I Went Karting Today!
Discussion
Evening Everyone
I have always enjoyed doing the odd bit of go-karting here and there over the years. It has mainly been done at Daytona Sandown on there twin engine, four stroke, pro-karts. There pretty quick for rental karts and they handle ok. In short there good for a laugh!
Today however was slightly different
A mate at work owns a 2 stroke 125cc Rotax Kart. Now these are a completley different kettle of fish to the Pro Karts. They are single engine and 2 stroke for starters.
Now my mate mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that he was going on a testing day to Lydd Raceway in Kent and knowing that I enjoyed anything with an engine asked if I wanted to come along and maybe get a few laps in. I jumped at the opportunity and said I would be definitley be there.
Fast forward to this weekend. Friday night I went out in London for a friends birthday, had lots to drink and got back to a mates at about 2am. I was up at 8am and trundled off home to laze around all day. Saturday night I went out in London for a work night out, had even more to drink then Friday night and got home about 2am. I woke up about 10.30ish, sat around for a bit (drank lots of water), had a bacon sandwich, showered and then headed off to Kent for some go-karting feeling a little worse for wear!
I finally arrived about 1.30pm and my mate had been there since about 8am getting in plenty of laps readying himself for the start of the season. I sat and watched for a couple of hours while drinking even more water and eating whatever greasy food the cafe came up with
By about 3pm my mate had decided that I was looking healthy enough to try a few laps so I borrowed a race suit from Lydd Raceway and prepared myself. My mate took the kart out for 5-6 laps to warm up the tyres and when he came back into the pits he had a quick chat with me. I was told to take it easy and to get out of the way of the faster karts when I heard them coming. Oh and the most important thing! DONT BLOODY CRASH IT! He has so little faith
So I jumped in and hit the first problem! I am a phat b
d and the seat is designed for the more aerodynamic gentleman! Thankfully with a bit of careful wiggling and lots of breathing in, I managed to sqeeze in So the kart was started and with a nervous thumbs up, off I went.
Now as soon as I got onto the track the first thing I had to do (and I'm sure everyone else would do the same) is floor it, just to see what I was dealing with. Well, the language that came out of my mouth was a bit fruitful shall we say! This kart went like there was no tomorrow!
Lydd Raceway is quite a long track with a couple of short straights and lots of corners. At the end of the back straight there is a sweeping right hander which brings you onto the pit straight. The idea of this corner is to brake just before and then power round it and floor it as you hit the straight. Well on my first lap I floored it slightly early and started doing a Tokyo Drift style drift, which I nearly managed to keep going ;D but then I lost it and spun
Thankfully that was my only spin and off I went gradually getting faster lap after lap. After 8 or 9 laps I was really starting to ache and I was finding it difficult to keep up with the speed of the kart, so I did the 10th lap and came in the pits.
I had a huge cheesy grin on my face when I got out, but my kidneys (which had had the seat digging into them the whole time) were killing me!
The intention had been to go out again a bit later on but just as we were getting ready the heavens opened and it starting pissing it down! My mate wasnt interested in going out in the rain and I was in no state to try and drive it in the wet, so we called it a day and went home. Before I left my mate said I was more than welcome to come along testing whenever I wanted, but maybe dont drink yourself stupid the night before ;D
So, all in all I had a brilliant day even though I only did 10 laps! I would highly reccommend it to anyone and everyone and I will definitley be going again!
So what did everyone else do with there weekend?
Cheers
Sammo
I have always enjoyed doing the odd bit of go-karting here and there over the years. It has mainly been done at Daytona Sandown on there twin engine, four stroke, pro-karts. There pretty quick for rental karts and they handle ok. In short there good for a laugh!
Today however was slightly different
A mate at work owns a 2 stroke 125cc Rotax Kart. Now these are a completley different kettle of fish to the Pro Karts. They are single engine and 2 stroke for starters.
Now my mate mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that he was going on a testing day to Lydd Raceway in Kent and knowing that I enjoyed anything with an engine asked if I wanted to come along and maybe get a few laps in. I jumped at the opportunity and said I would be definitley be there.
Fast forward to this weekend. Friday night I went out in London for a friends birthday, had lots to drink and got back to a mates at about 2am. I was up at 8am and trundled off home to laze around all day. Saturday night I went out in London for a work night out, had even more to drink then Friday night and got home about 2am. I woke up about 10.30ish, sat around for a bit (drank lots of water), had a bacon sandwich, showered and then headed off to Kent for some go-karting feeling a little worse for wear!
I finally arrived about 1.30pm and my mate had been there since about 8am getting in plenty of laps readying himself for the start of the season. I sat and watched for a couple of hours while drinking even more water and eating whatever greasy food the cafe came up with
By about 3pm my mate had decided that I was looking healthy enough to try a few laps
so I borrowed a race suit from Lydd Raceway and prepared myself. My mate took the kart out for 5-6 laps to warm up the tyres and when he came back into the pits he had a quick chat with me. I was told to take it easy and to get out of the way of the faster karts when I heard them coming. Oh and the most important thing! DONT BLOODY CRASH IT! He has so little faith So I jumped in and hit the first problem! I am a phat b
d and the seat is designed for the more aerodynamic gentleman! Thankfully with a bit of careful wiggling and lots of breathing in, I managed to sqeeze in So the kart was started and with a nervous thumbs up, off I went.Now as soon as I got onto the track the first thing I had to do (and I'm sure everyone else would do the same) is floor it, just to see what I was dealing with. Well, the language that came out of my mouth was a bit fruitful shall we say! This kart went like there was no tomorrow!
Lydd Raceway is quite a long track with a couple of short straights and lots of corners. At the end of the back straight there is a sweeping right hander which brings you onto the pit straight. The idea of this corner is to brake just before and then power round it and floor it as you hit the straight. Well on my first lap I floored it slightly early and started doing a Tokyo Drift style drift, which I nearly managed to keep going ;D but then I lost it and spun
Thankfully that was my only spin and off I went gradually getting faster lap after lap. After 8 or 9 laps I was really starting to ache and I was finding it difficult to keep up with the speed of the kart, so I did the 10th lap and came in the pits.
I had a huge cheesy grin on my face when I got out, but my kidneys (which had had the seat digging into them the whole time) were killing me!
The intention had been to go out again a bit later on but just as we were getting ready the heavens opened and it starting pissing it down! My mate wasnt interested in going out in the rain and I was in no state to try and drive it in the wet, so we called it a day and went home. Before I left my mate said I was more than welcome to come along testing whenever I wanted, but maybe dont drink yourself stupid the night before ;D
So, all in all I had a brilliant day even though I only did 10 laps! I would highly reccommend it to anyone and everyone and I will definitley be going again!
So what did everyone else do with there weekend?
Cheers
Sammo
Sounds like you had a good time!
I've been karting few times but only pay and play karts.
Last time was last weekend in the rain - not my idea, just helping out!
I got wet, very wet! But good fun anyway!
First time I went on an indoor kart, few years ago, I got pulled of the track because I was sliding all over the place trying to warm up the tyres.
They asked what I was doing - I said trying to warm up the tyres - they looked blank.
They asked what was the last thing you drove with slicks?
I was able to answer, honestly, a Lola F5000.
They said: err ok carry on.
I have since learn that they use rock hard slicks on rent-a-karts!
I've been karting few times but only pay and play karts.
Last time was last weekend in the rain - not my idea, just helping out!
I got wet, very wet! But good fun anyway!
First time I went on an indoor kart, few years ago, I got pulled of the track because I was sliding all over the place trying to warm up the tyres.
They asked what I was doing - I said trying to warm up the tyres - they looked blank.
They asked what was the last thing you drove with slicks?
I was able to answer, honestly, a Lola F5000.
They said: err ok carry on.
I have since learn that they use rock hard slicks on rent-a-karts!
skeggysteve said:
Sounds like you had a good time!
I've been karting few times but only pay and play karts.
Last time was last weekend in the rain - not my idea, just helping out!
I got wet, very wet! But good fun anyway!
First time I went on an indoor kart, few years ago, I got pulled of the track because I was sliding all over the place trying to warm up the tyres.
They asked what I was doing - I said trying to warm up the tyres - they looked blank.
They asked what was the last thing you drove with slicks?
I was able to answer, honestly, a Lola F5000.
They said: err ok carry on.
I have since learn that they use rock hard slicks on rent-a-karts!
I have never been indoor karting but I have heard its a good laugh I've been karting few times but only pay and play karts.
Last time was last weekend in the rain - not my idea, just helping out!
I got wet, very wet! But good fun anyway!
First time I went on an indoor kart, few years ago, I got pulled of the track because I was sliding all over the place trying to warm up the tyres.
They asked what I was doing - I said trying to warm up the tyres - they looked blank.
They asked what was the last thing you drove with slicks?
I was able to answer, honestly, a Lola F5000.
They said: err ok carry on.
I have since learn that they use rock hard slicks on rent-a-karts!
I did my work experience (a long time ago) at Daytona Sandown and I remember being told by one of the mechanics that they use the hardest slicks you can buy so they hardly ever have to replace them hehe!
you can pick up a rough and ready rotax max for £1000 if you have caught the bug, for testing and general tomfoolery they cant be beaten. race ready karts are a bit more but if you only want something to use once a month for fun, its the way to go. the main reason i bought my kart was becuase i could afford to buy, run and maintain a track day car but probably not pay for the track days themselves.. so close yet so far.... that it can be towed by a clio, fits neatly in the garage and is peanuts to run is a much reduced pressure on the wallet.
You want to get yourself in a KZ2, now they do go like stink http://www.youtube.com/user/nabkarting#p/u/1/l4XCs...
http://www.youtube.com/user/nabkarting#p/u/1/l4XCs...DBaldwin said:
You want to get yourself in a KZ2, now they do go like stink http://www.youtube.com/user/nabkarting#p/u/1/l4XCs...
i really need to test an aixro.... that video from daytona milton keynes is epic...http://www.youtube.com/user/nabkarting#p/u/1/l4XCs...pablo said:
you can pick up a rough and ready rotax max for £1000 if you have caught the bug, for testing and general tomfoolery they cant be beaten. race ready karts are a bit more but if you only want something to use once a month for fun, its the way to go. the main reason i bought my kart was becuase i could afford to buy, run and maintain a track day car but probably not pay for the track days themselves.. so close yet so far.... that it can be towed by a clio, fits neatly in the garage and is peanuts to run is a much reduced pressure on the wallet.
As much as I would love to buy one I just dont have the moneys at the moment. I have been trying to persuade my Brother to go halves with me but he doesnt fancy it Gassing Station | UK Club Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff