How To Be Fast In A Kart

"Pramoda Ravi (Promo)" (pramoda-ravi)
01/05/2015 at 11:23 • Filed to: None

With the Jalopnik !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! event coming up, here are a few tips to improve your time.

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1. Understand the line, the video above is my 26.06 lap from a year ago. The line is fairly decent but there are a few things that can be improved on from it.

2. Don't try and drift a corner. Every time you slide the kart you end up losing almost a half second.

3. React to oversteer as soon as you can and correct the kart as quickly as possible. Keep the kart planted and add corrections as nessasary.

The k2k Grand Prix is two qualifying sessions and one race. When you go to set your fastest time during the qualifier give adequate room for yourself and avoid traffic, this way you can set your fastest time without hurting your time trying to pass.

DISCUSSION (12)

Party-vi > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 11:28

I tried karts recently and hot damn was it fun. I was surprised that I would have to hold on so tight through the corners. I can't wait to go back.

Just wear your damn mask... > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 11:30

Sliding is what gets me every time. I do everything I can to keep momentum (and RPMs) up but I don't slow enough for corners and slide through the low speed ones. The last time I went karting my bigger problem wasn't the sliding however, it was tire chatter/kart hop in the corners. Damn near killed me.

Pramoda Ravi (Promo) > Just wear your damn mask...
01/05/2015 at 11:33

What I do is I blip the throttle a few times, it shifts weight enough to the point that the rear end won't slide out.

Just wear your damn mask... > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 11:34

I'll have to give that a try next time.

CalzoneGolem > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 11:41

4. Be small.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 11:42

I went karting in Phuket ( here ) last summer - my first go in a 300cc kart . The thing I learned the most was to relax and be smooth (this coming from a person who has never driven a car before). The first day I went there, I decided to have a 20 minute stint instead of the usual 10 minutes, because a) I rarely go karting and b) driving is fun. Or so I thought. After 20 minutes of driving as fast as I could, my arms were shaking like hell and they shook for the rest of the evening. I couldn't open a bottle or lift a spoon. Yes, I am that weak.

So the next day, I went back again and went for 10 minutes only and told myself to relax. I told myself to pull tightly on the wheel when going through the corners, relax on the straights, don't be so tense and to brake less, now that I discovered how capable the kart was. The day before, my times were around the 42 second mark and I told myself to get under that. And my thinking worked - I consistently broke the 40 second mark, going 3-4 seconds faster than my old time. Not much, but I was happy for myself. And I barely touched the brakes. Karts can have so much grip - I just let off the gas before the corner, turn the wheel, and blast through. Aggressive driving does no favours - it wears you out, messes up the karts balance and slows you down.

Pramoda Ravi (Promo) > Just wear your damn mask...
01/05/2015 at 11:44

There are a lot of little things here and there that you can do to prevent the kart from sliding out, when the tires are cold the karts tend to be super asshappy, steering and throttle inputs help keep it planted.

Pramoda Ravi (Promo) > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
01/05/2015 at 11:48

Fully agree! This applies to both karting and tracking a car. I call it a "calm-pissed" state of mind, where you're calm and relaxed to a point that aggressive driving is smooth.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 12:16

I think smooth driving means you can take proper advantage of your lines, which as you said are also important. A few years ago in Macau ( here ), I went for an early morning karting session (9AM-ish) and I had the entire track to myself for almost the entire session. Fortunately for me, after I finished, a bunch of loud and proud guys came along to tear up the track - literally. I watched three of them try to take a hairpin on the inside (because obviously the inside of a corner is the fastest route duh) and all three of them understeered catapulting themselves into the tyre wall, one after another. I had a quiet chuckle.

Axel-Ripper > Pramoda Ravi (Promo)
01/05/2015 at 12:22

Also, If you weight above 160 lbs, kiss your chances of overall victory goodbye.

2BWise > Axel-Ripper
01/05/2015 at 15:29

I've seen guys 50lbs apart run identical laps (same night) right around the lap record pace. One was under that and one was over. It can be done. Plus it's a race, an aggressive start and a forceful move to the front can overcome the weight, but you do have to be in the ball park.

AdamJohnsonNYC > Just wear your damn mask...
01/07/2015 at 08:42

Thanks Captain Pedantic. I corrected and hid the evidence! Good catch!