If it's a curby, cornering-based curriculum you're after, Tom Sera and his Fastrack Ride
With the well-deserved nickname "Fastest Road in the West," Willow Springs International Raceway is the quickest road course this side of the Mississippi. Expert riders on fast racebikes apex Turn One at nearly 100 mph, and will carry half again that speed through Turn Eight at full lean, knee on the ground. Mistakes at these speeds can exact a high toll on flesh, bone and machinery. Small wonder, then, that this chunk of asphalt in California's high desert is one of the most intimidating and misunderstood tracks in the western United States. It's a 40-foot-wide, 2.5-mile-long ribbon of tarmac laid out on the natural terrain of the Mojave Desert, a region well-known for its climatic extremes. Add to that the uncertainties of time, speed and distance-coupled with the laws of physics-and you've got enough to give pause to even the most seasoned riders.
Still, motorcyclists of all persuasions make a monthly pilgrimage here, and in ever-increasing numbers. One reason? Fastrack Riders. Owned and operated by long-time rider and racer Tom Sera, Fastrack Riders provides motorcycle enthusiasts of every stripe a safe, reasonably priced opportunity to ride the Fastest Road in the West. And, despite the track's reputation for speed, Sera has designed Fastrack Riders to provide a closed-course experience that is as fun as it is safe.
"I wanted to create a place where riders of all calibers, from nationally ranked racers to first-time street riders, could come and hone their skills under controlled conditions," Sera revealed. "What we do, in a nutshell, is just like getting someone started in a batting cage. Basically, we show them where and how to swing. Then we leave them alone and let them work on whatever part of their technique they want."
In keeping with the "batting cage" philosophy, Fastrack Riders divides participants into five distinct groups, each with its own set of ironclad, inviolable rules. The "Superstreet" group is for first-timers, or those wishing to simply circulate the track at an easy pace with zero pressure. There is absolutely no passing in any of the track's nine turns in this group. Passes must be made on straightaways only, and must be clean, safe, and polite. Up the scale a notch is "Intermediate B." Similar to Superstreet, this group allows passing on the outside only, in Turns Two and Eight. A bit speedier is "Intermediate A," which is for quicker, more experienced sport riders and aspiring club racers. Slower riders may be overtaken in any turn, but only on the outside, and only in a safe, polite manner.
By Jay McDaniel
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