FInally went karting.: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Aug. 21, 2008 7:56 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

And I suck! I know this is a weird confession to make on a motorsports board, but in all my years, I have never competed in a grip environment. All of my previous racing was done on gravel like Per and his Saab 99.

I have to say, I was probably not that bad... but I never stood a chance as I went with a group of BMW owners who hit up a good 5 or 6 events a year in their cars, and just goof around in karts whenever they get the chance. Coming from a gravel background, Karts do not like early apexing to kick the arse around the corner.. though it is good to know I can still opposite lock with the best of them.

I will be going again in about two weeks. The new track here in NJ is am impressive facility and I really had fun.. even if I have muscles that hurt that I didn't even know I had.
Aug. 21, 2008 9:20 p.m. rob_lewis Dork

I've been in a kart exactly twice.

My 6 year old son beat me the first time (he'd been racing about two months) and SCHOOLED me the second (he'd been racing about 6 months by then), lapping me three times.

I felt really stupid (and really proud) at the same time.

Hopefully, that'll make you feel better!!

-Rob
Aug. 21, 2008 10:05 p.m. Tommy Suddard

Don't worry, you'll get used to it.
Aug. 22, 2008 1:35 p.m. jikelly New Reader

It's weird how sore you get after a kart race. People say motorsports shouldn't be included in the Olympics because they aren't true sports because they don't rely solely on the human body, but it sure seems like my body does a lot of work when I go out to driving events.
Aug. 22, 2008 2:12 p.m. Salanis Dork

rob_lewis wrote:

My 6 year old son beat me the first time (he'd been racing about two months) and SCHOOLED me the second (he'd been racing about 6 months by then), lapping me three times.

Power/Weight ratio. That extra 100lbs really matters when you've got such a tiny motor.
Aug. 22, 2008 3:19 p.m. mattmacklind SuperDork

Yeah, karting will make you sore. I've been sore after auto-xing, too, but then again, I'm a little out of shape.
Aug. 22, 2008 3:49 p.m. Nashco Dork

You'll get sore karting if you're out of shape, don't stretch, and don't use your body properly (technique). Assuming the seat isn't broken or anything, with the right combination of fitness, stretching, and technique, it is possible to kart without soreness. Of course, I've never done shifter karts, they might be a different story, I'm speaking specifically to $XX/30 minutes type of karts.

Bryce
Aug. 22, 2008 3:56 p.m. ncjay New Reader

I've driven lots of different things over the years and I've learned one thing about racing karts - they do not like to be pushed hard or manhandled. The more finesse and smoother you are, the lower the lap times. At least the ones I've been on. It takes practice, practice, practice.
Aug. 22, 2008 8:46 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

well, these were not shifter, but they were pretty fast (at least at 50+mph they seem fast when your ass if 4 inches off of the tarmac) and if you cranked the steering all the way, the camber on the fronts would raise the front of the cart slightly.

Personally, I cannot wait to go back.. even if I have to go by myself.
Aug. 22, 2008 11:20 p.m. skierd Dork

Thats actually how karts turn. Since they have a live axle, the chassis has to flex to pick the inside tire up to go around a corner. Its designed into the steering.

The good rental karts can really be a lot of fun once you figure out the whole grip thing and the maintaining momentum thing. God help you if you fall out of the powerband lol. And yeah, it can get a little disconcerting trying to figure out the correct turn-in point on a grippy surface if you're used to dirt/gravel. You really have to turn-in soooo much later than you think you do, or normally would on the street. It takes practice, you'll get it if you keep going back!

Shifters are a lot more brutal than rental karts. Five to Six times the horsepower and 100-200 pounds lighter will do that. Hell, my kart only makes three to four times as much power (rated at 20hp) and is probably right around 150 pounds lighter and it beats me up a lot without my rib vest.
Aug. 23, 2008 4:19 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

48 hours later (well, really 40) I am still a little sore through the shoulders (not much though) and have been thinking about what i was doing wrong.

You are right Skierd, steering is MUCH later than I am comfortible with.. and that was my whole problem. When you deal with gravel or even street driving, you are on a constant lookout for understeer. Karts don't do that. I suppose you could call it a trust issue, I need to learn to trust the kart to go where I want it to go.

Like was said above.. Practice, practice, practice.
Aug. 23, 2008 1:08 p.m. rob_lewis Dork

Salanis wrote:

rob_lewis wrote:

My 6 year old son beat me the first time (he'd been racing about two months) and SCHOOLED me the second (he'd been racing about 6 months by then), lapping me three times.

Power/Weight ratio. That extra 100lbs really matters when you've got such a tiny motor.

Sure, him and kart: 150 lbs., dad and kart: 350+ And I could also say that mine is a rental (so it's beat up) and had rock hard tires and didn't fit me quite right and I wasn't use to the workout and the brakes didn't work well, and .....

Truth is, I was muscling it through the turns whereas he was smooth as butter. I can honestly say he out drove me.

And I'm proud as a dad can be. He's about to run cadets, so I'll never have a chance to keep up.

-Rob