[mccannable]

New track has a 2 hour endurance race coming up and me and 4 friends are joining the fun. I have done the high speed karts once and the rest of my team at least once, all at another track. This place claims 50mph. I did some searching on the web but didn't find a lot of tips. Any cart specific advice for the race? These are the rental karts we are using.

[PoorLurker]

Sounds like the best way to get a lot of seat time for fun!

[mccannable]

I should clarify my question. I have autocrossed a fair bit, I'm looking for kart specific advice.

[kprocivic]

get those forearms stronger. no aids in the steering department, if your forearms arn't stronger/conditioned, arm pump will set in pretty quickly

[Ric in RVA]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

get those forearms stronger. no aids in the steering department, if your forearms arn't stronger/conditioned, arm pump will set in pretty quickly

Yes...you need to find spots to let the kart roll free. You have to free it up as much as you can. If you are putting input in you are binding it up. Solid rear axle you know.

Get it turned and then find any little straight you can let it run free and use that time to relax your arms as well.

The tighter the seat the better.

Find the the two or three corners that lead onto the longest straight and do everything possible to maximize corner exit speed in those corners.

[ASBSECU E93]

No antilock braking either. You MUST drive the kart with a solid working knowledge of the track. It will get loose in a hurry at the slightest tap of the brakes.

[PoorLurker]

Originally Posted by mccannable

I should clarify my question. I have autocrossed a fair bit, I'm looking for kart specific advice.

Don't forget to breath.

I went out for some laps in a fast kart and it was so fast and exhilarating after being used to slower electric karts that I put all my focus into surviving and at times forget to breath.

Agree completely with the comment about forearms.

[mccannable]

Originally Posted by ASBSECU E93

No antilock braking either. You MUST drive the kart with a solid working knowledge of the track. It will get loose in a hurry at the slightest tap of the brakes.

Only time I did karts the brakes grabbed at differnt times and if you thought about turning while braking you spun.

[mccannable]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

get those forearms stronger. no aids in the steering department, if your forearms arn't stronger/conditioned, arm pump will set in pretty quickly

No kidding I was sore the next day after.

Any my scrawny rib cage was bruised from The seat.

Originally Posted by Ric in RVA

Yes...you need to find spots to let the kart roll free. You have to free it up as much as you can. If you are putting input in you are binding it up. Solid rear axle you know.

Get it turned and then find any little straight you can let it run free and use that time to relax your arms as well.

The tighter the seat the better.

Find the the two or three corners that lead onto the longest straight and do everything possible to maximize corner exit speed in those corners.

Great advice. Care to elaborate about binding?

[DSB335d]

Originally Posted by mccannable

New track has a 2 hour endurance race coming up and me and 4 friends are joining the fun. I have done the high speed karts once and the rest of my team at least once, all at another track. This place claims 50mph. I did some searching on the web but didn't find a lot of tips. Any cart specific advice for the race? These are the rental karts we are using.

I see you are in Florida where are you going karting? Palm Beach International Raceway has some 65mph karts. A few years ago they used to have some 100mph karts! They were pretty expensive to rent; which is probably why they are no longer on their website.

[mccannable]

Track is in bushnell Florida. I think they have the 65 mph one but 100mph is insane. I'd be happy with the 45-50 if they accelerated quicker.

[The Wind Breezes]

Originally Posted by mccannable

I should clarify my question. I have autocrossed a fair bit, I'm looking for kart specific advice.

There is NOTHING like a kart. I had a 125 shifter for a while (birel with YZ125 6 speed). You won't be using a shifter kart, so the acceleration won't be as tremendous, which is actually a good thing since it's so severe it would set you back.

Even though you're driving a vehicle that weighs what you do, has a 100% locked "diff" (actually a chassis that raises the inside wheel when you crank the steering), a CRAZY steering ratio and a CG that's basically ON the ground, the real issue concerning your adaptation actually has nothing to do with the kart, since they're pretty intuitive to drive.

The ACTUAL issue is the tires. They don't respond even slightly like a street legal tire, the grip will be higher but the response to pushing is a lot less forgiving. The ones you drive on will probably be old and heat cycled since new kart tires are expensive, but it won't matter and you'll still have a lot of fun.

Also, if your ribs don't hurt you're not doing it right.

[gtron]

No fucks abt this thread after a few drinks and didn't ready any of it BUT I will stay that I plan on hitting some karts in Irvine within the next few weeks and I'm pumped. Thanks for the reminder!!!

[mccannable]

Why don't karts have a roll bar? Isn't that the most likely and serious injury if they roll?

[Aatish]

Originally Posted by mccannable

Why don't karts have a roll bar? Isn't that the most likely and serious injury if they roll?

Really low center of mass, so chance of rolling over is low.

[Kong Sheng Han]

Apex everything.

[Nkc]

last kart I raced in.

[Ric in RVA]

Originally Posted by mccannable

No kidding I was sore the next day after.

Any my scrawny rib cage was bruised from The seat.



Great advice. Care to elaborate about binding?

If the seat doesn't squeeze you hard when you get in it is too big. You want no slack or you basically get slammed side to side in the loose seat. You want NO gap side to side so you become part of the kart. You can even bring a big stiff foam block if you are scrawny and jam it along side. ( I never had scrawny as an issue....I wish!)


Pick up front of kart (you probably cant at fun kart tracks as those are built STRONG for stupid people) and try to slide it left or right. You will have a hard time as the rears are grippy and on a solid axle. The energy you put into trying to turn, even slightly, is scrubbed off by the front wheels. So you have to let it roll free and find its happy place...this is when you breathe and relax!!!

In fact in the corners the binding is critical as well as you need to corner hard enough and fast enough to un-weight the inside rear wheel and let it scrub. (no differential, something HAS to scrub or it WONT turn).

If you ease into a turn at a slow pace you never unload that inside wheel and the kart pushes like a pig. Your turn in should be focusing on getting the weight transferred so it will turn and then on exit getting the kart freed up with little steering input.

And to repeat to lower lap times focus on getting OUT of the corners leading on to the straights that are the longest.


I used to race KT100 sprint karts (and Spec E30 and an RZ350 and autocrossed a bunch of other stuff.)

[ASBSECU E93]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

There is NOTHING like a kart. I had a 125 shifter for a while (birel with YZ125 6 speed). You won't be using a shifter kart, so the acceleration won't be as tremendous, which is actually a good thing since it's so severe it would set you back.

Even though you're driving a vehicle that weighs what you do, has a 100% locked "diff" (actually a chassis that raises the inside wheel when you crank the steering), a CRAZY steering ratio and a CG that's basically ON the ground, the real issue concerning your adaptation actually has nothing to do with the kart, since they're pretty intuitive to drive.

The ACTUAL issue is the tires. They don't respond even slightly like a street legal tire, the grip will be higher but the response to pushing is a lot less forgiving. The ones you drive on will probably be old and heat cycled since new kart tires are expensive, but it won't matter and you'll still have a lot of fun.

Also, if your ribs don't hurt you're not doing it right.

Originally Posted by Kong Sheng Han

Apex everything.

Originally Posted by Ric in RVA

If the seat doesn't squeeze you hard when you get in it is too big. You want no slack or you basically get slammed side to side in the loose seat. You want NO gap side to side so you become part of the kart. You can even bring a big stiff foam block if you are scrawny and jam it along side. ( I never had scrawny as an issue....I wish!)


Pick up front of kart (you probably cant at fun kart tracks as those are built STRONG for stupid people) and try to slide it left or right. You will have a hard time as the rears are grippy and on a solid axle. The energy you put into trying to turn, even slightly, is scrubbed off by the front wheels. So you have to let it roll free and find its happy place...this is when you breathe and relax!!!

In fact in the corners the binding is critical as well as you need to corner hard enough and fast enough to un-weight the inside rear wheel and let it scrub. (no differential, something HAS to scrub or it WONT turn).

If you ease into a turn at a slow pace you never unload that inside wheel and the kart pushes like a pig. Your turn in should be focusing on getting the weight transferred so it will turn and then on exit getting the kart freed up with little steering input.

And to repeat to lower lap times focus on getting OUT of the corners leading on to the straights that are the longest.


I used to race KT100 sprint karts (and Spec E30 and an RZ350 and autocrossed a bunch of other stuff.)

All of the above^

I had opportunity to go Karting with a fellow BP OT regular - I was sore for DAYS afterwards.

My legs (Quads) and ribs felt like I had been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson - my arms and shoulders were fine however.