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Ducati New York Track Experience

We've all been waiting for this for weeks: The Ducati New York's Track Experience at NYST to kick off the track season.
https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/events/desmo-owners-club/gotham-at-ducati-new-york-track-experience-us-2019-09-02



My buddies Jerry, Jason and Tommy all drove up to Oneonta last night, and we met up at  Buffalo Wild Wings, a restaurant where I previously had never been, but by the end of the weekend where I would have 3 meals.
Tigh Loughhead President of Gotham Ducati racing his track bike at the Dcuati New York Track Experience at NYST
.It rained the whole way up, but we eventually got some good riding in.


Back country roads are a little hairy with two bikes in the back.
As I mentioned, we dropped off the bikes in the NYST paddock, 
We watched some Kyle Wyman racing in AMA, 

and then headed back to our hotel.
The next morning was raining, 
and my track bike still wasn't running. 
I decided to pull the plugs, 
and sure enough, they were fried. 
I replaced them with new plugs, and missed the first session, 
but after that the bike fired up fine. 
Ducati New York had hired Penguin Road Racing School, 
and after each session (which was pretty slow as the track was wet and it wasn't particularly warm),
David Green would lead an instructor session on how to get faster at the track.  (Here is me at turn 3 where I think Jessie went down?)
Going to the track is half unbridled exhilaration, half community, as you end up sharing emotions with other guys that rarely happens organically. 
"Pitting" with friends is an incredibly bonding experience, and while it's absolutely exhausting,
everything from last minute wrenching, to helping each other get dressed in race leathers, 

it fast-tracks a sense of comradery that few other activities do. 
After lunch the sun came out, and we got a couple of good laps in.
Jason Routhier, the Sales Manager for Ducati North America is fast anyway, but on a V4S easily passed me on the outside of turn 4 (where we're not supposed to technically pass). 

Fred on his beautiful Ducati Final Edition panigale 1299 (the last Panigale twin). 

Another shot of me sporting Gotham Ducati.
Ronald on his 1200S Monster. 
I think this was Clarke? 
Scharkopf taking a nap.
Tommy talking with Dave, who's a bit of a demon (and not always in a good way, haha) on the track. 
The rain came and went,  and by the end of the day the weather was beautiful.



© 2019 Tigh Loughhead

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