Tracks & Lodging

Schools

Keigwins@TheTrack Instructors

Back: Martin Szwarc, Mike Lohmeyer, James Evans, Lance Keigwin, Patrick Flora, Phil Rusin, Craig Wierman, Chris Johnson
Middle: Carey Shaughnessy, Todd Powell, Eric Arnold, cRa1g Smith, Scott Storkel, Harley Barnes, Simon Williams
Front: John Daley, Ginny Cutler, Gary Wemyss, Paul Yoshimune, Linda Keigwin, Aaron Smith
Not shown: Jeff Viets, Mike Raab, Craig Ayers, Eddy Gonzales, Michael Potts, Matt Harvey, Doug Adler, Steve Metz, Adrian Hoffman, Mark Elrod

Our school philosophy is simple: to run the best schools available anywhere, at any price.

Doing that is anything but simple, however. It takes hard work, excellent organization, and talented, dedicated staff. We believe that all of these ingredients are essential but the recipe begins with experienced, friendly, and capable riders and teachers. During the seven years we have conducted racetrack schools we have hand-picked 30 full-time instructors from hundreds of applicants. We believe our staff is second to none, and we're pleased customer feedback seconds that!

The industry offers numerous schools for customers to choose from. Unfortunately, some suffer from a lack of energy, enthusiasm and imagination. Classroom lectures are haphazard with an ill-defined curriculum and meandering content. Track instructors seem less motivated to work with students than to play with each other on the racetrack. Personal instruction is hit-or-miss and only directed at the weakest riders. Valuable time is lost due to poor organization with large, unfilled gaps in the day. We believe these problems are far too common. And as a result many riders who need instruction instead opt for open track days, hoping to learn by trial and error. Too bad. Errors hurt in this sport, and bad habits are hard to break.

Keigwins@theTrack schools start with the industry's highest instructor-to-student ratio -- 20+ instructors for a 30 student group, or 1:1.5. Our staff is there for one reason: to teach. And we love it. We provide every student guaranteed one-on-one instruction, each school day. 45 minutes at a time, on the student's schedule with the instructor he or she chooses. Our classroom lessons cover key riding techniques and have defined lesson plans, developed from lots of collective thinking. In fact lesson material is printed and bound and given to every student on the morning of day #1. Each school is structured with programmed variety, to help break up the day and yet offer new insights to better riding. Examples include driving our trucks onto the track and stopping to talk about corner surface, radius, camber, and proper riding lines, and then having our staff demonstrate at speed while we watch from the infield. And custom suspension set-up for every student.

We are proud of our reputation for hard work and organization, our first-class staff and our well-run schools. A significant reason why our schools are so well reviewed is our constant effort to enhance the learning experience by listening and acting on customer feedback. Tell us what you think!

Novice Schools

Novice schools are for experienced street riders with little or no racetrack experience, as well as for riders with moderate track experience who want to improve their riding skills and confidence.

The racetrack offers an ideal teaching environment with its 36' wide, near-perfect road surface, its predictable corners, and its large, modern, climate-controlled classroom. This setting is perfect for practicing and improving skills, building self-confidence, and getting practical, real-time, individual instruction from professional track school instructors. Our large staff of experienced instructors and a full complement of professional corner workers ensure a safe riding and productive learning environment.

Our schools are renowned for their opportunity for personal help. Students are encouraged to sign up for 45 minute one-on-one sessions with the instructor of their choice and time of their choosing. In addition, instructors constantly circle the track, occasionally directing students to exit the track for a discussion and more personal assistance. We call this "sniping".

Because of our two-group format -- two small groups alternate track time with our instructors and classroom time working on specific lesson plans -- students receive much more individual help than at other schools...even more than at the very expensive ones. They get much more track time too. And all for a lot less money!

Intermediate Schools

Intermediate schools are for more advanced riders. Commonly they have had track experience riding in intermediate or advanced groups at open track days.

Intermediate students are capable of riding at reasonably fast speeds but require some individual instruction to overcome weaknesses, improve skills, and tackle more advanced riding techniques.

Intermediate schools have the same format as above. Instruction is more advanced and the track pace is quicker. In addition we offer a special, optional session at the end of day #2: practice race starts and a three lap sprint.

A two-day format is standard for all our schools (except for the one-day racing school).

We moved to this format in 2004 after careful study and feedback of one and two-day programs offered in 2003. Although students really enjoy the one-day format (and virtually all returned for another school or “graduated” to open track day riding), they overwhelmingly asked for two consecutive days of learning.

Most students find that they spend half a school day getting comfortable with the track format: Learning the racecourse and how to navigate it well (our school racetrack is wonderfully entertaining with lots of variety!), absorbing the early morning instruction on how to manage speed, gearing, braking, etc. But students also come with personal objectives and concerns: E.g., trepidation over speed, overcoming worries about lean angle, improving corner speed, or just gaining overall confidence on the bike. These two factors alone -- learning to ride the track and tackling personal goals -- can dominate the day.

Furthermore, we have ideas on what we think you should learn and work on. Our schools are unique in that they focus on a specific skill level -- novices-only, intermediates-only, racers-only -- so we present lessons specific to their riding level. Students tell us that after one day they go home extremely satisfied, but saturated by the wealth of relevant information and instruction. It is hard to process all that in one day.

With the opportunity for back-to-back days riders feel they have more time to apply what they are learning. And the second day isn’t spent re-learning the track, as is common with a lag between school events. You arrive at the racetrack fresh (no long haul the night before or that morning), you are comfortable with the track, and you are able to apply what you have learned sooner and therefore more thoroughly. And during the evening between the school days you can also re-read the classroom material we gave you so that you can pick up what your “listening skills” missed.

From an instructor’s point of view, it gives us a chance to drill deeper in the lessons. So we can spend more time on the lesson plans during a two-day event without sacrificing track time. For example, instead of our instructor sitting on a bike in a classroom and preaching about how to sit, lean, steer, focus attention, etc. we can spend a little more time and bring students forward and critique each real-time, on the bike.

Our two day schools (Novice and Intermediate) include, as part of the student tuition fee: breakfast and hot, catered lunches, real bathrooms and shower facilities, a large, climate-controlled classroom, corner workers, ambulance, communication gear, and required liability insurance. Overnight camping is also arranged, with security, bathrooms, showers, and electrical hook-ups included. Also provided is free suspension set up and support during day #1 though Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction Systems.

Two-group format for lots of track time.
No inside/underneath passing is allowed at the novice school. Liberal passing is allowed at the intermediate school.
Attendance is limited to ~30 riders per group.
After the early morning registration and inspection, all students gather for a short riders' meeting to review rules and safety standards. That is immediately followed by "sighting" warm-up laps: 30 minutes of mellow, follow-the-leader laps around the track. This serves as an important orientation and introduction to the racetrack (novice and intermediate schools only).
Whiteboard/classroom discussions are conducted during the time you're not on the track. We've developed specific focus sessions on many important techniques to help you learn to ride more safely, confidently, and quickly (e.g., body position, braking/downshifting, suspension set-up, staying relaxed, etc.).
Classroom instruction is held in a new air conditioned building, insulated from noise.
There are many instructors on the track at all times to help students correct riding errors. Instructors pull in to pit lane with students to work with them one-on-one throughout the day.
45 minute, one-on-one riding periods with instructors. Pick your instructor, pick your time.
High resolution digital still pictures are available to students at a small additional charge through Dito Milian of GotBlueMilk

Racing Schools

Racing schools teach skills and techniques critical to successful club racing and/or advanced racetrack riding at non-race track days.

If you have been racing for some time, or if you are relatively new to racing, you probably agree that there just aren't good venues that focus on this. Sure, there are some big, professional schools with big, expensive tuition that focus on more advanced riding. And yes, there are "new racer schools" offered by some organizations which amount to certification "tests" more than instructional schools. We do them too. But nobody offers a specialized school taught by experts that drills down on what you need to learn to become a faster, more successful club racer. Keigwins does.

Once a year many of the AFM's most accomplished racers join Keigwins@theTrack instructors for a full day's worth of club racing instruction at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, CA. Students learn in class and on the track how to reduce their lap times, improve their passing skills, excel at race starts, understand and apply better racing lines, and become more effective at braking and carrying corner speed, all while staying more relaxed and going fast with more confidence.

Our Racing School, already very popular and highly regarded, had a special surprise for 2006 and 2007. Doug Chandler, one of the world's most accomplished and talented racers, taught alongside our exceptional racers and instructors. Doug presented a very intriguing look at "racing lines" in the classroom. Some advice that got students thinking: "Scrub off speed by cornering, not braking." "Sacrifice some corner speed so you can get the bike upright and accelerate sooner." "600cc lines are different from liter-bike lines."

Our racing school has limited enrollment. Only two groups of students will be signed-up so there will be plenty of opportunity for personal instruction.

Group A consists of fast, experienced racers looking for that extra edge, those precious seconds they need to lose. The lower your lap times are the better these AFM instructors like you! Group A racers can lap Thunderhill from 1:57 to 2:10. (There is some wiggle room there; a rider with a slightly slower time on a low horsepower bike would certainly qualify.)
Group B+ will consist of less experienced racers looking for help in numerous areas. Faster lap times are not the only concern for group B riders. Group B+ racers can lap Thunderhill in less than 2:20.

Completing this school does not qualify you to club race. Race licenses are not awarded. Keigwins@theTrack offers other programs for AFM certification and licensing -- look on our schedule for a track day offering an "NRS" (an AFM new racer school) and read the information below.

AFM-approved New Racer Schools (NRS)

New Racer Schools (NRS) provide the certification required to club race with the AFM.

You no longer have to attend one of the few schools offered by the AFM on race weekends, and don't need to go to the extra effort of meeting their rigorous tech requirements (i.e., bike prep rules) just to get certified for club racing. Instead, attend one of the many schools we offer and double the benefit by getting a full track day as part of the deal!

Here's the way it works:

Sign up for one of our NRS schools listed on our calendar by selecting the NRS option on the shopping cart and pay a minimal $100 deposit or full payment to guarantee your spot.
Bring the bike you want to ride. It does not have to be the bike you hope to race and it does not have to meet tech standards beyond the usual track day ones (see "requirements" for more detail on track day tech rules). No safety wiring, belly pans, etc.
Arrive at the usual time (7AM - 7:30AM), register, get tech-inspected, and attend the 8:30 riders meeting just like everyone else.
After sighting laps you will take turns on the track in a three group rotation just like an ordinary three group track day (20 minutes every hour). But instead of waiting in the paddock for your next turn to ride you will attend classroom lessons on the important material you need to know in order to race safely and successfully. Classes are held in an air-conditioned building and cold bottles of water are always on hand.
At a pre-arranged time, you will meet your pre-assigned instructor for a riding evaluation. The two of you will spend 20 minutes together in the afternoon and complete the session with a "hot lap". If you ride well, with good confidence, poise, predictability, maintain good speed (better than 2:30 at Thunderhill, as a loose rule), ride proper lines, make safe passes, and listen and act on instructor feedback, you will pass. If you do not, or if you fall down, you will not pass. We don't call this failure. We say "you're not ready yet". Return for a free retest on another day, after you have improved and feel ready to try it again.
We wrap up the day with a session on practicing race starts, and a multiple choice test on material presented in class. Students passing the written test and track evaluation receive a certificate to prove their successful completion of the NRS.
We notify the AFM of school results within 24 hours.

That's it! Of course you still need to join the AFM. This can be done before or after the NRS but we strongly recommend you do it early, well before you intend to race. You must become a member within six months of completing your NRS or you will have to take the NRS again. You do not have to race in the year you complete the NRS, however; you have the next season as well. More information is available on the AFM website.

Important note: The word "school" can be misleading. "New Racer School" is what the AFM calls this program. We would call it something like "AFM Race Certification Testing". In-depth instruction is provided in class with half hour lessons run throughout the day covering a wide range of information you need to know. However, the track portion of the NRS is not meant to be instructional, generally. You may get help if an instructor monitoring safety pulls you over or has you follow him around. You likely will get some good advice during your 20 minute evaluation. If you are proactive about on-track help you probably will get some too. But think of the NRS like a DMV driving test. Your time on the track is not for learning to ride or race better but to demonstrate that you are ready to race safely and capably. The NRS does not teach you how to become a better racer. It is a certification test. If riding or racing instruction is what you seek you should attend our novice, intermediate, or racing schools, or one of the other fine schools offered by other motorcycle racetrack businesses.

Without question, it is always a good idea to get plenty of track experience before attempting to race. Very few fast street riders are fast track riders without experience. We have no rules that say you must have a certain level of experience. But we have found that the best candidates for racing have at least a year or more of track experience (several track days at a minimum).