a rule book handy but it covers alot
of bikes.  Typically saw Hawks, EX's, RZ's, and singles (like the
XR600) in these classes.
Clubman == pretty much anything goes if you fit into the displacement
restrictions.  Once again, I don't have a rule book handy, but Ascots
and other big singles dominate this class.

> 
>   At Summit Point, it looked like  there were several  same rider/bike
> combos in the Superstock, Superbike, Production sprints.  Was I just
> failing to discern bike differences?

Nope, you sure weren't.  I ran four races on the EX: D Production,
Formula II, Unlimited Twins, and D Supersport.  Actually did the best
in Unlimited Twins, where I thought I would get spanked.  Finished as
the 2nd novice (they ran the class combined) and 8th overall.  Beat
some experts.  I attribute this to getting a decent grid (3rd row).

> 
>   Finally, out of curiosity, two things....what were racers average
> speed, through the cicane and out of turn 7, and down the straight?
> And, how many miles/km is Summit Point Raceway?

Going through 6 I was going probably 60, and exiting 7 I would say 70.
These numbers are based on someone else's street bike performance at
an open track session.  I'm sure I was running lap times ~10-20
seconds faster, but I doubt I was going much faster in these sections.
On the front straight, if you're geared correctly, it's whatever your
bike tops out at in top gear.  For the EX, that's probably 135.  For
my FZR, probably 150.  For Jeff Atwell, probably 165.  Oh, and you get
to brake for the ~40mph right hander at the end, too.

> 
>   Thanks in advance for bearing with novice questions.

No problem!  Hope to see you down there again.

Butch Anton     | Psycho Racing (Novice Sprints)    | butch@transarc.com
Transarc Corp.  | '87 EX-500 WERA #623 AMA/CCS #811 | DoD #0124   AMA#485814
707 Grant ST    | M&N Racing (WERA Natl. Endurance) | '83 Seca 650 Turbo
Pgh, PA  15219  | '89 CBR-600 WERA #83 Novice       | '89 FZR 600
+1 412 338 4442 | "You have to be crazy to race this piece of shit!"
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.racing