Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

9RACING SCHOOL- Mike Baldwin Pro School I Mr. Baldwin, the teacher By Pete Keiser o paraphrase a Nike advertisement , " Mike Baldwin knows motorcycle road racing!" H is knowledge helped him become the U.S. National Champion five times, land rides with American Honda, Kenny Roberts' Lucky Strike Yamaha team, and Bimota, Fortunately, Baldwin and the staff of his high perfor mance riding school get a great deal of pleasure from sharing their knowledge. Th e first sessions of the Mike Baldwin Pro School were held last July and were the realization of a goal Baldwin has had since he attended his first road racing school at the age of 20. Ironically, both the school Baldwin attended in 1975 and the one he conducted in 1989 were held at the Bridgehampton circuit on Long Island. "It's the only track I ever considered using," said Baldwin, who lives in Da rien, Connecticut. "It's a good grippy track with turns that'll prepare a rider for any other track in the world." Due to his full schedule of racing in the Wor ld Championship Superbike Series, only 10 days of classes were conducted last year. Although he'll contest the series again this year, Baldwin has managed to schedule seven two-day Pro Schools, but with races occupying the majority of his year racing career. As they are for all courses with the exception of the Racer's Clinic, Pro School furnishes Honda CRB600s shod with Michelin tires, Arai helmets and Takai leathers. He also uses Spectro oil. A minimum of 40 miles of track experience follows the classroom sessions which include viewing of a videotape of Baldwin riding. the ideal lines around the 2.8mile circuit. The Basic Course runs from either 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or I I a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $27~. The One Day Course provides all th at th e Basic Course offers , plus 60 more miles of tra ck riding, and further development of braking, cornering and accelerating skills. Like all the courses, plenty of time is provided for questions and answers. The One Day Course runs from 8 a.rn. to 5 p.m. and costs 400. T he T wo Day Course gives students 250 miles of track riding, plus an ontrack video is given to each rider to keep and study. T he Two Day Course costs $875. ack expeRiders with previ ou s tr rience and race-prepared bikes can enr oll in the Racer 's Clinic in which individual attention is given plus the opportunity to take rides on the track, accompanied by Baldwin. Track time for the Racer's Clinic is scheduled "We'll have a few more bikes, " said Baldwin, "not necessarily to increase class size, but to have back-up bikes ready to go . All the classes will be held during the week, and that seems to work out the best. We've held a few weekend classes, but they tend to attract a few too many students in the Racer's Clinic, which gets hectic." Having attended schools early in his career, Baldwin has borrowed ideas from the good ones, and made changes to improve on others. For example, a rul e at th e Mike Baldwin Pro School permits passing only on Bridgehampton 's lon g from straightaway (excep t during the Ra cer's Clinic). That relieves beginning students of th e worry abou t other riders interferi ng while they 're trying to learn the proper lines in the turns. Likewise. the earl y laps of the da y are made with littl e o r n o shifting. As Bald win tell s students, "Y ou goua go slow, to learn how to go fast !" Along that lin e, Baldwin 's ph ilot sophy about learning to race is simp le: take it one step at a tim e and anything is possible. To illustrate his point, he discusses another risk sport, high diving. The best divers can dive from hundreds of feet in the air into small pools of water. That seems impossible to the beginning diver, but the experts around other sessions throughout the course of the day. The cost is $I25. Mike Baldwin Pro School does not offer courses for beginning riders using their own bikes. Baldwin feels this type of arrangement can be too dangerous and can even hamper the learning process. Baldwin knows that not all students have the desire to actually go racing, so he makes sure that everyone has fun . This reporter had the opportunity to observe a full day of sessions, as well as attend a One Day Course, and noted smiles on everyone's faces - including the staff! In addition to Baron, who is' a flagman and starter now at Loudon and Bridgehampton, Baldwin has enlisted the help of 20-year racing veteran Leo Castell as his starter and comm unications official. Mike 's ' wife, Lindsay ," helps out by keeping lap times and printing them out for each rid er. A staff of cornerworkers and ambu lance personnel is on hand, but fortunately no injuries have occurred during Pro School sessions. Bridgehampton's large ru n-off areas help minimize danger, and boost confidence among students. Looking back on the first year of operation, Baldwin is proud of what he has accomplished, and envisions verr few changes for this year's sessions. learned to be comfortable with lower dives before moving up. The same is true of motorcycle racers. Baldwin wasn't National Championship caliber the first time he got on a bike. He worked his way into top form gradually. He says that getting as much track time as possible helped him reach the top in fairly short fashion, and becoming comfortable with each new level helped him remain successful. He uses this step-by-step process to help students progress with confidence. Upon completion of a course, Baldwin gives each student a hat with his logo, as well as a diploma and a Novice road race license endorsement. (Most sanctioning bodies require anyone who wants a racing license to attend a racing school of some sort.) But even if students didn't walk away with anything in their hands, they'd stilI be wearing a broad smile, and would possess something greater - knowledge of how to ride a motorcycle quickly and safely. Since class size is limited, anyone interested in attending one of Baldwin's courses should write for a free brochure and register as soon as possible. Information is available by contacting: Mike Baldwin Pro School, P.O . Box 3446, Noroton, cr 06820, CN 203/656-2107. T 54 weekends, all will take place on weekdays. / Baldwin offers four different courses: Basic, One Day, Two Day and Racer's Clinic. The Basic course incl udes classroom sessions with Baldwin and fellow instructor Steve Baron, who, like Baldwin, was a top notch road racer who held the Bridgehampton lap record at different times during his 14- J

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