go-karts

[Rescue Dude]

I've seen the Karts on hills and they are a fantastic sight, very similar to the bikes.

Thinking back to all the bike offs i've attended on rescue it's probably about 50/50 as to whether something is broken, thankfully its never been much more serious than a thumb, shoulder or ankle.

In my opinion a Kart would be very similar odds of injury.

I take everyones point that karts will certainly be spectacular to watch but the thought does make me a little nervous.

[image]

Dude --- not wanting to cross swords with an expert --- but as I posted earlier, bikes have a pretty slow conering speed by comparison ---- also in all the (Road) bike accidents Ive had I've parted company from the bike (more or less) and they tend to be 'slide out' sort of shunts --- being sat not strapped into a kart down behind that wheel then doing what I did (throttle stuck at 80ish into a bend then spearing a bank with not much speed scrubbed off) is going to be a very different picture I'd guess.

K

[kwik-kid]

if i wanted to do circuit racing, i would be on a circuit racing forum...

im attracted to hillclimbs and sprints because its cheaper than circuit, you still get the adrenaline rush, and there is no chance of me hitting someone elses car and feeling realy realy guilty, which is more than likely to happen in a race...

also an ARDS liscence is around £200 pluss the £200 worth of trackday and hireing a car... which i would rather not have to spend...

can someone answer this question for me. are the sprint events (like the one at brands hatch) in the same series of events as hillclimbs? or is there a sprinting championship which is held on race tracks etc, and a seperate one for hillclimbs? or are they all in the same bunch.

if they are different, and reading what has been posted about how circuits are designed more for go-karts than a road going up the hills, why cant there be a go-karting sprint class.

im not going on and pushing forward karting to be annoying by the way, or to make enemys. but because i simply cannot afford a single seater car, pluss trailer and want to tow it around in a 998cc mini. and i would go karting on tracks but for the reasons above, it just isnt feasable.

i can tow a kart with my mini, and not have anyone to crash into on a hillclimb or sprint, but i still get the adrenaline of competeing and trying to beat others etc...

i realy didnt think it would turn into a 5 page thread, but i do like the fact a lot of you have strong opinions on the subject

[CNHSS1]

k-K
think you are gonna have a hard time coming into an established sport and changing what types of vehicles are run, fair paly if you want to have a try though.
i have to say im with Image, if you want a kart, buy a kart and race a kart, if you want to sprint/hillclimb buy a vehicle suitable, or maybe use your mini road car? many people do run their daily drivers and have a hoot for minimal expenditure (safety clothing, skid lid etc).

[image]

Kwik-Kid ---- the comment wasn't aimed at you personally --- it's about the fact that in order to have an ongoing, viable class you'd need to appeal to people already into Karting --- and I don't see the Hills tempting the bulk of Karters, most of whom are already engaged with the Kart circuit race scene.



K

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by kwik-kid

can someone answer this question for me. are the sprint events (like the one at brands hatch) in the same series of events as hillclimbs? or is there a sprinting championship which is held on race tracks etc, and a seperate one for hillclimbs? or are they all in the same bunch.

if they are different, and reading what has been posted about how circuits are designed more for go-karts than a road going up the hills, why cant there be a go-karting sprint class.

The British Sprint Championship uses predominantly race tracks (Pembrey, Lydden, etc). SEMSEC run a sprint series at Lydden & Brands which share the day with racing.

There is a cross-over within the club level of hillclimbing & sprinting but at National Level the cars for the two disciplines have become more specialised and there are not that many people who do both - clashes of dates between the BSC & BHC doesn't help.

As for a Karting class within sprinting I refer you to what I said previously - it's a numbers game. If sufficient entries were forthcoming for a Kart class then it might be possible to have a class for these vehicles. I will be seeing a couple of people this week-end who may be able to shed more light on the possibility of Karts in Sprints and will report back on Monday.

[image]

LOL Steve beat me to it !!

Sorry --- never answered your questions.

The hillclimbs and the sprints are seperate with their own Championships (although their are other hybrid 'speed' championships that combine events from both disciplines)

It would be perfectly feasible (if needing rule changes) for one to run Karts and not the other.

We love a good chin-wag here so you'll not annoy or make enemies

If you think there's sufficient in depth support for Sprint or Hill type events (one on the track at once) amongst Karters then it might make sense to contact Kart clubs or Forums to see if they could run events of that type.

That might be easier than persuading an established discipline to change it's rules to allow a handful very different vehicles to compete.

There's bound to be strong opinions about letting vehicles run that aren't bound by the same rules --- bit like wanting to run a hovercraft in a boat race



K

[les998]

Keith,

That might be easier than persuading an established discipline to change it's rules to allow a handful very different vehicles to compete.

Very different vehicles !!!! are the bike engined single seaters not getting more like Kart's just a bit bigger !!!!

I think the main reason that Kart's are not welcome is that they would show up a lot of the big single seaters !!!!

The outright lap record at Knockhill was held for a number of years by a Kart,
Let a 250cc Super Kart up Doune, and i think you would be surprised by the time that it would put in, and i'm sure it would not please some !!!!

As for the venue's, I cant speak for down south, but up hear in Scotland we are already using 2 Kart tracks for the Sprints, so no safty issues there, and as for the Hills up hear, I would happley run a Kart on any of them, and feel safer in the Kart than in my single seater.

[blackx]

Originally Posted by les998

and feel safer in the Kart than in my single seater.

Why ......

[image]

Hi Les

Chalk and Cheese Matey!! --- why allow a particular "single seater" to compete while ignoring the rules regarding dimension, need for suspension and safety requirements that everyone else has to follow.

I've never doubted the speed of the big Karts and the fact that if people were allowed to ignore the rules they could build things even faster (and I still think a Kart would be seriously quick but wouldn't have the legs of a Gould or the Raptor up Doune ) but they do it by not having to comply with safety and type rules that are fixed for everyone else. So ,yes, they are a very different type of beast.

As for feeling safer in one up Doune! --- you're just after making sure no-one snatches your crown as C4 Class Nutter

You sold the Jedi yet ?? and when are you next out?



K