31/05: Weight in Indoor Karting
At around 135lbs, I'm obviously constantly ragged on when I set fast laps at the local indoor tracks for being able to do it because of my weight advantage to most adults persons of the male gender. I can't say it's not justified.
But how much of a difference does weight make in indoor karting? First off, weight will generally make a much more significant difference in karting vs. cars because karts are many times lighter then even a small open wheel car like a Formula Ford. However, a recreational style kart is significantly heavier then a pure racing kart. A pure racing kart might weigh 180-200 lbs without the driver and while I don't know the exact weights of common rental karts, I'm guessing they might be over 50 lbs heavier. So, just considering the mass of an average sized adult relative to the weight of the vehicle, a weight difference in indoor karting will be significantly greater then in car racing and somewhat less then in traditional outdoor karting. This weight difference means that a lighter driver will be able to accelerate out of corners faster and generally archive faster speeds at the end of the straight, and thus faster lap times. The lighter driver will also have a huge advantage on a standing start.
However there is another factor that might not be as obvious. On a kart, more weight may actually mean more grip in the corners. This is particularly true on indoor tracks that have a very slick polished surface using rental karts with hard long lasting tires. The more slick the surface, the more of an advantage extra weight will be; on tracks with a conventional/grippy asphalt or concrete surface (indoor or outdoor), the effects of any extra grip may be negligible. So on a slick surface, is this extra grip enough to offset the disadvantage in power to weight ratio compared to a lighter drivers? From my experience, 99% of the time, no. Being lighter is still an advantage. However, how big of an advantage on a slick surface could depend on the specific kart and the track conditions.
Besides the track surface, the track configuration could also affect the size of the advantage of lighter drivers. From my experience the extra grip from extra weight is a more of an advantage in higher speed corners, so a slick surface on a high speed track would likely be the “fairest” for heavier drivers. A higher speed configuration also generally means less accelerating which also helps heavier drivers, even on grippy tracks where extra grip is insignificant. Naturally, most grippy tracks are higher speed so a heavier driver is not necessarily at more of a disadvantage at a high speed grippy track vs. a lower speed slick track.
Finally, a heavier driver also has more weight over the rear axle of the kart, which is where the only brake on most karts (and all indoor karts I've seen) is. To me, in theory this means a heavier driver will be able to brake better; however considering how marginally brakes are used in indoor karting I'm not sure if this effect is significant.
I have limited experience in traditional higher performance outdoor karting, but my feeling is these advantages for heavier drivers might not carry over to this discipline due to the lighter kart weight, much stickier tires and perhaps other factors, or at least be a much smaller effect.
In conclusion, lighter is faster in indoor karting, but maybe not by as much as you think.
But how much of a difference does weight make in indoor karting? First off, weight will generally make a much more significant difference in karting vs. cars because karts are many times lighter then even a small open wheel car like a Formula Ford. However, a recreational style kart is significantly heavier then a pure racing kart. A pure racing kart might weigh 180-200 lbs without the driver and while I don't know the exact weights of common rental karts, I'm guessing they might be over 50 lbs heavier. So, just considering the mass of an average sized adult relative to the weight of the vehicle, a weight difference in indoor karting will be significantly greater then in car racing and somewhat less then in traditional outdoor karting. This weight difference means that a lighter driver will be able to accelerate out of corners faster and generally archive faster speeds at the end of the straight, and thus faster lap times. The lighter driver will also have a huge advantage on a standing start.
However there is another factor that might not be as obvious. On a kart, more weight may actually mean more grip in the corners. This is particularly true on indoor tracks that have a very slick polished surface using rental karts with hard long lasting tires. The more slick the surface, the more of an advantage extra weight will be; on tracks with a conventional/grippy asphalt or concrete surface (indoor or outdoor), the effects of any extra grip may be negligible. So on a slick surface, is this extra grip enough to offset the disadvantage in power to weight ratio compared to a lighter drivers? From my experience, 99% of the time, no. Being lighter is still an advantage. However, how big of an advantage on a slick surface could depend on the specific kart and the track conditions.
Besides the track surface, the track configuration could also affect the size of the advantage of lighter drivers. From my experience the extra grip from extra weight is a more of an advantage in higher speed corners, so a slick surface on a high speed track would likely be the “fairest” for heavier drivers. A higher speed configuration also generally means less accelerating which also helps heavier drivers, even on grippy tracks where extra grip is insignificant. Naturally, most grippy tracks are higher speed so a heavier driver is not necessarily at more of a disadvantage at a high speed grippy track vs. a lower speed slick track.
Finally, a heavier driver also has more weight over the rear axle of the kart, which is where the only brake on most karts (and all indoor karts I've seen) is. To me, in theory this means a heavier driver will be able to brake better; however considering how marginally brakes are used in indoor karting I'm not sure if this effect is significant.
I have limited experience in traditional higher performance outdoor karting, but my feeling is these advantages for heavier drivers might not carry over to this discipline due to the lighter kart weight, much stickier tires and perhaps other factors, or at least be a much smaller effect.
In conclusion, lighter is faster in indoor karting, but maybe not by as much as you think.
09/08: Indoor karting tips
here's a few Indoor karting tips I've figured out:
Take it easy the first time out. Most people are surprised with just how slippery the track is. Some tracks may have more grip then others, but in general, if you start taking it easy and build up speed slowly lap by lap, you will learn faster then driving like a maniac every second.
The first thing to work on is finding the line, don't worry about really pushing the cornering speed or braking. Watch the line the fast guys take. If someone passes you, try to pickup from their line. This is the first step towards being fast and you will pick up a big chunk of time being on the right line vs off. This is compounded on a lot of tracks that have significantly more grip on line. Many indoor tracks have a polished surface that is more worn in on the line.
After you feel comfortable with the line, work on cornering speed. A lot of times when cornering, you want to be in a slight slide but not too much - a lot of times the slip angle is very slight so it's barely noticeable. The exact amount varies and how to describe the feel is difficult; but if you slide too much, you will loose momentum, don't slide at all and you might not be pushing hard enough. Watch the fast guys hands and see what steering inputs they are using. There is a saying somewhere along the lines of - the less steering you do the faster you go.
Keeping up momentum is a big key. Keep in mind the karts don't accelerate very fast. The small four stroke engines used in most indoor karts don't rev up as fast as a comparable 2 stroke engine, and the karts beefed up for rental use and significantly heavier then a pure racing kart.
Emphasize exit speed over entry speed, particularly on corners leading onto long straights. A better exit will mean you'll be faster down the straight. It will also make passing easier. Don't be sliding significantly on corner exit!
Don't worry too much about braking when you're still focusing on finding the line and cornering. Since indoor tracks are short and tight and the karts aren't too fast, braking is not that important in indoor karting. Many corners can be taken flat or breathing the throttle if taken correctly. That's not to say braking doesn't matter at all. Mastering braking could be what it takes to get you the final few tenths and will help your ability to pass other karts. To start, where you need to brake, just straight line brake first. Braking entering a corner induces significant oversteer and things happen very quickly in karts. When you start getting a feel for it, you might want to trail the brakes a bit to help the kart rotate on entry. Also keep in mind the karts only have rear brakes. Never get on the brakes mid corner or after, that will be an insta-spin!
Look ahead! Although you aren't going that fast, the tracks are so small and tight that things happen pretty quickly! Look ahead for where you want to apex as soon as you can. You might be able to get away with only looking a few feet ahead, but I've found looking far ahead is a key to consistency.
Once you get good, adapting to different karts becomes crucial to being consistently fast, particularly if you are running in a series. Don't be fixed on a particular braking point or turn in point. Karts can vary in power and handling. If you have a kart down on power you may be able to brake later and turn in later. If the kart is not handling to your liking try something different with steering or braking.
Finally here are a few advanced theories that may or may not work for you. I don't really know if all of these are significantly effective. Try at your own discretion:
moving the seat forward should create more understeer, backward should create more oversteer.
Similarly you can try shifting your body weight within the kart while driving. You can try pushing back under braking since the kart only has a rear brake, shifting forward in corners where you what to help the kart rotate and backward when you want rear grip.
shift your weight to the outside on the turn when cornering. The theory is since the kart does not have a differential, the rear wheels will always spin at the same speed, but when cornering, the outside wheel is covering more distance. Ideally, you actually want to try to lift the inside. That's not really possible (that I know of) on a slick indoor track) but leaning to the outside will help the outside rear "bite" and taking weight off the inside rear will help it spin.
to the extreme, you can try bracing yourself on the wheel and pushing back with your outside arm/shoulder. not only would this help for the reason above, it also supposedly stiffens the kart.
when the kart is accelerating, you can try bouncing up up and down with your body, no joke. Don't quite know the theory behind this, but I've seen it before.
I'll add more tips as I think of them.
Take it easy the first time out. Most people are surprised with just how slippery the track is. Some tracks may have more grip then others, but in general, if you start taking it easy and build up speed slowly lap by lap, you will learn faster then driving like a maniac every second.
The first thing to work on is finding the line, don't worry about really pushing the cornering speed or braking. Watch the line the fast guys take. If someone passes you, try to pickup from their line. This is the first step towards being fast and you will pick up a big chunk of time being on the right line vs off. This is compounded on a lot of tracks that have significantly more grip on line. Many indoor tracks have a polished surface that is more worn in on the line.
After you feel comfortable with the line, work on cornering speed. A lot of times when cornering, you want to be in a slight slide but not too much - a lot of times the slip angle is very slight so it's barely noticeable. The exact amount varies and how to describe the feel is difficult; but if you slide too much, you will loose momentum, don't slide at all and you might not be pushing hard enough. Watch the fast guys hands and see what steering inputs they are using. There is a saying somewhere along the lines of - the less steering you do the faster you go.
Keeping up momentum is a big key. Keep in mind the karts don't accelerate very fast. The small four stroke engines used in most indoor karts don't rev up as fast as a comparable 2 stroke engine, and the karts beefed up for rental use and significantly heavier then a pure racing kart.
Emphasize exit speed over entry speed, particularly on corners leading onto long straights. A better exit will mean you'll be faster down the straight. It will also make passing easier. Don't be sliding significantly on corner exit!
Don't worry too much about braking when you're still focusing on finding the line and cornering. Since indoor tracks are short and tight and the karts aren't too fast, braking is not that important in indoor karting. Many corners can be taken flat or breathing the throttle if taken correctly. That's not to say braking doesn't matter at all. Mastering braking could be what it takes to get you the final few tenths and will help your ability to pass other karts. To start, where you need to brake, just straight line brake first. Braking entering a corner induces significant oversteer and things happen very quickly in karts. When you start getting a feel for it, you might want to trail the brakes a bit to help the kart rotate on entry. Also keep in mind the karts only have rear brakes. Never get on the brakes mid corner or after, that will be an insta-spin!
Look ahead! Although you aren't going that fast, the tracks are so small and tight that things happen pretty quickly! Look ahead for where you want to apex as soon as you can. You might be able to get away with only looking a few feet ahead, but I've found looking far ahead is a key to consistency.
Once you get good, adapting to different karts becomes crucial to being consistently fast, particularly if you are running in a series. Don't be fixed on a particular braking point or turn in point. Karts can vary in power and handling. If you have a kart down on power you may be able to brake later and turn in later. If the kart is not handling to your liking try something different with steering or braking.
Finally here are a few advanced theories that may or may not work for you. I don't really know if all of these are significantly effective. Try at your own discretion:
I'll add more tips as I think of them.
My first season of indoor karting (and the first real wheel to wheel racing I've ever done) is over, and after it all, I managed to tie for the rookie of the year award and 9th in the championship!
Participating has been a blast. Competition is great - averaging around 30 drivers per event, and in the last race, 28 of the 30 drivers were within 1 second of each other! And the whole season only cost 500 something bucks to run! And I definitely learned and improved a lot throughout the season.
Thanks to Allsports Grand Prix and NCCBMWCCA for organizing and hosting these events. I plan to do it again next year, whether or not I am racing other things.
Participating has been a blast. Competition is great - averaging around 30 drivers per event, and in the last race, 28 of the 30 drivers were within 1 second of each other! And the whole season only cost 500 something bucks to run! And I definitely learned and improved a lot throughout the season.
Thanks to Allsports Grand Prix and NCCBMWCCA for organizing and hosting these events. I plan to do it again next year, whether or not I am racing other things.
I've read a few things about this topic recently. In particular, check out this thread from ekartingnews.com. The discussion is about the relationship between indoor (arrive and drive) and outdoor (traditional, bring and work on your own equipment) karting, and if the indoor variety is real racing.
Although there are a variety of opinions, there are several people - who as far as I know have a long and involved history in the sport - that think indoor karting is not racing and insist there shouldn't be any relationship between indoor and outdoor.
And its the logic that's quite ridiculous to me. Below are a few of the claims. These are paraphrased ideas and perhaps slanted for effect but read the thread for yourself if you don't believe it.
Indoor Karting is not real racing because its not dangerous enough and doesn't cost enough money.
It is useless to promote outdoor karting through indoor facilities, because there is little/no interest and the time/money should be spent promoting elsewhere.
The first claim is just too ludicrous for me to even try to respond too. As for the second, I cannot fathom a better place to promote karting. Would you seriously think promoting karting at a football game would be a better idea??
As I've said before, I believe lowering the entry barriers to racing is a key to success and growth in the future. Making indoor karting a first step in the ladder is a great way to do this. Apparently, some within the sport can't understand the concept.
If your interested, read through the whole thread, its informative and there's quite a lot I agree with.
Although there are a variety of opinions, there are several people - who as far as I know have a long and involved history in the sport - that think indoor karting is not racing and insist there shouldn't be any relationship between indoor and outdoor.
And its the logic that's quite ridiculous to me. Below are a few of the claims. These are paraphrased ideas and perhaps slanted for effect but read the thread for yourself if you don't believe it.
Indoor Karting is not real racing because its not dangerous enough and doesn't cost enough money.
It is useless to promote outdoor karting through indoor facilities, because there is little/no interest and the time/money should be spent promoting elsewhere.
The first claim is just too ludicrous for me to even try to respond too. As for the second, I cannot fathom a better place to promote karting. Would you seriously think promoting karting at a football game would be a better idea??
As I've said before, I believe lowering the entry barriers to racing is a key to success and growth in the future. Making indoor karting a first step in the ladder is a great way to do this. Apparently, some within the sport can't understand the concept.
If your interested, read through the whole thread, its informative and there's quite a lot I agree with.
05/01: indoor karting
I've been indoor karting for a little over a year at my local track: Allsports Grand Prix. Before I actually tried it, I thought that it wouldn't be serious enough for me. I was wrong. The racing karts used at these places require some real skill to hustle around the track quickly, and everything I've heard is that these skills will translate at least somewhat to other racing.
I recently started running an indoor league at my local track and it has been awesome. The competition is great and it is really pushing me to improve my skills.
There are a few downsides to indoor karting. Since the karts are used by the public by basically anyone who pays 20 bucks, they are crashed and beat on, and some karts can be significantly better then others. Also, as far as I know, ballasting drivers for weight equalization is not common in indoor racing leagues, I believe for logistical reasons. It's great being light, but its be nice to see how things play out on a level field.
Overall, indoor karting is by far one of the most accessible and best values in racing. Sure, it might not be as cool looking as racing your BMW on the track, but it is much cheaper and probably much more competitive.
check out Indoor Karting News for a track directory.
I recently started running an indoor league at my local track and it has been awesome. The competition is great and it is really pushing me to improve my skills.
There are a few downsides to indoor karting. Since the karts are used by the public by basically anyone who pays 20 bucks, they are crashed and beat on, and some karts can be significantly better then others. Also, as far as I know, ballasting drivers for weight equalization is not common in indoor racing leagues, I believe for logistical reasons. It's great being light, but its be nice to see how things play out on a level field.
Overall, indoor karting is by far one of the most accessible and best values in racing. Sure, it might not be as cool looking as racing your BMW on the track, but it is much cheaper and probably much more competitive.
check out Indoor Karting News for a track directory.