Tuesday, May 19, 2009

racer coaches

FormulaOne bores me and I never understand why anyone would watch Indy500 and NASCAR, running ovals. C'mon... Before motorcycles, I raced solo1s and attended various racing schools when time and money permitted. Not long ago I started watching MotoGP and SBK races. It's fascinating to watch if you ride a motorcycle, because it's something you can relate to. Unlike car races, the rider is the focus here and you see everything he does: how he positions their body for the corner, throttles and brakes. Not that I would drag a knee on the street but not hard to pick up a few things by watching them.
For starters, I used to have my gloves tuck under the jacket sleeves, but these guys do it the other way. During a swift slowdown, they clutch out each gear. I heel-toe in cars but I have been used to doing on bikes. It's a smart thing to do because it minimizes the rpm mismatch otherwise. Watching Rossi reminded me that I gotta practice it more. Trail brake (front) is useful since it reduces the rake and allows a quicker turn-in.
The best cameras to watch these races are those closeups on the racer's hands and feet, with the onscreen throttle/brake display. Now I wish we could choose what camera view to watch these races.

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