OB Racing Tales

OB Racing in SINGAPORE (Go Kart, Karting)

2010-11-07T22:06:00.001+08:00

Want to purchase Go Karting Gloves, Suits, Shoes, Neck Brace or other Karting accessories?

Look no further than Singapore's 1st and only home-grown brand OB RACING!

Visit our webstore now, at www.obracing.sg

Singapore OB Racing Go Kart Karting Balaclavas now 50% off!

2010-04-25T19:06:00.003+08:00

The Nomex range of Balaclavas - MexHood now on sale at SGD$15! (50% off)

Get yours today before they are sold out!

Visit www.obracing.sg/shop.html now!

Local Singaporean Karting team OB Racing Go Kart Race Suits now available!

2010-04-25T18:52:00.005+08:00

Limited stocks available now for the very popular race suit - ForceOne!

Visit www.obracing.sg/shop.html now!

Singapore-Based OB Racing Go Kart Karting Gloves on SALE!

2010-04-25T18:46:00.003+08:00

Nomex Karting Gloves - MexGrip on Sale! Usual Price SGD$60, Now SGD$45!

Visit http://www.obracing.sg/shop.html now!

OB Racing Go Kart Apparel

2010-04-25T17:58:00.002+08:00

Karting Apparel now on sale at www.obracing.sg!

Balaclava - MexHood Usual Price SGD$30 - Now SGD$15! That's 50% off!
Gloves - MexGrip Usual Price SGD$60 - Now SGD$45! That's a Sale!
Rib Protectors - R1 Usual Price SGD$180 - Now SGD$160!
Suits - ForceOne limited stocks available now!

Welcome to OB Racing, the first local karting/ racing brand apparel in Singapore. Formed in 2008, we carry the finest quality of go-kart and racing balaclavas, gloves, neck braces, race suits, rib vest protectors and racing shoes for all your karting needs.

True Motorsports PASSION!

Taking it apart

2009-07-14T00:33:00.002+08:00

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

2009-05-27T21:01:00.004+08:00

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

2009-04-04T17:09:00.004+08:00

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

2009-03-22T11:39:00.002+08:00

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

2009-03-16T21:22:00.004+08:00

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

2009-03-12T00:34:00.006+08:00

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

2009-02-24T23:44:00.005+08:00

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

2009-02-24T23:15:00.004+08:00

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

2009-02-19T22:56:00.008+08:00

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

2009-02-16T00:00:00.004+08:00

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

2009-02-15T23:57:00.004+08:00

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

2009-02-09T00:06:00.006+08:00

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

2009-02-08T23:59:00.004+08:00

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

2009-02-07T12:14:00.004+08:00

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

2009-02-05T00:07:00.006+08:00

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

2009-02-04T00:06:00.003+08:00

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

2009-02-03T23:48:00.002+08:00

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

2009-02-02T00:01:00.003+08:00

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

2009-02-01T23:15:00.006+08:00

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

2009-01-31T00:29:00.011+08:00

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

2009-01-28T22:02:00.001+08:00

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

2009-01-07T22:20:00.005+08:00

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

2009-01-05T00:01:00.001+08:00

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

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

OB Racing in Thailand

2008-12-30T19:00:00.004+08:00

Between Phang Nga and Krabi, is a better known location; Phuket.

The largest island in Thailand, roughly the same size as Singapore, is known as a paradise to Eastern orientated tourists.

Aside from the usual pursuits Phuket is known for, one may now choose to rack up some track time. Phuket can be reached by plane, by car via route 4, or by boat from Ao nang beach, Railey beach and other beaches by speedboat or songthaew from Krabi.

While in Phuket, you may choose one of many packages offered by the many tour operators. For example, you may choose to mix and match any number of activities like kayaking in the morning and then go karting in the afternoon, or elephant trekking after go karting, or visiting waterfalls after a morning of go karting, etc etc....

It is open 10 am to 7 pm daily and is further in the road from patong beach.

The track is okay but seems very short. The rental karts are quite limited and slow.

But still overall quite fun.

Age is no Barrier

2008-12-27T14:42:00.004+08:00

Ben Kasperczak is the youngest SPONSORED go karter in Britain and the world!
Where does a four year old kid get the support, money and time to do these things?
I guess it's really all down to parental and governmental suport.
Will Singapore find one of these wonder kids amongst us?

Little Ben was discovered at 4 years old and given a 4 year contract by Motorsport World; the same karting circuit where Lewis Hamilton was discovered.

http://news.webindia123.com/news/ar_showdetails.asp?id=707250433&cat=&n_date=20070725

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2316291/Ben's-the-new-kid-on-the-grid.html

Retro Re-look

2008-12-27T14:20:00.003+08:00

It's always intersting to have a look at the waning and waxing fortunes of the go karting scene in Singapore.

There is no other article that sums up this one from the SAF archives.
Anyone around long enough to have gotten excited over talks of a 1.4km go kart track at Turf City??

Check this out:
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/publications/cyberpioneer/lifestyle/2002/nov02_lifestyle.html

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T07:51:00.003+08:00

TEAM OB AND OB RACING WISHES THAT EVERYONE HAVE A MERY CHRISTMAS!!
HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Brunei Times

2008-12-25T07:43:00.004+08:00

The Brunei Times has reported intentions to build and set up a go kart racing circuit to rival the best professionally run tracks across South East Asia.

It is hoped that this project will improve the local economy through orgnising regional circuits, and the provision of knock off services from local industry to food vendors.

The other purpose is to provide a productive outlet for youths with time on their hands and to combat illegal racing.

http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2008/08/25/call_for_support_to_set_up_go_kart_facility

International Go Kart Events

2008-12-23T09:58:00.003+08:00

International Challenge of Go- Kart Champs

Organised by Massa of F1 fame and was held in Brazil this year.

- A video of the 2007 race

- Take a look at the line up

Felipe Massa - Formula One
Michael Schumacher - Formula One
Jeff Gordon - NASCAR
Rubens Barrichello - Formula One
Vitantonio Liuzzi - Formula One
Cristiano da Matta - Ex Formula One
Lucas Di Grassi - Formula One
Tony Kannan - Indy
Vitor Meira - Indy
Antonio Pizzonia - Sotck car, Ex Formula one
Luciano Burti - Stock Car, Ex Formula One
Popó Bueno - Stock Car
Caca Bueno - Stock Car
Thiago Camilo - Stock Car
Tarso Marques - Stock Car, Ex Formula One
Marcos Gomes - Stock CarRicardo Zonta - ALMS, Ex Formula One
Xandynho Negrao - FIA GTAlexandre Barros - MotoGP
Felipe Giaffone - Ex Indy
João Paulo Oliveira - Super GT
Ricardo Mauricio - Stock Car
Max Wilson - Australian V8Allam Khodair - Stock Car

Wheels of steel

2008-12-22T22:57:00.004+08:00

There are many adjustments one can make to the components on the go kart, i.e. raising or lowering the rear axle, or even how your seat is mounted.
The wheels and the tyres used however, is one of the most important factors in how your kart handles.

There are basically 2 kinds of wheels to choose.
First are Alloy wheels and the other is magnesium.

Alloy wheels are usually a aluminium based alloy.
Alloy wheels are generally stiffer than their magnesium alternatives.
This in turn generates more mechanical grip.
It is generally recommended to use hard tyres with alloy wheels.

One can also use a combination of a pair of a type of wheels, either in the front set or rear set.
For example, one coulde install magnesium wheels at the back to correct a situation where the rear alloy wheels had too much grip and was overpowering the front. Likewise, the reverse configuration could be installed but the risk is understeer.

Go Karting in the news

2008-12-18T11:35:00.002+08:00

Karting is THE way to go.

Here's an article from the Newpaper on the growing popularity of go karting in Singapore.

http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Motorworld/Story/A1Story20081211-107106.html

Track Halted

2008-12-11T16:38:00.003+08:00

Is the track at Jln Bahar going to open?
Have the authorities given the go ahead?

Many of us go karting enthusiasts must have had these questions running through our minds on many a sleepless night. The Tuas track is open but subject to scheduling and circuit sharing with the motorcycles, Johor is a distance off, Kart World is closing....

The latest news is that the proposed track at Jln Bahar is stalled pending a move in site 100m away from the residential area. However, that piece of land is owned by someone else, and arriving at a resolution between FICO and the owning parties seem a way off. So, for now, it seems that a replacement of Kart World has to wait, or does it?

Rumour is that there will be an announcement of another proposed track.
Where? Firmer details should be forthcoming by the end of the month.

There is hope, yet....

STOP PRESS

2008-12-09T16:16:00.002+08:00

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

6th Dec Plentong Go Kart Race

2008-12-07T15:20:00.004+08:00

Can YOU spot yourself ???

Tuning your rotax

2008-12-06T20:04:00.014+08:00

Tuning Your Rotax Engine

Tuning one's engine ensures a long and productive life for your vehicle. However, newbies might just simply not know where to start. A newbie myself, perhaps some of my newly discovered pointers could prove useful. What i have learnt is that owners of Rotax 125cc engines have to pay attention to 3 areas:

Regular cleaning and cleaning solutions

Be aware of the cleaning solutions used to clean parts of your engine, to prevent damage. Some components in the engine are made of rubber and are subceptible to damage to integrity if a harsh cleaning agent is used.

This image is of the power valve bellows which is a soft rubber component in the Rotax engine and can be damaged if cleaned with a harsh, corrosive cleaner. A result of using a damaged power valve bellows is a piston blow off.

Similarly, carburetor parts should only be cleaned with a carburetor cleaner and brakes should be cleaned with a fast evaporating brake cleaner. The importance of cleaning is in prolonging operating life, preventing foreign materials from damaging the engine, and it also helps when one has to identify problems with the engine.

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Carburetor

With most of the problems that i had with my rotax, i have received advice to check on the carburetor and make adjustments. The rotax engine carburetor uses a fixed jet system and jet changes are neccessary fof proper operation of the motor.

Many Rotax owners complain of a bog while turning, or when they release the throttle. The float will operate the needle & seat and if incorrectly adjusted, may cause a bog.

Follow these steps to set your float level correctly:
- First remove the carburetor from the motor to access the floats.

- Invert the carburetor and remove the float bowl. Make a note of how the floats are positioned in the float bowl cavity.

- While still holding the carburetor upside down, check the float lever.

- Locate the prongs of the float lever. The prongs must be parallel with the base of the carburetor. If the prongs are not level, you adjust the prongs by bending the small flap that sits on top of the needle and seat. Bend this flap until the float prongs are level. Be sure that you don;t bend the prongs itself.

Now that you have adjusted the floats to their proper position, we need to set the clip appropriately.
- Begin by adjusting the slide needle to its richest point. You do this by removing the small 'e' clip and setting it at the lowest groove on the slide needle.

- As you move the clip lower on the slide needle, it raises the height that the needle sits at in its resting position. This allows more fuel to enter the carburetor, thus making the system 'richer'. If you were to raise the clip to a higher groove, this would allow less fuel to enter and thereby create a 'leaner' condition.

- Next you will need to install the proper Main Jet for the current conditions. The proper main jet can only be determined taking into consideration these conditions:

Temperature
Humidity
Barometric Pressure
Altitude

- After the Main Jet is installed and the carburetor is reassembled, you replace it on the motor tighten the hose clamps and ensure that all of the bolts are tight too.

- Run the kart out on the track and observe proper 'warm-up' procedures. Once the engine is warmed up, begin pushing it to its limits.

- LOW RPM TUNING - If the kart runs rough at lower RPM's (5,500 - 8,500), we must adjust the needle setting to be 'leaner'. How 'rough' it is running should determine this adjustment. Never adjust in excess of (2) grooves in any direction, as this might lead to a low RPM seizure.

- HIGH RPM TUNING - If the motor won't cleanly rev from 10,000 RPM to 12,500 then change the main jet to (1) jet lower. I.e, if you are running a 168 jet and the motor pulls cleanly through to 11,500 but begins to break up or bog at 12,000 you might consider changing to a 165 main jet. If the leaner jet improves the situation, but still doesn't seem totally right, check your plug reading to ascertain if a leaner jet is suitable. BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS. At this point, going too lean could result in an engine seizure. Once you have found the appropriate main jet, it is possible you might have to change the clip setting to eliminate any lower RPM bog.
If the 'leaner' jet does not rectify the problem, you should install a jet that is one size bigger and thus richer.
A loud 'popping,' or a sudden drop off in performance at high RPM can mean that the jet is too lean.
At any time when the jet seems too lean you stop your go kart immediately, you should adjust to get a good 'cut' on the plug and reading on your plug indicators.

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Electrical
Many Rotax owners remain unaware of the importantance of the electrical system to proper operation of their kart. The Rotax operates uses a 'total loss' ignition system which, means that there is no on-board charging system, and that the ignition system relies solely on the battery for power to supply the ignition coil. This means that if the battery does not have adequate power, the ignition coil will not function properly. As a result, it is VERY important that you ALWAYS keep your battery at full charge and have some spares.

The commonly used battery is a sealed lead-acid battery. It is not a Ni-Cad, nor is it a Nickel Mh battery. As such, it needs to be charged like any other lead-acid battery. This battery does not have the type of memory that is associated with the Ni-Cad or Ni-Mh. If the battery is ever fully discharged there is a good chance that it will be damaged. The damage may not even be apparent immediately, but the lifespan of the battery may shorten significantly.

You should avoid jarring the battery unnecessarily, or dropping it as either of these can dislodge the internal components and cause a short circuit. The battery should be placed on the approved charger anytime that it is not being used until about two to three hours beyond the green light illuminating. Due to its nature, it is advisable to have at least one spare battery that is fully charged. This is probably the quickest and easiest item to change on the kart, and should be your first adjustment in any situation where the ignition seems to suddenly cut-out or misbehave.

Rough Running

2008-11-28T12:01:00.005+08:00

While at the circuit, i have noticed that compared to other karts, my kart sounds very distinct.
The sound is coarser and dirtier, almost grittier. Like an L.A hairmetal band as compared to vivaldi.

While mingling, asking around and looking for solutions for an engine running rough, i discovered a few tipe.

1) RPM adjustment. start at a 50% setting

2) Change gear ratio

3) change fuel valve in carburator

other tips

1) remove bar at front axel

YOUNGEST RACER EVER

2008-11-23T19:38:00.008+08:00

The Contender

Hairnet for hygiene

Helmet on for safety

Tightening helmet straps

Visor down

Gloves off, time to beat the competition to a pulp.

One for the camera. A true racer lives in the limelight and knows how to work the camera.

I had to take a picture of the young chap who lapped me not once but twice!

The honour is all mine!

Karting Race at Plentong OPEN TO ALL, 6th Dec.

2008-11-23T19:16:00.004+08:00

The karting track at Plentong, Johor is seeing a lot more foot traffic than i've ever noticed before. Arguably even more so than when it was at Permas Jaya. It's definately an enjoyable track with enough straightaways to open up and let the kart propel you stomache grabbing speeds.

However, the one at USJ is definately still a close contender for my favourite. Have a go at it if you have the chance.

Leisurely puttering down a track is one way to get to know and fall in love with a track but there's definately nothing like a little competition to spice up a romance.

That said, an excellent chance to romance the track at Plentong is at the go kart race that
OB Racing is organising in conjunction with kartingedge. It is open to everyone.

The place is at Plentong Go Karting Circuit.
The date and time is 6th Dec, 10 am.
Transport can be arranged.
Food will be provided.

More information can be found here:
http://kartingedge.com/forum/index.php?topic=330.0

Training Schedule

2008-11-19T13:16:00.002+08:00

TRAINING SCHEDULE - 19 Nov 2008, Thursday

The only silver lining in the gloomy overcast skies of the economic slowdown is that i now find myself with more go karting time. It is a happy albeit temporary situation, until my savings run dry.

Objective of the day is to reduce variance between the fastest and slowest lap to between 1 - 2 sec. The aim is to improve consistency. When that has been achieved, a proper set up can be performed on your go kart to suit your driving style and preferences.

The next part will then be to improve your driving time with different approaches to driving. For example to approach a circuit in as smooth a way as possible or to go all out in accelerating and braking.

OB Racing apparel now available at Plentong!

2008-11-18T23:25:00.015+08:00

Now exclusively at the

Plentong International Karting Circuit!

OB Racing gloves, balaclava, suits, rib protector, racing shoes available upon request.

Our banner now hangs at Plentong.

If it was difficult finding OBRacing products before, it's easier now.

With a creedo that extends to providing quality, value and usability

Watch out for improved product lines coming soon.

See you at the track soon!

Weekend at the races

2008-11-18T02:20:00.010+08:00

An exciting day today.
We put our kart through its paces to see what it is capable of, to get a feel of how our kart handles and what needs to be improved.

First at the helm is Joshua. Coming right at ya!

Speeding down the circuit
Discussing modifications to be made.

Next in line was Steph in his own self designed helmet. A real beauty not to be missed.

Advising on some problems that came up. Also, noticed that the gear ratio was all wrong. We would have to replace it with the proper sized sproket.

Zipping down the circuit

Attired in black was Chris. Sales manager and the man who seals the deals. Continued problems with the accelerator pedal cut short his run time.

The man on the ground who helps with the karting.

Always remember to have appropriate footwear. Shaven legs not neccessary.

Some takeaway points we learnt

1) Fuel can only be kept less than a week in the kart fuel tank. Reason being the evaporation of fuel will change the petrol/ oil mix ratio.

2) Always lube the chains and sproket after every racer.

3) A larger rear axel is less flexible, more suitable for heavier racers and would skid more on a lighter racer.

4) The pedals should be of the same height after installation.

5) Ensure that you are using the correct size sprocket. Changing the sprocket involves changing the chain as well.

Accident avoidance

2008-11-09T11:45:00.003+08:00

Whenever one speaks of go karting, a pall of silence falls, then someone shouts from the back " isn't it dangerous". "Didn't someone die in Malaysia", adds another. There are some simple defensive tactics that you can adopt. No one wants to get hurt or at the least, no one wants to pay for costly replacement of parts.

1) Avoid bumper cars. Cars with crash protection, like fun karts are likely to contain inexperienced drivers.

2) Maintain a safety distance. Imagine space as a safety buffer. If you give others space, you can minimize your chances of crashing because you'll both have more time to react.

3) Stay far from inexperienced drivers. You can judge this from their attire. They may be inexperienced or presume that go karting is like bumper cars.

4) Stay especially far away from children who may not understand the dangers of a crash.

5) Take the inside corners of turns so people can't clip you from behind.

6) Don't let people get directly in front of you; they may stop unexpectedly, causing you to crash in the back of them. Similiarly, don;t tailgate.

7) Move to the side to avoid crashes if they get directly in front of you. Stop for awhile if that's the only way to give yourself more room.

8) Warn the operator of the ride if someone is giving you an especially hard time.

May the force be with you

2008-11-09T11:17:00.002+08:00

You've felt it when pulling away in a quick acceleration, while cornering at high speeds and then you crash into barriers. You've even seen it in the bruises on your body. Just what are the forces exerted on the drivers of go karts?

Acceleration/Deceleration
These result when the tyres exert a forward or backward force on the track. It is the result of attempting to brake or accelerate.
This force is in the same plane as the track, below the karts centre of inertia. For this reason, the force exerts a turning moment (or torque) on the entire kart. I.e there is a downward force towards the front of the kart and an upward force at the rear of the kart while breaking and vice versa when accelerating, with the fulcrum at the center of gravity of the kart (which, is below the driver). This is called a rotational torque. There is no actual movement of any mass, but the torque effectively forces the appropriate part of the kart 'harder' down on the track.

While Cornering
While cornering, the driver feels like he is being pushed outwards from the kart. Actually, he is not being throw out but is trying to move in a straight line, due to the forward momentum. The tyres of the kart are producing a grip which imparts an angular acceleration on the kart (and driver), forcing the kart to corner. It is this angular acceleration that produces the sensation of being thrown out. The force which the ground imparts on the kart to make it corner is known as the Centripetal force, and it always acts at towards the centre of the imaginary circle we are cornering round.

Imagine the centripetal force is split into two components, a vertical and a horizontal. The horizontal force we have just described, but the vertical can be regarded as the cornering equivalent of the forward acceleration case. Because the centripetal force is acting on the kart, it imparts acceleration to it, and again, this acceleration is acting at ground level. Therefore a torque effect is again produced, but this time it is acting across the kart, and we get a weight shift to the outside of the kart. This weight shift also helps the inside wheel lift, as the weight shift reduces the weight on the inside wheel by an equivalent amount. This force has not been show on the diagram to aid clarity, but is simply in the opposite direction over the inside rear. In fact once cornering is initiated, this weight shift is more important to raising the inside wheel than the steering geometry.

The distance between the rear wheels affects how the centripetal force is distributed over the horizontal and vertical components. As the width of a track is increased, more centripetal force is distributed as a sideways force in relation to the weight shift. This means a wider track produces less weight shift to the outside rear, and more sideways force. A narrow track increases the weight shift and decreases the sideways force. Therefor a narrow track is less likely to exceed the grip of the tyres when cornering than a wide track. Consequently, the grippier the tyres used, the wider the stance can be before the grip is exceeded.

Accelerating around a corner
The final force to consider is a torque around the vertical axis experienced when accelerating during a corner. It is common knowledge that braking while cornering on a kart causes massive understeer while accelerating can improve cornering. This at first seems counterintuitive, since normally when accelerating there is a weight transfer to the rear, which you would expect to try to push the inside rear back onto the track. However, this weight transfer is dwarfed by the torque around this vertical axis caused by the fact that only one wheel rear wheel in on the track, and this wheel is offset from the centre of inertia.

Singapore Team's 1st Night Race?

2008-11-01T19:39:00.010+08:00

Singapore organised the 1st ever F1 night race.

How about a circuit that organises go kart races at night?

Lets take a look at this concept around the world?

I came across some circuits in Australia that offered this possibility.

Also in Miami, USA

There was also a video of a guy who couldn't wait to drive his kart and took it onto the road?

Dangerous and definately ill advised but a fantasy for most, i'll bet.

WET WET WET

2008-11-01T18:03:00.009+08:00

Attempted karting in wet weather tyres today.

Familiar with slicks performing as their names suggests at the slightest hint of moisture on the ground, I was pleasantly suprised at the amount of control i was able to regain with wet weather tyres.

Shah Alam, city karting......

After a work trip to KL, i organised a karting session for my collegues.
All that anticipation over the work week and in accordance with Murphy's law, rain clouds came rolling in as soon as we arrived.

Kudos and appreciation to City Karting who showed us that driving in soaked Y fronts can be an utterly enjoyable experience.

The performance was great, no puddle could wrest control of my vehicle from me.

So, lets have a look at the kinds of tyres available and find out more about them. Upon first glance, we notice that they are about the smallest tyres one has seen on any vehicle. Smaller than a car, smaller than a scooter...

The rims are made from aluminium or a magnesium alloy. There are various choices of tyres to suit diverse weather / track conditions. They are:

1) SLICK TYRES (for dry weather)

2) WET TYRES (for wet weather)

3) INTERMEDIATE TYRES (for conditions between dry and wet)

4) Other specialised tyres ( for ice, etc etc)

Tyre compounds are what the tyres are made of. The compounds are constructed from very hard to very soft. The manufacturers are Bridgestone, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Maxxis....

The patterns on the tyres itself are known as grooves and determine the usage of the particular tyre.

1) Slicks are smooth with no markings at all. They are designed for optimum contact with the surface of the track. On a dry track it provides the maximum traction possible. However the amount of traction is reduced in the presence of moisture and will hydroplane as water cannot escape the space between the tyre and track. Slicks are constructed of soft rubber but not as soft as wet weather tyres.

2) Intermediate tyres are generally used when there is a little moisture in the air and on the track, but not soo wet that wet weather tyres are required. These tyres are also used when there is likely to be low amounts of traction. As a substitute, worn wet tyres can also be used to serve this purpose. The rubber that they are made from is softer than slicks, but not as soft as wet weather tyres.

3) Wet weather tyres are used when the track is very wet or if there are puddles on the track. They are constructed of very soft rubber and thus should never be used in dry weather where they will break off and disintegrate in a short time. These tyres are grooved tyres, and offer much more traction in the wet than slicks, they offer a lot less traction in the dry. The grooves are designed to wick water away from between the tyres and track, thus creating better traction. It allows more contact with the track surface and maintains its grip.

Here are some pictures of tyres which i have found.

Turf

Sawtooth

Ribbed

Studded

Slicks
Offroad Studded

USJ - the best track south of well, south of USJ

2008-10-29T22:32:00.006+08:00

Over the long weekend, the gang and i headed off to the cooler altitudes of Fraser Hills.
That aside, on the way to KL from the hills, we stopped by USJ, otherwise known as the Elite Highway Track.
It has been awhile since we visited the track but it sure didn't disappoint.
Let me give you a breakdown of the track which, incidentally, has to been driven in a 2 stroke kart to really appreciate.

We begin at the straight away in a clockwise manner.

The beginning of the circuit is at the far left, on the track next to the light grey rectangle.

1) Turn one is a hard right. follow the usual slow in, fast out procedure
2) The next is a series of gentle turns. Essentially, you are more or less able to floor your pedal until you reach the loop at the bottom of the map above. This turn is tighter than the first one and considering that you would be travelling at a high speed at this juncture, do take care not to jam on the brake.
3) The next turn is a 90 degree left turn which shouldn't be a problem if you stick to the racing line.
4) Following is a wide left turn, not much problems here too.
5) Same with the next right turn.
6) The next feature is an series of 2 turns, a tighter left turn which leads into a right turn.
This is in my opinion a real opportunity for training yourself. Since the 1st left turn is pretty narrow, you would have to slow down to avoid spining out or understeering. As this leads into a right turn, the problem (at least with me) is one of going into the turn too slow, due to deceleration in the previous turn. This is an excellent place to overtake for those with better control of their vehicle.

GPS Lap timers

2008-10-23T00:25:00.002+08:00

I first heard about GPS lap timers from an engineer friend. The technology isn't rocket science, the service is free..... It doesn't require set up of transponders and like the unit that helps you find your way around, it can map out your track and show you where you are in relation to that map.

That's where the magic of the GPS lap timer comes in. With minimal effort beyond switching it on and pushing some more buttons to set it up, you can get a map of the track and useful information sush as current speed, lap times, RPM, Max speed, fastest speed, and even your deceleration and acceleration point.

That will prove to be a very useful learning tool. Your racing line and approach to a track can gradually be improved upon.

These devices ,however, cost a pretty penny. I decided to look online to see what the alternatives are until i can afford the real Mc coy.

Enter the IPHONE LAP TIMER:
There is a program created by someone that allows any GPS enabled device to act as a GPS lap timer. It even works on your IPHONE.
http://www.schlangmann.mynetcologne.de/HarrysLapTimer/

ASIAN KARTING - boon for racers and spectators alike in the region

2008-10-19T12:05:00.003+08:00

Where does one aspire to arrive at, at their first step to a motor racing career?
Which series can a fan follow that is closer to home?
At the ASIAN KARTING OPEN - CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES, that's where!

The Asian Karting Open Championship Series had its beginnings in April of 2002, after a call from IM, the CIK approved governing body in Indonesia, to AAP in Philippines suggested and discussed the possibility of holding an asian karting series modelled after the European Kart Championships. It was also moved that a prime goal was to elevate the skills of asian karters to a world standard level and develop karting as a sport.

Thus was the 1st championship series initiated with 3 venues hosting regional karters: Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. A success story, participants flooded in from China, HongKong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines and Brunei.

An average of 80 karters participate at each event, with the strong support of karting teams in the region. AKOC, as the organising body is known has become the premier Karting Series here in Asia, with rounds held in India, Macau, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

There are 6 categories of Karting classes:
1) FORMULA 100 OPEN (FORMULA A)
• 15 years old and above are eligible to join
• International B License is required
• 100 cc Rotary or Reed Valve Engines, approved by CIK
• The premier class and the Highest category for AKOC

2) SENIOR ROTAX MAX 125
• 17 years old and above are eligible to join
• International C license is required
• Rotax Max 125cc Engine
• The best attended category

3) JUNIOR ROTAX MAX 125
• 12 years old up to 17 years old are eligible to join
• International C License is required
• Junior Rotax Max 125cc Engine
• A very popular category among the kids

4) JUNIOR INTERCONTINENTAL A
• 13 years old up to 15 years are eligible to join
• Intercontinental C License is required
• 100cc Piston Port Engine with clutch, appointed by CIK
• Karters from this category step up to Formula 100 open

5) CADET 85• 9 years old up to 13 years old are eligible to join
• Comer K85/W85 engines are used
• The entry level for AKOC karters
• National C-License is required

6) VETERAN ROTAX MAX 125
• 45 years old and above are eligible to join
• International C License is required
• Rotax Max 125 engine
• A popular category for businessman and executives who enjoy karting as a sport

7) MACAU CUP OPEN
• 15 years and above are eligible to join
• National C License is required
• CIK homologated Reed Valve/Rotary valve 100 cc engine.

This year's Schedule is as follows, it's still not too late to watch the action

June 28-29, 2008ROUND 1 - KARTODROMO DE COLOANE, MACAU

July 26-27, 2008ROUND 2 - CARMONA CIRCUIT, PHILIPPINES

August 16-17, 2008ROUND 3 - SENTUL, INDONESIA

October 31- November 2, 2008ROUND 4 - SARABURI, THAILAND

November 28-30, 2008ROUND 5 - KARTODROMO DE COLOANE, MACAU

December 13-14, 2008ROUND 6 - DIAMOND COAST CIRCUIT, HONG KONG

OSAMA BIN KARTING

2008-10-18T22:41:00.001+08:00

Osama Bin (Go) Karting

Found a funny picture online on Flickr.

No offense intended to any who have taken any.

Nevermind the (dog's) bollocks, we're OB Racing

2008-10-14T00:53:00.009+08:00

NEVERMIND THE BOLLOCKS

Sunday, bright and early morning, i started the day by driving back home to pack and package everything go karting related that had to be moved to Plentong.

We stripped the front and end bumbers, side skirting, wheels; everything that added to the overall width and length dimensions of the kart.

Everything was then wrapped in plastic out of consideration to the owner of the Subaru Forester that provided the muscle to this logistical undertaking. Be sure to make a note of everything that you stripped. Do list it down on a piece of paper or in an excel table. It serves as a guide to whether things have been lost or simply as a log of items brought to whichever destination you choose. For us, that would be Plentong, at the Permas Karting Circuit.

We thought that wrapping it up would make it less conspicuous but we were to learn later that it alerts the Malaysian customs to the possibility of a windfall. Why? Because, a nicely wrapped kart looks expensive, it also looks new.

We weren;t too much harried by the customs official in Malaysia, after Tuas, because his superior was standing alongside and wasn't the slightest interested in what we were bringing over. After about 15 minutes of nodding and small talk, he let us off. We did, however, get the feeling he wanted something more.

In any case, this is what you have to bring. A self written and signed letter stating that the kart is used for racing purposes only and off public roads. Within the letter, you have to state the vehicle chasis and engine number if any. Also handy to bring are letters of exemption for duties from LTA and all shipping documents. They really only require the letter but more paper work befuddles them and the hope is they'll tire of trying to shake you of any loose change and let you go. We crossed at Tuas, because we heard that it's easier there, in terms of crossing customs, as they're used to goods vehicles and other crossings akin to that.

And like that, our kart has a new home albeit a rented one. But every child that flies the coop starts out with a rental home, right?

Messing around with the rentals

The Real Brothers

The ladies
Money Lim

There were some new interesting banners at Plentong. Looks very good.

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Zoommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

MALAYSIA IT IS

2008-10-08T12:36:00.001+08:00

It has been decided - MALAYSIA PLENTONG here we come.

Recruited a friend and come Sunday, our karts should be in Johore.

Singapore or Malaysia

2008-10-02T09:05:00.001+08:00

For those who own a kart, you may be wondering what are the pros and cons of leaving it in Singapore or storing it at Malaysia. I too have been pondering this question with the lack of racing space in Singapore.

We have been hearing about talks of a rack in Tuas and another in Loyang.
Kart World was already decided against due to the small compound.

The track at Tuas is a good track however the only drawback is that it isn't a dedicated Go Karting track and availability is due to a changing schedule posted onto their website.

http://www.singaporecircuit.com/racecalender.html

It no doubt will hold quality, thrilling events for dirt bikes, ATVs, etc...
The rates are pretty good too at $15 / hr for tarmac usage and $30 for dirt.
In any case, that seems to be out too.

The track at Changi is apparently stalled again.
http://www.changiracingsponsors.brandonjapanev.com/

Where else than to look to the north at our neighbours.
Perhaps Plentong is the only track for now.
Checks with LTA show that there is no customs issues on the Singaporean side for taking our karts to Malaysia.
According to Lewis of PermasKarting, 50RM, is the standard fee if motor oil alone can't provide enough lubrication for us to get through.

Hopefully by the next blog, i will be able to tell you exactly how to get your kart to Malaysia.

Force India - Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)

2008-09-29T13:33:00.003+08:00

On the 2nd day, the day of the qualifiers, Force India's Fisichella fell afoul of the chicanes at turn 10. I managed to get a picture of him getting a ride back from the crash site.

And its a wrap...

2008-09-28T22:27:00.006+08:00

The 2008 Singapore F1 has come and gone.
Inspite of all that was said and the criticism, it was an exciting race. Congratulations to Renault and Alonso!

Walkabout on the track

2008-09-28T14:16:00.005+08:00

For some reason, fans were allowed to throng the actual race track right after the qualifiers.

Everyone got onto the track to take photos and a stroll.
many got down onto the floor to pose, kiss the ground and other displays of affection.

Keep on walking

Views from the track

Closeup of the chicanes

The city awash in white lights, racing floodlight variety.

STOP PRESS: Last race pics of the night

Aston Martins

Petronas F1 Car parts.

Birds eye view of the track

2008-09-28T13:56:00.003+08:00

I have gone trigger happy over the last few hours and realise the blog has become amess of words and pictures. In an attempt to better organise my thoughts and pictures, i will try to separate pictures into relevant postings, as i do here.

Posted Pictures

2008-09-28T11:38:00.016+08:00

An unfortunate circumstance of bringing a camera to the F1 races was that i spent more time trying to get a good shot as opposed to relaxing, and wathing the race. Often times, It was too crowded to get a good angle too. But i still had a blast there. Now i need to catch a repeated telecast on TV.

Wrecked Car, at the practise session.

Wheels destroyed.

Exhaust destroyed.

Front Stabilizer destroyed

Marina Bay Grandstand view.

View to the west

View to the east and the flyer

Porches on the track.

The Camera guy from across the grandstand.

Twilight is upon us. The race begins.

View from the road leading to the Marina Bay Grandstand (turn 20)

View of the qualifiers from the Marina Bay Grandstand

The race is underway. This is the straightaway before turn 19.

The turn after the Marina Bay Gradstands - Turn 20.

Posted Videos

2008-09-28T11:17:00.004+08:00

In my posting videos, i hoped to bring fans closer to the event.
However, i neglected to check what quality setting my camera was set to and only realised it was on the lowest quality setting after. i could really kill mself. Hope you have fun looking at grainy video.

Spectators were allowed onto the track right after the qualifiers concluded. Seems like an odd practice, contrary to safety concerns that are ever so present these days.

The Marina Bay Grandstands was the only section where the F1 cars drove under any seating structures. At the lower deck, i was able to get a different view of the action, with the noise at a deafening volume in the confined area.

Grainy view from the track. Apologise for the video quality setting.

Prior to the F1 qualifiers, Porches had a go on the track.

Day 2, Formulaire une, Grand prix, a Singapour.

2008-09-28T01:11:00.012+08:00

J'ai juste retourne apres une jour au circuit Grand Prix, formulaire une de Singapour.
J'ai eu une bon temp. Simplement magnifique.
Ici, sont les photos a la course.

The Marina Bay Grandstands

Track Marshalls

The architectural folly known as the durian.

The support, service car

More of the volunteer staff

Pedestrian Bridges across the track to the Marina Bay area.

Get your overpriced, official merchandise here.

Grandstands by the Padang

View of the track along the Marine Bay area.

Pedestrian Bridges across the track to the Padang.

The Padang Grandstand, opposite the Old supreme court

On the scene - local corrospondant

2008-09-26T19:06:00.008+08:00

Like Dith Pram, Sean Flynn, Dana Stone, Joe Rosanthal or Robert Neveu whom incidentally has a facebook page and did not add me when i added him as a friend out of nowhere.

me being presumptuous, and thinking a renowned photographer would add me as a friend, being a total stranger.

anyway, i feel like a journalist struggling to file a story in as short a time as possible.
The subject of this post is turns around the parliament and old supreme court, and the chicanes that are stirring up controversy.

Here are the pictures that speak better than i ever could.

Even the volunteer staff could not take their eyes off the F1 cars and the track.
Although only just starting, the excitement was palpable.

The infamous turn 10 where many predict accidents WILL occur.

At humble speeds, the F1 cars take the turn with ease, although i did see a porche spin out earlier when porches were allowed on the track to test the circuit.
I wonder how the F1 cars will do at more humbling speeds!!

More High Res shots of Turn 10 and the chicanes

More of turn 10 and the Old parliament building.

Constuction crew and security officers have their eye on the cars, just in case of an accident maybe? heh he

Hi Res Shots of the offending "TOO HIGH" chicanes

The bucket seats at the Padang

The bright Hi output floodlights
I hope you all enjoyed this as much as i did rushing to post it up.

Turn of the century

2008-09-26T13:32:00.003+08:00

Turns 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14
Here is the video i shot of turn 10, where the infamous treacherous chicanes are placed.
This is the 1st day of try outs on the 26th Sept 2008, 6pm.

MASSA IN A MASERATI

2008-09-26T13:20:00.003+08:00

Although i was unable to get a clear views of Massa and Kimi at Purvis St, here is a shot from the shop houses that line the street of the famed Ferrari drivers emerging from their Maserati.

2 days b4 race day, 1 b4 qualifiers, day of the tryouts

2008-09-26T00:12:00.008+08:00

Thank you Massa and Kimi for spending 10 minutes with your fans at paltrona frau

The eve of the SG F1 GP

2008-09-25T12:58:00.005+08:00

We stand at the cusp of time, the threshold of a moment that will be frozen in time in the minds of many, in the photos of many. Akin to the anticipation of Christmas or the return of the apollo 13 space mission, the moment is a door that swings open on its hinges, like floating perfectly suspended at the event horizon of a black hole, where you stand in a perfectly balanced point where before you lies sweat beading anticipation and uncertainty and infront of you lies the passing of reality and knowledge the starkness of immutable fact and history where you lose the pangs of hope and expectation and hungry eagerness. Walking the line between yearning and knowing.
Here are the day's pictures of my walk to work. Security personnel barricade the roads traffic is pretty much backed up.

2 days to race nighttttt.... (sounds like an Iron maiden song)

2008-09-24T13:29:00.006+08:00

Race day is approaching, The breakneck pace and flurry of activity around the circuit stokes the excitement of race fans and ordinary citizens in equal measure, probably converting some to the F1 appreciating camp as well. Blocked roads have cars backed up road not meant to accommodate rush hour traffic, diversions lengthen commute times, i wonder how Monaco copes with the sole artery being l'avenue Princess Grace. Wouldn't think the cornishe moyen would be a good idea considering how Princess Grace, after which the road mentioned above is named, perished after careening off the cliffs. Perilous journeys to work or joyrides aside, i bring to you here, for the benefit of all F1 fans who aren;t in the island state to experience the state of the traffic, scenes behind the scenes of the making of the SG F1 GP.

View of the track itself and workers setting everything up from banners to food stands

I managed to walk past a barricade and got onto the portion of the track right outside the Old Supreme Court.

Here are pictures of the grandstand facing the Old Supreme Court and the entrance to Gate 2.

More pictures of the same grand stand by night.

Policemen mill around, preventing access by the public onto the track.

View of the track while on the track.

People milling around on the track.

more police and tourists milling around.

View of the portion of the track right outside City Hall.

The SG F1 GP banners on my walk to work.

The ticketing booth right outside the Victoria Concert Hall.

The turn after the old bridge around the corner of the Fullerton Hotel.

Fullerton Hotel is in the background with the red/orange tiled roof.

Pictures of the Chicanes laid out on the turn outside the Old Supreme Court.

RBS is a sponsor, apparently.

Grills, Barricades, Cranes, the logistical means to a successfully held event.

Behind the Old Supreme Court, all road access is barred.

In the vicinity of the Old Parliament Building.

Super Import Night

2008-09-21T23:55:00.006+08:00

Metallic Curves and Angelic Girls

A trip to the 2nd "Super import nights" held at the Expo hall in Singapore, held just 1 week before the Singapore night time F1 GP certainly whets one's appetite for racing thrills. On show were some of the world's most prestigious names in the automobile industry, some of the flashiest add-ons and decorative embellishments one can treat his vehicle to, of course some very beguiling and alluring sales instruments on earth.

Here are some pictures of the event. (sorry, i encountered a problem with my computer and will upload the rest later)

More shots of the Singapore F1 GP track/ grandstand

2008-09-18T22:43:00.008+08:00

Each day is a buzz of activity to complete the logistics of organising the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is being held next week.

View while on the track between the Old Supreme Court and the Padang.

View of the grandstand towards Marina Bay area.

Close up view of the same.

I wonder how it can all be completed within 1 week, i feel the heat for them. I definately do.

Carbs, you know how to eat them, but do u know how to clean them?

2008-09-18T10:16:00.004+08:00

Maintenance is key to maintaining your vehicle's performance, that;s why the chore itself is caled Maintenance. A no brainer, right?

So my adventures on a go kart have brought me to write this little article, in easy to understand point form, no less.

1) Purchase a can of carburator cleaner
2) Spray crab cleaner into the carb while the engine is running, and at the same time step on the accelerator pedal slightly.
3) You may have to remove the float under the carb.
4) If you have used a fuel additive or fuel stabilizer, it may have left a deposit in your carb.
5) Other than that, you can also spray carb cleaner on the needles which you use t adjust the fuel /air mix.
6) It may be neccessary to let the needle and also the carb itself soak in cleaner. If you do remove the carb, remember not to touch anything else but the bolts that attach it to the engine and filter.
7) It is also a good idea to use an air compressor to blow out whatever is left inside the carb.

Death and TAX-es.

2008-09-18T01:47:00.004+08:00

Rotax Max Challenge - Rotax "MAX" Engine

Introducing the tools:
The RoTAX "MAX" engine is a 2 stroke, liquid cooled 125 cc engine. It has a balance shaft, integrated water pump, electric starter and centrifugal clutch.

The integration of the onboard electric started with the centrifugal clutch greatly simplifies the engine, allowing it to run more economically in a concept called Touch and Go (TaG). This design uses just 2% engine oil and is renouned for durability as well as ease of operation. The balance shaft which, is an eccentric weighted shaft, counters vibrations in the engine that are not balanced, thus giving a smoother ride.

The family:
- 125 Junior MAX engine:
15 kW
recommended for juniors from 13– 16 years
has a cylinder without exhaust valve

- The 125 Junior MAX engine can be simply downgraded to the
125 Mini MAX engine configuration by means of an intake and exhaust restricto:
10 kW
recommended for kids from 10 – 13 years

- It can also be downgraded to the 125 Micro MAX engine configuration by means of a different exhaust and radiator:
5 kW
recommended for kids from 8 – 10 years .

- A 125 Junior MAX engine can be also upgraded by means of a cylinder with exhaust valve to a 125 MAX engine configuration:
21 kW
recommended as of 15 years
has a cylinder with exhaust valve

- The top line of the MAX engine family is the 125 MAX DD2:
24 kW
recommended as of 15 years
has a two speed gearbox and a chainless drive system

Automotive terms revisited

2008-09-18T01:31:00.008+08:00

Now that you may be more familiar with terms from my last link which i posted with the excellent glossary of automotive jargon, here's another good quick reference guide.

http://www.motorera.com/dictionary/index.htm

------here's a video of our favourite JB track, Permas Jaya Go Kart Track, as it is driven. ------

Lights, Cameras, action COMING REAL SOON

2008-09-16T21:08:00.007+08:00

The view of the turn that takes traffic infront of the old supreme court and the Padang. At the heart of colonial Singapore's social scene, this year, it is one of the locations that plays host to the SG F1 GP.

The eye in the sky; Big Brother watches over you, to keep the peace and you safe, obviously.

Fencing is lined up against the road for erection.

Concrete bases are stored along the road too, together with the crane that takes personnel up to the lighting racks to set up the lighting.

Everywhere else, fencing keep people within the viewing area and others, outside.

The view along a section of the track by day.

And by night...

Singapore GP icon? The Merlion

2008-09-12T12:01:00.003+08:00

The Merlion Opposite Fullerton Hotel

Although the Merlion is not sitting pretty along the F1 track, nevertheless, it is an icon of our island and all visitors to the Singapore GP track must not miss out this mystical creature!

Lights testing for the first time on the Singapore GP track

2008-09-09T10:34:00.004+08:00

Yesterday was a routine ride home on a taxi from town when suddenly I was woken up by the excited screams of the taxi driver "F1 eh, F1 eh, lights very bright ahhhhhhh!" I looked out of the window and man, along the stretch of Raffles Boulevard and it was very bright. I looked at my watch and it says 9:25pm, which doesnt seem to tally with the apparent "day-ness" outside the glass panel. Instinctively, I knew the F1 people were testing the lights and I whipped out my camera and snapped a few photos. Here are these, EXCLUSIVELY, OBR-taken photos of the streets come 26-28 Sept, where the bright lights will be accompanied by the orchestra of the high pitched engines.

Singapore racing against the clock for the F1 race

2008-09-08T20:23:00.011+08:00

Here are some pictures that will no doubt go down in history as early snap shots, for prosterity, of either one of Singapore's biggest failures like volcano land or one of Singapore's biggest successes like CHILLI CRAB.

These are the supports atop which the high voltage white flood lights are perched.

Here's how the lights are fixed to cross beams between supports.

The picture on the left shows the top of the fencing that separates the track area from the sidestands.

These pictures are closeups of the light fixtures.

I came across plastic shelter sections resting along the field, next to the fence. Perhaps it will be used to shelter spectators.

Pictures of the concrete weights keeping the light fixture stands anchored to the ground.

The stands are placed in the gaps, within the metal rings of the concrete barriers.

This is what the fence looks like.

Workers positioning the lights.

The victoria concert hall, old supreme court, Central Business District skyline....
All sights which will wittness the first night race.

The very road that will have F1 race cars careening across its tarmac.

Journey to Plentong

2008-09-08T10:24:00.003+08:00

Plentong is an area that lies to the east of Johore Bahru city. Renouned as an industrial / residential area, it now boasts 1 new attraction on its calling card. Permas Jaya's loss of Permaskart is Plentong's gain but the trip there is certainly a bane. tucked deep within the verdant foilage of a palm oil plantation, the track through the plantation to reach the kart track is trying. One can travel at a maximum speed of 40, perhaps 50 km/h and a downpour could do real damage to the gravel topped track. Cows are known to frequent the area and hang around in menacing gangs by amd also on the road. Amongst the sineous growth of opportunistic trees, we can find derelict wrecks of cars that did not complete the trip.

This excellent site has detailed directions to PLENTONG GO KART TRACK!!

WET WEATHER KARTING

2008-08-30T13:10:00.007+08:00

PIC OF THE DAY- KARTING IN THE WET

Critics have laid upon this blog no small amount of animadversion, citing the amateur hobbist slant at which this blog has taken. Well, here'a another bo liao photograph to confirm with the critics that this is indeed a bo liao site for all budding go kart racers.

Plentong Go-Kart Karting Track Layout formerly Permas Jaya

2008-08-28T17:34:00.002+08:00

It was a short but fun ride. Me and the team went down for a test run of the new track at Plentong last week and drew a brief track layout. Louis said the design is made to accommodate 8 different track layouts, but as of now, this was the layout that we first set tracks on.

Directions to get to Plentong or other tracks can be found on the site itself www.obracing.sg or
this Plentong link: http://obracing.sg/KARTING_tracks_Plentong.html

Plentong, Johor Bahru Go Karting Track

2008-08-28T14:01:00.001+08:00

Plentong is where the former track at Permas Jaya moved to.
Louis has designed a new track in the pristine surroundings of a remote oil palm plantation.

The journey there is an arduous 25 minutes over 4km of gravel track, where one will be treated to a safari of monkeys, grazing cows and 1 derelict car.

After undertaking this voyage into the verdant greenery of the Southern State, a beautifully designed go-kart track awaits the intrepid explorer who doesn;t shy away from pot holes, and rain eroded roads.

Don't know your Ackerman from your spindles?

2008-08-26T09:00:00.000+08:00

A significant barrier to taking up any new hobby is jargon.
Some profess that it creates specific terms to make communication easier but i confess that i am throughly lost at times.

Fortunately, the internet plays host to a wealth of information; some bereft of any utility but here is one that will get you up to speed on most of what you need to know.

http://www.brendel.com/racing/karting_glossary.shtml

Adieu, Permas. Tu me manquerai.

2008-08-21T13:43:00.001+08:00

It was a sunny afternoon in June when we bid adieu to the Permas Jaya Karting Track.
In appropriate style, our farewell was to take part in a 390 cc kart race against others in the Singaporean karting community. Here are some pictures for prosterity, GOODBYE PERMAS JAYA!

In the flesh, Joshua Ng, Jeremy Goh, Steph Lee

Joshua in racing attire.

Goh Guo-Hua in racing suit

The beginning & the end.

Stall speed of your clutch - WHY WON'T THAT DAMN THING IDLE?

2008-08-20T08:50:00.005+08:00

Question: do you know the stall speed of your clutch? At what RPM will your go kart stall?

What to know in a nutshell: The adjustment screws of the clutch can be turned in a certain direction for a certain amount to tweak the stall speed of your clutch.

More questions: What is the optimal setting?

Trial and error where u aim not for a specific RPM but the setting that allows a kart to accelerate out of corners the quickest.

How do i do this??

Well, if you are a beginner hobbist like me, i would suggest to just follow online advice (read:me) and set up your kart first and later build up a feeling for how u want your kart to operate.

Instructions

1) Finding your kart's clutch speed.

- Place your kart flat on the ground with space infront to move. (i.e. driveway, track, etc)

- Start the kart and switch on the RPM gauge.

- Set the Carburator needles so that the engine can be started.

- Keep your foot on the brake to prevent the kart from surging forward and do not release!

- Start the engine and keep it at idling, with the accelerator if needed.

- Take the reading of the tachometer and keep a close watch on it.

- Now release the brake and floor the accelerator.

- You will notice that as the engine revs up and begins to accelerate, there will be a space of time where the RPM does not move before it begins to increase again. That RPM value is your clutch's stall speed.

GO KART BITS And PIECES

2008-08-17T22:04:00.000+08:00

Progressing from the immediate rush of the wind in your hair and the sensations of centrifugal and coriolis forces shoving you around in your seat, one is piqued by how the machine on which you are seated can subject you to such sensations.

The thought train pulls into the next stop and you ask, HOW is it that this flimsy frame, onto which a assemblage of metal components are attached can serve up such an experience. In short, what makes it run and what is it made of. For all you inquisitive minds, i have found a simple diagram which will enlighten you.

Tyre alignment

2008-08-17T20:58:00.000+08:00

After a week back breaking office exertion, it was time for another well deserved break with my go kart. This week, we finished off setting up the go karts and fired them up. We now know that it's track worthy. The next big step is where to store our karts; in Singapore or Malaysia?

That question aside, here's the details on how you too, can get started setting up your karts. In this post, specifically, how to align your tyres.

These nuts on the stub axle will adjust the caster angle of your front tyres. What positive/ negative caster angle means that the axis of your wheel will be moved forwards or backwards around a central point. This is adjusted when you align the notches on the nut in different positions. A neutral camber is when both notches are lined up.
The importance is that camber affects the straight line stability of yoru vehicle.

Next, to adjust your front tyres so that they are neither aligned toe in or out, you have to adjust the length of the tie rods. Tie rods come in various lengths, from 9 inches to slightly over 11 inches, so purchasing the correct length is important as the amount of leeway you have to adjust the length is limited.

For want of more sophisticated tools, we opted to perform this task in a more primative fashion.
using a marker, we drew a line at the center of the tyre by rotating it while holding a marker on the surface. This was done on both tyres. From these points of reference on both wheels, we took measurements from the front and back of the wheels. Using these measurements, we could determine if the wheels were aligned in a forwards V or backwards V configuration. In other words, "toe", is the angle that the wheels make with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle drawn in the center of the vehicle. Adjusting the tie rods pivoted the wheels inwards or outwards. What we aimed to achieve was a neutral toe. To arrive at this desired outcome, we adjusted the tyres so that the measurements from both wheels at the front and back of the tyres were equal.

Adjusting camber is done in a similar fashion, except that the measurements that you want to match up are the distances from the top and bottom of both tyres.

IT MOVES!!! IT LIVES!!! IT LIVES!!!
Unfortunately at this time after driving our karts up and down the driveway, the tell tale plastic/ rubber acrid smell led us to discover that one of the karts had a jammed clutch and was rubbing against the clutch drum. Back to the workshop for that one and another future post.

KARTING USA

2008-08-07T13:12:00.000+08:00

"Surf'in USA" was a song by the Beach Boys in the 60s, bet they never saw the coming of go karting. Anyway here's a document for those who wanna go Karting USA. Interesting to note that less than half the states have go karting facilities. yee haw!

*** PLS EMAIL ME FOR THE LIST, AS IT WAS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE SITE***

Karting as a nursery for F1 greatness.

2008-08-06T08:55:00.000+08:00

Many have spoken of how karting is the testing/ breeding ground for the inchoate dreams of motorsports greatness. However, less have given anything more than throwing names around.
So, just how did one of the current racing names make it into the more serious and established arena of F1 racing? Here is the story of Michael Schumacher; a German name that needs no introduction.

Michael was born on the 3rd of January, 1969, to Rolf Schumacher and Elisabeth in a town called Hurth Hermulheim. At four years old, Michael took his first steps towards motorsports when his father attached a small motorcycle engine to his pedal kart. His first accident resulted soon after when he crashed it into a lamp post at Kerpen.

Venturing on to the local karting track at Kerpen- Horrem, he joined the club and was then the youngest member there.

His father sensed that his son was to have a future in motor racing and supported his son's interest. He built for his son a proper kart from discarded parts and at the tender age of 6, Michael won his first club championship.

Though the cheapest form of motor racing, pursuing even go karting is by no means cheap, and Rolf together with his wife had to take on second jobs; Rolf at t the karting circuit renting and repairing karts and Elisabeth aat the track's canteen stand.

When even this effort was insufficient to fund his passion and to provide spare parts, several local businessmen stepped in to provide a new engine which cost 800DM.

Karting regulations in Germany stpulate the minimum driving age to be 14 years. Michael, below this age, got around this by obtaining a license in Luxumbourd in 1981, when he was 12.

In 1983, he received his German license and the next year, emerged champion at the German Junior Kart Championships. From 1984 on, Schumacher won several German and European kart championships. Then in 1985, he joined Eurokart dealer Adolf Neubert and by 1987 he was the German and European kart champion. Then, in 1988, Michael made his first step into single-seat car racing by racing in the German Formula Ford and Formula Konig series, winning the latter. From there, he proceeded to garner successive wins and the fame he currently enjoys.

CIK-FIA Championships in Macau

2008-08-02T00:40:00.001+08:00

CIK-FIA has named Macau as the venue of the CIK-FIA 2009 Karting World Championships. The event will be held at the Kartodromo de Coloane circuit from the 8 - 11 of October 2009.

Info from CIK-FIA site

Great news for us as this is the first time the world championship is being held in Asia. I guess its time to plan for a karting trip up to Macau in 2009.

For more info on Kartodromo de Coloane circuit in Macau can be found here.

THAI ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE

2008-07-30T13:39:00.000+08:00

Thailand was host to the Rotax Max Challenge which ended about a week ago. It was held at the Sarabuli karting circuit. For some great shots at the event, click here .

For those interested, saraburi is a province located north of Bangkok, and anout 30km north east of Ayudthaya, along national highway 1. It is a 1.3km long, clockwise track. Definately somewhere worth visiting if in the neighbourhood.

Checking out the pit

2008-07-27T12:30:00.000+08:00

After a needless day of toil at the office, i took a little trip down to the site of the future F1 pit. By chance, it appeared that there was a racing/ motorsports themed even being held in the vacinity of the f1 pits and the Singapore flyer. For F1 fans out of the country, here'a a first look at the fixtures, pit lane and garage where the action will take place! Right underneathe the world's largest spoked bicycle wheel!

Singapore Flyer - located next to the pit building

Singapore Grand Prix - Pit Entrance

Pit Entrance - Lights that will illuminate the world's 1st Grand Prix

Close up of the lights that will line the 5km route

Singapore Grand Prix Pit Building

ING Renault - Alonso's Car

Glimpse of the Pit Garage before the installation of facilities

working on weekends

2008-07-22T21:13:00.001+08:00

Took my kart out again this weekend for a dust off.
It's an "arrow" brand 125cc from Australia. As usual, much was learnt from the trial and error while following rather vague instructions from manuals and online sources, while attempting to service our karts.

Order of the day:

1) change coolant in the radiator
2) change the counter balance gear oil
3) wheel alignment
4) fire her up
5) test drive
6) go for "Wine and Dine" BBQ

This is where, on the engine, you are required to top the engine oil. On the side of it, there are 3 screws. The bottom most is to drain out all remaining engine oil. Depending on the model of your engine, one of the remaining 2 allows you to level off the engine oil in the engine after you have flushed and topped it off with new engine oil.

Ideally, a funnel would have made the job easier and less messy but hey, meeting up with friends in an oil soaked, white T-shirt and greasy hands gives off a manly appearance.

Pictured here is the aforementioned screws on the side panel of the engne block which controls the amount of engine oil inside. Pictured here are the 2 relevant screws, with the remaining third hidden from view behind the bar of the kart frame.
Removing either of the screws allows the engine oil inside to flow out until the desired level has been reached.

Flushing the radiator was a little more straight forward. Basically, the radiator has to be drained and then flushed throughly with some of the new coolant liquid which you intend to use.

Aligning the wheels took a little more time than the other tasks.
First, we had to determine if the front tyres were toe in or toe out. The back wheels had to be aligned to the end of the axle as well. More in pictures in the next post on this.....

Motorsports is an inherently dangerous activity.. yadda yadda

2008-07-18T01:33:00.000+08:00

We have all heard about how dangerous motorsports can be. We sign our lives away and allow go kart operators to disclaim all liability. However, most of us have probably managed to walk away from go kart accidents with motor skills intact (pun intended). It might have been an expensive experience but definately not quite the one way ticket to down under, down below, 6 feet deep.

In any case, found an entertaining clip showing how you can make yourself the most talked about event at any go kart race. For the rest of us, it's a reminder to wear your nomex go kart suit, don your carbon fiber rib cage protector and fastening the velcro on your karting shoes before pushing the pedal to the metal. enjoy..

Ventilation

2008-07-17T13:40:00.001+08:00

Ever feel hot under the collar while racing under the blazing South East Asian sun?

You feel breathless; as though Yokozuna, the WWF wrestler from the 90s was sitting on your chest. At the same time, your breath feels stifled, enveloped by your suit; not too different from how you would feel with Yokozuna's flabby fatty buns leaking around the sides of your body in a torpid mortion as he continues to sit on your chest.

Many a time in this very desperate situation i have attempted to maintain my race line while frantically grabbing at the velcro seam on the front of my go kart racing suit and making a futile attempt to yank the zipper down.

While going through the camping/ outdoor section of a local super mart, i came across the answer!!! Attach those frabric / nylon zip extensions or as i found online, some more fashionable alternatives.

Race Suits, Gloves and Shoes

2008-07-14T08:56:00.000+08:00

I have been contemplating the purchase of a new go kart racing suit and proper shoes for sometime now. My red "off the rack" ones from queensway are quite purpose built.

Looking through some of the offerings, i have decided that a high cut pair with "suede upper with lining" is important; providing good ankle support and comfort. A double velcro strap keeps the shoe in place and tight around the lower calf. The sole has to be well attached to the shoe proper with no glue oozing from the seams and extending up and around the heel. There are so many similar shoes purportedly for racing these days however construction of these shoes seem only to have fashion as a priority. A big complaint i have with these shoes are the thickness of the soles in some cases. A proper racing shoe should have a thin, soft sole to enable the racer to feel the pedal.

A good racing suit should make you feel more confident and push you as a driver. It gives you peace of mind that you are adaquately protected in the event of an accident, allowing you to walk away to race another day. With this assurance, you gain the confidence to test your limits.

BUT, which race suit should i buy? Do i need CIK approval? I currently have a basic suit bought off the internet. It looks nice, and it makes me sweat like a pig. Perhaps this warrents further investigation.....

Gloves; what am i really looking for in a pair? Knowing that life would be extremely inconvenienced if these appendages were to cease full functioning capabilities, it is no doubt important that protection in the form of go karting gloves be worn. Preferably, it should be made of suede or similar kinds of leather. This makes it tough yet light and durable. Cloth tends to weaken and eventually tear with repeated rubbing against the steering wheel. Gloves that extend over the cuffs of your sleeve are also recommended. Above all, comfort. The glove has to fit properly and be able to breathe. You wouldn't want sweaty palms to be the first impression when you top the go kart race and claim the race queen as your prize....

Changing tyres in under 30 secs

2008-07-13T12:43:00.000+08:00

I recently came across a video, uploaded onto the internet, of a person beading, removing and replacing a go kart tyre. Granted he appeared to be endowed with arms that would put hydraulic machines to shame, we (JOSHUA of OB Racing and I) decided to put our combined mettle to the test or at least demonstrate to our go karting compatriates how normal humans can perform the same task.

1) Remove tyre from vehicle and place on the floor face up.

2) Unscrew the air tight screws from the inner tyre rim walls.

3) Push down on the sides of the tyre, bending or pinching the surface of the wheel that when being driven comes into contact with the tarmac. Push it as far down as you can. As these tyres are tubeless, the seal around the wheel and rim will be very tight.

4) When you have managed to create some space between the rubber tyre and the metal rim, you will need to apply a soap solution to lubricate and loosen the seal. This assists the beading of the tyre and is an essential aid.

5) You may use a tool as a lever to wedge the rubber tyre away from the rim. You will have to

be very careful not to scratch the rim or damage the rubber tyre. For this reason, i suggest to refrain from using a screw driver.

6) Push the rim down and pull the rubber tyre over the rim.

7) To replace the tyre, push the rim down into the rubber tyre. Remember that you will need to use the soap solution to lubricate the trye and rim to make the process easier, as the tyre rubber is very inflexible.

8) Once the tyre has been pushed around the rim, you will wonder how to properly align the rubber seal with the rim. We will use air pressure to "pop" the wheel into place.

9) replace the air tight screws but screw it just enough to be flush with the metal surface or the rim and not past it, as it will impede the rubber tyre from snapping into place.

10) Inflate the tyre slowly, using soap solution as lubricant between the tyre and rim. WARNING, DO NOT USE YOUR FINGER TO APPLY THE SOAP SOLUTION. The tyre can snap into place at any time, pinching or even slicing off your finger.

OB Racing

2008-06-25T20:41:00.000+08:00

At various times in Singapore, racing has experienced a surge and wane of interest. With the 1st ever F1 night race event fast approaching, a resurgent nascent racing scene is resurfacing; Made up of the kallang carpark veterans of the 90s, casual day tripping karters, and die hard enthusiasts that kept the only Go Kart race track in Singapore in the early 2000s afloat until today. This motley crew will form the base of the new racing scene in Singapore. It's certainly an exciting time to be a Go Karter.