4th Annual Concours Owners Group Sport-touring School:
When:
JenningsGP, Jennings, FL, February 7-9, 2020. This annual event is designed to be educational and fun. The training is individual enough that newer riders can learn new skills, while seasoned riders capitalize upon their existing skill-sets. Must be 12 y/o to enroll in this event. You will find that true to rumor young people do learn faster than us older guys. No Motorcycle Endorsement needed to enroll, participate, attend. This is not a public roadway. This is a school. Racing will not take place at any time during this event.
Theory:
JenningsGP is a training facility that was designed with large safe runoffs, void of cars, intersections, trees and guardrails. You will be able to implement new concepts from the classroom with the safety of a purpose built beginners track. On track you will practice the theories taught in the classroom. This format enables practicing new concepts like trail braking, late apex cornering, and hanging off. These are the theories books are written about. And these are things you should have a safe environment to attempt for the first time. Jennings affords this.
What this is:
An advanced rider training course for those looking to learn more than public roadways can safely permit.
What this is not:
Track/Racing School. While this does take place at a racetrack, this is not race school and racing will not take place at this event. :truce:
Purpose:
Ever notice how effortlessly a motoGP rider seems to carve around a course? Not struggling with the bike, no sudden jerky movements? All seems calm as they turn the fast laps. Take Home Point: You have to slow down if you want to be fast. You can't learn new skills at full speed. Slow down. Going fast only reverts you back to your usual bad habits. Skill comes first, speed comes later. Hence, you have to slow down if you want to be fast.
Who should attend:
If you have more fun in the turns than you do on the straights….If you get a thrill out of precisely carving the corners….If you get that Zen feeling when you’ve mastered your favorite road…or if you have ever scared yourself... Then this event is for you. Also, this is a great opportunity for parents to break bad behaviors in their sons/daughters. Sometimes teens want to hear it from someone other than Dad. This course is not a lecture. It is a comprehensive change of mindset. We discuss the fundamentals of WHY we will change what we are doing. Then, after everyone agrees, we practice changing our habits on the track, where there are large runoff areas so errors are forgiven. No cliffs, trees, guardrails. And as we know it is much easier to make a good habit than it is to break a bad one. So yes, this is very appropriate for new riders. But I assure you, this is not a Basic Rider Course. This course teaches higher level skills that even our seasoned riders have probably only heard of but never practiced.
Organization:
There will be three designated groups. Novice is for those who have never been to a track (probably everyone in our group) or have attended my school once in the past. Intermediate is for seasoned track guys, and there is an Expert group. These are the racers looking to have a fun day at the track without racing. You will have a former CCS/WERA licensed racer teaching in the classroom, and there will rider coaches in Novice and Intermediate. They are there to help you. The riders who learn the most stay close to the instructors and ask lots of questions. They have mastered the concepts you will be learning in this controlled and welcoming environment.
Last year:
We had 27 COGgers, a few BMW members, a few COG friends, and a half dozen spectators/family. This event will fill up fast and latecomers will be dismayed to find this event fills up just after the holidays. You are welcome to come and observe without the school/track time and pay only for entry to the track compound. The $10 entry price includes camping, payable at the gate.
Price:
Jennings approved us for a discounted rate of $140 per person. Did I mention I'm making no money doing this? Early signups are recommended since we will fill this event in January. (I do not have the authority to issue refunds.)
"But I don't need to learn more. I'm already faster than anyone I know:"
Despite how fast you are compared to your friends, trust me, you're novice for this course. You will get the most help here and no questions are considered stupid. This is where we all start. Having a few track days under your belt still makes you novice I assure you. Being the fastest guy you've ever ridden with still makes you novice I assure you. Ask anyone from prior years...
THESE RULES ARE STRICT:
(Please do not contact me requesting exceptions as it will not help) Full-face helmets are mandatory. Modular are not permitted, ever. Do not badger me as it won't help. You WILL remove all saddle bags, CB cords, tank bags and loose accessories. Leather suits/gloves/boots are mandatory and available the day-of at the Track Shop for a discounted rate of $50/$10/$20. In the past we did have an incident where so many of our members wore the same size. For this reason I ask that you send me your chest size to reserve a reserve a suit. PLEASE CONTACT ME VIA ANY MEANS YOU WISH TO RESERVE A SUIT IN YOUR SIZE.Your suit size is your chest size. Have a helper wrap a paper tape measure around your chest at the nipple line, then again at the stomach. YOU SHOULD GIVE ME BOTH MEASUREMENTS TO ASSURE I GET YOUR SIZE. Length is not considered as boots cover the gap at the bottom. Measure in inches. Both of my suits are spoken for.
Bike:
Your tires should be 75% new and less than 4 years old. All glass and lights must be covered with blue painters tape by you(available at Home Depot/Lowes/Amazon/Ebay/WalMart) and there must be no leaks. You can bring whatever bike you want. A C14 or a C10 makes the best trainer if that’s your usual ride. Something with poor ground clearance and floorboards however does not. Please choose to bring a bike you regularly ride. It would be a travesty if you borrowed a track bike, only to leave the event thinking that the new skills you learned is possible only on a special bike. That said, you may fly in and rent a track bike, but I don't encourage locals to drive in and rent one thinking they're getting the ultimate experience. Doing this will result in you reverting back to your old bad habits when you get back on your bike. Consider the rental bike the last resort, like if you must fly in for this.
Camping/Lodging:
Camping for the weekend is included with your gate price of only $10 payable when you get there. Not breaking the bank here…. Keep in mind that if the track raises their prices $0.01 I apologize, but they make the rules. We plan to have a modest fire :campfire: in the evenings. What better than camping with a fire with your bike and friends at the track you’re riding on? :beerchug: The track gates lock each night at 9:45pm sharp. If you get there at 9:46 you will be delighted by the Jennings discounted rate at Days Inn, Lake Park, GA. RV’ers will have hookups and there are indoor bathrooms/showers for everybody that are open 24 hrs. Call the track directly for RV spot reservations.
Photos:
There will be a professional photographer at the track who will have track photos of you available for your purchase at the end of the day. We also have food concessions for breakfast and lunch available and Dennis makes a great burger. :103: His prices are reasonable and his american fare is excellent. You may also bring your own snacks/meals/BBQ/coffee/portable kitchen (Roman). 1 gallon of drinking water/rider/day is recommended. Don't forget adult beverages for the evenings. Would we forget that :-[
Arrival:
You need to get to the track Friday evening, Feb 7th, 2020 early enough to set up your bike/pit/camping area. We will then do the well know "track walk" 45min before sunset (time determined by Google). Riders meeting is Saturday morning at 8:30am. First group will be in class at 9am, followed by track time. Each hour will consist of a 20 minute debriefings in pit row, followed by 20 minutes in class, then 20 minutes on track. You will have 7 debriefings, 7 class sessions, and 7 track sessions. There are 7 new concepts you will practice. The last session is where you combine all 7 new skills into one smooth operation. Trust me, you will get a workout mentally and physically. Come with no ego and be prepared to be enlightened, and work hard. Also, do not ask your buddies questions. Ask me. Likewise, do not let them profess their knowledge to you. They are students as well. Again, come to me. Don't walk, run. This is not a spectator type thing. You will practice each concept taught in class at designated areas on track. Likewise, don't think you can come attend class without signing up, get the knowledge for fee, then go practice it on a public road. That's just dangerous. Guardrails and trees are not forgiving to mistakes. If you come just to hang out in class, keep in mind what you see there is not to be practiced on public roads for the first time. Tat said, the skills you learn here as a student, will change how you ride on the road. So yes, you will then later do these things on a public road, just not for the first time.
More Food:
Saturday night dinner: At these low prices please understand that COG won't buy you dinner. However, many of us really enjoy going to dinner together at Exit 5 Lake Park, GA Saturday evening. We will choose a new restaurant this year that can accommodate our whole group easier than last year. Our gathering has grown
Nightlife:
Plan on camping trackside Friday and Saturday evening. After all, a campfire and adult beverages taste better at the track you were on!
Extra track time:
Some enthusiastic COGgers enjoy signing up for Sunday as well. Heck, I've even seen some COGgers stay into Monday, however, the COG event officially starts Friday at sunset, and ends Sunday at whatever time you desire.
Homework:
Everybody attending should memorize the track map prior to arrival. Doing so enables you to learn the skills rather than waste time learning the track. Bring your track map and pens to the track walk AND the classroom. You will be adding to it as you learn. I still have my track map for every track I've ever been on.
Spectators/Family:
As always, you are welcome to attend this event even if you don't sign up for the school, but you will be a spectator and you can not change your mind the day-of. Spectators need only pay the gate fee $10 and feed themselves. Showers are still advised. :rotflmao: If you wish to glean some knowledge by spectating you may, but keep in mind that attempting these things on a public roadway without coaching is like entering the ring w Mike Tyson after watching a televised boxing match. Don't try this on your own. Your results may vary. Always wear clean underwear...
Track location:
Location: Jennings GP 4960 NW Co Rd 152, Jennings, FL 32053 (Last exit in North FL )
Motto1:
If you ‘go where you look' and and ‘turning your head turns the bike,’ imagine what your shoulders and hips can do…
Motto2:
You have to slow down to go fast.
Motto3:
Wanna learn something? Find a smart person to argue with.
Video the of last years event:
https://youtu.be/BRBnXJdfDtc
In our usual fashion the comradery is as much the event as the event itself.
When:
JenningsGP, Jennings, FL, February 7-9, 2020. This annual event is designed to be educational and fun. The training is individual enough that newer riders can learn new skills, while seasoned riders capitalize upon their existing skill-sets. Must be 12 y/o to enroll in this event. You will find that true to rumor young people do learn faster than us older guys. No Motorcycle Endorsement needed to enroll, participate, attend. This is not a public roadway. This is a school. Racing will not take place at any time during this event.
Theory:
JenningsGP is a training facility that was designed with large safe runoffs, void of cars, intersections, trees and guardrails. You will be able to implement new concepts from the classroom with the safety of a purpose built beginners track. On track you will practice the theories taught in the classroom. This format enables practicing new concepts like trail braking, late apex cornering, and hanging off. These are the theories books are written about. And these are things you should have a safe environment to attempt for the first time. Jennings affords this.
What this is:
An advanced rider training course for those looking to learn more than public roadways can safely permit.
What this is not:
Track/Racing School. While this does take place at a racetrack, this is not race school and racing will not take place at this event. :truce:
Purpose:
Ever notice how effortlessly a motoGP rider seems to carve around a course? Not struggling with the bike, no sudden jerky movements? All seems calm as they turn the fast laps. Take Home Point: You have to slow down if you want to be fast. You can't learn new skills at full speed. Slow down. Going fast only reverts you back to your usual bad habits. Skill comes first, speed comes later. Hence, you have to slow down if you want to be fast.
Who should attend:
If you have more fun in the turns than you do on the straights….If you get a thrill out of precisely carving the corners….If you get that Zen feeling when you’ve mastered your favorite road…or if you have ever scared yourself... Then this event is for you. Also, this is a great opportunity for parents to break bad behaviors in their sons/daughters. Sometimes teens want to hear it from someone other than Dad. This course is not a lecture. It is a comprehensive change of mindset. We discuss the fundamentals of WHY we will change what we are doing. Then, after everyone agrees, we practice changing our habits on the track, where there are large runoff areas so errors are forgiven. No cliffs, trees, guardrails. And as we know it is much easier to make a good habit than it is to break a bad one. So yes, this is very appropriate for new riders. But I assure you, this is not a Basic Rider Course. This course teaches higher level skills that even our seasoned riders have probably only heard of but never practiced.
Organization:
There will be three designated groups. Novice is for those who have never been to a track (probably everyone in our group) or have attended my school once in the past. Intermediate is for seasoned track guys, and there is an Expert group. These are the racers looking to have a fun day at the track without racing. You will have a former CCS/WERA licensed racer teaching in the classroom, and there will rider coaches in Novice and Intermediate. They are there to help you. The riders who learn the most stay close to the instructors and ask lots of questions. They have mastered the concepts you will be learning in this controlled and welcoming environment.
Last year:
We had 27 COGgers, a few BMW members, a few COG friends, and a half dozen spectators/family. This event will fill up fast and latecomers will be dismayed to find this event fills up just after the holidays. You are welcome to come and observe without the school/track time and pay only for entry to the track compound. The $10 entry price includes camping, payable at the gate.
Price:
Jennings approved us for a discounted rate of $140 per person. Did I mention I'm making no money doing this? Early signups are recommended since we will fill this event in January. (I do not have the authority to issue refunds.)
"But I don't need to learn more. I'm already faster than anyone I know:"
Despite how fast you are compared to your friends, trust me, you're novice for this course. You will get the most help here and no questions are considered stupid. This is where we all start. Having a few track days under your belt still makes you novice I assure you. Being the fastest guy you've ever ridden with still makes you novice I assure you. Ask anyone from prior years...
THESE RULES ARE STRICT:
(Please do not contact me requesting exceptions as it will not help) Full-face helmets are mandatory. Modular are not permitted, ever. Do not badger me as it won't help. You WILL remove all saddle bags, CB cords, tank bags and loose accessories. Leather suits/gloves/boots are mandatory and available the day-of at the Track Shop for a discounted rate of $50/$10/$20. In the past we did have an incident where so many of our members wore the same size. For this reason I ask that you send me your chest size to reserve a reserve a suit. PLEASE CONTACT ME VIA ANY MEANS YOU WISH TO RESERVE A SUIT IN YOUR SIZE.Your suit size is your chest size. Have a helper wrap a paper tape measure around your chest at the nipple line, then again at the stomach. YOU SHOULD GIVE ME BOTH MEASUREMENTS TO ASSURE I GET YOUR SIZE. Length is not considered as boots cover the gap at the bottom. Measure in inches. Both of my suits are spoken for.
Bike:
Your tires should be 75% new and less than 4 years old. All glass and lights must be covered with blue painters tape by you(available at Home Depot/Lowes/Amazon/Ebay/WalMart) and there must be no leaks. You can bring whatever bike you want. A C14 or a C10 makes the best trainer if that’s your usual ride. Something with poor ground clearance and floorboards however does not. Please choose to bring a bike you regularly ride. It would be a travesty if you borrowed a track bike, only to leave the event thinking that the new skills you learned is possible only on a special bike. That said, you may fly in and rent a track bike, but I don't encourage locals to drive in and rent one thinking they're getting the ultimate experience. Doing this will result in you reverting back to your old bad habits when you get back on your bike. Consider the rental bike the last resort, like if you must fly in for this.
Camping/Lodging:
Camping for the weekend is included with your gate price of only $10 payable when you get there. Not breaking the bank here…. Keep in mind that if the track raises their prices $0.01 I apologize, but they make the rules. We plan to have a modest fire :campfire: in the evenings. What better than camping with a fire with your bike and friends at the track you’re riding on? :beerchug: The track gates lock each night at 9:45pm sharp. If you get there at 9:46 you will be delighted by the Jennings discounted rate at Days Inn, Lake Park, GA. RV’ers will have hookups and there are indoor bathrooms/showers for everybody that are open 24 hrs. Call the track directly for RV spot reservations.
Photos:
There will be a professional photographer at the track who will have track photos of you available for your purchase at the end of the day. We also have food concessions for breakfast and lunch available and Dennis makes a great burger. :103: His prices are reasonable and his american fare is excellent. You may also bring your own snacks/meals/BBQ/coffee/portable kitchen (Roman). 1 gallon of drinking water/rider/day is recommended. Don't forget adult beverages for the evenings. Would we forget that :-[
Arrival:
You need to get to the track Friday evening, Feb 7th, 2020 early enough to set up your bike/pit/camping area. We will then do the well know "track walk" 45min before sunset (time determined by Google). Riders meeting is Saturday morning at 8:30am. First group will be in class at 9am, followed by track time. Each hour will consist of a 20 minute debriefings in pit row, followed by 20 minutes in class, then 20 minutes on track. You will have 7 debriefings, 7 class sessions, and 7 track sessions. There are 7 new concepts you will practice. The last session is where you combine all 7 new skills into one smooth operation. Trust me, you will get a workout mentally and physically. Come with no ego and be prepared to be enlightened, and work hard. Also, do not ask your buddies questions. Ask me. Likewise, do not let them profess their knowledge to you. They are students as well. Again, come to me. Don't walk, run. This is not a spectator type thing. You will practice each concept taught in class at designated areas on track. Likewise, don't think you can come attend class without signing up, get the knowledge for fee, then go practice it on a public road. That's just dangerous. Guardrails and trees are not forgiving to mistakes. If you come just to hang out in class, keep in mind what you see there is not to be practiced on public roads for the first time. Tat said, the skills you learn here as a student, will change how you ride on the road. So yes, you will then later do these things on a public road, just not for the first time.
More Food:
Saturday night dinner: At these low prices please understand that COG won't buy you dinner. However, many of us really enjoy going to dinner together at Exit 5 Lake Park, GA Saturday evening. We will choose a new restaurant this year that can accommodate our whole group easier than last year. Our gathering has grown
Nightlife:
Plan on camping trackside Friday and Saturday evening. After all, a campfire and adult beverages taste better at the track you were on!
Extra track time:
Some enthusiastic COGgers enjoy signing up for Sunday as well. Heck, I've even seen some COGgers stay into Monday, however, the COG event officially starts Friday at sunset, and ends Sunday at whatever time you desire.
Homework:
Everybody attending should memorize the track map prior to arrival. Doing so enables you to learn the skills rather than waste time learning the track. Bring your track map and pens to the track walk AND the classroom. You will be adding to it as you learn. I still have my track map for every track I've ever been on.
Spectators/Family:
As always, you are welcome to attend this event even if you don't sign up for the school, but you will be a spectator and you can not change your mind the day-of. Spectators need only pay the gate fee $10 and feed themselves. Showers are still advised. :rotflmao: If you wish to glean some knowledge by spectating you may, but keep in mind that attempting these things on a public roadway without coaching is like entering the ring w Mike Tyson after watching a televised boxing match. Don't try this on your own. Your results may vary. Always wear clean underwear...
Track location:
Location: Jennings GP 4960 NW Co Rd 152, Jennings, FL 32053 (Last exit in North FL )
Motto1:
If you ‘go where you look' and and ‘turning your head turns the bike,’ imagine what your shoulders and hips can do…
Motto2:
You have to slow down to go fast.
Motto3:
Wanna learn something? Find a smart person to argue with.
Video the of last years event:
https://youtu.be/BRBnXJdfDtc
In our usual fashion the comradery is as much the event as the event itself.