Go Karting Event... any advice?

Ceirwan

Ceirwan

Ex. Club Member
Hi guys, wondering if you could give me any tips!
My uncle decided for a late 21st present (he fogot my birthday) he's going to enter me into a Karting event that he's doing, its the Buckmore Park "Man of Steel" 1 hour endurance event!
http://www.buckmore.co.uk/content.php/22120?eve_ref=4851

The idea being great fun and improving my driving which i agree with, but i feel a bit in at the deep end, having never driven a kart OR a rwd vehicle before, and these bloody things do 80mph!
While i'm pretty sure i won't kill myself, does anyone have a list of things i should keep in mind? I would have preferred to start with a somewhat smaller event, but its already been booked! :wow:

Cheers
 
i used to be a mechanic on go karts, (a girl aged 17!) it was brilliant fun, you will be tenative to start with though its easy, it has 2 pedals, accelerator on right and brake on left, dont press both at same time, if you go hard and wide into corners and at last sec brake sharply then back on acc. and tweek steering wheel which way you want to turn you will steer round corner and your back end will skid around with you and you will keep most of your speed, and when you get there take a few mins to look for the 'racing line' it will be aparant and thats the best route to follow.

you will have a ace time, im somewhat jealous!! havnt been karting for 6 years since my place closed down :(

good luck, your there to have fun, be carefull when you get back in your Micra though, she/he can do 90 plus the police wouldnt like it though and dont think they would be too happy at your excuse!!
 
ceirwan

thunderkarts will only do 80 with a very high gear ratio, those are probably geared for 50ish, which will feel like 80 tho !.
most people tense up on their first time out and are shattered within 5 mins, so good luck, and take no prisoners
 
look on the website, it gives you the racing line for both dry and wet, try your best to learn it at least a little, it can knock loads of time off your lap!
 
HPA83 said:
if you go hard and wide into corners and at last sec brake sharply then back on acc. and tweek steering wheel which way you want to turn you will steer round corner and your back end will skid around with you and you will keep most of your speed, and when you get there take a few mins to look for the 'racing line' it will be aparant and thats the best route to follow.

.
.
.

good luck, your there to have fun, be carefull when you get back in your Micra though, she/he can do 90 plus the police wouldnt like it though and dont think they would be too happy at your excuse!!
Click to expand...

Sound like how i drive my micra in the country anyway!
I'll just do what i do in my car to start off with (progressively back off the brakes as i turn into the corner, and progressively hit the accellerator as i unwind the wheel), and then after that do what everyone else does!

Frank it says on the website they will do 80so they must be geared for it!
Cheers guys!
 
ceirwan

dont forget there,s only one brake (on the back axle), so it,s like driving with the handbrake only (ie smack it on, and you,ll spin).
our track blagg,s the top speed too (they all do)
 
i prefer racing karts in the wet as i can usualy slide the kart at an angle that doesnt slow it down too much.

the thing to remember in an endurance race is that your wrists are going to fall off and your right elbow is going to get very very warm. so if you can strap them up, do so.

the best advise i can give you is Slow in fast out. allways slow in fast out. if you are overtaking anyone stick to the outside of them untill the last moment, as they go into the turn and cut accross it you pull to the inside and pass them through the turn. works almost everytime. also try to make very smooth movements, the more you seesaw at the wheel the more you will slow down, try to keep the wheels pointing in the same direction and the kart will be faster..... and lastly, lean into the corners like a motorbike, trust me it works wonders...

have fun!
 
my first job was at a go kart track, the key is to relax, easier said than done as its scary the first time you go out in one! feels like your going alot faster than you actualy are. real good fun tho!!!!
 
Yes what frank said. When I did the vxr comp, was 15mins ish of driving, my arms where so tired I found it really difficult to lift them up. So that would be my advice, go easy on your arms.
 
I'll keep repeating slow in fast out! Thats the thing i'm worse at, i'm an idiot and like to see how much speed i can carry into a corner and i know it will only end in tears!
 
It depends what kart you are racing first of all to how you drive it. It does 80 - you won't though! Is the track big enough to achieve those speeds? Secondly, the weather is most likely going to be crap. I've raced three times in the past three weeks and every time it was wet. Even if the weather is clear, the track will probably be greasy and that makes a difference.

You will drive the kart differently depending on it being a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke. A 4 stroke has steady power throughout the rev range, where as 2 stroke is a bit like a car, and the power is in the higher revs.

I've raced both in recent weeks, and they're totally different. I Also raced a modified rotax which had about 30hp! If it's dry, you can slam on the brakes. You can even get away with it in the wet if the your on a straight & the kart can support it. I raced a faulty Dmax and the engine cut out if you were hard on the brakes, but most shouldn't. Braking on a bend in the wet and you'll spin, its best to coast round, and blip the throttle lightly to use the wheels to get you round. Slow in / fast out is great advice. If you over cook it going into a bend, you'l screw up your exit.

Also, its not always best to take the 'dry line' when it's wet. You'l slip on the rubber if there's any on the track and go off

Finally, use your body to steer the kart. Leaning into a bend, leaning forwards when braking. I've done 10 minute sprint races through to 1:30 hour endurance and it may hurt a little, but in this weather, your fingers & toes will feel it most.

I was meant to be racing in Bristol this weekend, but it was cancelled. I'm racing at Wembley stadium in two weeks :D
 
the website says thunderkart (390cc 4 stroke, 13hp).
a very heavy engine on one side of the kart, i,ve owned 2, and they,re not the best handling kart !
and if you go too slow in, fast out, you,ll get overtaken on every corner
 
Ahh yeah raced a thunderkart last week. Steering was really heavy which made it hard work. The guys recommended smooth driving style, but my mate who races in championships said to be hard and snappy on the steering, so full lock left/right and turn well in advance of the corner.

So easy to write all this, but its completely different when it comes to putting it into practice!
 
The only advice i would have for you is to take it easy on your arms, and to remeber slow in fast out lol...all the rest has been basicaly explained by the experts above lol.,..
and remeber to have fun..thats what it is all about at the end of the day!!
 
when i said slow in fast out, i meant, dont try and go flat out into the corner cos you will either crash or understeer so wide someone will over take you up the inside. if you go in relatively slow and off the throttle or brake you should be able to turn around the corner, feathering the throttle to bring the back end around then floor it....

in those thunder karts though, you can almost go arround the whole track flat out anyway... just dont let them catch you throttle and brake like i do..lol
 
As has been said, all the advice goes to pieces when you put it into practice! Same with anything, i'l just go in and do my best!
 
Another thing i like to do is walk the track before you race it. Get to study braking points, camber, where the rubber is, run off areas, kerbs (how high, slippery etc)! Just have fun mate, it's a great laugh
 
Well just got back!
All the advice went out the window! My legs covered in bruises from where it was braced against the petrol tank...

Had an absolutely awesome time, i came last, which tbh i expected since i'd never driven a kart or RWD before and had awesome fun!
My best lap in the race was 15s better than my best qualifying lap which shows i certainly learn't a lot! Most the corners where slippy and a few of them very sideways but it was all good.

A few spin outs as well, by the end i wasn't lapping to much slower than everyone else, the only problem is the micra felt crap to drive afterwards!

Edit: You were right arnold the steering was rather heavy! :)
 

Similar threads

A
Go Karting - Sat 10th Jan - Warrington
Replies
5
Views
1K
paddymarsden
paddymarsden
Back
Top