Yorkshire Ninja

In her first season of trackdays, English import Gill Hepple has progressed from the cautious, upright and somewhat tense riding style of a typical newbie to the clean, quick and consistent lines of an experienced rider. Just don’t try to tell her she’s fast.  “I’m not fast!,” she protests. “I’m on a 250 Ninja. I might be the world’s fastest Yorkshire person at Barber on a 250 Ninja, but that’s a very small group.”

Extreme asphalt education

Are you satisfied with your riding ability?  What if you could spend two days with a team of top professional racers, whose goal was to make you substantially better and faster?  Would you do it if the price was only double what you’d spend to participate in a regular trackday weekend?

For many of us, the cost / value ratio of most racing schools is a bit tough to swallow.  Sure, you’re riding at a world-class venue and eating a catered lunch cooked by professional chefs.  Yes, you’re hanging out with people who are very famous and very fast.  (Or not, if the school’s namesake doesn’t bother to show up that weekend…)  In the bargain, you’re told what it takes to ride quickly and you get to participate in a limited-attendance trackday.  You can spend upwards of two grand on such an exciting adventure.  The problem is that attending such an event might not actually cause you to improve very much as a rider.

The personalities behind Speed Academy

As much as we learned about riding during our sojourn at Speed Academy over Easter weekend, it was the personalities of our teachers that made the experience so much fun.  These four riders are fast enough to be challenged by almost no one, yet they come to the school without ego or attitude.  Here is a quick bio of each.

Continuing education is worth the effort

My business card once held the tag line, “Racer, Writer, Wrench, Coach.”  Certainly, those four words do a fair job of defining my passion for this sport.  Now though, I’m tempted to add “Student” to the list.