Team Hammer's Chris Ulrich takes media members on the rides of their lives. Watch video
MILLVILLE -- "Remember to breathe."
Those were the last words of advice I received before hopping on the back of a Superbike and raced at unimaginable speeds around the Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park Thursday afternoon. Members of the media were invited to take in a few laps around the track to better comprehend the nuances of sport racing.
Team Hammer's Chris Ulrich, who has been racing professionally for 18 years and just recently hung up his helmet from competition, was my driver. I'd be on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike a modified with a second seat, foot pegs and a grab handle for passengers.
But before taking to the track -- where hundreds of motorcycle racers will ride this weekend in a two-day competition -- I had to gear up with a back pad to help protect my spine, race suit, gloves, boots and helmet. The race suit, made of leather and fully padded, was a lot heavier than I expected, about 10 pounds.
It was when I received the final run-down of do's -- trust in Ulrich's ability, relax and enjoy the ride -- and don'ts -- do not take your hands off the grab handle or remove your feet from the foot pegs while moving -- that I started to get really nervous. Up until then, I had only fleeting thoughts about whether I could actually pull this off.
"It's only a few minutes," I kept repeating to myself.
Out in pit lane, I stepped up and got onto the Superbike. After readjusting my feet on the foot pegs, and grabbing tightly onto the handle, the all-clear sign was given to take off.
And that's what it felt like at first: A quick acceleration and we were on the track, heading around a curve and up a hill. Each turn brought brought a surprise: On some, Ulrich decelerated to take the turn safely, while handling others by speeding up. I was never sure which was about to happen, but I took each curve in stride, allowing my body to move with the bike.
As we approached the last few turns on the first lap, Ulrich accelerated so we could reach about 140 mph in the straightaway. At those speeds, I could feel my body lifting off the seat slightly and gripped my hands even more tightly onto the grab bar.
The second lap was a bit more intense, taking each turn at a faster pace than before.
"The first lap is to get you comfortable," said Ulrich before the ride. "The second is to really give you a feel for the sport."
After this experience, I have a whole new respect for those who compete in Superbike racing. It takes a lot of strength to power through the all the turns. And as another racer said, it takes a lot of mental stamina as well; you have to be able to remember when to brake and where to speed up, as each track is different.
When asked by another member of the media if I would do it again, I hesitated before answering no, probably not. But after having time to digest the experience, I have changed my mind. Was it terrifying? Yes. But was it exhilarating? Absolutely.
The MotoAmerica Superbike Championship of New Jersey takes place Friday through Sunday at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville.
The championship event features two full days of racing for the Superbike, Superstock 1000, Supersport, and Bazzaz Superstock 600 classes. Racing will take place on the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway, a track that features 12 corners and a half-mile straightaway.
Friday's fan activities include escorted hot pit access during two practice sessions for Full Throttle ticket holders and a track walk for Cycle Corral ticket holders.
Suzuki demo rides are available throughout the three-day event, and "40 Years of Superbike Racing" motorcycles will be on display as well.
Monster truck rides will be available to fans on Saturday and Sunday.
The MotoAmerica Superbike Championship of New Jersey returns to Millville in September.
Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @photoglori. Find NJ.com on Facebook.