Getting started in Karting the right way. Need help.

[Chris Nachtmann]

Hello All,

My daughter and I have been Karting for about 3 months now. We live in Charlotte NC. Victory Lane Karting is where we have been running. We just stopped in there on a impulse kind of thing. She gave it a try and loved it.  She is 11 years old. She has been a level 5 competitive cheerleader for  7 years and is a level 7 gymnast now and trains 4 hrs a day, 3 days a week. She is in amazing physical shape, so she can spend a day karting and the only fatigue she has is mental which I try to explain is just as important. She takes 2 hour private driving lessons with a VLK instructor every week. Her times in traffic are now within 3-4 seconds of the top club regulars. She is on me now for her own kart. I said she has to stick with it for 1 year renting first. Go Pro Motorplex would be our home track.  We have not ran there yet because she is a bit intimidated by that place and they don’t let Jr’s run on the weekends unless your a member. So…. I’m starting to do the legwork now. Seems like the Rotax motor in the jr cadet class would be where she would start? Then the chassis… Tony, CRG, Arrow, etc…. It’s a ton of info… To much. We would want to go new as this would be a business right off (I own a CNC machine shop in Charlotte) So, sorry for the long read, I just wanted you guys to know the story about us before you chimed in. Thanks in advance to all who help.

chris

[David Cole]

Welcome Chris to the EKN and karting community. Starting out with indoor karting is a great way to get hooked. Looks like you guys are ready for the next step.

The KartSport North America group at the GoPro Motorplex are among the best people to get you started in competitive karting. They deal the FA Kart and the Arrow kart.

My suggestion is to check out the chassis products they have available, and start off with the LO206 engine. This is very similar to the indoor karting engine, American made, can be raced right out of the box brand new, and is a great speed to get started. Then, if she catches on quickly and wants to move faster, you can advance up into the Rotax engine with the same kart.

David Cole - EKN Managing Editor

[Tom Ackam]

PM sent

Tom

[Eric Alexander]

I second David’s comment re: Briggs LO206 class.  Its affordable and the formula will allow her to focus more on racing rather than tuning.  Rotax would be fast enough that tuning the kart becomes a bigger part of the equation and that might make it less fun if she can’t be competitive.

As for chassis: at GoPro Motorplex I’d go with Arrow as they can provide a lot of support for the chassis there. And the majority of garage owners there have Arrow karts so you can get more advice for set-ups and what not.

[Pat Collins]

Chris

My 13 year old son Brian ( Rainbow Lord ) started 3 1/2 years ago running the League at Meet me at The Pit in Mooresville. Like Victory lane its a great way to figure out if the interest is there and if they have the ability to take it to the next level. Tell your daughter she will love the Go Pro track and not to be afraid she will find it a FUN place. When she makes it up their to run the Junior Rental karts ask to use #26 or #27 Jr kart. The #26 kart is the fastest of all so she can get her speed fix. For the four average karts she can expect to turn low 80’s to 79’s once she is comfortable. For the #27 low 78’s to high 77’s, the #26 usually can turn low to mid 77’s. Last week Brian broke into the 76’s with a 76.997, he has been up there for about 3 months now. We are in the process of trying to put together a Briggs LO206 program for him.  Hope she will take a shot at it, if she does the hook will be sunk deep! LOL Have a good evening..

 

Pat Collins

[Chris Nachtmann]

Hey Guys,

Thanks so much for all of the good information!! Please keep it coming!! What would be a good resource for leaning the basics of tuning?  I am used to drag racing where the tuning is more power and application where it seems like in most Karting classes, those are the 2 things you can’t mess with, which I think is great but now your into chassis tuning which things like ballast, grip, tires and chassis flex are things I know zero about.  This is why I am thinking that taking the hit and buying a beginner Kart to allow me to learn the basics and learning what I want and what Im lacking as I go may make the most sense even if it doesn’t make the most financial sense.  Plus, the less adjustment I have, the more likely the Kart will run decent and allow my daughter to build her skills behind the wheel without my tuning holding her back.  Kinda the same thought as what Eric was saying.  If I’m off base, please don’t hesitate to chime in.

Thanks Everyone!!

Chris

[Chris Nachtmann]

Thanks for all of the good info Pat.  I am hoping she will want to run there soon.  We were at go pro a few weeks ago on a saturday and there was nobody there.  She actually wanted to go run, but they wouldn’t let her.  They said Jr non members were not allowed to run on the weekend.  So I guess I will have to try and find a time during the week to get here there.

[Dan Breuer]

Gentlemen, see the guys at Kartsport-very good people. I have a twelve year old daughter running a kt100 at GoPro- you will find a lot of very helpful people there to guide you along as you go. We are usually there a couple of times a week (a little less lately, but once summer is over we will be back on a more regular schedule). Private message me if you would like more details on some of the things I have learned in the last year and a half.

 

Dan

[David Cole]

If you like to read, you can learn the basics in book form. Memo Gidley’s Secrets of Speed. Otherwise, you can ask on the forum for opinions on what to do, or the best solution is testing out different changes on a practice day.

David Cole - EKN Managing Editor

[Walt Gifford]

You do realize there’s one major difference between cheerleading/gymnastics and karting right?

Gif

FAA certified jet engine and aircraft technician,
Nicholson Speedway class champion 2001,
Yamaha KT100 Service Center,
41 years karting experience

[Chris Nachtmann]

What’s that  Walt?

[Walt Gifford]

Required watching for all newbies.

Gif

FAA certified jet engine and aircraft technician,
Nicholson Speedway class champion 2001,
Yamaha KT100 Service Center,
41 years karting experience

[Chris Nachtmann]

Walt, I think I’m picking up on your humor.. FYI, I have been involved in professional Motorsports all my life and several years at the highest level in drag racing on a multi time championship team. I can tell you I saw more broken necks, backs, arms, legs, noses, etc in competitive cheer than I ever saw in drag racing. All star cheer leading is not pom poms and ra ra. It’s hard core with very complicated tumbling and stunt sequences where girls fly 20-30′ in the air. My daughter had full knee surgery at 10 because she was competing skills that most 16-18 year olds in the country couldn’t dream of doing.  If you want to see some crash compilations, Google Gary Scelzi crash brainerd, or Topeka, or Chicago.  I got to witness those right from the starting line and pic up pieces of the car for 1000′ after. As far as asking Senna, I could say ask Scott Kalitta, Blaine Johnson, Darrel Russel, dale Earnhardt and so on and so on.  What about families that die in car accidents every day? I like my or my daughters odds better in racing. Please don’t think I’m upset or jumping on you. Just throwing my thoughts out there. Anyone feel free to chime in.

[Pat Collins]

Chris

 

This is a link to a youtube video that my son Brian has from his test session of a B&S LO206 up at GoPro your daughter might enjoy. It would give her a chance to see the track, the angle of the camera work was Brian thinking it would be a great look…. LOL

Pat collins

Son's B&S JR LO206 Arrow Kart Test Session GoPro Motorplex

[Chris Nachtmann]

Hey Pat,

That is awesome!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!  Brooke had a really good private at VLK early Saturday morning. She is finally finding speed and getting more comfortable with it.  I went out with her at the end of the private and raced a 8min heat with her. I’m no rockstar, but I can run within a second or two of the club racers. I went after it as hard as I could for 8min and she was right there on me. The only way I could break away a little was on the straightaways because I stay in it longer. I think that is the last time I will be able to beat her. Was A BLAST!! She wanted to go try gopro this weekend, but they said Jr’s are not allowed to run (rentals) on the weekends.  I saw you are in huntersville? So are we.

chris

[Boyd Atherton]

Welcome to Karting.

Agree that the best starting option is the LO206.  I just started in Jan/Feb of this year and bought a super clean used Intrepid with a PRD Fireball 125 on it.  Did a few practice days and 1 race with the PRD just for fun.  Then switched over to racing our Clone class.  Didn’t take me to too long to be swayed by the LO206.  Now I’m running our Box Stock Animal class (Basically a LO206 with the 12000 rpm coil.)  It’s a blast and the competition is really close.  The class is not just for beginners, we have a guy that’s been kart racing non stop since 1992!

Sounds like you’re going in the right direction.  At first I was wondering why you didn’t just join GoPro.  Then I looked at their site, it looks like a great place.  Makes me really happy about our Club/track in Texas.  Our membership costs only $315 a year and you get a key to the track.

I don’t think you could go wrong finding a used chassis and putting a LO206 on it with whatever restrictions there will be for her age.  Then as she gets older you’ll be able take the restrictions off and continue to use the LO206 in any age category.  With the LO206 basically all you have to do is change the oil, clean the air filter and clean the carb once in awhile.  It should last for years.  The focus will be on smooth driving and kart set-up.

[Walt Gifford]

There comes a time in early training when confidence and speed will exceed skill level. This is when things can get dangerous as you try new things at high speed. A good teacher will know this.

Gif

FAA certified jet engine and aircraft technician,
Nicholson Speedway class champion 2001,
Yamaha KT100 Service Center,
41 years karting experience

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