Photo by Harlie Raethel
Most people rolled into COTA the night before, already tucked into their pit spots, sipping coffee and swapping stories under the glow of trailer lights. I wasn’t one of them. I had loaded the bike the night before, went to bed early, woke up at 3AM, and by 5AM I was rolling into the tunnel at Circuit of the Americas.
If you’ve ever been to COTA, you know this isn’t just a racetrack. It’s a place where MotoGP legends have carved history into the asphalt — where Marc Márquez became the youngest MotoGP winner during the first Grand Prix of the Americas in 2013, where Maverick Viñales stunned the world in 2024 with a blistering 2:00.864 pole lap, and where even a stray dog once sprinted across the circuit during practice in 2015, earning the nickname “Moto” before being adopted into a new life. COTA is full of stories written by speed, chaos, and the riders who chase both.
Walking from the paddock to pit lane felt like stepping through a portal into a different dimension. The electricity in the air was real. You could almost feel the ghosts of race lines and late-brake heroics drifting between the garages.
This was my first time at COTA — not just riding, but being there at all. And I was about to learn that excitement and readiness are not the same thing.
TrackDNA Safety Note
Riding motorcycles on track is inherently risky and can result in serious injury or death. The ideas in this article are shared for general information only — they’re not formal coaching, professional instruction, or a guarantee of safety or performance.
Always ride within your limits, use proper safety gear, and practice only in a controlled, closed-course environment that follows all rules and regulations. Before trying any new technique, talk with a qualified coach or instructor and use your own judgment about what’s right for your skill level, your bike, and your body.
The best place to explore and apply these ideas is with a qualified coach or at a dedicated motorcycle or racing school. Treat what you read here as background context and conversation fuel for your own training — not as a step-by-step guide or a substitute for in-person instruction.
By choosing to ride, you accept the risks that come with it.
When the First Session Hits Hard
I’d only ridden my R6 a few times on track before this. I had slicks I trusted, great Brembo brakes, suspension tuned just right, and I was finally getting comfortable with GP shift.
At my home track, Harris Hill Raceway, I was already in intermediate and felt fine. So I signed up for intermediate at COTA too.
But COTA isn’t Harris Hill.
Before the first session even began, my coach realized I was the only one in our 4:1 group who hadn’t been there before. The other three riders already knew the lines, the flow, the rhythm. And COTA has rhythm — long blind corners, tightening radiuses, fast switchbacks, reference points that only make sense after a few laps of humility.
Session one was humbling. On lap one, I went wide in two different corners — not by a hair, but wide enough that whatever confidence I had evaporated instantly. I didn’t know the reference points. I didn’t know where the real apexes lived. I didn’t know how many lefts or rights were coming next.
It felt like being a beginner again.
The Conversation You Don't Want to Have
After the session, my coach pulled me aside. Not angry — just concerned.
He explained that I was a safety risk, both to myself and others. And he wasn’t wrong.
He turned to the other riders and said:
“Next session, you guys go ahead. I’m going to stick with him and show him the lines.”
I was frustrated and embarrassed, but also grateful. In the second session, he showed me lines and watched me attempt them. But it wasn’t just about the lines — I had no landmarks, no corner memory, no rhythm. Every lap felt like starting from scratch.
By the third session, he told me plainly:
“You might benefit from moving to the beginner group.”
Painful, but correct.
The problem?
316 Superbike Camp runs a strict 4:1 ratio — that’s what makes them unique. The problem? The beginner group was full. I was stuck between groups with nowhere to go. I’d come all the way to COTA only to feel like I’d already failed the track.
I knew I wasn’t ready to be sidelined.
And that’s when everything changed.
The Turn That Led to a Better Line
That’s when Jason Litton stepped in — seasoned CMRA racer, one of the partners at 316, and a coach with the kind of calm presence that instantly earns trust.
He approached casually and said he’d take me on for the rest of the weekend. One-on-one!
A rare gift in the track world — and one I didn’t yet understand the value of.
A Necessary Reminder on Track-Day Group Selection
Before going deeper, there’s something important worth mentioning.
Track-day organizers — including 316 SuperBike Camp — consistently remind riders to choose their groups honestly, especially when registering for a new or unfamiliar circuit. Group placement isn’t about ego; it’s a safety tool, and it works best when riders are mindful about where they truly belong.
Looking back, signing up for intermediate at a track I had never ridden was my call. Like many riders, I wanted to push myself — but COTA isn’t the kind of place where you take guesses. It rewards self-awareness and preparation.
And the one-on-one coaching I received that weekend?
That was a rare and generous exception — A gift from Ignacio and May Pedregon (The founders of 316) and of course Jason Litton— a moment of perfect timing and a coach willing to step in. It’s not something riders should expect from any organizer. It was simply a gift, and I was fortunate to be on the receiving end of it.
The First Fix — Gear Selection and Bad Habits
The first thing Jason picked up on was something I didn’t even realize I was doing:
At Turn 11 and 12, every time I downshifted , I glanced down at my gear indicator.
That told him everything.
I wasn’t confident in my gear selection. I was letting the bike make decisions for me. And worst of all, I was taking my eyes off the only place they needed to be.
He didn’t sugarcoat it:
“You should never be looking down at your dash.”
That alone cleared half the chaos.
Seeing, Not Staring — Learning Proper Track Vision
The next correction was bigger.
I wasn’t looking far enough ahead. I stared at apexes instead of looking through them.
Jason led for a lap, then had me lead. He watched my body position, vision, throttle roll, and entry timing. Slowly, I began collecting reference points, building a mental map, and letting my lines settle into something resembling intention.
I felt smoother. More controlled. Less chaotic.
But the real breakthrough came the next morning.
The Breakthrough Moment at Turn 12
The first session of day two felt strangely familiar — calmer, almost like revisiting a place I had slept on.
Coming into Turn 12, with Jason shadowing me from behind, I hit my braking marker… and suddenly realized my brakes were giving me only half the force. Later, at the shop, I found out a piston in the right caliper had seized — a quiet reminder that COTA exposes every weak link on your bike.
In that split second of panic, Jason’s voice echoed in my head:
“Look where you want to go.”
Even wide — maybe 2 or 3 feet from running off the track — I focused ahead. And the bike followed. Smooth. Predictable. Almost like it wanted me to succeed.
That was the moment everything clicked.
Repetition builds skill.
Vision unlocks speed.
Intention makes the bike obey.
Jason’s Coaching Style — Calm, Technical, and Precise
Session by session, Jason gave me simple, digestible lessons. Even complex corners became practical.
He explained how to thread the Esses, how to set up for the chicane, and how Turn 16 through 18 works if you treat them as a single flowing arc. After every session, he drew lines, pointed out my progress, and recalibrated my mental map of the track.
He was patient, analytical, and quietly relentless — the rare combination that turns chaos into craft.
And every correction made me smoother.
That’s when trust locked in fully.
Catching Up to the Group — And Catching On
By the second afternoon, something surreal happened:
We started catching my former intermediate group.
I even passed a few riders — not dramatically faster, but noticeably smoother.
And smooth is always faster than chaotic.
What could’ve ended my track journey became the pivot point. Jason didn’t just coach me — he saved that weekend, and honestly, my trajectory in this sport.
It’s the reason I’m preparing for my CMRA journey today.
The Weekend That Shifted My Riding Journey
I’ve learned from every coach I’ve had — each shaping a part of me. But Jason stepped in when I was vulnerable, frustrated, and one bad session away from walking off the track for good.
If he hadn’t taken me under his wing that weekend, I’m not sure I would’ve come back. Instead, here I am — still riding, still learning, and now inspired to become a coach one day myself.
And if I ever see someone in the position I was in that afternoon at COTA, I’d tell them this:
Be open. Be patient. Be willing to be wrong.
And whatever you do — don’t give up yet.
TrackDNA Takeaways for Riders
- Vision beats bravery.
Looking where you want to go will save you more than courage ever will. - Don’t rely on your gear indicator.
Feel the bike — don’t look down for answers. - Smooth always beats fast.
Chaos feels quick. Smooth is quick. - One-on-one coaching can accelerate your progress tenfold.
- Mechanical discipline matters.
Clean and inspect your calipers — and everything else — especially before big tracks. - Being moved down isn’t failure.
It’s an investment in safety, technique, and your long game as a rider.
