Turn one at Brainerd is one of the most challenging anywhere in the world and can be intimidating for newcomers. The near-wide open turn one is banked and at the end of a half mile long straight. To go fast at Brainerd, a racer simply has to generate the confidence to go as hard into turn one as possible. That has a way of pole-axing a young rider's confidence.

Two racers new to Brainerd that are holding their own through turn one are Kawasaki Supersport rider Tony Meiring and No Limit Motorsports rider Lance Isaacs. Meiring was second in Supersport practice on Saturday -- it is his second trip to Brainerd -- and BIR virgin Isaacs has been scrapping with the factory supported FX riders despite being on a privateer Formula Xtreme bike and down on horsepower.

Turn one has a way creeping into the of mind of riders. "You have 18 seconds to think about it," Meiring said after practice on Friday. "That's how long I'm on the throttle down the straight."

"I like it. I'm not afraid on the high speeds," said Isaacs, the former NCR Ducati teammate to Ben Bostrom. "It reminds me of some of the turns on the European tracks."