Hi Reg,

Thanks for two more beautiful days at my favorite track, good OLD Sears Point! Four dates per year just doesn't seem enough for that wonderful layout, but at least you have two of the best months with May and October. You can put me down for all four dates every year, so throw in a few Laguna days and I guess I'll be a Force 5 guy for a long time to come! I see that you used my letter from last fall on the F5 web page, just want you to know that I am flattered and truly honored. Hope it conveys my appreciation to your present and future customers. Looking forward to Laguna next month.

Cheers,
Greg

Hey Guys,

I've been trying to tell my friends about the Force 5 day, Reg and Gigi held at Streets of Willow. All I can say is WOW! To have a day at the track riding with just a bunch of my good friends is really difficult to describe. I usually go to 20 to 25 trackdays and schools a year and for me the Force 5 day was the most enjoyable day I've ever spent on a race track and one of the top 10 days I've spent on a motorcycle.

I was expecting Reg to hold a regular CLASS school, maybe with a little more advanced coaching since most of the Force 5 guys have been to CLASS before. But instead Reg gave us the basic rules, mostly to "be polite and considerate when passing" slower riders and then put us on the track just to have fun. Yet we still had the benefit of Reg and all CLASS instructors out there to ask advice and show us around the track. Plus Reg rode with us ALL DAY! Usually we only get to see Reg on the track in the afternoons when he's finished teaching in the class room. But with Reg out on the track, every track session and in the class room during breaks we had the best school ever. Then Reg had us run the track backwards, YIKES! It was a whole new track, every corner became a decreasing radius. Serious fun.

But the highlight of the day for me was to grid up for a two lap race! Ohhhh man, all I could think was " don't screw up". I got myself set up for a fast start and when the flag dropped, I dropped the clutch and I watched everyone else blow past me into turn 1. Right then I learned one of the most important lessons about racing. Make sure the bike is in gear before the flag drops. Aww crap. But I still managed to catch and pass a couple of guys, plus my friend Bruce Stanton actually won the race. This was just too good. AND then Reg fed us a catered lunch!! Holy cow, what else could we ask for? Oh yeah, it was FREE!

So lately I've been telling all my riding buddies to join Force 5. Never mind all the "stuff" you get like the jacket and the shirt and the tires and the brake pads. Don't think about all the CLASS discounts to all the great tracks. Having my own private track day with my friends is worth the membership. So please Reg and Gigi, I hope you guys know how much my friends and I appreciate the effort and expense you went to, to give all the Force 5 members a fantastic track experience.

Thank you so very much,
Phil Cowden

Hey Reg,

Deb and I had the absolute best experience at Laguna Seca last week (both on and off the track). I want you to know I greatly respect and value your friendship, straight forwardness and honest assessments. Having attended CLASS many times you would think one might become complacent however this has never been the case. Each time I find myself impressed by the clarity of the messages being conveyed and recognize the hard work you have done to create a safe, structured, learning environment. This has made it possible for me and countless others to learn what it really takes to expand the riding experience beyond being just another “fast guy”.

You, the Class Team and other Force5 Members have taken my life in a positive direction these past few years and saved my hide a few times too! Both on the track and in my day-to-day life I continue to get more from reflection on the CLASS experience. What you teach has depth and reaches a first timer or a seasoned veteran at different levels of awareness. I see a maturing process at work that depends on the right balance of experience, practice and listening. This explains why I get something more out of every classroom session (even though the same foundational fundamentals are covered)

I hope other potential Force5 members recognize the importance of the overall package that you, the CLASS team and force5 members offer. I get a lot from the increased class time, more “on the track time”, a safer learning environment, the camaraderie, flexibility to learn at all levels and being exposed to a team of instructors that are always there to help… all good reasons to be part of F5.

Well it sure has been a great year and Deb and I send a heart felt thanks you, Gigi and your team and wish you all a happy, safe holiday season ahead.

Dave Pigden, F5 Member 2006, 2007

P.S. Looking forward to another season of Class… ….and 2008 looks like a fabulous year to come


Don't miss Wayne's contribution to the camaraderie. It's here...