This Frenchman has eyes that...
This Frenchman has eyes that don't miss a thing!
After nearly an hour of parking lot basics, we moved on to the perfectly groomed Perris Raceway track to put our newfound braking skills to use and begin learning how to apply this to the art of cornering. One thing that I should mention here is that our makeshift class consisted of riders of varying age and ability, yet Tortelli was able to speak to everyone right where they were at. This is accomplished through the use of a tape recorder (or as he calls it, his "reh-caw-der") that Sbastien makes notes with after each rider takes his turn doing a drill. These comments are then played back to the respective riders at the end of the drill, meaning that everyone-from the vet rider on CRF450R to the little guy on the KX65-gets to hear exactly what he or she personally needs to work on. Combined with Tortelli's organized and effective methods for executing drills, this system brings quite a bit of personal instruction to the student. It might not be as personal as a one-on-one clinic, but it's darn close. And don't you dare think that when speaking with students, Tortelli is just a former motocrosser who thinks everyone should ride just like him; he's actually one of the most intelligent, articulate (even with the accent) professors that our sport has ever seen. His way of conveying information to a rider-particularly a kid-is astounding to experience, and it was common to actually witness several of the other riders improve drastically after just a few thoughtful words from our teacher.
Seb often demonstrates the...
Seb often demonstrates the techniques that he teaches.
Under the watchful eye of Tortelli and the ever-helpful advice emitted from his "reh-caw-der," our class moved methodically from one drill to the next, each of which built upon the skills practiced in the last area. By the end of the day, it was obvious that Tortelli's lesson plan isn't just a random arrangement of activities; rather, it's a well-planned series of skill-honing training evolutions that follow an almost scientific lesson plan. Another controlled element of the school is the fact that it takes place over two days, not just one. Tortelli explains that when you practice something during the day and then go to bed later that night, your mind is still processing everything new that you learned. He's found that students see much more improvement and gain a deeper understanding of the principles that he teaches when they simply sleep on it and then come back the next day.
And so, our class-minus a handful of mini riders who had a big race to go to-arrived bright and early on day two. Tortelli spent much of the morning patiently hammering home what had been taught the first day, and we gradually learned to take these skills to new sections of the track. I can't give away any of Tortelli's secrets, but I will say that I was truly amazed at how smoothly everything comes together when you put all the pieces together in the correct sequence. At one point, Sbastien waved me over in the middle of a corner drill after I'd been relentlessly pounding one single rut for the better part of an hour. "Eew just deed zat perfectly," he reported. "I have nah-zing to add." Success! While not at all focusing on going faster-just doing it right-I'd effectively touched on what happens when it all works the way it is supposed to. Needless to say, my speed through the corner improved drastically, and I'd be lying if I said my confidence didn't as well.