Today we're discussing go-kart rear axles. When it comes to motor racing, cars have suspension. So karting is different because the rear axle acts like a suspension. It might flex a little bit here and there depending on the stiffness of the axle, but realistically it doesn't spring like suspension does. So, it's important to use it as a tuning tool depending on the conditions that you are driving in. You might find if it's 15 degrees or it's 35 degrees, you might have to use a differen...
Let’s discuss how some drivers can dominate on a practice day, but then can't translate that onto a race day. We see in practice sometimes, kids setting the fastest laps they've ever set. Two days later, or a couple of weeks later, get to race day and suddenly, they're 0.4, maybe even up to one second off the pace they were driving the weekend before. How's that possible and what changes sometimes from a practice day to a race day? The first thing we're going to be discussing is pressu...
In motor racing, driving in the wet conditions can be more difficult than driving in the dry conditions. Wheel spin, limited grip, understeer, are all factors that are exaggerated in the rain. For drivers though, they need to learn how to adapt to all conditions so that on race day, they are ready for whatever challenge is thrown at them. In this episode, we try explaining three basic tips that can give your driver more confidence in the rain, to improve their lap times, and move up a...
We pay a lot of money for our race tires, and we pay a lot of money to get a good engine. We buy brand new go-karts, and we still find ourselves finishing in the middle of the pack. We're now wondering to ourselves, "Well, we've got all the equipment, we are getting coaching, and we still can't move up the pack. What can it be?" Well, a lot of it comes down to the mindset, how we are thinking, what we're stressing about, what we're confident in, and the drivers that we might be nervous when ...
We discuss the pros and cons of data analysis in this podcast. Now, technologies improved a lot over the last five, 10 years, and when I was winning all my races in the 2005, 2015 era, we didn't really look a lot into data analysis. It just wasn't something that technology was up to scratch with. So nowadays when you're looking at, whether it's a Mychron unit, or Starline, Alfano, Motech for racing cars, the amount of knowledge that that computer system can gain from your driving is incredib...
Tire management is something drivers don’t always think about, but it plays a big role in the results. Now a lot is determined by how hard or how soft the compound of tire that you're driving on. It also has a lot to do with the track surface itself, so whether it's abrasive or it's a smooth surface and the temperature of the day does have a bit to play with how tires are going to wear. The first thing we're going to try and look at with tire management is that drivers need to understand the...
The next circuit we’re looking at in our USA Track review is Atlanta Motor Sports Park in Dawson, Georgia. So the track itself is a private club and it shares the facility with a car racing track. So, it's not something that you can just rock up with your car in the back of a truck or a van and just go and drive the facility. You must be a member, which I think costs around $2,000 - 3,000 for the year. A little bit more expensive than most of the facilities that we'll be discussing on our as ...
The next track we are reviewing is the GoPro Motorplex Circuit in Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility is world-class with state-of-the-art lighting allowing this circuit to be used all day and into the evening. With motor racing being such a big part of the town, it’s common to see Indy Car, Nascar and Sprint Car drivers on track during the week honing their skills. Drivers such as Will Power, Scott Mclaughlin, Jimmie Johnson, and Kyle Larson have been present on practice days which is so...
We're going to try and do a miniseries & talk about some USA kart tracks that we recently toured on a road trip. How to get involved in some of these different facilities around the country, but also just giving it a review on what we thought it was like driving at these places, who we drove for when we leased the kart packages, and a general sense on what it's like to race at these tracks. The first track that we are going to be talking about is New Castle Motor Sports Park in Ind...
When it comes to Motor Racing, there is a lot of countries represented in all categories. But which countries produce the fastest drivers consistently? Formula 1 has drivers from North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, and we know Italy is the home to most of the major karting manufacturers. But what makes these racing drivers so good? Is it the conditions they drive in? The competition they're up against? The tyres they drive on? There's a host of reasons that some countries excel more ...
Any sporting competition entails dealing with pressure & karting is no different. But how drivers can cope when others are on their bumper and concentrate on their own driving is what sets apart the good & great drivers. It's all good and well having the best equipment, but it's your mindset that can propel you to the top constantly. The other challenge is handling your parents, mechanics or coaches emotions after an on track session. Sometimes this can be a burden on drivers as the...
In motor racing, engines play a big part to a drivers lap time. But the other area that's often overlooked, is the braking zone! How fast a driver can go from their maximum speed to their minimum speed, not over-slowing the kart and overtaking your opposition, means the braking zones are super important. In this episode we discuss a couple of techniques a drivers can test to see what works best for their class the next time on track. Karts with lower horsepower don't need as much braking, ...
As a parent or mechanic, seeing your driver constantly look over their shoulder is infuriating! You think to yourself, "just concentrate on what's in front of you, don't worry about what's behind you!". So in this episode, I wanted to chat about why drivers tend to look behind, what they can do to avoid it or at least give some tips & advice on when it's safe or necessary to do so. I still get annoyed when I see my drivers looking behind, even after years of coaching & advice, so I ...
To get the most potential from your kart, you need your engine on song. That's why understanding your carburettor and the correct settings can extract that last bit of potential. The first six letters in Motorsport spell Motor, so we know we need good performance to be competitive. This episode is trying to teach drivers and mechanics the understanding of a lean or rich carby and how to best tune their engines. With more technology available to drivers these days, mechanics are able to down...
When it comes to driving, does talent get you further up the grid, or will hard work prevail? Having coached over a 1000 different drivers in the past 12 years of my business, I have seen some extremely talented drivers. Whilst other drivers take longer to pick things up & as a result may take 12 months to get up to speed. So does having a natural talent make you better or can all drivers achieve similar results on the back of dedication, asking questions and the will to learn? As I lo...
Motor Racing can be expensive, so working out where to best spend your money is important when starting out. On this podcast episode, we look at the pros & cons when it comes to buying a new or second hand kart. Is it better to save your budget & start second hand, or is it safer as you know what you're getting from a new package. I try enlighten both sides of the equation to give karting drivers options when looking at their next package. This is a must for anyone looking to get s...
You go to the race track, listen to every Tom, Dick & Harry and get completely lost on what to do. You watch other parents changing axles, engines, tyre pressure and wonder if you just leaving the kart alone is a detriment. Sometimes, leaving it quite basic will reap rewards and you don't get lost. On this podcast episode, we look at general karting tips to help improve your on track performance. There isn't one thing that will get you to the front of a kart race. It's a combination of ...
So you've watched Formula 1 or Supercars and wondered how those racing drivers got started in their career? Well 98% of those drivers first got involved in motorsport through kart racing, where they can hone their skills and learn the fundamentals. On this podcast episode, we look at driving a go kart for the first time. What drivers should look out for, how to approach the first session or two and how they can improve their driving from the side lines. This is a must for anyone looking to...
On this episode of our Kart Class Podcast, we chat to recently signed Alpine F1 Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri. Oscar started his motor racing dream at a remote control car facility at the age of 8, before stepping into a race kart at 10. Piastri grew up honing his skills at the Oakleigh Racing Club before venturing to Europe at 14 to race in the European Karting scene with the Ricky Flynn Motorsports team. Since his progression from karts to cars, Piastri has been a driver on a mission winni...
The first guest on our Kart Class podcast is none other than 2014 IndyCar Series Champion & 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power. The Penske racer has recently formed his own karting brand with support from Kart Republic and still competes in major karting races when his racing schedule allows, so it was great to be able to chat to Will about what it takes to successfully move from karts & step into a race car. We also discuss the reasons he started the WPK brand, his recent kart races, ...