I drive an IMCA modified on a 3/8 mile dirt oval...if the car doesn't get
sideways, somebody come turn me back over!
----------
> From: Bill Miller <millerb@netusa1.net>
> To: Robert Duquette <RobertDuquette@Sympatico.ca>; Spridgets
<spridgets@autox.team.net>
> Subject: RE: Go-karts
> Date: Saturday, September 18, 1999 1:27 PM
>
> Well, here goes.
>
> I raced quarter midgets and so forth for years. Held a few track records
> and many victories under my belt (glory days??) But, that was several
> several years ago. Someday, I'll race again!! :) Soon I hope.
Anyway...
>
> I assume this is a small oval track. (all left handed turns) I'm also
> assuming that the car is directly driven and no transmission (just a
> centrifugal clutch) If the cart is set up even close, you should never
lift
> a rear wheel, just the left front.
>
> The pattern of an oval track is high, almost touching, the wall on the
> straights and then all the way inside as close as you can to the "white
> line" on the corners. Stretch the straight as long as possible before
going
> into the corners. NEVER use the brake in those little cars except to
stop.
> Just blip the throttle (breath) in the corners. Breath as you go in and
> full throttle accelerate coming out. You'll need to play with your
timing a
> little bit, but you "feel" the car when it starts to handle correctly.
By
> doing this you should have some quicker laps.
>
> Heavy people should never have faster laps, the probably just cornered
> better because they were going into the corners at a slow speed, and
thus,
> scuffed off a lot less speed.
>
> Now the other thing, the race. If you have another driver that has a
> tendency to "charge" you in the corners, shorten the straight slightly.
> Start heading for the corner sooner. You will scuff off a little more
> speed, but you also shorten the other drivers window to get below you.
Keep
> your RPM as high as you can at all times. As soon as the driver is no
> longer a threat, go back to your "fast" lap pattern. The "jutter" you
were
> feeling was probably skip caused from being out of the pattern. Oh, if
the
> operator doesn't care, "nudge" back.
>
> Bill
> Spits and Sprites
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Robert Duquette
> Sent: Saturday, September 18, 1999 11:46 AM
> To: Spridgets
> Subject: Go-karts
>
>
> I need some driving advice.
>
> I've never raced before and this was using go-karts on an indoor track as
> part of stag celebrations. I managed the second best lap time in the
first
> heat. ( leader had 1/100th of a second advantage over me ).
>
> These cars were had great front wheel traction, but the back end was
always
> sliding out. ( term ? oversteer? ) Heavier people seemed to have an
> advantage in the corners, with the exception of the guy who had the
better
> time. In the corners, I was always going in wide and trying to get in
tight
> as I went to try to reduce the tightness of the turn and keep the speed
up.
> He was always getting his nose in between my rear wheels and the 'rubber
> tire wall' at the start of the corner. (trying to nudge me into a slide
(my
> ex-boss, don't you know?)) These cars are rigged with two pedals: one
rear
> wheel brakes and the accelerator. Acceleration from a stall on a slide
out
> was costly. Especially in the second heat where the car didn't seem to
have
> the same oomph and I experienced some rear wheel judder on cornering.
I'm
> told that the car lifts a back wheel as the frame twists, if you aren't
> heavy enough.
>
> I got blown away in the second heat. Dropped to 4th.
>
> What cornering strategy can I use? We had such a gas that everyone wants
to
> do it again.
>
>
> Robert Duquette
> Ottawa ON Canada
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/robertduquette
> RobertDuquette@Sympatico.ca
> '65 RHD BRG Sprite
>
>
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