09-23-2008, 11:31 AM
Oh yeah, I didn't even talk about Thunderbolt.
So, like Lightning it's a fairly fast course with a good number of sweepers. It's a little bit slower though, with a 90 degree+ turn in the middle of the course and a long carousel/hairpin complex at the end of the lap.
That last part is really tricky to get right because the turn is long that there are a bunch of lines that "look" right. By the end of the day I was getting through there fairly quick but I know I could go a lot faster there.
The oh shit part of the track was a big rise approaching a fast 3rd gear right hander. You're approaching this rise in 2nd or 3rd gear which is well over 100 mph and if you're hard on the throttle you'll wheelie over it...on a 600.
On the 1000 coming through there once I honestly think the back wheel came off the ground. The braking zone is right after 'the jump' so I didn't really come charging up there like that for the rest of the day. I have no doubt that a 1000 cc race bike would catch air.
Other than that rise, the only thing I didn't like about Thunderbolt is that the Grand Am cars tore up the pavement in 2 or 3 spots. Riding over those spots at speed made the bike slide and wiggle. Not enough to be scary, but enough that if you were hauling you could go down. Hopefully they'll fix that for next year.
All said, NJMP is well worth the trip for either course. I'll pretty much never go to Summit if I can go to NJMP.
So, like Lightning it's a fairly fast course with a good number of sweepers. It's a little bit slower though, with a 90 degree+ turn in the middle of the course and a long carousel/hairpin complex at the end of the lap.
That last part is really tricky to get right because the turn is long that there are a bunch of lines that "look" right. By the end of the day I was getting through there fairly quick but I know I could go a lot faster there.
The oh shit part of the track was a big rise approaching a fast 3rd gear right hander. You're approaching this rise in 2nd or 3rd gear which is well over 100 mph and if you're hard on the throttle you'll wheelie over it...on a 600.
On the 1000 coming through there once I honestly think the back wheel came off the ground. The braking zone is right after 'the jump' so I didn't really come charging up there like that for the rest of the day. I have no doubt that a 1000 cc race bike would catch air.
Other than that rise, the only thing I didn't like about Thunderbolt is that the Grand Am cars tore up the pavement in 2 or 3 spots. Riding over those spots at speed made the bike slide and wiggle. Not enough to be scary, but enough that if you were hauling you could go down. Hopefully they'll fix that for next year.
All said, NJMP is well worth the trip for either course. I'll pretty much never go to Summit if I can go to NJMP.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4
Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX
http://www.aclr8.com
Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX
http://www.aclr8.com