I remember reading that before he died Arthur Mallock (one of my hero's so to speak) was taking an interest in what fundamental insights might be gained from the study of Kart chassis'. So I finally got around to looking into it myself and ordered up Steve Smith's Kart Chassis book, and it just came today.

A quick scanning reveals that their life hinges on load control of the inside rear (which has no relevance to our inside rear scenario at all). The treatment appears to neglect a few topics that I was hoping to find, although maybe a thorough reading will turn them up.

He's a little confusing on tires and air pressure. He says that (within the bounds of reasonable inflation pressures - not gross over or under inflation) higher pressures increases load , heat and grip. Elsewhere he says that lower inflation pressure increases contact area which increases grip and decreases heat generation. I'm not relating the context of each statement but I'm not misrepresenting them.

I've been under the impression that lower inflation increased heat generation (as the carcass flexes it generates heat - reduce flex reduce heat generation). I know that both statements in Smiths book can be true - but he could have offered the reader a little more help in the when and how.

I'd looked at Bondurants Kart book on the shelf at a local bookstore and found it terribly wanting in the "understanding the chassis" department. This book is very much more useful, though it contains little advice on how to drive (not that it should).

Scott, who won't actually drive a real kart....."that crack is too powerful"....

 

This is my understanding as well.

 

although i can't contribute to the discussion, it's ironic that i see this post today. just this morning i ordered the Carl Lopez book 'Going Faster: Mastering the Art of Race Driving'. i've been to 5 track events this year, and feel i still have quite a bit to learn, and was looking for some reference material to complement my seat time. i'm sure this is more of a beginner book than the one you're referring to, but hey, it's a start.

can you reccomend any other reading material on road racing/autox? i don't have another event until october, so i'll have time...

this may become a very helpful thread - for those who can read.

 

the best book for a total newbie: "Secrets of Solo Racing" by Henry Watts.

Best book for someone with a little experience: "Going Faster" by Skip Barber et al.

Best book for someone with a lot of experience: "Racecar Engineering" by Paul Van Valkenberg

the "Bible": the "... to Win" series by Carroll Smith



[Modified by JoelG, 9:21 PM 8/15/2002]

 

<U>The Unfair Advantage</U> by Mark Donahue is a fascinating read. Not so much from an educational perspective as from a "what it's like to race" perspective.