Jan 2007 Go Racing.indd - Go Racing Magazine

have the experience to really know how which will put you behind. Once your kart
the track will change. However, on most is ready to go, you can then relax a little
tracks, it’s valuable to get a sense of the bit until the next session.
early conditions so that you have a better Remember that practice is there for
idea of how the track might continue to you to fine-tune your kart for qualifying.
change throughout the weekend. It makes no sense to dial your kart in on
Once you hit the track, the number old tires, only to slap on a new set for
one mistake most new drivers make is that qualifying and miss the set-up. I always
they just drive around and don’t really pay set aside a couple of sessions towards the
attention. On a new track, it is important
to learn the track in the shortest time
end of the day to simulate a qualifying
run. This will allow you to make any Give yourself room in qualifying.
possible. Remembering land markers will changes to the handling, gearing, etc. to
help you with things like braking points, get the kart ready to qualify.
turn-in points, etc. This will help to get up In the next installment on Racing
to speed fast. After a few laps of learning
the track, you should then start to think
about how the kart is handling. Keep it
Principals from Memo Gidley’s Secrets
of Speed for Two-Cycle Kart Racing we
will look at racing principals including
Hot Tip
In a single lap qualifying, put
simple at first. Is the kart under-steering,
over-steering, or is the traction poor?
qualifying and starting.
a little extra air in your tires.
When I work with new drivers, I ask
them to think about which end of their
go-kart gives up first and keeps them
This will help build heat faster,
creating more grip for the short
from going faster. In other words, “why
can’t you carry more speed through that
corner?” You can never have a perfect
kart. Some area on the kart is giving up
first, making you slow for the turns.
After the end of the session, it is
important that you start thinking about
the track and kart immediately. Taking
good notes is key to being successful.
All of the great teams spend a lot of
time documenting everything that goes
on at the track. If you think that just
remembering is good enough, you are
wrong. The sooner you start to write notes
session.
down the better because it is most fresh
in your mind. Drawing a track map and
Set up the draft, and make the
rating the problem areas for you or the
kart is important. I have adopted a rating
system in order to be consistent no matter
which track I go to. I use the number 1
as a small problem and the number 5 as a
major problem.
pass at the end of the straight.
Once you identify the problem areas,
begin to write down and decide on possible
changes to make to your kart. Don’t delay
in making those changes! I see a lot of
people decide on perfectly good changes
but because they wait they don’t leave
themselves enough time to actually get
them done. Running out of time will
guarantee that you miss part of practice,
Memo Gidley’s Secrets of Speed
for Two-Cycle Kart Racing is
available at www.mgsecretsofspeed.com
May January 2006 2007 Go Racing Magazine Page 49