Taking it apart

One good way of understanding the monster that you are working with is to open it up, get your hands dirty and taking things out. The situation that found us undertaking this operation were a set of stationary wheels and a clanging noise.

This is where the cluch it located. Open the cover to the housing, and you will find 3 sets of a pin, spring and shoe. These will pivot outwards to make contact with the fly wheel that will eventually move your axel and wheels. Our problem was that the retaining clipcould no longer fit on the pin. The result of hitting the brake while still accelerating no doubt


The 5 plastic gears of the Rotax engine.

OB Relaunch

It's been some time since my last post.
Much has been afoot .
Some time was taken off to relook at our product line, and i must say that i am very excited with the new products that we will be offering. The entire range has been redesigned and the quality has been upgraded. Suits offered now come with certification. Better quality at competitive prices. We hope that what we do will generate more interest and help build up the karting scene that has been underground for too long now.

Visit our website here

At the same time, my friends and i have been looking more into the kart. Investigating what makes and how the kart works. A lot of the mystery is lost but the 2 stroke engine isn't quite the enigma that it used to be. I will be posting more about this in subsequent posts.

In the same time, some efforts at trying to secure a place in Singapore to kart have fizzled out. There just doesn't seem to be enough support. There are many who tinker with the idea but like a revolution, we need a critical mass that will sustain our presence and thus bargaining power.

It may seem like an uphill task but, just a few years ago, who would have thought that there would be a sizable and accessible skateboard park right in the middle of the city?

Go Kart Track in Changi

The news is out, or rather has been out for sometime but, only within this week has it been made public.

A new motorsports centre will be constructed in Changi.
This includes a track for go karts. We've all been let down a few times - deterioation of Kartworld, turnaround of Tuas......

Talk of the Changi track is not new. Way back in 2007, we've had talks from ministers, pledges of money from interested parties, even deadlines for construction.

This time, it does looks set to happen.
It will be shared with A1 formulas, and other road cars like porche and BMW.

New Malacca Track

Heard about the new Malacca track but haven't seen it yet? Latest confirmation has emerged in the form of an entry in the newly launched tourist information book.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malacca is set to welcome visitors with its latest tourist attractions and a newly-launched tourist information book.
Its Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who launched the 50-page tourist information book at Dynasty Hotel yesterday, said the book would provide information on the new attractions.He said among the latest draws are the RM20 million planetarium project at the Malacca International Trade Centre, a monorail train, a go-kart track, the Taming Sari revolving tower and the Eye On Malacca ferris wheel."The launch of this book is timely as Malacca had received recognition as a world heritage city from Unesco last July.
"We are targeting 7.4 million tourists this year and we hope to attract more visitors from the Klang Valley and its vicinity."Ali, who also launched the Malacca Food Promotion 2009 at the event, said the state had managed to draw 7.2 million tourists, including six million visitors from the domestic market. A total of 60,000 copies of the information book will be distributed to travel and tour agencies to be given to their clients.

Quoted from :
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Streets/Tuesday/Stories/2494306/Article/index_html

No Transmission

As a beginner, you might not even know what the transmission is but it is an essential part of your Go-kart. Most karts have a simple transmission system, which is just a few gears that are able to control the speed.

What is the Transmission?All engines have a rev limit that they cannot exceed without the engine exploding. This is known as the “redline”. The transmission allows you to change gears so that the gear ratio between the engine and drive wheels changes as you accelerate or slow down. This enables the engine to stay below the “redline”, whilst still keeping to the optimum revs per minute (rpm).

Go-karts do not generally have a differential, which is a device that is usually made up of different gears, allowing the wheels to rotate at various speeds, whilst delivering a “rotational force” to them. Without a differential, a kart isn’t able to make a sharp turn. To counteract this, one of the rear tyres needs to be able to slide whilst you go through a corner. This is often done by constructing the chassis so that the inside rear tyre can lift up slightly when you turn into a corner. This lets the tyre lose a little bit of its grip so that it can go through the corner safely and slide if necessary.

Power is put out by the engine and delivered to the rear axle via a chain. Most of the early karts were direct drive, but modern karts tend to have a clutch. The clutch became a key part of many karting classes including the Rotax Max karting class, and from January 2007 onwards, the use of the clutch has become mandatory. This is because of the move to using 125 cc engines in karting classes, which all come complete with a centrifugal clutch.
Manual Transmission Shifter karts are popular in the US. These have a six-speed manual transmission and a clutch, both of which are designed to get the most out of the engine. In the UK (and elsewhere in Europe), karts with 100 cc and 125 cc engines are the preferred type of karts, although 125 cc, 210 cc and 250 cc shifter karts are also used in certain karting categories.
With a manual transmission system, you have to learn when it’s necessary to change gears, and remember to do so - the kart will not do this for you! This can be difficult to get to grips with at first, and when you first start karting, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never be able to do it. Once you get the hang of it though, you’ll wonder why you were so worried.

The transmission plays a key role in maintaining the most possible rpm, whilst also making sure that the engine is not allowed to overheat and ultimately explode. Getting used to changing gears manually takes lots of time and practice, but with practise, it will become more natural.

Driver Database

Who is Hafiz Koh?
Ever heard of Melvin Choo? Alex Yoong?

Whether you are looking for your own ranking or if you're just looking for an idol from which to draw inspiration - here is a good place to start.

Welcome to the driver database.
http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/23038/

Capeta

A great cartoon that mimics real life.
All about a boy and his journey to become a go kart champion.


Capeta - go karting anime
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capeta http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/capeta/

Asian Karting Open

The Asian Karting Open - Championship Series

This is another regional karting series to watch out for. The Philippines were a strong contender in 2008 and took 1st position in most of the catagories, with Malaysia pretty strong in the senior category as well.
The first race is at Macau on the 27-28 June 2009.

Here's the schedule:

June 27-28, 2009
ROUND 1 - KARTODROMO DE COLOANE, MACAU

July 18-19, 2009
ROUND 2 - CARMONA CIRCUIT, PHILIPPINES

August 15-16, 2009
ROUND 3 - SENTUL, INDONESIA

October 10-11, 2009
ROUND 4 - KARTODROMO DE COLOANE, MACAU

November 7-8, 2009
ROUND 5 - THAILAND

Things of Beauty

Good, nice tracks are not so common yet in our area but take a look at these things of beauty, you'd wonder why you weren't born closer to go karting circuit heaven like these places....

http://www.rye-house.co.uk/

http://www.badgerkartclub.com/

http://www.wardenlawkartclub.co.uk/

http://www.ogkrc.com.au/

http://www.whiltonmill.co.uk/

This race track rents out karts and other cars at affordable prices. imagine messing around with an aston marton vanquish!!

http://www.racing-school.co.uk/

Interview with a timer

Data logging can help you unlock secrets to better karting, learning how to take advantage of the track and thus beating the competition. In this field, there is none other than expert Petri Ranta, the man behind BouRan Data Services who, has vast experience with data-logging in karts.


Here are the questions I found in an interview with him that will reveal some useful tips


Q: Let’s say I have one practice day to get some time out of my driver, what data would you say is the number one priority?

A: This is a difficult question to answer, however, this is how I would approach it.
Taking into account that you are familiar to the track and you’re setup is in the ballpark so to speak, I would work with trying to get as close to the theoretical best lap as possible.

This is a lap that the data logger software puts together using all of the drivers best segmented times (splits), and creates it as a goal. I have had many schools of thought on this, and if your driver can get to within 2-3 tenths of the theoretical best lap then your 9 times out of 10 close to the leaders or the leader at that point.

Now, the data I would use to work on a driver to achieve more speed is having them carry more speed through the corners. This can be determined by reading the latitudinal G’s (G-force). The more speed being carried into the corners will create higher G’s; as a coach, mechanic, or a parent, ways to accomplish this is by having your driver run deeper into the corner, later breaking points, making sure that the chassis is tuned for more grip.

Every datalogger will read the G-forces; one quick way of comparing sessions is by overlapping the graphs or looking at the numerical values. Most data logger software will give you the choice of looking at graphs or looking at numerical values, it is usually an icon at the top of the page you’re working with.


Q: Are you able to look at the data logging software on your laptop, and say where a driver is losing time on the circuit? If so, what information are you looking at?

A: If you really know your data interpretation, one should be able to differentiate between driver, chassis, and engine (drive train). There are many variables to look at when trying to determine lost time. Some classes are easier than others.

With ICC, I would first look at the acceleration graphs and determine how my driver is shifting. You can tell by certain spikes in the graph if there is excessive wheel spin or if he/she is taking too long between gears.

Secondly, I would look at braking points. With the software at hand, you can pinpoint almost to the foot as to the de-acceleration points on a track. These bits of information really help, especially when comparing one driver to another under a team tent atmosphere.

With ICA, my main focus would be with two variables; first would be making sure that my driver is keeping their speed (RPM’s) up in the corners. The data logging software will tell you where the optimum horsepower and torque ranges are and keeping the engine at those marks or as close to will give you best results.

You're receiving virtually the same information to a degree as you would get from a dyno, so keeping in mind there is a power range that gives you ultimate engine performance, this is a very important tool to be used at the track. The second point with ICA’s would be making sure that there is clean and clear acceleration lines while on the power.

Meaning no flat spots on the graph, you want steady consistent inclines. Using graphs created by your temperature sensors coupled with the RPM graphs, one can sometimes find problem areas with carburetors resulting in extra information on whether it’s pumping properly and/or too lean or rich. Steering position and throttle input sensors will also help determine areas of lost time on a circuit, but we can discuss those in upcoming articles.


Q: Do you find that making set up changes yields best results, or concentrating on what the driver is doing when it comes to using the data logger?

A: I would say you have to use a combination of the two. Set up changes will really work well for you if you have a driver that can run consistent lap times. So sometimes in order to accomplish that, first you must work with the driver on how he/she is driving the course.

You need to set up a basis point, so a few sessions in a relatively similar setup to create a basis lap time to determine a starting point, and then start to implement changes. At that point, the data logger will give you the required information you can use to start finding areas of improvement.


Q: Do you have a set procedure of how to manage your practice days; i.e. is there a logical process you go through to find a reduction in lap times?

A: I have three different procedures depending on class, driver, and weather. There always has to be a plan and I have one for almost every type of situation one could possibly come across. When you’re in the position of providing a data logging service, like I am, you have to make sure that you’re prepared. The downfall of this is that I could write a book on this topic alone.


Q: Is it better to leave data analysis until after the test day is over, rather than trying to interpret data at the circuit with the data logger and make changes?

A: If you really know what you’re reading when looking at the graphs, than using the data logger throughout the day will yield the best results.

Knowing what to look for is the key. Interpreting data is a lot like anything else, you need to test, practice, and constantly play with it to become familiar, quick and efficient at it.

There are still times when I will go home or back to the hotel after practice or race day and analyze more in depth. Because then you usually have the time to look at values or ideas you didn’t necessarily have time to look at while at the track.

Data Acquisition works, I can’t count the number of times I have brought drivers lap times down by simply interpreting the data and then making the necessary changes. Drivers need to listen to mechanics and mechanics need to listen to drivers – it’s that simple! Teamwork and understanding the data logger's graphs will guarantee faster lap times.

Pitfalls to avoid - use test days to download the data if you have never used it before. Keep good records of the changes you made and follow the sessions in order – then go home and work with the graphs and software. Read the manual and basically try not to learn the system while at an event, it will only frustrate you as practice at race days are precious and it is not the time to start learning the software or logger.

Good times from a timer

Kart Data-loggers can be a shortcut to success and improving your race timing or, it could be a total waste of your time.

Here's an insight on where to focus your attention to make sure you don't get buried under a mountain of useless numbers.
One usually expects the timer and the data logged to tell them exactly the driver was going wrong and how to fix it. That's a mistake many make. You could get lost amongst an indecipherable bunch of lines and numbers.

However, using a data-logger has practical uses and can make learning the fast way round a track so much easier, but only when you cut out all the gibberish and focus on two things.

Look at the speed channel, and use it to find out which corners make the difference to laptimes.

The beauty of kart data aquisition is that it can show you exactly where on the tracky was fast, you were fast and how that affected your laptime. And the most important data is your KPH trace, or your RPM trace. Lets say you do a 10 lap session, and inexplicably did a lap half a second quicker than the rest. So, you look at the speed trace for that lap, compare it to the rest of your laps and look for the corners where you were carrying more speed. Now the temptation is to look at throttle, braking and lines mapping and give yourself an information overload.

Instead, you need to spend the practice day with focus on those quick corners so that you can 'home in' on the quick way round the most important corners. And when it comes to a pressure situation you will resort to that knowledge and carry on banging in quick laps, rather than overdriving and blowing the race. Another tool which can shortcut this process is a video camera with video analysis software

In practical terms, here's a procedure you could use to quickly get up to speed on a new track
1. Do a couple of sessions and use the data-logger to find the most important corners using the speed channel to identify those corners on his quickest laps
2. Concentrate on one of those corners at a time and experiment with your methods for that corner, so you can find a formula to acheive the highest speed on that corner.
3. Experiment with set up to acheive the quickest speed through that corner, you will have a good feel for the corner and will want the kart to work really well there, and therefore be quite demanding about set-up.
More often than not, the most important corners are long fast sweeps which require careful speed control, or ones leading onto the straight...however, this isn't always the case and your data-logger can reveal hidden secrets to quick times around your track, which is info your competition will rarely pick up.
Now working in this way with the speed channel is going to give you a great feel for using your data-logger and you will then start to want more information to work with, then you can refine your approach and start to look at more channels.

Asian Female Karting Sensation

We hear too much about the men in karting.
Here's one lady who can give any male racer a run for his money.
She's the best there is in go karting in Asia!

Have a look at her site at:

http://www.michelebumgarnerracing.com/

A HeadStart

Going for your first race is a daunting yet exciting experience. Just how do you get yourself ready? How do you steady your nerves and then your hands? It doesn;t take more than a deep breath and some preparation.

A vital ingredient to getting a good start is confidence and self-assurance. The biggest problem for drivers at the beginning of a race is distraction from everything happening around them. The noise, the sights, the anticipation, the crowds....

As with any endeavour, practise makes perfect, and likewise, to get over being overloaded on race day, I would practice, but there is a limited supply of race starts….you don’t get to practice starts enough. So use the next best thing.

Most racers also cite another thing, called - Visualisation.

1. Take some time out before your race and sit down somewhere relatively quiet. Take a look at where you are starting, who is beside you and who is in front.

2. Now make a plan of exactly how you want your start to go, and imagine you are starting in 8th place with a grid of 20. You need to make a plan about how your perfect start will go. Imagine that you are going to fly across the line. Pass the guy inside you going over the line and then stuff it up the inside of the 6th place kart into the first corner.

3. You need to make this plan seem real! So say to yourself exactly what’s going to happen. Make decisions about every move you are going to make.

4. Then, imagine exactly how the whole of the first lap will go; and you have to imagine the best first lap ever. Passing a kart at every opportunity.

Now, you have a mental plan of the start, if you take it seriously you will feel more confidence on your way to the grid. This is because you have made a real effort at preparing yourself at how the lap will go.

Next, in your kart on the dummy grid; go through the plan you made earlier and visualise that perfect first lap again. Now, the next thing is to prepare yourself to take control of the other drivers around you. Chances are they are not nearly as prepared as you are right now. You have the advantage over them and you are the most confident driver there!

The rolling lap. This is the time to really think over how your planned start is going to happen. Focus on the kart ahead of you and stick to the rear of that kart like glue. Don’t worry if you give it a few bumps here and there…you really need to stay close.

The start. Here is the most important practical piece of advice; whatever happens you have to go first. You have to accelerate before the driver ahead of you. You stick to his bumper so close that there is never any space between you! So if you push him gently over the line that’s fine, at least he didn’t get away. So, if you are always so close to the driver in front that you are touching, then you will be able to hit the gas before him without the worry that you will collide with him.
And once you get over the line you are into your plan. Make the moves, make that perfect first lap happen.

Regulations for SMSA Sanctioned Kart Events

Thinking of participating in karting competitions in Singapore?
Here's what you have to know and comply with.

As of 1st January 2008, Personal Protective Equipment is compulsory for all SMSA events. This applies to the race itself, qualifying and practise sessions.
Helmets are of to be FIA, SNELL British Standards Institution or SFI homologation standards.

Suits have to conform to FIA, CIK or SFI standards

Gloves and Shoes are to conform to FIA 8856-2000 standards.

A license is required as well. You would apply via SMSA. A restricted license will be issued if you are a 1st timer to races. After 3 race, you may convert your license to an Asia zone license which allows you to race anywhere in Asia. Beyond that, you may later upgrade to a class C license.


You will need to 1st join SMSA which costs SGD $ 80. Forms can be found at :
http://www.smsa.org.sg/forms/Membership%20&%20Renewal%20Form.pdf

Next you have to pay for your competition license. Forms can be found at:
http://www.smsa.org.sg/forms/Comp%20License%20Appl.pdf

In Singapore, riders and drivers are NEED to have a Government Issued driver's licence before you can apply for a competition licence. So in that sense, the age limit is limited by the government. The exception to the rules are:

(1) Already racing abroad e.g. 15years, too young to have a road licence but have results from abroad.
(2) Have been trained or can show some proof of decent closed circuit riding expertise to competition secretary who will appeal on your behalf and on a case-by-case basis.

Nylon Cordura

The 2 often quoted materials in Motorsports wear are Cordura and Nomex.
Just what are they? Here is a little background into the materials that will save your life.

CORDURA was the registered name of a certified (nylon) fabric from DuPont.
Today, it is the registered name of a high-performance Nylon66 product manufactured by INVISTA, a whollyowned division of Koch Industries, Inc. It is used in a wide range of products from luggage and backpacks to boots, military apparel (such as tactical blade sheaths, ammunition pouches, etc.), and performance apparel.
It is designed to be long lasting and resistant to abrasions, tears and scuffs.
As a brand name, CORDURA reaches back to 1929 as a development of Rayon. The product was further developed during the Second World War and used by the military in tires. From 1966 when new formulations of nylon proved superior, the CORDURA brand was transferred to the nylon product instead. CORDURA has continued to be developed as a brand by INVISTA with new products applied to an increasing range of items such as:

luggage
motorcycle clothing
anywhere that abrasion resistance is important
sporting and recreational equipment
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967. A Nomex hood is a common piece of Racing and firefighting equipment. It is placed on the head on top of a firefighter's face mask. The hood protects the portions of the head not covered by the helmet and face mask
from the intense heat of the fire. Race car drivers wear driving suits constructed of Nomex and or other fire retardant materials, along with Nomex gloves, long underwear, balaclavas, socks, and shoes to protect them in the event of a fire. The FIA and the SFI Foundation provide specifications for flame-resistant drivers clothing to be used in racing. The standards range from single layer suits that provide some protection against flash fires to much thicker multi
layer SFI-15 suits required by the National Hot Rod Association that can protect a driver for up to 30 seconds against the intense heat generated by the nitromethane fuel they use

Rotax Max Challenge 2009

The 2009 PLUS Rotax Malaysia Challenge is underway!

Round 1 RMC Malaysia series wll be held on 7th-8th March in place of KKS race round 2 which will in turn be moved to the 29th of March.
The RMC round 2 and AMC round 1 will now be held on 11th-12th April in Kota Bharu

Here is a schedule of all races:

Rotax Max Challenge Asia:
11/12 APRIL (KB-MSIA)
9/10 MAY (SENTUL-INA)
25/26 JULY (TBA)
17/18 OCTOBER (TBA)
Rotax Max Challenge Malaysia:
7/8 MARCH (ELITE)
11/12 APRIL (TMKC-KB)
27/28 JUNE (ELITE)
25/26 JULY (TBA)
15/16 AUGUST (ELITE)


KKS-AAM Malaysian Championship:
18 JANUARY
29 MARCH
7 JUNE
4 OCTOBER
15 NOVEMBER


PLUS ENDURANCE
1. 13 DECEMBER

All information, entry form, and time schedule can be found at:
http://www.kartmoreracing.com/rotax/

Regulations

When it comes to go kart races organised by official governing bodies, safety is paramount and never compromised. This is especially pertinent as the competition at such events is fierce.

Thus, when purchasing equipment, you have to bear in mind what purpose you need your apparel for. For this reason, most people will have a set of overalls, shoes, gloves, etc for practise purposes, and another set for competition purposes. Repeated use will wear down the fabric, especially around the crotch and joints.

So, let us take a look at the regulations:

SMSA events
- Flame Resistant Clothing
1) All participants must wear racing overalls homologated to FIA, FIA/CIK or SFI.
Thus it is very important to check the apparel provider with the list of approved companies. The list can be obtained from the FIA website. Many retailers profess FIA certification when they really just mean that they conform to the regulations but ARE NOT certified. The onus is upon yourself to check or you will be barred from taking part in events
Furthermore certification will expire, and this to you will have to check with the certification body. I.e. FIA/ CIK / SFI

2) Gloves must be homologated to FIA 8856-2000

3) Shoes must be homologated to FIA 8856-2000

4) Helmets must be homologated to FIA8860-2004 or SNELL SA 2005 / SNELL SA 2000, or SFI31.1A / SFI31.2A or BS6658-85 type A/FR


For your reference always check the certification bodies:

SFI Foundation Inc. - http://www.sfifoundation.com/
Federation Internationale de l'Automobile – http://www.fia.com
CIK/FIA - http://www.cikfia.com
Snell Memorial Foundation - http://www.smf.org/
SMSA – http://www.smsa.org.sg/
www.obracing.sg

Safe Overtaking

Here is an introduction to overtaking techniques around the circuit.
When attempting to overtake, you can either outbreak a driver into a corner or you can pass a driver around the outside.

However, attempting to outbreak a driver into a corner, poses some danger. Many accidents involving colisions with other vehicles occur in this scenario; especialy when the driver attempting to outbreak the driver misjudges his opponent's speed or if he/ she is trying to " force" his/her way in which, is really very unethical and inconsiderate driving.

Always be mindful of the driver infront of you and how he/ she would react. You have to remember that go karts have no side mirrors and so the driver in front of you cannot see you coming up behind.

The rule of thumb is that when coming down a straightaway side by side, you must go along side the driver that you are passing, so the driver alongside you can see you before he actually starts to turn in to the corner, so get along side and that then becomes your corner before coming in to the apex.

When going into the apex, if you intend to step on the break, do it while in a straight line. Once you have begun your turn and if you then brake, the kart mght spin out. If you don't brake and you don't reduce your speed on entering that corner on a very tight angle then there is the risk that you will understeer, run out of circuit and collide with the tyre wall on the other side.

Just to reiterate, always about the driver in front of you, give them ample space to react allow for the fact they don't know you're there.

Safe Cornering

Cornering is THE area where a good racer distinguishes himself/ herself from a great one.
Here are some techniques that will assist you in clocking in some lap times and doing it safely.

When cornering, always remember to keep the engine revs as quick as possible. This means using the entire width of the circuit to get your kart through. When entering the corner, keep to the far side of the track until you see the apex. When you see your turning point, gently turn the kart across the whole idth of the turn and maintain a smooth acceleration. This keeps the kart at maximum speed as well as helping you get a better grip on the circuit for better control.

Before setting yourself up for the next corner, always remember that the shortest route in to the corner is not necessarily the fastest route out. It's imperative that you maintain a smooth a drive as possible and if you're going to use the brake at all, brake before entering the corner and turning otherwise the kart will spin and you will be out of control and valuable time will be lost.

Forming your own training program

Once you have your own kart what do you do?
You could drive it in circles on weekends.
You could just mess around with it in your spare time.
OR, you could seriously think about how you want to improve your skills at the sport and embark on a training program.

There are two aspects to this; knowing your kart, fitness and driving skills.

Driving skills will allow you to perform as close to perfection as is possible to how you visualise your drive on the circuit to be.

That said, before embarking on a training session, you should walk the track, and even get a map of the circuit to better envision how you would drive the circuit. This will help you to picture the "perfect" lap and how to tackle challenges and the corners in a circuit.

Racing lines: The ideal line is the route which your vehicle must take to minimise the time spent to complete a lap. Corners are the features to take note of, as it is because of these that the racer has to consider how to minimise the time spent in the corner and how to maximise the speed of your vehicle. The shortest distance however, does not translate into the faster time.

When cornering, maintaining the faster speed will more than make up for a longer distance travelled. Thus, fitting the turn with the wider radius into the corner and maintaining a higher speed will make for a faster lap than trying to fit a turn with the smallest radius. This is because a tighter turn will require a lower speed to retain control or risk spinning out.

A driver can choose a early or late apex, or the ideal line. An early apex is to turn into a corner before reaching the apex of a turn, and vice versa. Whatever the approach, whether drifting into a turn, or whatever, the objective is to hit the apex, in order to minimise the distance and maximise the speed taken for the route that you have chosen. Hitting the apex means to go close on the inside lane of the tightest part of a turn.

In order to attain the optimal line, the vehicle will be positioned on the outside of the track prior to the corner and head towards the apex when embarking on the turn. After the turn, the vehicle is positioned towards the outside of the track, allowing for the straightest line upon exit.

A late apex takes advantage of greater speed coming into the turn while an early apex takes advantage of the longer approaching straight to accelerate. Choosing which is dependent on what obstacles lay ahead or before the turn.

Other considerations like tyre compounds and weight also have to be taken into consideration.

Steering: This is one of the main inputs the driver gives to the kart, and the way in which you handle the steering wheel has a direct effect on how the kart behaves. For example, under wet conditions, you have to be aggressive with the steering wheel to induce the kart into a proper turn. Also, situations such as drifting also requires an ability to read situations and react with the proper input to the steering wheel.

Braking: Braking is another fundamental part of driving a kart, especially when turning into corners. As with racing lines, there is an optimum line to take when braking, and this varies according to the track that you're driving on. Generally, braking should be done early, and be completed upon entry into a turn.

However, in a technique such as trail braking, a continuous light brake is applied at a point after your normal braking point when going into a turn. This braking action is maintained throughout the turn up until the apex. This will increase traction to the front wheels but decrease traction to the rear wheels, and also reduces understeer. It may also be used to induce oversteer, to take a tighter turn. In any case, this technique it used to enable a vehicle to enter a corner at a higher speed while maintaining control.

The brake drift is a technique where a momentary full on application of the brake causes the vehicle to lose rear traction and oversteer. The objective again, is to shift weight to the front wheels and enable the vehicle to enter a corner with a higher speed while maintaining control.

Kart Like Uncle Lewis

Here is a pretty good concise video highlighting some of the things to take note of to practise to improve your go karting skills. It's always useful to have these points repeated and drummed into you.

Auto Racing:How To Go Kart Like Lewis Hamilton

SEATS

The seat is not just a plastic bucket in which to place your bottom.
It is an integral part of the go kart. Aside from holding your ass and preventing it from being scraped against the ground at 60km/h, it is one of the main turning components on the main chasis.

The go kart has no suspension. It is a rigid metal frame with some ability to flex. This flexing is crutial to controlling your kart, or else the only direction you can go is straight ahead. The chasis must flex for the kart to turn into corners; this flexing also impacts the seat and it flexes too.

I.e. if the seat is too still, it restricts the chasis from flexing properly. This will cause the chasis to "bind up" and slow you down.

Some seats allow more flex, and it all goes down into what it is made of. One of the more advanced seats i have seen is a brand called Ribtect, which optimises the flex of the seat with a special layering of materials. The layering of materials used to construct the seat allows it to flex along two diagonal axies, like a letter X. 6 uni directional carbon fiber strips are used to connect the seat from all corners and then the seat is layered with a composite fiberglass, to enhance the cross-flex ability.

What one would ideally want a seat to do is to flex with the kart when the vehicle turns and the inside rear tyre must lift off. This will allow a better feel into the corner and a better launch out of the corner, and thus imporving lap times.

Happy new year

During the new year, OBR car decal was seen around Krabi!

It took a 12 hour drive to give you this picture.