Karting Thread

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Hey guys here's my Family,...

KT100 - Dirt Ovals/Pavement GP's

Rotax/PRD

Sodi 125cc Shifter



*sure i'm going to have tons of questions, and listening for tips as I complete my year 2 of Club Racing & partial Skusa Racing this year
 
Nice!
Sodi Kart looks very nice! Good luck this year.

2nd year should be a good one, got your head around the basics and now for some good fun :D

On a side note, I will start my season by not starting my season, at this stage.
My kart is in pieces and lacking an engine a week out from club day :(
 
Nice!
Sodi Kart looks very nice! Good luck this year.

2nd year should be a good one, got your head around the basics and now for some good fun :D

On a side note, I will start my season by not starting my season, at this stage.
My kart is in pieces and lacking an engine a week out from club day :(
Get the KT100 motor, $500 bucks most people sell there's for, and $150 to $250 for rebuilds. It's the cheapest way to go karting overall, and the grids are packed because its cheap too,. 👍
 
Get the KT100 motor, $500 bucks most people sell there's for, and $150 to $250 for rebuilds. It's the cheapest way to go karting overall, and the grids are packed because its cheap too,. 👍
Can't. No KT100 class for seniors where I am.
Just juniors, mostly because of zero grid numbers in senior 100 class.

Has to be a 125 with restricter for me.
 
Is a double post here alright? It doesn't get many posts at the moment.

Well, after 2 full nights the kart was back together on Friday. After a long and somewhat difficult time on Friday and Saturday running in the motor and fixing some issues, we were ready to race.

SRMedium
Heat 1 - Started off pole and got away to a flyer. Never looked back, winning my first race of 2014. I had never won in Medium because I am 30kg over minimum weight. I also had only won 1 club day race before so it was very exciting!

SRHeavy
Heat 1 - Started off pole as well but this was in a lacklustre 3 kart field :( none the less I made it 2 from two with another great start setting up a lights to flag win.

SRM Heat 2 - started off the back. Managed to come from 8th to 4th early but the kart felt a little lacking in grip, which I wish I paid more attention to at the time. Finished 4th.

SRH Heat 2 - Last place or third place start, ha! Kart rely worse but I figured it was just the soot on the track from the coal fire nearby. I finished second. Not that bad really.

SRM Final - Starting from pole, I was the man to beat going in to it. A fact that caught a few people off guard, anyway, another good start sends me into the lead but almost immediately, the kart felt crap. I thought I had a left rear flat and started to fall down the grid. This was not helped by someone who I feel did not leave racing room but that is all I will say here as per AKA social media and networking regs.
I pulled to the outside, let everyone through and coasted to the pits, because it was really bad now. The pit entrance is on a hairpin as as I turned into it I realised the tire wasn't flat. The whole wheel was falling off. Thanks to the tight tire chicane on pit entry (slows people down but didn't help my case) the wheel flung off and I did a nice slide into the parc ferme area. The bolts had sheared and I am going to need a new rim and hub. What a way to spoil the perfect morning I had.

SRH Final - equal point so I stared P2. Replaced the bolts for the time along with the nuts. Go run around well off pace and finish a distant third (last) but the wheel was already coming loose again. As a side note, the drivers I raced were underweight and we're not penalized, to my knowledge. Not happy about that.

- Overall -
SRM - 4th
SRH - 2nd

A good day that could have been so much more.
Bring on the rest of the year!
 
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Can't. No KT100 class for seniors where I am.
Just juniors, mostly because of zero grid numbers in senior 100 class.

Has to be a 125 with re-stricter for me.
I just traded my 125cc (shifter motor only) in for a couple of Tag motors (Leopard - PKC & PRD - Spec). I had a guy try to convince me to sell my shifter chassis and buy his DR chassis for like some $3200 bucks. Ha I told this guy If I were to race a $3200 chassis I wouldn't be able to afford to race if I twisted a chassis. Yea I already have 3 chassis 1 shifter & 2 non shifter chassis or 30mm & 32mm chassis. Damn sales man! I don't have the PRD & Rotax here in my garage now because I'm getting work done them but I can send some pics over of a custom paint job I'm performing on this MS chassis that rocks my KT-100 motor on it. I'm setting this baby up for dirt oval racing. Lucky me I have 2 or 3 dirt tracks by me within a 100mi radius. 1 of them is only about 30mi away,. :sly:👍

cough*GoPro*cough
 
I just traded my 125cc (shifter motor only) in for a couple of Tag motors (Leopard - PKC & PRD - Spec). I had a guy try to convince me to sell my shifter chassis and buy his DR chassis for like some $3200 bucks. Ha I told this guy If I were to race a $3200 chassis I wouldn't be able to afford to race if I twisted a chassis. Yea I already have 3 chassis 1 shifter & 2 non shifter chassis or 30mm & 32mm chassis. Damn sales man! I don't have the PRD & Rotax here in my garage now because I'm getting work done them but I can send some pics over of a custom paint job I'm performing on this MS chassis that rocks my KT-100 motor on it. I'm setting this baby up for dirt oval racing. Lucky me I have 2 or 3 dirt tracks by me within a 100mi radius. 1 of them is only about 30mi away,. :sly:👍

cough*GoPro*cough
Sounds good!
I agree about the over-priced chassis.
Would like to see the custom paint!

BTW my kart is up running and brought home a podium every clubday so far. Not that impressive with such a small grid sadly.

Also, next weekend could be my last race in karts :(
 
Surprisingly, most starts are clean, but that's considering it's a club race field of only about 12-14 karts.
You're lucky! We are only getting 3-10 karts per class at my club.
It's a bit sad considering just 2 years ago it was more like 8-16...
 
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I had my stag do last Saturday at Lakeside Karting in Thurrock, my best experience in a go-kart ever! We had an exclusive 45 minute event, with a 5 minute warm up, 2x 10 minute heats followed by a 20 minute final.

The 5 minute warm up wasn't timed, but it was fairly redundant anyway on a drying circuit. I was really surprised by the lack of front end when it does get wet (first time on a truly wet circuit, all local circuits are indoors...) but could really feel the circuit drying and giving more grip with every corner.

I lined up on the grid for heat 1 5th. I have had a longstanding (but friendly!) rivalry with one of my friends (Liam) who started 6th, and knew another (Wyndham) would be very quick as he is around 20kg lighter than everyone myself. I got a decent start and I made up a couple of places right away. I decided early my goal would be second place, and was better at cutting through traffic than Liam so I managed to climb up to second early and try to put a gap back to him. Wyndham was long gone, and I just had to hope that he might make a mistake somewhere. Around halfway through the race I noticed Liam had closed considerably and that traffic would dictate who would finish best. I got caught on one particular lap at a hairpin trying to go round the outside of someone, who then ran wide mid corner. Luckily Liam was also held up slightly despite passing me, and I was still with him. Knowing he would disappear if I didn't act fast, I changed my line in the final corner to catch him out, and block passed onto the start finish straight. I was then able to defend again until the end.

The grid was reversed for heat 2 so I was now down in 14th with Liam one place ahead and the winner of heat 1, Wyndham, dead last. Tactic right away was to hope I could deal with the 12 cars ahead better than Liam and Wyndham could to have a lead to defend at the end of the race. I got unlucky at the start and Liam bolted away, but Wyndham was still behind. By the time me and Liam were clear, he had a lead half the length of the pit straight so I set about trying to close the gap. It was shrinking before I was nearly put into the wall by a backmarker moving across the start straight kink. I had to brake, and Wyndham capitalised by passing us both. My race fell flat here, as I just tried to maintain a gap in case they both had a collision ahead, and when another backmarker nearly put me into the pitlane! Wyndham caught and passed Liam, which was good news for me as I was therefore going to start second in the final rather than third.

We had a break here, and when I left the pitlane the kart felt wrong. It could barely move it's own weight as the left engine kept stalling. The marshals brought out a new kart for me though, much to the concern of my rivals thinking I had requested the change for more power!!!

When the race got started, I was again hoping for second knowing Wyndham was too quick. The kart felt really awful, which I put down to it not being used and therefore tyres being cooler. I nearly had a big accident in one of the corners which had been flat out before, and was really defending at this point. It was on lap 2 though that I noticed Wyndham ahead really struggling as well and quickly remembered the feeling from warm up - Rain!!! I backed right off the pace, but in fact I started to close up to the back of Wyndham and put him under pressure. He really struggled and on lap 5 he spun off and gifted me the lead. Liam had also struggled and so I had a great lead as well. I concentrated on keeping the right way around, not getting dragged into races with backmarkers and monitoring the gap back to challengers. I made 1 stupid mistake halfway through in trying something new and felt daft afterwards for doing so, but I maintained my lead and the gap as well. With it being a timed race, I had no idea how long had been run when I saw that Liam had closed right up to the back of me. I had a bit of pace spare, but he was in a rhythm which I had to defend and hope I could upset until the finish. Fortunately, I didn't have long and the chequered flag fell just as Liam felt ready to make his attack. He said afterwards he had picked a point over the last 2 laps where he would make his move on the next lap, and I was very thankful he didn't get that chance!

A brilliant day, a very fortunate win thanks to the British weather and an evening I don't fully remember :)

116qafq.jpg
 
You're lucky! We are only getting 3-10 karts per class at my club.
It's a bit said considering just 2 years ago it was more like 8-16...
Is this at Oakleigh or Tood Rd? I know you've told me before but I can't remember. :dunce:

Edit: Or was it Morwell?
 
@pezzarinho17 - sounds like you had a blast! Well done!

Is this at Oakleigh or Tood Rd? I know you've told me before but I can't remember. :dunce:

Edit: Or was it Morwell?
3rd times the charm! Morwell is struggling for numbers at the moment but there seems to be a few new/returning people showing up now and again. Hopefully it picks up.
 
What about just numbers in general? Because I remember it was dropping when I was in karts.
Also how come you're stopping racing?
 
What about just numbers in general? Because I remember it was dropping when I was in karts.
Also how come you're stopping racing?
Depends where you go. Golden Power Series is going up, most Vic series are pretty steady but I think nationals were a bit down.
As for club racing, it seems like there are too many clubs for the number of people racing. All seem to have low to moderate turnouts.

As for me, I am out of money. Not stopping, more putting it on hold. Definately won't be doing anymore of the GPS, unfortunately. Maybe some opens and club days.

I am trying to get into the car side of Motorsport at the moment. Well and truly too big for a go kart now. But it is good fun!
 
It also seemed to me that they had too many classes with only a few in each, except juniors which was always packed.
Get into cars! I'm racing this weekend at Sandown this weekend actually :) You should come down sometime and check it out!
 
It also seemed to me that they had too many classes with only a few in each, except juniors which was always packed.
Get into cars! I'm racing this weekend at Sandown this weekend actually :) You should come down sometime and check it out!
I might be able to make it up there this weekend but if you send me a PM when you are racing and I'll try get up there for a look.

Edit:
On a separate topic, my new suit, boots and rims come up good in pics (IMO)
lCghzD3.jpg
 
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Hey guys, I've been reading you for quite a while, because I am a recreational karting maniac. I don't own a kart, but I go to go kart track in my vicinity, here is the website with layout. http://kczagreb.hr/
In Zagreb there two more places to drive, but this is the only real track in radius of 30 kilometers (20 miles).

In a couple of hours (now its 8 AM here) I will have fist race day ever. Its organized under Faculty of Mechanical engineering, Zagreb and it is an annual event, held 10th time in succession. I have no time to type essays, as I have to pack my things up to go there.... so I will only give you a (google) translated version of rule book.

Teams
Teams consist of four drivers, and race driving for 40 minutes while the one
race change all four drivers. Changing drivers will perform a special
space on the track (BOX). The largest number of teams in each race will be defined
subsequently, provided that it can not be more than 10.

Drivers briefing... Q&A

Qualifications

Every driver before the race, on the day of competition, a mandatory training for tryout
karts and tracks for 5 min. During the training will be measured during and
will be for each driver to determine the fastest lap time. The three best times
one team (of three drivers) will add up and will get time team that will
be relevant in determining the starting positions in the race. Training schedule will be
determined before the event and posted on the bulletin board. Number of karts that these
driving training will be determined by ballot, and he may not be the same as the number of
karts which will drive the team in the race.

Race
Not translated; there will be pre-start, one warm up lap and if all drivers are aligned pretty much in the same position (2 meters between two karts), race starts.

Translated, big chunk of text:
Accordingly, it is forbidden to deliberately hitting any kart from behind,
sideways or otherwise. If the starter and the clerk remarked that
there was a deliberate hitting a driver then those drivers who performed
Hitting get a warning. If the kicking team will again be excluded from
race. While driving is prohibited in terms of shortening the paths crossing over
grass.
If the clerk noticed some kind of shortening the track, the team that is
made to assign the sentence will be stopped for 10 seconds, which should be
carried out on a specially designated place. The team can opt out of succession of if
trim tracks performed at extremely unsportsmanlike manner (intentionally shortening paths
more than 50 m) or if Reefing track driver took a better place and can not after
it returned.

Rules about ovetaking, F1 rules, you know them ;)


Driver change
During the race every team will do this three times modify the driver, and in this
So each of the four drivers to drive part of the race. Changing drivers will take place in
a special place on the track, BOX-in (Figure 1 space marked by the blue line).
Changing drivers will take place in designated time periods.
The time period begins sometime around the 10th, 20th and 30th minute of the race, depending on
variation of the order. Each team has three rounds to do modify driver.



Thats all about rules and regulations, there is more actually, but no need to c/p if nobody will be interested in reading this, I guess.
I'm in a good team, there will be a race of 11 teams. Its not good if you have big expectations, but I think our teams can be on the podium :P
Usual lap times are about 42-43 secs, I am going 41.4 with much space to improve the laptime. I think I am in the top 3 or 4, based on times. There is a girl in my team, she is doing 40.4, she has a racing background, so I understand why she is so fast. She says to me the key is to drive flat out on all corners, but I dont think that is physically possible on the first corner.

The karts are, unfortunately, 270cc, four stroke, limited to 50 km/h. Oh well.
Wish me luck and to be cool minded, as I will be the first driver, I'll start the race. Will be posting after all this ends. Thanks for reading and and till next time, cheers!
 
It was a lot of fun! It was a very long day this saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm.

This is how it went:
09:30
I am meeting up with my teammates at karting center. We have some paperwork to do, entry forms, registration fee...
10:30
Drivers briefing before the start of the cup. We were going through the rule book once again.
11:00
Drawing balls which kart we will racing with... Our team of four picked #8 kart, which turned out to be the slowest around the track in qualifying sessions because of some mechanical issues on it. The qualifications were good, except the fact we were slowest. We managed in 4 qualifying sessions to be within 8 tenths of a second behind the fastest team.
11:30 - 13:00
At this time there was nothing important happening. To fill in the space, we ate fast food and chatted, discussing the tactics for the upcoming race. A girl I mentioned you before, she wanted me to be the first to race because she knew I was good enough to be fast, to beat the tension, excitation and whatnot. I'm a neutral Bob B-spec driver, in GT5 language.
14:30
Start of the race!
1 warm up lap and a rolling start if stewards think everything is clear, the race is about to begin. I don't know how to translate one figure of speech, it is used when somebody is very determined, focused on a mission and he just needs a signal to fire up the engines to go... I hope you get it, that was me just before the marshals waving flag for the start.
I was starting from behind, second to last of 11 on track and I had a good view ahead of me what was going on. I saw a fight of three in the last corner of the track, the longish left corner, it is taken flatout.
They were on the inside of the curve and, as it goes in battles, you lose some speed to other drivers who have a clear track in front of them. Sort of. I took that opportunity and overtook 2 of them from the outside, while I was dangereously close to the high red-white curbs to my right. Inside, I was thrilled and content, but I knew this was just the beginning of the 40 minute race with driver replacements after 10 minutes...
From that point, my racing was pretty much in a blur, and I say, literally in a blur. Back at karting center, you are obliged to either take your own helmet or you take one from one of their many shelves. So I took one and never had I thought in what troubles would I be. It got loose on my head and I nearly lost it in racing. That would cost me a lot of time, as I would been flagged at to pit in to get a new helmet. Furthermore, because of moving helmet nature, the balaclava underneath was going up and down my forehead, hurting my eye vision very, very, bad. (to mention, the balaclava was not like the one used in real racing, but more like the one used in medicine, I don't know if it is used there, but it reminds me of it). Whenever I was on the straight, I found enough time to put back things were they belong.
While battling with myself I did not lose any pace, in fact, I crawled up to 6th place, meaning I overtook 2 more karts. Yeah, I know this sounds like a fisherman fairytales (I caught a 600 pound fish with a bamboo stick...), but it really was like that. However, I wasn't long holding the 6th position, one kart passed me, but I was right behind him, right up in his a**, waiting for the right time. Even with all this situations, I was really enjoying and having fun, because it is all part of racing. Finding the best line to go through a corner, watching out where your opponents are, observing the next two guys in front, what they do, trying to position your body when approaching fast left-right sweepers... It was very enjoyable.
I do not know what times was I doing, because the monitors were in the karting center headquarters building, not available for display to us. Not that they din't want you to see, but they haven't thought of something like that. I'd say I was in time of the first two karts, but lost some in track battles...
That is how my stint passed in ten minutes. My replacement wasn't of any help. What I gained in my stint, he lost it, even was on the verge of being 11th. Fortunately, somehow, he gained one position... But it was his driving style, he was going wide on almost every corner, drifting, he clearly hasn't got that feel. Anyhow, other two teammates and I knew he is not Jim Clark, so we can't really be pissed that much.
In the last two stints, we were back in the middle of the pack. Gained three positions with good, aggresive driving, especially that could be seen with our girl teammate, she almost set set the fastest laptime, losing only by 16 hundreds of a second. I think the fastest was 41.973... (it was slower than when we trained for this cup, because they prepared new karts).
The race ended at about quarter past 3 pm, without knowing in what place did we finish. At that time we thought we were 5th. So, "knowing" that, we were in different mindset, there were no big smiles, no grins, just one-liners: "You were good girl, I'm proud of you chaps, no matter what happended there etc.
15:30
The results were on the paper board and ready to be seen. All of a sudden, happy faces, hugs and feelings of joy, thrill was in the air. We finished as third! Tell you why we thought we were 5th. Because this is first time the organizers joint students race with Faculty employees race, but still they are independent when looking overall leaderboard. I don't know how it flew out of our minds...
16:30
Winner announcements, trophy giving, standing on the mini podium, getting photoed by others, it was all part of the race day. We were so, so happy with the outcome, the race itself was good, but not better than getting to know better my collegues, I should call them friends now, meeting new interesting people, chatting with your future professors not just about their subjects and so on...

The end
After the race, I felt backpain. Eventually found one bruise and some red parts on my back from plastic seats. I could use a sponge, but then I would be too close to the wheel... We decided each of us have the trophy for two or three weeks and then we would hand it to other teammate :D Small joys :D

Thanks for reading! :)

EDIT:

This is the video of the track layout used when I raced, with faster, water cooled Sodi 250 karts... ;)
 
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