Karting

Chipperb wrote: In reply to Chipperb: is there an edit button?

Yep, in the upper right of each of your posts there's an edit button and a delete button.

EDIT: The re-skin of the site made a liar of me! Edit's now in the lower right of each of your posts...

Chipperb wrote: In reply to Box_of_Rocks: You are so right about costs. The $1000 kart is NOT a winning kart. I bought a decent kart complete for about $1400 in 2008. Decent but I would get lapped. Turned 30 second laps on a track that the fast clones turn in 25.5. Then picked up a newer chassis/set up Fuel for my truck. Pick up some parts off Bobs like final gears, $5 vs $12 for new, on set of tires, one set of valve springs. I do let the local full time kart shop do some of my work. But even state of the art new chassis and everything ready to race for $3600 is still a good deal in motorsports on a local level, eh?

Oh I don't know. There are a couple of guys up at my track that I think could do well in about any old kart. I wasn't suggesting you can't win in a $1,000 kart - at least at the local club level. It was more the assertion that it would be very difficult for someone new to the sport to have the skills, knowledge, and connections to assemble a decent $1,000 kart. And that anyone new who hears of people building winning $1,000 karts should be skeptical, because they might not be including the old seat they had sitting in their basement, the Mychron that they took off their old kart, or the axle they borrowed from a buddy. That type of thing.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote:

Apexcarver wrote: Being that much of the best advice I have ever heard in racing is get thee to the track and find out who runs what and where you want to compete.... Anybody know of groups/tracks to check out in the NoVa, DC, Baltimore area? Starting to consider this as an alternative to national level autocrossing goals and want to do a bit more research over the next year.

http://www.woodbridgekartclub.com/

I did look at that, but from appearances they run on Summit Main and such at close to 100mph. (This is the same complex that LeMons stopped racing at due to deer hits)

I am familiar with Summit (I have flagged races there)

I think for Summit I would rather be in a car, at least something more substantial protection-wise. The idea of screaming along on Summit Main at 100mph in something where safety is being thrown clear makes me jittery.

I was thinking smaller tracks.

Box_of_Rocks wrote:

Chipperb wrote: In reply to Box_of_Rocks: You are so right about costs. The $1000 kart is NOT a winning kart. I bought a decent kart complete for about $1400 in 2008. Decent but I would get lapped. Turned 30 second laps on a track that the fast clones turn in 25.5. Then picked up a newer chassis/set up Fuel for my truck. Pick up some parts off Bobs like final gears, $5 vs $12 for new, on set of tires, one set of valve springs. I do let the local full time kart shop do some of my work. But even state of the art new chassis and everything ready to race for $3600 is still a good deal in motorsports on a local level, eh?

Oh I don't know. There are a couple of guys up at my track that I think could do well in about any old kart. I wasn't suggesting you can't win in a $1,000 kart - at least at the local club level. It was more the assertion that it would be very difficult for someone new to the sport to have the skills, knowledge, and connections to assemble a decent $1,000 kart. And that anyone new who hears of people building winning $1,000 karts should be skeptical, because they might not be including the old seat they had sitting in their basement, the Mychron that they took off their old kart, or the axle they borrowed from a buddy. That type of thing.

I have beat my fair share of people with brand new equipment. Just because you have new equipment does not mean you know how to drive it or setup the kart correctly. There are plenty of people that I know that won with a $100 motor instead of a $500-$700 motor. I know people that have less then $1k wrapped up in a complete package and they have won championships locally. I think class also plays a factor, there is no way that someone is going to win a Kt100/tag/rotax/shifter race with a $1k kart package. A 4 cycle class I could defiantly see it. The idea of the 4cycle class is cheap.

Another item that I haven't read that I believe is important is scaling you kart and seat position. It can be a difference maker.

Watching videos from 125cc shifters running 100mph at Summit Point is making me wonder...

Damn...

Autocross or road race a shifter kart....

Autocross in KM AND road race a shifter kart...

This is not good...

In reply to Apexcarver:

How is this not good?

On a related topic, have a video link?

Just guessing- not good for his wallet?

The other option I'm considering is buying a 1k car, like a Saturn, and take it rallycrossing/autocrossing. Not WTW racing, but racing nonetheless.

Ransom wrote: In reply to Apexcarver: How is this not good? On a related topic, have a video link?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQH8_8Kgbk

Not good as in for my wallet and I might be getting intrigued enough to overcome serious safety reservations...

In reply to Apexcarver:

Big track karting is a whole other aspect of karting. MUCH faster, usually longer, 30-45 min heats, with a lot of drafting and passing at the end of the race.

Shifters at Roebling Road near Savannah, GA AVERAGE more than 100mph around the track. The clones have been clocked @ 80mph down the straight.

And there are the lay down karts, which are a trip unto themselves, raced on the larger tracks.

I like sprint karts and sprint racing the best. More action and much safer. Clones averrage 35-40mph on our track.

But there is always the question of what track you have near you.

Chipperb wrote: But there is always the question of what track you have near you.

Which I am not having much luck finding much out about (outside of the road racing)

Chipperb wrote: Let me know where you are located and I can find a paved road race track near you.

Columbia, Missouri.

Thanks!