Karting

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Dave Herbal said:
Went back again yesterday, a year down the line, and this time he was allowed on the adult karts. He came first, beating all the adults, and destroying my best lap by 11 seconds. He’s clearly a talented driver, but it got me wondering how much weight makes a difference? I did most of the track on full throttle, only really braking for the hairpin, but people were just sailing past me, even when I had the racing line, and were out of sight on the straights. I’m sure me being 260 lbs and the boy only 140 must have made some difference like (although it doesn’t explain how every other bloke kept overtaking me as well). I wonder how much regular practice would improve my times, even allowing for the weight penalty?
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Weight certainly impacts laptime
It slows acceleration and braking loads. Although it means you arrive at some corners at a lower speed, so sometimes you can take corners flat out
Also, you do get more grip, which sometimes helps.
 


I used to go to warden law but it’s a long time ago. The karts were 100cc 4 strokes so pretty gutless for adults. The track looks great now with elevation changes and it’s longer than it used to be.

Why not go and just have a look at it first and see what your young un’s reaction is. Some kids don’t like the speed noise thing.
 
Dave Herbal said:
Went back again yesterday, a year down the line, and this time he was allowed on the adult karts. He came first, beating all the adults, and destroying my best lap by 11 seconds. He’s clearly a talented driver, but it got me wondering how much weight makes a difference? I did most of the track on full throttle, only really braking for the hairpin, but people were just sailing past me, even when I had the racing line, and were out of sight on the straights. I’m sure me being 260 lbs and the boy only 140 must have made some difference like (although it doesn’t explain how every other bloke kept overtaking me as well). I wonder how much regular practice would improve my times, even allowing for the weight penalty?
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Maybe Dave, you might just be a shit driver.
 
duff_man said:
Maybe Dave, you might just be a shit driver.
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There is every possibility of this. However, I’ve seen shit drivers on there and they’re either dawdling along enjoying the day out, or spinning out all the time. I was doing everything right in principle, I think (turn in, clip the apex, power out), but everyone else was just so much quicker. People would go past me and I’d think right I’m following your exact line, but I didn’t have a hope of catching them. Accelerating out of every corner faster and toasting me on the straight. Maybe I just had a shit kart this time? Need to go again soon and see if I’m still as useless.
avacado said:
If he has his phone to use while driving he’ll have smashed the lap record.
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Yawn
 
15 stone is a lot in a kart. That’s why young kids who have some track awareness are so fast as they weigh nowt.

A sneaky trick (this might get you in trouble with the organisers) when you are accelerating bounce up and down in your seat - not violently- it helps you out of corners.
 
Father Jack Hackett said:
My mate from work nearly died and serious suffered brain damage at Warden Law when his took off and almost jacknifed. I've not been since.
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I had a pretty nasty crash there about 18 months back. After the start/finish straight I realised it was totally flat out all the way to the top left corner.
But trying to overtake someone just before that caused me to brake far too late, swapped ends under braking and went flat out, backwards, into the tyre wall. Tyres went all over, some landing on my head.
Took my breath away, but thankfully unhurt. Managed to take a moment then crack on again.

But it was, for me at least, a fairly high speed crash.

So you can get a canny speed up if you get the hang of the track. Oh, and not bin the fucker! :lol:
Big Jeff said:
15 stone is a lot in a kart. That’s why young kids who have some track awareness are so fast as they weigh nowt.

A sneaky trick (this might get you in trouble with the organisers) when you are accelerating bounce up and down in your seat - not violently- it helps you out of corners.
Click to expand...
Not sure if its a good idea or not, but with the lack of torque low end, I try to get on the power very early, as it doesn't really do owt for a few seconds.
 
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PTR said:
I had a pretty nasty crash there about 18 months back. After the start/finish straight I realised it was totally flat out all the way to the top left corner.
But trying to overtake someone just before that caused me to brake far too late, swapped ends under braking and went flat out, backwards, into the tyre wall. Tyres went all over, some landing on my head.
Took my breath away, but thankfully unhurt. Managed to take a moment then crack on again.

But it was, for me at least, a fairly high speed crash.

So you can get a canny speed up if you get the hang of the track. Oh, and not bin the fucker! :lol:

Not sure if its a good idea or not, but with the lack of torque low end, I try to get on the power very early, as it doesn't really do owt for a few seconds.
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I got warned at warden law - their hire karts were chain driven and I snapped two chains.

I wasn’t doing anything daft (not even bouncing in the seat) but two snapped.

I was told if it happened again I was off the track.
 
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Dave Herbal said:
There is every possibility of this. However, I’ve seen shit drivers on there and they’re either dawdling along enjoying the day out, or spinning out all the time. I was doing everything right in principle, I think (turn in, clip the apex, power out), but everyone else was just so much quicker. People would go past me and I’d think right I’m following your exact line, but I didn’t have a hope of catching them. Accelerating out of every corner faster and toasting me on the straight. Maybe I just had a shit kart this time? Need to go again soon and see if I’m still as useless.

Yawn
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It sounds like you aren’t as good a driver as you think you are.
 
Big Jeff said:
15 stone is a lot in a kart. That’s why young kids who have some track awareness are so fast as they weigh nowt.

A sneaky trick (this might get you in trouble with the organisers) when you are accelerating bounce up and down in your seat - not violently- it helps you out of corners.
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18.5 stone man :lol: And there’s too much to think about to bounce
duff_man said:
It sounds like you aren’t as good a driver as you think you are.
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Never said I was a good karter. It bears little resemblance to car driving. The trouble you have is that some people go quite regularly so they get good. Only going once a year you’re never going to be able to match them. Especially when your kart weighs an extra few stone.
Father Jack Hackett said:
My mate from work nearly died and serious suffered brain damage at Warden Law when his took off and almost jacknifed. I've not been since.
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Not sure how you do that mind. Must have been some crash. You’d think the helmet would protect against that though
 
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Dave Herbal said:
18.5 stone man :lol: And there’s too much to think about to bounce

Never said I was a good karter. It bears little resemblance to car driving. The trouble you have is that some people go quite regularly so they get good. Only going once a year you’re never going to be able to match them. Especially when your kart weighs an extra few stone.

Not sure how you do that mind. Must have been some crash. You’d think the helmet would protect against that though
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He was in a coma for a few weeks. I went with them the time before and wasn't present when it happened. Just received a call from Durham Police as I was the last number he'd called.
Apparently he took off and it flipped over.
100% truth.
 
PTR said:
I had a pretty nasty crash there about 18 months back. After the start/finish straight I realised it was totally flat out all the way to the top left corner.
But trying to overtake someone just before that caused me to brake far too late, swapped ends under braking and went flat out, backwards, into the tyre wall. Tyres went all over, some landing on my head.
Took my breath away, but thankfully unhurt. Managed to take a moment then crack on again.

But it was, for me at least, a fairly high speed crash.

So you can get a canny speed up if you get the hang of the track. Oh, and not bin the fucker! :lol:
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I came off at that corner last time I went. Just the same, backwards into the tyre wall. Luckily nowt landed on my head but aye it took the wind out of my sails for a few laps!
 
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I was black-flagged at that Teesside place a few years ago. Had to wait in the sin bin until I calmed down. Just because one of the gadgies at trackside had to jump over me as I lost it a bit on a tricky corner. Stupid place to stand if you ask me.
 
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