Indoor Karting Tips?

[garycat]

I'm going karting later today at an indoor track, so are there any tips to help get my lardy 16 stones to the front of the pack? The main problem is the start when everyone shoots past me.. can I hold it on the brake and give it just enough revs for the clutch to bite?

[markmullen]

Keep it off the brakes and not sideways, those are where you'll lose speed. At the first turn melee use other competitors as your brakes

Some more sportmanlike tips here http://www.evenflow.co.uk/articles.htm

[ironictwist]

Work on finding the perfect line rather than trying to powerslide like I did

[andy400]

TBH, in my experience - depending on who you're racing with, at 16st you've little chance of being at the front much. They just don't have the power to avoid being affected by the weight differences of the drivers. In my last race, it was only the fact that some of the other lads were utterly st drivers that enabled me to get third place with two much smaller-built drivers in front of me....

[OJ]

Yep, I'm 16-17 stone and been karting with my racing buddies who I'm at least as quick as in a Caterham and been lapped in the space of 20 minutes.

However been outdoor with my girlfriends friends who aren't racers and been 3rd fastest of the day.

The question is, how crap are your mates?

[andy400]

ironictwist said:

Work on finding the perfect line rather than trying to powerslide like I did

Powersliding so much fun though - hard to resist.....

[MrKipling43]

Nah, I was sixteen stone last time I went karting at an arrive and drive, started at the back of the grid thanks to mechanical failure in qually and still finished third with the fastest lap time.

Weight will affect you, but if you're a decent driver you'll be able to make it up in the bends.

Or, pray that it's wet... indoors. Somehow.

[markmullen]

MrKipling43 said:

Weight will affect you, but if you're a decent driver you'll be able to make it up in the bends.

I'm a big lad but on a longer race where there is more time to drive better than others I am usually in the top couple. On shorter races I am lower down due to the speed of the kart being more of an influence.

[shouldbworking]

You're doomed.

Weight is too much of a factor. Trying to take the correct lines in amauter races results in someone using your kart as a brake. If that doesnt happen the numerous stop / starts that occur as other accidents happen on track will mean you lose places due to poor acceleration.

[andy400]

MrKipling43 said:

Weight will affect you, but if you're a decent driver you'll be able to make it up in the bends.

Different karts, different tracks I guess. I'm no racing hero, but I was making up serious ground on the bends, only to see the smaller drivers pull away on the straights, with my foot so hard down I thought I was going to break my own ankle

Mind you, I also started last (sort of) due to a wipe-out on the first bend (cold tyres, obviously ), but still made it up to third out of ten and had very fast laps - perhaps I'd have won if the race had been a couple of laps longer.......

[Trixman]

Agree with the above posters, your buggered, as the weight difference will hinder you severely. Your only chance is your friends being completely useless, and you being very, very committed. The last few races I've won had not much to do with my ability, more to do with full commitment on quicker corners (and using the barriers on many occasions to 'straighten up' the line). Also plenty of block-passes on slower corners, as no matter how good you do the corner you won't have the speed to overtake on the exit.

[garycat]

ironictwist said:

Work on finding the perfect line rather than trying to powerslide like I did

I've got no chance of powersliding with my weight, maybe I can trail-brake into corners but my power to grip ratio will be massively in favour of grip.

Thanks for the evenflow link - good stuff there

[RobCrezz]

Its not worth doing the perfect racing line unless you have got a least a bit of a lead or someone will just come up the inside and push past. Indoor karting is meant to be non contact, but everyone gives the odd nudge

[Trixman]

hora said:

Use your weight by leaning OUT on the bends- Ive always leant inwards but if you use your weight properly the kart will stick like glue and thus scrub off less speed and need less brakes...

Im 15.5stone so need all the help I can get to!

I had this conversation with the guy I kart with, he was leading the Spanish junior national championship at one point so has plenty of experience. He argues it doesn't make a difference, and it's best to sit still (his crew also said the same, easier to do setup that way as less variables)... I've read everywhere it does, and you get more traction from the tyres that are turning you (i.e. the outside ones to the corner). I tried this in the last few sessions with him, sometimes leaning out, leaning in and staying still.... and as we are exactly the same speed I can say it didn't make any difference whatsoever. Possibly might on indoor though with less grip on the tyres?

[Ballin']

Lean forward.

Use your weight to your advantage and SHIFT it.

No drifting.

HTH.

[rhinochopig]

Trixman said:

hora said:

Use your weight by leaning OUT on the bends- Ive always leant inwards but if you use your weight properly the kart will stick like glue and thus scrub off less speed and need less brakes...

Im 15.5stone so need all the help I can get to!

I had this conversation with the guy I kart with, he was leading the Spanish junior national championship at one point so has plenty of experience. He argues it doesn't make a difference, and it's best to sit still (his crew also said the same, easier to do setup that way as less variables)... I've read everywhere it does, and you get more traction from the tyres that are turning you (i.e. the outside ones to the corner). I tried this in the last few sessions with him, sometimes leaning out, leaning in and staying still.... and as we are exactly the same speed I can say it didn't make any difference whatsoever. Possibly might on indoor though with less grip on the tyres?

I've always leant OUT to. It was a tip I was given by a chap who owned a Kart Track - ex racer. I've always found in gives much better cornering - I can hold a higher corner speed. I was told it worked because the kart doesn't have a diff. Could be bks, but it seems yo work for me. Last session I did, I came second out of a group of petrol heads, beating some much lighter guys who sprint.

The only caveat though is that the grippier the track and the faster the karts, the less difference I've found it makes. I suppose at 60-70mph on an outdoor circuit, centrifugal force is pushing your body weight over anyway.

[anonymous-user]

think of the lighter people ahead of you as your braking zone (this may not be useful more than 2-3 times if the kart place are a bit 'no contact'), you slow down and they get punted into the tyres.

[Mark.H]

yeah, dont worry about winning, have a good crack at powersliding, its much more fun!

[Trixman]

rhinochopig said:

I suppose at 60-70mph on an outdoor circuit, centrifugal force is pushing your body weight over anyway.

Very true, never thought of that, I've only done a few indoor so most experience is outdoor. Kind of spoils you I think, went to an indoor last year and seemed so small and over in minutes. This is the track I go to: http://www.kartingcampillos.com/opening%20engels.h... ... anyone coming down to southern Spain let me know and I'll take you up, largest track in Spain and karts are very quick.

[vz-r_dave]

If you end up spining dont be too hasty, last time I had some tt stop me in my tracks as I attempted to get away from a pile up. Enough gap to get through and he tacticly pulled forward to stop both of us. It was a quali for the finals and I ended up back of the grid with a shocking kart.

Its hard not to take it seriously tbh but do try and see the fun side of it if you can