Rye House Karting (and general kerting technique)
Discussion
A supplier has challenged us to a kerting session at Rye House International Circuit www.rye-house.co.uk next month.
I've never been karting so whats the best way to go quickly?
I've never been karting so whats the best way to go quickly?
Drive smoothly and maintain momentum. Karts, unless your talking internation spec 250cc gearbox jobs, aren't quick in the grand scheme of things. So by maintaining speed at all times is the best way of keeping the lap times down.
PS: First turn at Rye House is easy flat in most karts...
PS: First turn at Rye House is easy flat in most karts...
Martin Keene said:
Drive smoothly and maintain momentum. Karts, unless your talking internation spec 250cc gearbox jobs, aren't quick in the grand scheme of things. So by maintaining speed at all times is the best way of keeping the lap times down.
PS: First turn at Rye House is easy flat in most karts...
PS: First turn at Rye House is easy flat in most karts...
What he said! And, if it's wet, use the kerbs to keep you on the track!at a guess it will be twin engined prokarts which i have always found to have little low end power owing to the clutches so as they have already said, stay smooth. i tend to use a lot of kerb so dont be frightened to take a lot of apex and run wide.
karts have way more grip than people realise, corner speeds are much faster than you would expect on account of the slick tyres and the low centre of gravity, try to find the level early on and keep trying to build up speed progressively, each lap pick a braking point a bit later and try to get the power on a bit earlier till you are comfortable. try to keep slides down to a minimum, if you are battling oversteer you are likely to be on the wrong line or taking to much speed into the corner.
enjoy it! rye house is a great track!
karts have way more grip than people realise, corner speeds are much faster than you would expect on account of the slick tyres and the low centre of gravity, try to find the level early on and keep trying to build up speed progressively, each lap pick a braking point a bit later and try to get the power on a bit earlier till you are comfortable. try to keep slides down to a minimum, if you are battling oversteer you are likely to be on the wrong line or taking to much speed into the corner.
enjoy it! rye house is a great track!
I always understood that with the "lawnmower" Karts the weight transfer trick made no difference due to the clutch, but probably worth a try. Other tips to consider are this. The more time you spend accelerating the kart the quicker you will be. Don't get too hung up about late braking unless you are trying to pass. It has it's place for getting ultimate lap times, but from the sound of it you might not be at that point yet. Keep slides to a minimum, they will scrub of tons of speed and prokarts take a year to re-accelerate, and try to keep the accelerator nailed to the floor. Even for brief periods you can keep your foot in and brake but don't do it too much, it will toast the brakes and the organsisers get all lathered up about it, but it can be useful to gain a little momentum out of a corner to line up someone for a pass. Enjoy.
rlk500 said:
I always understood that with the "lawnmower" Karts the weight transfer trick made no difference due to the clutch, but probably worth a try.
Nope, they have a rigid back axle like any other kart, so they rely on lifting a rear wheel to enable them to turn.
Smooth driving is good in a pro-kart and so is thinking about the lines that allow you to lose least speed overall around the corners and especially down the longer straights. As previously stated, Pro Karts are nothing like a 2 stroke.
If it's dry, most people who know what a racing line looks like and will be quick, if it's wet, it's a whole different ball game. The trick becomes slowing down in a straight line (or you'll spin), then getting your weight forward to unload the back end and make the kart tip onto 2 wheels, at which point it'll turn quickly. Applying the throttle at this time also works, even though it feels totally wrond to accelerate when understeering wildly. As soon as the back starts to move (which will be quick due to lots of momentum with those 2 engines), you need to feather the throttle and counter steer. I'd also suggest going completely off line in your practise in the wet as the track usually offers loads more grip where it's not rubbered up. Use kerbs in the wet only if all else fails.
Biggest thing is to enjoy it and if you have, take your own lid. Hired lids are just totally yuk.
yes agree with the above coments, lean out when cornering since karts have no differential, you need to try and get the inner wheel up off the circuit to avoid the wheels fighting each other and scrubbing off speed. I doubt you'll manage this in a rent a kart though. try leaning forward when turning in, in the wet, lean rewards when braking wet or dry to allow later braking. I tend to brake earlyish then back on the throttle in a pro kart, this technique will help the engines pick up momentum while your chugging round the corner. you'll find a pro kart almost impossible to spin under the throttle in the dry. try not to slide too much and be smooth with your lines and remember that the brake is only on the rear wheels so you will be able to spin it under brakes. If your confident enough though you can use this to your advantage by braking hard almost locking the rears get it to slide sideways then hard on the throttle sort of like a hand brake turn, carefull this take a bit of practise to learn. Have fun, you'll love it, karting is the pureist form of motor racing.
Edited by pikeyboy on Thursday 23 November 08:06
Wow, these karts must be totally different to the Tonykart I drove in NZ last week - that 2 stroke power-oversteered and easily overcame the grip afforded on its (pre-doped) slicks. Definitely echo the smooth lines comments but I would add that I doubt you'll even remember to shift your bodyweight in the heat of the battle.
I have nothing but admiration for the 7 year-olds who were 8 seconds a lap faster than me in NZ !!!!
One tip I found worked in the "lawnmower" karts - to get speed up off the line, bounce up and down in the seat! This helped it get up to speed quicker - made me look an idiot though, but I noticed several people trying the technique after I'd won my first heat!! Oh and miomentum is absolutely key in those low powered karts.
If it's wet, it's massive fun - Brands Hatch used to have a mickey-mouse kart track behind the Kentagon. We only used to have a go when it was wet, at which point it became more like a demolition derby than a race!
I have nothing but admiration for the 7 year-olds who were 8 seconds a lap faster than me in NZ !!!!
One tip I found worked in the "lawnmower" karts - to get speed up off the line, bounce up and down in the seat! This helped it get up to speed quicker - made me look an idiot though, but I noticed several people trying the technique after I'd won my first heat!! Oh and miomentum is absolutely key in those low powered karts.
If it's wet, it's massive fun - Brands Hatch used to have a mickey-mouse kart track behind the Kentagon. We only used to have a go when it was wet, at which point it became more like a demolition derby than a race!
On this topic, what's a sensible stint if you're doing an endurance race? Did one last week which was an hour and a half with a 3 man team and we were changing over every 10 minutes or so. Given the way the changeovers had to take place ie no running in the pit area, replacement driver could not start walking to the kart until the other driver had cleared the pit area etc with hindsight I reckon we were losing a lap every changeover. As we finished 9 laps down on the leaders, we would have vaulted up the ranking with fewer and longer stints.
mr_thyroid said:
rubystone said:
to get speed up off the line, bounce up and down in the seat! This helped it get up to speed quicker.
I've seen people do this. Can anyone explain how/why this works.
As you are momentarily suspended when you bounce, the kart is only pulling its own weight, not its own weight + you so picks up and accelerates more quickly.
Key to karting is smoothness. Any sawing or wrenching the wheel will see you going very slowly. Keep slides to minimum if you can, and a minimum of steering input should help.
Goochie said:
This is happening on Monday - so any last minute tips ?
Don't get any penalties. Penalties will cost you more time than almost anything else.
Don't fall off. Next to penalties, this is the biggest time-loser.
If somebody is trying to pass you, don't make it easy for them but don't go very far out of your way to baulk them. It'll make you both slower, you know it's only a matter of time before they get past, meanwhile all the other drivers are making up ground on both of you. Once they're past, try to stay in touch and see where they're gaining ground on you.
Being fast is good, but if you're vaguely on the pace then the difference between a moderate driver and an extremely fast one is still tiny compared to the time you will lose if you spin, come off or get black flagged.
Try to arrange your team orders so that anyone who turns out to be really cr@p doesn't stay out long. For example you might agree that two spins or offs will prompt a driver change.
Did a Pro-Kart endurance race with the Midlands guys a few months back at PFI and one chap (the 'winner' 
) did the whole race on his own, some 90 minutes I think. Not really a sporting chance for the other teams, but hey he stumped up all that brass for a little trophy, so I guess he's earned it!
Usually I think 20 minutes feels like a good session and then I'm usually ready for a beverage.
) did the whole race on his own, some 90 minutes I think. Not really a sporting chance for the other teams, but hey he stumped up all that brass for a little trophy, so I guess he's earned it! Usually I think 20 minutes feels like a good session and then I'm usually ready for a beverage.
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