SF-Bay area: Go-Kart and Pizza in Fremont?
08-10-2006, 07:01 PM
#46
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Many moons ago, I dated a nice quiet little girl, a process engineer who held a black belt in some Chinese torture discipline. We'd go slick-track karting for fun. She was a terror on the track, once she figured out the proper lines and the pedals. That was oval racing. Finding the right lines and pedals seems to be the key that keeps me from being in the red group. If you want your honey to have a pile of fun, take her a few times for some laps without the group. Get her driving lessons there, NOT FROM YOU, so she can be better than most of the amateurs (like me...) who show up and expect to do well with no familiarization. Call the kart place and find out when they are slow and can offer her or both of you some instruction. Above all, DON'T RACE AGAINST YOUR WIFE. With the bigger 928 group showiing up later, it will be easy enough to stay segregated.
Almost all drivers are better than average if you ask them. All raised at Lake Woebeegone I guess. Karts are one of the best way to learn how to drive fast, since they are amazingly forgiving of many mistakes as far as driving and line, but unforgiving in that the clock shows you how much those 'fast' lines with the late apexes really cost you. Get a little instruction in advance of the Big Event, and your wife can go kick a little butt.
My trackpro race analysis said I was consistently 98% as fast as the "average" driver in my group last weekend. Next faster guy was 'above average', and passed me cleanly after I squeezed him at the start. After that he pulled away from me a little each lap, thanks to his better line through a few critical corners. I was concentrating on catching him instead of driving fast, and it showed big time. I need more practice!
Almost all drivers are better than average if you ask them. All raised at Lake Woebeegone I guess. Karts are one of the best way to learn how to drive fast, since they are amazingly forgiving of many mistakes as far as driving and line, but unforgiving in that the clock shows you how much those 'fast' lines with the late apexes really cost you. Get a little instruction in advance of the Big Event, and your wife can go kick a little butt.
My trackpro race analysis said I was consistently 98% as fast as the "average" driver in my group last weekend. Next faster guy was 'above average', and passed me cleanly after I squeezed him at the start. After that he pulled away from me a little each lap, thanks to his better line through a few critical corners. I was concentrating on catching him instead of driving fast, and it showed big time. I need more practice!
08-11-2006, 12:45 AM
#47
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It looks like a a significant amount in the fast crowd 
and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. 
I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. 
Most importantly, we had FUN!! 
and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. Most importantly, we had FUN!!
08-11-2006, 01:11 PM
#48
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Originally Posted by gersar928
It looks like a a significant amount in the fast crowd and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. Most importantly, we had FUN!!
and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. Most importantly, we had FUN!! 
Rich
08-11-2006, 02:01 PM
#51
Race Director
Thread Starter
These are the names I have on the list, not in any particular order:
Anders
Nicole
Bill
Bill (951)
Gerry
Sara
Dennis K
Brian
Loren
Samuel
Kibort
George S(?)
Arash (?)
Semisalmi
anonymousagain + wife (?)
Shawn
Roger
I really hope that we can get two sessions!
Anders
Nicole
Bill
Bill (951)
Gerry
Sara
Dennis K
Brian
Loren
Samuel
Kibort
George S(?)
Arash (?)
Semisalmi
anonymousagain + wife (?)
Shawn
Roger
I really hope that we can get two sessions!
08-11-2006, 02:06 PM
#52
Race Director
Thread Starter
I just e-mailed LeMans again, was thinking that maybe we could do it according to this format:
Training with timing for all first.
B-final with the lower 10 laptimes from the training, top two finishers get to run the A-final as well.
A-final for the top 8 qualifiers + 1 and 2 from the B-final.
So if you want most time on the track you have to sandbag on the qualifying and win or come second in the B-final.
Training with timing for all first.
B-final with the lower 10 laptimes from the training, top two finishers get to run the A-final as well.
A-final for the top 8 qualifiers + 1 and 2 from the B-final.
So if you want most time on the track you have to sandbag on the qualifying and win or come second in the B-final.
08-11-2006, 02:10 PM
#53
Race Director
Thread Starter
Another thought that would give us the most seat time, 1 hr race with teams of two drivers per kart and a minimum of 2 stints per driver. That would be cool!
08-11-2006, 02:11 PM
#54
Rennlist Member
Anders, unfortunately, I can't confirm participation for us. 6pm is a squeeze for me on Tuesday, so it'll be a crap-shoot whether we'd make it on time.
If we can make it on time, we'll see if there are any slots available once we get there or at least we can watch the racing and support the cheerleading section. Sure sounds like a blast !!
If we can make it on time, we'll see if there are any slots available once we get there or at least we can watch the racing and support the cheerleading section. Sure sounds like a blast !!
08-11-2006, 02:15 PM
#55
Race Director
Thread Starter
Gathering is at 6 and we get on the track at 6.30. The reason to come early is that it takes some time to pay and those who have not been to LeMans before need to watch a 10 minute instruction video about flags, rules and driving technique.
If you show up later than 6 you'll be badmouthed by me but might still get on the track..
If you show up later than 6 you'll be badmouthed by me but might still get on the track..
08-11-2006, 02:23 PM
#56
Rennlist Member
This sounds like fun! I think I can make it - if there is an empty seat in a session, OK, but if all are filled I'd be happy to "watch and critique"...
08-11-2006, 02:49 PM
#57
Race Director
Thread Starter
The thing is that we don't really pay $50 per driver, it is $500 for up to 10 drivers. So I am hoping that we can fill all spots. Also LeMans have been nice to us before and let us pay per driver instead.
08-11-2006, 03:18 PM
#58
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Originally Posted by gersar928
It looks like a a significant amount in the fast crowd and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. Most importantly, we had FUN!!
and the rest of us, ie. women, will be in the slow crowd. I say slow crowd because Nicole and I,(Sara) were last. Hopefully, we'll do better this time. Most importantly, we had FUN!! More FUN if you are in front of the fast "guys"? If so, invest a few hours in some track time in advance of the group event. Driving karts fast is not intuitive. Training and track time will reward you nicely.
Women, typically with lower body mass (in both respects...) have the opportunity to see better times in karts, all other things being equal. Weight in a small-bore car is a lot more hindrance than in a big-bore car. Maybe that's why a few of us larger-than-life body shapes are forced to drive 928's instead of the Lotus cars.
08-11-2006, 05:30 PM
#60
Rennlist Member
Is everyone available Monday @6:00?