The announcers were talking about just that during the race. They said that the g's weren't quite high enough to warrant G-suits.

Terry S

 

god i wish i didnt have an evo so i could waste money on a shifter kart. This sounds like stupid fun.

 

The next time Shiv and I go out, you should rent a kart to come play. You do realize that once you drive one, you will want to buy one. Oh but it karts, your ape-ish driving style will get you nowhere, so i hope you are comfortable with the title "street" king. Call me up!

 

Yeah, don't go karting if you like your evo and have an addictive personality. Because of a kart's foot print vs it's weight, it is absolutely the closest thing you'll experience to an open wheel race car.

In my evo I usually hit about 134-136 mph on the front straight at Big Willow Springs and that is nothing like the feel of 90 in a racing kart. You're 2 inches off the ground and can feel every single vibration from the machine, and every subtle change in the tarmac. It's almost sureal--you feel like Ayrton Senna....even if you suck.

 

Funny you mention that, you do use a rib protector, which looks kind of like a flack jacket. Bruised ribs are chronic for kart racers. Those that tell you that they don't need one are not cornering fast enough.

 

It is stupid fun. But here are some numbers to crunk on:

In 1 track day, you go through:

15 gallons of 100oct fuel..... $90
Track day fee... $150
30% of your RA1s... $300
Wear and tear on various items (brake pads, clutch, bearings, tie rods, etc,.)... $200

Total per day: $750

And that is assuming nothing breaks/fails (clutch, tranny, diff, bent wheels, body parts or worse).

And you go through maybe 10 track days a year for a total best-case yearly cost scenario of ~$7500.

Over the span of 2 years, you will have spent at least $15k which is certainly worth. Or else none of us nerds would be at the track as often as we are.

However, a good used 125cc kart will cost you ~$4000. And per day maintenence/track time costs will probably average out to $100. At least that is what I'm estimating. Over the course of 2 years, going out 10 times a year, you're looking at $6k including the kart!

Or at least those are my estimations. Ask me again in 6 months and we'll see how optimistic I was

cheers,
shiv

 

Yes, that's a good analysis but don't forget the unforseen.....

Once, when karting, I had a problem with a rear wheel vibration and I drove in to find out that the lugs were loose....because the studs were bent.....because the hub was loose....because the rear axle was vibrating.....because the bearing cassette was not holding the bearing tight.....because the bearing set screw had fallen out. Unfortunately, it took 3 runs, two destoyed hubs, two bent wheels and a bent axle, before I traced the problem back all the way to the missing screw. A $3 part ultimately caused $750 worth of damage.

Needless to say, I always checked the bearing screw after that, and then the throttle spring broke....and a week later, the clutch went out, etc, etc.....

Not to turn anyone away from karting--it's the most exhilarating thing I've ever done--just remember to budget for the unforseen.

Like my friend, who used to be a Nissan race engineer, always says: How do you make a small fortune in racing?.........start with a big one.

 

Ah very true. Unforseen costs are the things that really hurt. Last year, my 996 started developing a loud tranny noise after a few track days. Turned out a carrier bearing was shot. Porsche wanted $8000 to fix it which basically involved removal and replacement of a refurb'd tranny (they don't sell tranny parts). Fortunately, I sourced hard-to-get bearing set from Europe so the rebuild job "only" cost me $3500 and took 5 months. Yay.

In 1 season racing my turbocharged Suby 2.5RS, I went through 4 transmissions (3 of them where "built" dogboxes that proved to be weaker than stock!), 5 wheel bearings and 2 shocks. Total cost: ~$5000

In 2 seasons racing my 3rd gen RX7, I went through 2 engines, a 5th gear sychro, a radiator and a bunch of other little stuff. Total cost: I care not to remember.

The only car that proved reasonably cheap to run were Miatas. I guess that is why they are so popular.

Strangely enough, our 500hp One Lap evo was surprisngly inexpensive to run. Nothing serious ever failed and the car never really missed a beat. About the only mechanical problem we ever had was a crack in the cylinder head from an overly ported port. No real on-track failures fortunately.

Still, I think drag racing would have been a more financially agreeable hobby to get into... lol.



-shiv

 

'

The G's were more than enough to warrant G-Suits, the duration wasn't long enough to warrant them however. Whoever said these karts can pull 2.2 g's, what kind of kar were you running, in our ICC we saw close to a 2.9 peak on certain tracks.

Scorke

 

Yeah Shiv, don't leave out the top end rebuilds, those ICC's/125 motors don't like to go that long before they need a fresh piston and ring, thats another 150 bucks or so down the drain every 180-200 laps of use.

Scorke

 

I live in Ocala and have a Rotax RM-1, Go to the track at least once a month, My little brother has one as well, They are very fun, And a great hobby to get into, Between the Car, Shifter Karts and these damn Nitro RC, I have some pretty expensive hobbies, But It is very fun to do, and I get to spend time with my family doing them.

 

Scorke- yeah i ran TAG (leopard parilla 125cc with Trackmagic Chassis), not shifter--not quite the same g's because it's harder to stay in the powerband (centrifugal clutch), but 2.2 is a pretty good chunck. You're pretty tired after a 20+ lap race ......especially in the summer.

 

Oh man I hear that, heat+g's+concentration+15k rpms+bridgestone yga's= one tired **** kid after a 20-25 lapper. I remember 2-3 years back when we just finished a race out in South Bend, a kid got up to grab a bottle of water from his dad/mechanic, and literally as he grasped it passed out, put a nice gash in the side of his painted GP-4k but, luckily he was wearing it. Heat exhaustion sucks...

Scorke

 

Ha ha, yeah, the adrenaline holds you until you try to get out of the kart after the race. One of the best feelings I've ever had in my life was finishing a race at Adams in July and then standing under an outdoor shower nosel next to the pit.

 

Excellent stuff Shiv.

When I used to work in Hong Kong, I would meet up with a friend of mine in Macau, China. He races in the Formula 3 and Gaia (sp?) circuit for both Honda and Toyota, and also races shifter karts. He used to take me over to the kart track in Macau, and we would run for a few hours in a day. I would say it is probably the most fun thing to do, for me.

I then had the unique opportunity to run a 50 lap race with 24 other kart drivers a month later. Shift karts are definitely a blast. I have been looking at purchasing one for a while, but there are NO tracks around the Nashville area to do this on a regular basis.

Keep us posted and be sure to get some pictures up.

There is something about doing like 75-110mph in a little box seat that is just wicked, nasty fun.

Nathan