KARTING IS A BLAST!!

[MYNSX]

I went Karting last Sunday.And what a great time .It was an indoor track the Karts do about 40mph sliding throught the turns in a Kart that has a few protective bumpers on it.
$16/race or $10/race depending on your memdership or not.
If thats what the 40mph karts are like I'm sure the 125cc and 250cc one are amazing.And a totally different animal.
I was poking around on the internet and got some info that the 250cc karts (w/ major mod's) go as fast as 175MPH!!With 1/4 mile et's in the 9's!! Going as fast as 150mph thru the turns!!WOW!!And 0-60 in 2.5
That is again w/ major mods but the standard are 0-60 in 3.5 which is still amazing.
My hopes are to get licensed,practice and then graduate to the Formula One Mazda as a novice and get the agression out that way.
My friend Sean is a Mazda Formula driver and thats what he does for a living(not as fun as you may think) he is constantly training,airobic,light weight training,jogging 7-10 miles a day...IM GETTING TIRED ALREADY and of course very strict diet w/ like 5-10% body fat etc.etc.
Anyway I figure I'd share with you how to (safely?) get out some sweat when your bored.


[This message has been edited by MYNSX (edited 10 July 2002).]

[This message has been edited by MYNSX (edited 10 July 2002).]

 

[MYNSX]

.

 

[Dr.Honda]

did you go to F1 Indoor carting? I think it's a chain. Their carts are 200 cc hondas that are governed at 40-45 mph. You're right, it's a blast!

 

[MYNSX]

I think they are detuned and it was indoor
it's here in Pheonix called Speedway at 21st and University.
mynsx in az

 

[Tom Larkins]

If you enjoyed that try running the laydown type 2" off the asphalt w/ 2 cycle engine turning 14k next to your head. These are the type you refered to that run that speed. You may have already checked the web, but your major sanctioning orgs are the IKF (International Karting Federation) in the west and the WKA (World Karting Assoc.) in the east. Having raced these things for 10 years from Daytona to Portland OR, you may want to give enduro karting a shot. They race on most of the major road courses and and by far its the best bang for the buck if your willing to travel. Tons of practice on race weekends and 1 hr races.

 

[MYNSX]

Yea ,I did notice some of the karts were looking like they were in a recliner position.I'd like to go see some 125's and 250's run live on an outdoor track.Road racing specifically.
MYNSX IN AZ

 

[NSX2398]

I have been kart racing outdoors for about 4 years now. In Western Canada there are 3 popular classes .. a 4 cycle Honda class and 2 2-cycle classes - one uses 100 cc Yamaha engines with a wet oil-bath centrifugal clutch and the other is 125 cc with a 6 sp gearbox (usually called the 'shifter' class). I run the 100cc Yamaha class which puts out about 18 hp with a tuned pipe...doesn't sound like a lot but the hp/weight ratio is pretty good.

For a beginner, the 100cc class is the best in my opinion .. they can be scary fast and pull way more g's in the corners than you can get in most race cars. I've tried a shifter and had a headache after about 6 laps .. there's just too much to think about .. the power band is narrow; the corners aren't very far apart; all this while you work the gas and brakes and try to keep on the racing line. Just imagine an F1 race where the track is shrunk to a fraction of it's size but you still have to do all the work.

It'll take you many seasons to master even the 100cc karts and you'll have plenty of oppt'y for 4 wheel drifts; trail breaking; etc. The clutches don't lock up until about 9500 rpm so you basically have to use the gas either full on or off...and the earlier comment about 14grand rpm is pretty close .. and even in the regular more upright seats, your butt is only about an inch off the payment so everything goes by reeeally fast.

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91 Blk/Blk

 

[hejo]

Yes it's a total kick. If you're interested go here www.ekartingnews.com for an excellent karting forum.

 

[akira3d]

It was an indoor track the Karts do about 40mph sliding throught the turns in a Kart that has a few protective bumpers on it.

This sounds a lot like the configuration at Dromo 1.

I've tried the indoor thing and took an intro class driving 125cc shifter karts at Willow Springs. There's a lot of fun to be had doing either (racing IS racing after all), but I preferred the more serious feel of the shifter karts. Counting shifts does take a LOT of concentration (since there's no gauge indicating what gear you are in), but the clutchless shifting makes it feel more akin to Formula 1 style racing...and the shifter karts were a helluvalot faster than the speed regulated karts of Dromo 1. Also, the Dromo 1 indoor track is smaller and somewhat slick...whereas you'll stick to corners and feel all of the G's (or go flying into the gravel) at Willow Springs.



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--akira3D
'00 Acura NSX-T (red/black), '97 Honda Civic HX (black), '01 Lexus IS300 (black/black)
"Reality is better than the dream..."

akira3d.com/nsx

 

[hejo]

Originally posted by akira3d:
...but I preferred the more serious feel of the shifter karts.

Definitely more serious and for me much more fun than 100c class or even the rotax class.

..Counting shifts does take a LOT of concentration (since there's no gauge indicating what gear you are in), but the clutchless shifting makes it feel more akin to Formula 1 style racing

Funny because I shift without thinking about it. For me it's a feel thing that must come from when I raced motocross.

...and the shifter karts were a helluvalot faster than the speed regulated karts of Dromo 1.

I'd say they're a helluvalot faster than a lot of 4 wheelers classified at sports cars

...feel all of the G's (or go flying into the gravel) at Willow Springs.

Karts pull around 3.5gs so I'd say you'd feel that if you're on it.

Unfortunately the US karting is behind the rest of the world in the number and quality of tracks. If you ever get a chance to find a track in asia or europe to ride you should go for it. The ones I've gone to have been amazing.

 

[Tom Larkins]

Originally posted by hejo:
US karting is behind the rest of the world in the number and quality of tracks. If you ever get a chance to find a track in asia or europe to ride you should go for it. The ones I've gone to have been amazing.

Amen to all of what you said, the fact that it isn't as popular in the US is at the root of why most road racing in general has not been well received as a whole, excluding some of the traditional series. Only recently has it seemed to be taken serious what advantages kart racing offers as a ladder to bigger things.

 

[hejo]

For those into speed check out this video of a shifter kart from ekartingnews.com
http://www.ekartingnews.com/media/movies/memosears.mov

For more click here http://www.ekartingnews.com/media/main.html#

 

[GDFELLA]

I can't wait to go karting this weekend. I am sure it will be fun MYNSX. Say care to make some wagers on the races?

 

[MYNSX]

Yea,well we'll see who's sporting the bigger weiner.LOL

 

[GDFELLA]

hmm... weiner huh, that's not right