Karting - Any advice to be quick

Karting - Any advice to be quick

Author
Discussion

Bad Ash

Original Poster:

85 posts

65 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I'm going to a Truxton on Friday with a few mates to drive the 13bhp 60mph karts.

It's a bit late to start a crash diet because I'm sure weight is a huge factor of vehicles that size, but other than that does anyone have some tips for a complete amateur?

Jazoli

9,214 posts

257 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Try to cheat the start by holding the accelerator and brake pedal down then release the brake when the lights change (the karting company won't like you doing this)

Be as smooth as possible and maintain as much momentum as you can as they are slow to accelerate.

A little nudge on the rear of your competitors whilst entering a corner will push them wide, although expect to be repaid the favour.

Most importantly keep your arms loose and your grip relaxed on the wheel as you'll otherwise get arm pump and be knackered after 10 minutes.

And have fun, 60mph feels very fast in a kart.

Bad Ash

Original Poster:

85 posts

65 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Jazoli said:
Try to cheat the start by holding the accelerator and brake pedal down then release the brake when the lights change (the karting company won't like you doing this).
One of the few times I have been karting I got a couple of warnings for doing that on the corners. I was sure I wasn't *shrug*

Cheers for the tips.

geeks

9,738 posts

146 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Fast in, faster out hehedriving

some bloke

1,202 posts

74 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Just try and get your times down.

aponting389

743 posts

185 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
grip as light as possible and let the front wheels straighten as soon as possible. smash the kerb on the right under the bridge where the marshalls cant see you. be 70kg.

David_M

418 posts

57 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Jazoli said:
Be as smooth as possible and maintain as much momentum as you can as they are slow to accelerate.
I am a very irregular (and unskilled) karter, but I have always thought that smooth was fastest and that the way to get there is to start slow, lap as smoothly as poss and then gradually increase speed.

Obv, if racing this is a no-strategy, but maybe if you get a practice session first might be worth taking it easy for a few laps and then build?

aponting389

743 posts

185 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
In the low grip, low power rental karts you want to get on it quick and try and get any type of heat into the rubber that you can

Bad Ash

Original Poster:

85 posts

65 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
It looks like its 8 mins practice, 8 lap heat & 10 lap final.

What's the best way to get some heat in the tyres, weaving side to side down the straights like they do in F1?

That said if there's a break between the practice and heat it's probably a waste of time, unless you get a lap warmup or something?

Benrad

650 posts

156 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Bad Ash said:
It looks like its 8 mins practice, 8 lap heat & 10 lap final.

What's the best way to get some heat in the tyres, weaving side to side down the straights like they do in F1?

That said if there's a break between the practice and heat it's probably a waste of time, unless you get a lap warmup or something?
Just lap as fast as you can and keep the speed up. If you've not karted much before then don't start trying to weave, it doesn't help much anyway

Keep steering inputs slow, try and be on the throttle at or before the apex (if you can't then you've probably entered the corner too quickly).

HustleRussell

25,205 posts

167 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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It’ll be wet? So your top priority must be to get all of your spinning and crashing out of the way in practice and qualifying. In corporate karting on slicks in the wet, being moderately quick and not spinning will probably be enough to win the thing.

ETA: if it’s dry, drive the lines. If it’s wet, drive anywhere but the line.