Karting Thread
- Thread starter lbsf1
- 1,546 comments
- 84,681 views
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Go and ask them, 14bhp is pretty good the would be pretty fast.
I finished my last race 4th out of 18 however due to the fact that loads of people crashed right infront of me so I had to take evasive action cutting the chicane. (I didn't unfairly overtake or gain advantage over anyone who wasn't involved in this accident) however after the race the 3 of us who cut the chicane were docked a lap so dropped down to 14th. Even though I finished 14th in the results to me I know I did actually finish 4th.
Well done Dotini for the win, as you said preperation is very important, There is a guy at our track who's kart is always a mess always dirty and I'm sure he never does as well because of the fact he is running around the whole time trying to get the kart to work.
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Sorry about the double post. Don't know what happened I edited it to add the race report and it reposted it again.
Thanks for the kind words, I'm racing again this weekend at blackbushe it looks like its gonna rain heavily and thats where I feel comfortable and tend to do well.
Thanks for the kind words, I'm racing again this weekend at blackbushe it looks like its gonna rain heavily and thats where I feel comfortable and tend to do well.
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
It's good to be good in the rain. I set in the rear tires a bit, and of course use Rain-X on my visor and a Fog City inside of my visor.
One of the things that makes driving in the rain "seem" easier is that it takes less arm strength and physical endurance. Is it just barely possible that you could improve your performance in the dry with a program of increased fitness?
Respectfully,
Dotini
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Yeah I did my first race in the rain then wondered why my second race that was in the dry I was so tired afterwards. Just looked at the weather forcast and now the rain has decided to come in one allmightly storm at about 1pm so I should get some heats in the dry then maybe the final in the wet.
- 4
- evilcybrosis
Wahey, first post on here and a good place to introduce myself:tup:,
I too, am a karter. Currently race in Easykart and have travelled all over the UK and Europe to race karts. Here's me in Italy last year:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I've also won numerous races back home with the Formula Blue NKRA British Championship being my biggest acheivement which I won in 2008.
I too, am a karter. Currently race in Easykart and have travelled all over the UK and Europe to race karts. Here's me in Italy last year:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I've also won numerous races back home with the Formula Blue NKRA British Championship being my biggest acheivement which I won in 2008.
Blake
Premium
- 10,976
- NSW, Australia
- haswell00
Welcome Evil-Cybrosis, good to see another karter around. 👍
What is everyone planning for this year? I know Dotini is racing at Laguna Seca this weekend, which sounds like it will be a pretty awesome meeting. I found a video of a 125cc shifter doing a lap of Laguna for anyone interested:
I've moved from the Restricted TAG 125 class to the (Open) TAG 125 and Rotax classes this year. This year my main plans are to contest all but 1 of the club championship rounds at my local club Newcastle in the TAG 125 class, to compete in the NSW State Cup (North) and the TAG Super Series. I'll also do a round of the Rotax Pro Tour.
We've already had one round of our club championship and I finished 2nd, but it was very much out of luck. My engine seems to be lacking a massive amount of power and it doesn't feel like the power valve is opening. We've tried a bunch of things to get it working and nothing seems to be helping. I'm doing 1 final test day tomorrow before sending it off to the engine builder because the engine is so slow it's over a second off the pace.
What is everyone planning for this year? I know Dotini is racing at Laguna Seca this weekend, which sounds like it will be a pretty awesome meeting. I found a video of a 125cc shifter doing a lap of Laguna for anyone interested:
I've moved from the Restricted TAG 125 class to the (Open) TAG 125 and Rotax classes this year. This year my main plans are to contest all but 1 of the club championship rounds at my local club Newcastle in the TAG 125 class, to compete in the NSW State Cup (North) and the TAG Super Series. I'll also do a round of the Rotax Pro Tour.
We've already had one round of our club championship and I finished 2nd, but it was very much out of luck. My engine seems to be lacking a massive amount of power and it doesn't feel like the power valve is opening. We've tried a bunch of things to get it working and nothing seems to be helping. I'm doing 1 final test day tomorrow before sending it off to the engine builder because the engine is so slow it's over a second off the pace.
- 521
- Northern Ireland
- GTP_Rutter200
- What?
I really want to start karting but money is the stumbling block. Guess I'll be doing arrive drives for a while yet until i get 6 numbers!
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Karting can be done suprisingly cheaply. You could get away with 1500 a year for tkm, racing once a month. However you would have to buy the kart also for another roughly 1000. However where there's a will there's a way.
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
It's a little premature to fully answer that question, as my pix and video are still in the process of collection, editing and uploading with Niky's able assistance.
But, in short, it was fabulous! No problems on the two day trip down, perfect weather with no fog, and astonishing results!!
There were about 100 karts of multiple classes, entered in 4 groups. The format was essentially three 20 minute heats for each group, with the final "A Main", winner-take-all.
In the final, I was gridded 21st out of 23, with only one other kart in my class of 80cc Laydown, my good friend Blair whose kart was festooned with no fewer than five videocams and 2 sound recorders. He started 20th. We had 22 hp and 6-speed gearboxes. The others were mostly 125 TAGs and Rotaxes with 28hp and clutches. Some of these were multiple-time winners of the IKF National Championship for their class, real hot-shoes!
We took off and started to scythe through the sit-ups. I was in good form and caught the leaders with 3 laps to go. After exchanging positions two or three times with the leader, I won by about 0.5 second. Blair spun in turn 3 trying to keep up with me. I never spun or touched another competitor all day. I received a nice trophy on a heavy stone base and a $20 gift certificate. My fastest lap was 1:45.794
I can say that the corkscrew was absolutely surreal in its beauty and uniqueness, but was fairly easy if you followed the line. However, the Rainey curve is a stern test of everything you've got, including physical strength.
Respectfully submitted,
Dotini
- 4
- evilcybrosis
What uni do you go to? Reason I ask is because your uni might be involved in the British Universities Karting Championship.
www.bukc.co.uk
I use to do it when I was at Oxford Brookes. It's an awesome and competitive championship, they use what are probably the best hire karts in the country (Club 100) and most people turn up on raceday with a hangover.
Racing and Booze, what more do you want as a student!
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Racing and Booze, what more do you want as a student!
Women, drugs and passing grades?
Dotini
(Banned)
- 15,742
- Seattle
- CR80_Shifty
Here is some recent karting video from the famous Laguna Seca circuit. This is the final, winner-take-all A-Main event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pebiuO2Cvg
My friend Blair had his kart fitted with a number of videocams and sound recorders. We started 20th and 21st with our 22hp six-speed 80cc Laydowns in a field of largely 28hp TaG clutch karts. All the karts here must weight >410 lbs at the finish.
Unfortunately, my friend spun in turn 3. My luck was better, as I worked my way to the front of the 20 minute event, had a pitched battle with a multi-time national champion, and won by 0.5 seconds. I received a nice trophy on a heavy stone base, and a $20 gift certificate. My fasted lap was 1:45.79
Here's the video from the 2nd practice session. Pardon my French at the scales!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiy2rEa4oIQ
My friend Blair had his kart fitted with a number of videocams and sound recorders. We started 20th and 21st with our 22hp six-speed 80cc Laydowns in a field of largely 28hp TaG clutch karts. All the karts here must weight >410 lbs at the finish.
Unfortunately, my friend spun in turn 3. My luck was better, as I worked my way to the front of the 20 minute event, had a pitched battle with a multi-time national champion, and won by 0.5 seconds. I received a nice trophy on a heavy stone base, and a $20 gift certificate. My fasted lap was 1:45.79
Here's the video from the 2nd practice session. Pardon my French at the scales!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiy2rEa4oIQ
- 15,994
- United Kingdom
- haitch40
- Xbox?
What uni do you go to? Reason I ask is because your uni might be involved in the British Universities Karting Championship.
www.bukc.co.uk
I use to do it when I was at Oxford Brookes. It's an awesome and competitive championship, they use what are probably the best hire karts in the country (Club 100) and most people turn up on raceday with a hangover.
Racing and Booze, what more do you want as a student!
I dont yet im doing A levels.
However that looks good.
Although could imagine the CV.
Failed uni but got a seat in formula renault.
Last edited:
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Not quite up to Lagua Seca, but I took a group of Graduate new hires indoor karting last week as a social event.
I've done a fair amount of karting in the past (couple of seasons of pro karts and a heap of indoor and outdoor social stuff), but I've never come across such difficult conditions to drive in.
The circuit was in a disused warehouse, and was the typical indood track... flat, featureless and pretty much just a series of 90* and 180* corners. However, the floor was polished concrete and due to a rapid change in air temperature late in the day, it was covered in condensation.
Most times you can jump in indoor karts and they are pretty much flat all the way once the tyres warm up, but these were super tricky even if you knew what you were doing. With massive understeer on the way in and massive oversteer on the way out, the only way to drive them was to brake softly, early and in a straight line, and then give them an extra hard stab of brakes when turning in to swing the rear round and kill the understeer... even then it was a bit of a lottery.
For the newbies they were almost undrivable and I saw a few of them do lovely 720* spins after braking whilst still turning... in the final, I completed 25 laps in the 15 minutes and 22 of those laps had yellow flags at some point on the track... never have a set of marshalls worked so hard in one night
I've done a fair amount of karting in the past (couple of seasons of pro karts and a heap of indoor and outdoor social stuff), but I've never come across such difficult conditions to drive in.
The circuit was in a disused warehouse, and was the typical indood track... flat, featureless and pretty much just a series of 90* and 180* corners. However, the floor was polished concrete and due to a rapid change in air temperature late in the day, it was covered in condensation.
Most times you can jump in indoor karts and they are pretty much flat all the way once the tyres warm up, but these were super tricky even if you knew what you were doing. With massive understeer on the way in and massive oversteer on the way out, the only way to drive them was to brake softly, early and in a straight line, and then give them an extra hard stab of brakes when turning in to swing the rear round and kill the understeer... even then it was a bit of a lottery.
For the newbies they were almost undrivable and I saw a few of them do lovely 720* spins after braking whilst still turning... in the final, I completed 25 laps in the 15 minutes and 22 of those laps had yellow flags at some point on the track... never have a set of marshalls worked so hard in one night
Blake
Premium
- 10,976
- NSW, Australia
- haswell00
I mentioned earlier I was planning to compete in the NSW State Cup (Northern Zone) and we had the first round of that this weekend at Tamworth.
I was competing in Rotax Heavy. In qualifying I came 3rd, missing out on 2nd by a few hundredths of a second. In ran 3rd through the heats and the pre-final, I could match the driver in 2nd but I was a few tenths off the leader so he ran away through those races.
We had some rain on Saturday night though which meant the track would be a bit greener for my final on Sunday, which was perfect for me because I'm struggling to take grip out of my kart at the moment.
So for the final my kart was a bit more driveable than it was in the qualifying races and I had pace to match the leader. I got a bit lucky in the first corner and was able to slot into 2nd which is where I finished. I matched the leader for all but about 3 laps in the middle part of the race, and those laps ended up costing me because in the last 2 laps I had quite a bit of pace so if I was closer maybe I could have been able to do something.
Anyway, very very happy with that weekend. Here is the onboard video from the final:
[youtubehd]uyVYC6cMO-s[/youtubehd]
I was competing in Rotax Heavy. In qualifying I came 3rd, missing out on 2nd by a few hundredths of a second. In ran 3rd through the heats and the pre-final, I could match the driver in 2nd but I was a few tenths off the leader so he ran away through those races.
We had some rain on Saturday night though which meant the track would be a bit greener for my final on Sunday, which was perfect for me because I'm struggling to take grip out of my kart at the moment.
So for the final my kart was a bit more driveable than it was in the qualifying races and I had pace to match the leader. I got a bit lucky in the first corner and was able to slot into 2nd which is where I finished. I matched the leader for all but about 3 laps in the middle part of the race, and those laps ended up costing me because in the last 2 laps I had quite a bit of pace so if I was closer maybe I could have been able to do something.
Anyway, very very happy with that weekend. Here is the onboard video from the final:
[youtubehd]uyVYC6cMO-s[/youtubehd]
- 7,424
- I Hate Stalkers
- gogatrs
Hey everyone.
I'm 14 and I just got my parents got me a chassis over the winter. Were going to put a Rotax Junior engine on it in a month or two.
I'm in New England and F1 Outdoors (near Boston) is going to be my home track.
I've done quite a bit of indoor karting at GPNY and I'm quite good, I'm only a couple hundredths of a second off of the lap record for one of their tracks.
I'm going to run mostly club races this summer, learn the tracks and the kart. Get some tuning set ups.
Any suggestions?
I'm 14 and I just got my parents got me a chassis over the winter. Were going to put a Rotax Junior engine on it in a month or two.
I'm in New England and F1 Outdoors (near Boston) is going to be my home track.
I've done quite a bit of indoor karting at GPNY and I'm quite good, I'm only a couple hundredths of a second off of the lap record for one of their tracks.
I'm going to run mostly club races this summer, learn the tracks and the kart. Get some tuning set ups.
Any suggestions?
- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
What chassis is it, could you post some pics?
It would make it easier for me to give advice and documents if I knew what make, is it an otk chassis (tonykart, alonso kart and others), or birel or Gillard?
Also how much mechanical knowledge do you have?
Junior rotax is what I race, so if you need a question answered about it then just ask me and I'll try to answer it.
Good luck, karting is a great sport. I love every minute of it and I'm sure you will aswell. You learn so much about engineering in such a fun way.
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