You’ve had an accident, but now you need to work out whether your kart is bent. Kart manufacturers design their chassis’ a lot softer these days. That's to try and counter the softer tires racers use. A softer chassis absorbs a lot of that flex when drivers are cornering. Now we're seeing a lot of karts having accidents because drivers are going at higher speeds which is sometimes too fast for kids. So now suddenly, some of these seven to 10-year-old kids are driving as fast around the turns as ...
Oct 24, 2024•6 min
With more than 30 drivers on a race track that is less than one kilometer long, no matter how much we prepare there will always be a tussle or two in the opening corners. Sadly it may be the end of your race if you are directly caught up in this. It’s super important to be looking as far ahead as you can to see what is happening. If you’re starting in the mid-pack, look towards the front row. If there’s a skirmish there, it gives you time to take evasive action. Are karts starting to spin or los...
Oct 23, 2024•7 min
Today I'm looking at how to check your chain tension. Now, when it comes to chains, I find they're wearing out a lot faster than what they previously were. That could be down to the quality of the chains, or it could be that we're now driving faster engines. With drivers being on the track for more practicing, a lot of these factors are wearing out chains a lot faster. If mechanics are not on top of the chain tension, we're going to find too much slack in the chain, and we might have more mechan...
Oct 21, 2024•6 min
Over the last 12-18 months Kart Class has been working on a new feature to answer peoples questions (immediately!). Now if you're unsure of what setup adjustment to make at the race track, don't know what tyre pressure to use, or a certain sprocket for over 30 circuits, Kart Classes latest invention APEX will help! Simply type in your question & receive feedback in seconds on what to do. APEX has a waiting list with early subscribers gaining access next week. So don't miss out on the latest ...
Oct 18, 2024•4 min
Winning races comes down to being fast, but also being consistent. That might mean stringing 10 laps in a row within 1 tenth of a second. What this does is, by making less mistakes, chasing drivers will find it harder to overtake and beat you. Consistency means finding the same markings around the track and aiming to hit these points lap after lap. Drivers should be looking out for landmarks around the circuit and not using a shadow as this will change from lap-to-lap and session to session. To ...
Feb 09, 2024•5 min
Motor Racing is all about driving fast and trying to beat your competition. But sometimes that means we need to overtake our competitors to get in-front and win the race. Nerves, confidence and choosing the right corners are all important when it comes to learning how to overtake other drivers. Setting up a pass so that the driver doesn't get you back the following turn or switch you back on the exit. We try providing tips and techniques to listeners to make efficient overtakes and stay ahead of...
Feb 09, 2024•6 min
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 different axle, o...
Dec 14, 2023•5 min
Today we're going to be discussing how to go-kart in the rain. Now, for most of us, we tend to want to drive as it’s easier. When you drive in the rain, things are going to wear out quicker; engines, tires, cleaning the kart, that takes more time. The chances of spinning out are more evident with the wet weather, but let's face it, motor racing is driven in all conditions. So, we need to learn how to drive in all conditions so that we can be prepared for all weather conditions. When it comes to ...
Nov 20, 2023•5 min
Today we're going to be discussing how to find the last one second in kart racing. Now, it can be quite frustrating as you're starting out in karting and you're picking off one to two seconds at a time because you're just starting out and it all seems a little bit too easy. You're like, oh, how good's this going? My times are dropping. Then it comes down to that last second, and it's extremely hard to put it all together to get onto that front pack . Now, it can be tricky, but we want to look at...
Nov 02, 2023•5 min
Let’s look at why it’s so important to not just drive at the one circuit. For some people, they don't have the luxury of having a circuit close to them. So, they might have to travel one or two hours away and be forced to just drive at the one circuit. If you are fortunate enough to have a couple of circuits within a reasonable drive, we want to look at the key advantages of experiencing new circuits. The first advantage is you can get stuck in a rut by just being at the one circuit. Now it feel...
Nov 01, 2023•4 min
Let’s look at when to use positive or negative camber in kart racing . Now the first thing is what is camber? That's changing the angle of the tire. As you are looking at it from a top-down point of view, if you've got the tires pointing towards the inside of the kart, that's going to be negative camber. If they're pointing towards the outside of the kart, it's going to be positive camber. What we see with racing cars is, they've got suspension, so you're going to notice their tires are pointing...
Nov 01, 2023•5 min
Let's be honest. It's all good qualifying up the front, but if you aren't good at the race starts, then it's all a waste of time. There's different techniques drivers can use to get a better launch, this then gives the driver an opportunity to pass a few drivers. Then working out whether the inside, or outside (more risky) line is going to be best depending on your position and risk factor. Let's dive into this episode of how to get a good race start. To learn more about what Home – Kart Class h...
Sep 08, 2023•7 min
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 pressure . On a ...
Aug 11, 2023•7 min•Season 4Ep. 7
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 few positi...
Aug 11, 2023•7 min•Season 4Ep. 6
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'r...
Jun 09, 2023•8 min•Season 4Ep. 5
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 incredible. ...
Jun 08, 2023•8 min•Season 4Ep. 4
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 they ca...
Jun 08, 2023•8 min•Season 4Ep. 3
When we’re starting out in karting, it’s daunting! We’ve got no idea what’s going on, what do we buy, what pressures do we use and how and where do we drive on the racetrack? I’ve covered the 3 biggest mistakes that beginners make when they enter karting. Time and time again, drivers don't realise they are making mistakes, so with bad repetition, these mistakes become habits and are hard to shake! Hopefully this advice enables you to learn quicker and make good progress. If you're making these m...
May 15, 2023•11 min
The second round of the Australian Kart Championships took place at the Tiger Kart Club in Wanneroo, Western Australia this past weekend. It was the first time a Western Australian circuit has held a round of the AKC since it moved to a five-round championship, and the first at Tiger Kart Club since 2005. For a lot of competitors, the 6,000km + road trip was a new experience across the Nullabor, and thankfully from all reports all teams came out unscathed. We look at the event, how it was run, t...
Apr 27, 2023•8 min
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 Ame...
Apr 27, 2023•7 min•Season 4Ep. 3
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 somet...
Apr 26, 2023•8 min•Season 4Ep. 2
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 Indianapolis....
Apr 26, 2023•6 min•Season 4Ep. 1
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 than ...
Feb 21, 2023•9 min•Season 4Ep. 1
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 cons...
Aug 22, 2022•7 min•Season 3Ep. 17
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, and co...
Aug 10, 2022•7 min•Season 3Ep. 16
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 hope...
May 02, 2022•8 min•Season 3Ep. 15
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 download ...
Apr 26, 2022•7 min•Season 3Ep. 14
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 look bac...
Apr 08, 2022•8 min•Season 3Ep. 13
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 started...
Mar 30, 2022•6 min•Season 3Ep. 12
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 drivi...
Mar 22, 2022•10 min•Season 3Ep. 11
