BC Sport Bikes Forum banner

Ridge Report: Racing With WMRRA

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  dasein 
#1 ·
Round one of the WMRRA series was this weekend at the Ridge. For anyone thinking of going down and trying a round, I strongly recommend racing with these guys. They are a class act who really have it sorted.

There is a new registration system that most WMRRA licensed racers use. This means that only a few racers are registering the morning of the event, so it does not take long. If you do a trackday the day before, you can often get your bike teched that night. And best of all, their TAG Heuer timing system posts results to a smartphone app... apparently there will be real time access to lap times, positions, and grids from your phone soon. In current practice, race results and times are posted before you have your warmers off...

Transponder rental is pretty cheap, they use AMB transponders. They will accept a WMRC licence.

Tech is super good as well. They don't nit pick stuff that does not matter, but are zero tolerance for anything that has an effect on safe bike performance. I base this comment on witnessing several bikes go through tech and hearing what the tech's concerns were. It felt like they want to get you out there and get out of the way.

After a crash, they came over and teched me in my pit! Super nice.

Once you tech your helmet and gear it is good for the season, unless you crash. But the best thing is that your bike gets a quick lookover each time you leave the track. I never saw them catch anything, but I am willing to bet that stuff gets caught on exit tech that would not otherwise.

Starting is a little different: they use a light, and when it goes out, you go. This took me a while to get used to. Starts at the Ridge feel super safe though, as most people wind up with fairly gentle braking into turn one, and there is a lot of track there. I saw one dude ride off the track outside on the superbike start, but nothing like the carnage you can see at Missin as the whole grid tips into a 90 degree right hander. By the time the pack gets to T2, things are largely line astern. I did witness crashes in T3 on L1, but the crash tends to take you out of the pack... or rather you would go straight, and the bikes behind you are turning rightish. All in all, as said, it felt safe. Large grids as well, and a broad spread of speeds, so there is always someone to race with.

Red flags are a second gear roll off the track... not a stop. Otherwise you should recognize everything the corner shows you.

The people are super nice. I am sure there is politics in their club, but so far I have not seen any race director tantrums, petty arguments, or anything like that. Their club is pretty big, so there is room for both the super competitive elite racer as well as the casual racer like myself.

And the elite guys are there... holy crap the Formula Ultra race was fun to watch. Won by a 600... on slicks when everyone on the big bikes was on rains...

Fees are dirt cheap, and here is the best part: they are refundable! Practice, but don't start? You get some money back. Race one race and not the other? Money back. Register online, pay, don't show? Most, if not all of your money back. No play, no pay. Don't feel like riding in the rain? Don't! Feel too tired to do the race you registered for? Don't! Play safe and ride when you desire without your wallet pushing you out there.

8 lap races, but expect to expend considerably more energy than 8 laps at Mission. It is a big fast track. You can probably run street gearing and be OK. You cannot run Mission gearing.

The only downside is the drive. I would get a nexus card. Be sure you get the travel insurance with a contest of speed rider... and have fun at what is beyond a doubt the best track in the Northwest, if not the West.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Nexus card is a good idea.

It would've saved us from having to drive all the way around to Nanaimo on Sunday night. There was a 1.5 hrs wait at the border on Sunday and we just missed the last boat to Victoria by 10 mins. Having to go around added 4 hours to our trip and we didn't get home until 2:30am...

I'm glad you had a great time though. It was a blast for me too :)
 
#4 ·
Yes awesome track and group of riders, did the track school in march but i dont think i will have the time or money tonrace, just track days, shoulder surgery coming up in a month or so which will sideline me for the rest of the season, looking forward to the next couple weeks for sure. Picola you did the race school the same time correct?

Ross
 
#7 ·
Great review and it's always interesting to hear an "outsiders" perspective on how things are run in our Club.

I chuckled when you mention the drive time as for us on the Island it's considerably longer (add 3.5 hours onto your trip each way for the Island racers to get to the Ridge) and costlier (truck+passenger is roughly $75 each way) as you know but I guess it's all what you're used to.

I love the Ridge but even after 4 full track days there now I am still slow in comparison to Pacific Raceways where I have maybe 35-40 track days.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your experience with WMRRA and The Ridge - hope to see you there at Round #2. Are you planning on running the Clubman Qualifier class? If so maybe we'll grid up together this summer!
 
#8 ·
What is Clubman qualifier? No idea. I ran 600SS, 750SS, 600 and 750 Superbike and Open Superbike (I think). Next time I will run Open Supersport as well.

I came off after the second lap in Open Superbike, I had a big slide at the top of the descent and realized that my day was done.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I'm a big advocate for doing track days South of the border, excellent review man. It's good to see more people taking the time to head down there instead of settling for Mission.

Is this the same Jay I bumped into down at Portland last year when I was with my friends?

Proper sized and properly maintained and paved tracks make a world difference in experience don't they
 
#11 ·
Clubman Qualifier is a class designed for Expert racers who aren't quite Top 10 speeds yet in the 750cc bike class and under so it's a lap time restricted class.

Ridge - 1:49.00 - if you go below that you're disqualified
PR - 1:32.00 - same deal.

Any I-4 up to 750cc's or older twin up to 1000cc's is allowed I believe.

In a nutshell, hobby racers like myself who don't get a lot of seat time have a place to race and not feel like a rolling chicane! ;)
 
#13 ·
So I just set up my profile in the Tag Heuer timing system. Kind of cool facebook integration: it can post on your wall when you pass your buddies. I disabled that. But it well post and update my personal best at each track (assuming it happens on a raceday). Should be fun.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top