Make sure your equipment fits you well, especially your helmet, boots, and gloves. 'Race fit' is generally a bit more snug than one would normally choose for comfort on the street because it is meant for performance and protection first, comfort second.
Better carbs would be a plus but would need serious time and effort to fit and finagle. Tuning is an obvious area of importance. The best suspension you can afford and the best tires will both help, neither of which are inexpensive. You will go through tires quickly. Careful attention to all the mechanical details like condition of cables, lever pivots, axle fasteners, safety wire, tire pressure, engine adjustments, etc.
The previous advice is good: track time, school, physical conditioning, watch videos, read, etc. You will have a steep learning curve if you want to be competitive in a short time. Hot dog street riding is not like actual racing. Be careful, this can be addictive and hazardous to your wallet.
Contact John Clemens re getting more performance from your V.
I started road racing in '64 here in California and last raced in '75, so what I know may not be of value these days, but I think there will always be some general good ideas. Build your skill, experience moments of terror, build your ego, more terror, work on skill, more terror, etc. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Try to brake later, gas it sooner, steer with your weight (not the handle bars), look as far ahead in a turn as you can see (that is the place you are aiming for), and be smooth. Smooth will get you around the track faster, with less terror, and with less exertion. It's still a real work out.
A good rider on a mediocre machine will often beat a lesser rider on a better machine. You need experience to get there. Let us know how it unfolds.
