Karting: A viable alternative?
06-23-2003, 12:41 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (Driven)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Driven »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
That's usually a good indication that you SHOULD do it
</TD></TR></TABLE>
True..... true.....
That's usually a good indication that you SHOULD do it
</TD></TR></TABLE>True..... true.....
06-23-2003, 12:50 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (GSRMatt)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSRMatt »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Don't buy a questionable, old kart that you can't get supported by a local shop. I paid $1500 for mine, complete, and its been a mess.
The biggest advantage is you can throw the kart in the back of a truck and get very cheap open track time almost any day of the week.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Both points VERY true. I bought mine new and had basically no problems. Whereas, one of my buddies bought a used kart, and had a hell of a time trying to sort the thing out. And.... since it wasn't "purchased" at one of the local shops, it was a lot harder getting anyone interested in fixing the thing.
In the beginning, I loaded my kart into the back of my 1977 backwoods banjo pickin' hillbilly F-1fiddy. No problems, the kart slid right into the bed. Then you just stack the rest of your stuff around the kart. If you get into it, a trailer like I had built to match the height of my kart stand, or an enclosed trailer is nice.
W2W in the kart KICKS ***!!!
But it is farghin' scary with some of the characters you end up racing with. 
I think putting your hands on the best safety gear you can buy, and good training can go along way towards being safe in the kart. However, you just never know when someones gonna get into your wheels and put you on your lid. Seen it happen too many times.
Don't buy a questionable, old kart that you can't get supported by a local shop. I paid $1500 for mine, complete, and its been a mess.
The biggest advantage is you can throw the kart in the back of a truck and get very cheap open track time almost any day of the week.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Both points VERY true. I bought mine new and had basically no problems. Whereas, one of my buddies bought a used kart, and had a hell of a time trying to sort the thing out. And.... since it wasn't "purchased" at one of the local shops, it was a lot harder getting anyone interested in fixing the thing.
In the beginning, I loaded my kart into the back of my 1977 backwoods banjo pickin' hillbilly F-1fiddy. No problems, the kart slid right into the bed. Then you just stack the rest of your stuff around the kart. If you get into it, a trailer like I had built to match the height of my kart stand, or an enclosed trailer is nice.
W2W in the kart KICKS ***!!!
But it is farghin' scary with some of the characters you end up racing with. I think putting your hands on the best safety gear you can buy, and good training can go along way towards being safe in the kart. However, you just never know when someones gonna get into your wheels and put you on your lid. Seen it happen too many times.
06-23-2003, 01:39 PM
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06-23-2003, 05:12 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (Driven)
And it'll fit in a chrysler mini-van too. Or someone on here had one strapped to the back of their 4g civic. With two people you could probably put one on the roof rack of a low car.
I've got a small utility trailer that was formerly (and I guess currently if I ever go to an event) used to tote our autocross wheels/tires/stuff around.
I've got a small utility trailer that was formerly (and I guess currently if I ever go to an event) used to tote our autocross wheels/tires/stuff around.
06-23-2003, 05:22 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (MMsportsRexSi)
Not a contemporary, wide-axle one. We used to carry one lashed to the top of the rollcage on a VW Thing. We stopped on the access road to Seattle International Raceway, suited up the driver, and put him in the seat when we drove into the pits. Claimed to be doing aero testing on Highway 18...
Having played around in both SCCA regionals and karting, there is some budget overlap between an ITC car and a shifter kart. If you go top-drawer on the kart, you could run a "real" car. If you have a pretty crappy IT car, you could probably run a relatively better karting program.
Kirk.
Having played around in both SCCA regionals and karting, there is some budget overlap between an ITC car and a shifter kart. If you go top-drawer on the kart, you could run a "real" car. If you have a pretty crappy IT car, you could probably run a relatively better karting program.
Kirk.
06-23-2003, 05:47 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (MMsportsRexSi)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MMsportsRexSi »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">will a yamaha 100 fit in the back of a stripped crx?</TD></TR></TABLE>
No way Kaan. I took some measurements on a kart at the Beaverun Hyperfest and it was almost 60 inches long and 40-something inches wide (I don't remember the exact measurements anymore). It would only barely fit in the back of a Honda Element.
No way Kaan. I took some measurements on a kart at the Beaverun Hyperfest and it was almost 60 inches long and 40-something inches wide (I don't remember the exact measurements anymore). It would only barely fit in the back of a Honda Element.
06-23-2003, 06:52 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (Knestis)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> suited up the driver, and put him in the seat when we drove into the pits. </TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL! would have loved to have seen that!
LOL! would have loved to have seen that!
06-23-2003, 10:45 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (elgorey)
ok man i will give u the low down if u really are serious about this. i am 19 now i am a 2 time miwest sprint series champ and a one time grand national champion and i have 10 years in the game.
first dont buy a shifter u will be dead. lots of power and u dont have lots of talent. i have seen people flip them at over 100 mph and its not pretty. they usually dont walk away. u could run the yamaha class but that class is so damn competitive u will never be happy. that is the biggest class and on any given weekend at a big event there would be 40-50 karts in just one class.
in all honesty i would say u should start in the HPV class. the class is all spec so everyone is basically equal. u will have to rebuild like maybe 3 times per season. nothin too costly. u can basically do it yourself. so u wouldnt have to send it out. and those motors have quite a bit of power to them too. speeds of 80-90 mph are no problem in an unrestricted senior class.
as for kart specs i can say that in most series the the widest your kart can be is 50in wide and u will run all of that.
that all i can think of for right now but if u have any ? please im me and i will do all i can to help. i can ask my dad if u have any questions that i dont know since i was just the driver and he was my tuner and he knew all the costs and specs and every other detail involved
first dont buy a shifter u will be dead. lots of power and u dont have lots of talent. i have seen people flip them at over 100 mph and its not pretty. they usually dont walk away. u could run the yamaha class but that class is so damn competitive u will never be happy. that is the biggest class and on any given weekend at a big event there would be 40-50 karts in just one class.
in all honesty i would say u should start in the HPV class. the class is all spec so everyone is basically equal. u will have to rebuild like maybe 3 times per season. nothin too costly. u can basically do it yourself. so u wouldnt have to send it out. and those motors have quite a bit of power to them too. speeds of 80-90 mph are no problem in an unrestricted senior class.
as for kart specs i can say that in most series the the widest your kart can be is 50in wide and u will run all of that.
that all i can think of for right now but if u have any ? please im me and i will do all i can to help. i can ask my dad if u have any questions that i dont know since i was just the driver and he was my tuner and he knew all the costs and specs and every other detail involved
09-15-2003, 03:48 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (sscguy)
btw Gerald (JMU R1) and I went to summit point this weekend to watch the karts race. Unfortunately it was rained out 
09-15-2003, 04:08 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (elgorey)
The thought of like $100 for hours of track time....whether it's in a kart or otherwise, that just makes me drool. And from what I've done with karts, which isn't much (Allsports GP, Crofton [doesn't count really]), they're crazy fun. Do they have the cheap prices like that at SP?
09-15-2003, 10:35 PM
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Re: Karting: A viable alternative? (sscguy)
i got my start in karts (when i was 7 -- i'm 19 now) and i'd recommend it to anyone.
i came up the stereotypical racing ladder -- starting in low horsepower briggs karts and working my way up to 125 shifters where i got a full ride from a company based in england. all of this gave me a huge head start when i moved up to cars -- it actually allowed me to move up to full size cars when i was 13, three full years before i was allowed to drive (legally) on the street.
karts are one of the most cost-effictive and competitive way to go wheel-to-wheel racing.
racing on an international level (what i did) was actually pretty expensive, though -- my 125cc chassis (as a roller with no motor or electronics) ran about $10,000. sponsors are great!
me back in the day:
even my dad (my mentor and a VERY accomplished racecar driver) still runs around in karts from time to time:
if you have any specific questions, i'll try my best to help you out...
-tony
Modified by delinquent at 11:48 PM 9/15/2003
i came up the stereotypical racing ladder -- starting in low horsepower briggs karts and working my way up to 125 shifters where i got a full ride from a company based in england. all of this gave me a huge head start when i moved up to cars -- it actually allowed me to move up to full size cars when i was 13, three full years before i was allowed to drive (legally) on the street.
karts are one of the most cost-effictive and competitive way to go wheel-to-wheel racing.
racing on an international level (what i did) was actually pretty expensive, though -- my 125cc chassis (as a roller with no motor or electronics) ran about $10,000. sponsors are great!
me back in the day:
even my dad (my mentor and a VERY accomplished racecar driver) still runs around in karts from time to time:
if you have any specific questions, i'll try my best to help you out...
-tony
Modified by delinquent at 11:48 PM 9/15/2003
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