Anyone know anything about karting?

[centurion07]

Specifically, what kind of an advantage you get over your rivals if they're heavier?

Is there a rough calculation you can make to determine what kind of an advantage a lighter driver would get over a lap when comparing their weight to the other drivers?

Reason I ask is that my company went karting yesterday & I kicked ass.....I just want to really rub the bosses face in it as he weighs about half as much as I do! (And I'm only about 13 stone before you say it!!)

[fwdracer]

All karting classes that race properly (under RACMSA rules) have minmum weigt limits. The weight is for combined kart + driver + fluids at the end of the race. If you are too light, you have to ballast the kart to the minimum weight limit. If you are to heavy... You need to stay off the pies.

Being heavier than the weight limit can help when it is P!ssing down with rain as you tend to have better traction.

With the corporate stuff they all weigh the same - if a light chap has half a clue as to how to drive/pedal a Kart... he should win. Sounds like your (lightweight) boss couldn't drive a greasy pole up a dogs ar*e.

Edited by fwdracer on Monday 9th October 12:25

[51mon]

Yep, you'll notice a massive difference in the dry, especially with low powered 'arrive and drive' type karts.

Not got any stats regarding lap times etc, but when I was racing in 100cc junior karting (under 16's), I was approx 8 - 10 kg's over the weight limit (was a chubby kid!!) and struggled like mad in the dry (usually running in the mid-field), when I moved into the senior class and was on the weight limit, got pole and won my first three races!!

In the wet was a different story though, being a bit of a porker usually got you a useful bit more grip!!