Just wondering how many racers here use go carts in the off season to get seat time. They just opened a nice indoor cart place here and it a realy nice set up and the carts are preety quick and can generate up 1.5 g in the turns but if u screw up and bog them down it just kills your laptime so it teache you how to carry your momentum.
My SCCA Region in Philly runs a little impromptu winter cart series at a place in DE. They get a fair number of participants, although always asking for more... I want to, but the practice session are during the week at night and the place is very far from where I work.
A lot of top world class drivers got their start in karts. It's real racing, no doubt about it. I think it'll make you a better driver by teaching you how to drive smoothly and keep your momentum, just like you said.
I'd also say it can start weird driving habits as Karts are fairly different to drive than your typical autox/roadrace car.
splitime wrote: I'd also say it can start weird driving habits as Karts are fairly different to drive than your typical autox/roadrace car.
I agree, the only part I take away is the line/traffic experience, the rest is crap, this is running the little Hondas at Andretti Speed Lab, I'm thinking of joining the league next year for more 'experienced' fun...
love karting.
I ran karts for 11 years.
Run those little SOB's just for the fun of it during the winter.
I'm trying to get some friends to come karting with me up here. It's great practice!
Karting is great practice. Most of it transfers over to cars.
Now, I am talking about "real" karts not the little rental jobs. They're OK, but not nearly the same as a Rotax, for example, running real tires on some grippy surface. I run a 125cc shifter kart and, as it is faster than a Z06, it's a great way to get seat time. Shifter karts have front and rear wheel brakes, making them more comparable to a car. "Single speed" karts don't have front brakes, so you have much less brake and have to really be careful when trailbraking or you'll spin.
What karting lacks is the weight transfer of a car. Since karts have no suspension, there is only a fraction of the weight transfer of a car, so a kart won't teach you to manage the suspension and springs. Also, karts transition instantly while a car does not.
In my experience, karters switching to cars tend to be over-aggressive on corner entry.
I'll give up my shifter kart when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!
David
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