Which sport is safer: go-karting or Driver's Education in cars
08-28-2008, 09:35 PM
#31
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FWIW, I would not consider my son's 2 experiences at Bondurant Superkart School a 'beginner's course'.
6 hours of one on one track time with an instructor was very good value for the $ IMHO.
Of course it does matter what your experience level is; FWIW I wouldn't categorize my son as anything close to a beginner (yes, I'm jealous)
6 hours of one on one track time with an instructor was very good value for the $ IMHO.
Of course it does matter what your experience level is; FWIW I wouldn't categorize my son as anything close to a beginner (yes, I'm jealous)
08-28-2008, 09:45 PM
#32
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FWIW, I would not consider my son's 2 experiences at Bondurant Superkart School a 'beginner's course'.
6 hours of one on one track time with an instructor was very good value for the $ IMHO.
Of course it does matter what your experience level is; FWIW I wouldn't categorize my son as anything close to a beginner (yes, I'm jealous)
6 hours of one on one track time with an instructor was very good value for the $ IMHO.
Of course it does matter what your experience level is; FWIW I wouldn't categorize my son as anything close to a beginner (yes, I'm jealous)
______
Jason
08-28-2008, 10:59 PM
#34
I raced 2 years in HPV 100. In that time, the accidents I saw were pretty minor. Given my profession though, I thought it time to move on; and my heart was really in racing full size cars. I loved the competition, but practice became boring and I got tired of getting shook to death, the smells (always got headaches from breathing 2 cycle all day), and all the time spent cleaning. My 993, even in the DE setting, was more exciting to me.
Karts are meant to throw their passenger, instead of cocoon them, in an accident. I never had a serious accident, but I locked tires on a competitor once, and my undertray became an airplane wing, and I sailed through the air, 4' off the ground, at 65mph, backwards, ending up in a fence; no injury, just really sore from it though. I actually fractured two ribs simply from the g-forces of the sweeper turn at Ocala, b/c my original seat didn't fit me just right.
Karts are fun, and a phenomenal learning experience. There is risk since your really exposed, and you'll be racing w/ fully funded kids w/ no fear of crashing or bending stuff. Also, karting is not cheap, and you'll spend a lot of time working on, and cleaning/lubing things compared to drive time.
Karts are meant to throw their passenger, instead of cocoon them, in an accident. I never had a serious accident, but I locked tires on a competitor once, and my undertray became an airplane wing, and I sailed through the air, 4' off the ground, at 65mph, backwards, ending up in a fence; no injury, just really sore from it though. I actually fractured two ribs simply from the g-forces of the sweeper turn at Ocala, b/c my original seat didn't fit me just right.
Karts are fun, and a phenomenal learning experience. There is risk since your really exposed, and you'll be racing w/ fully funded kids w/ no fear of crashing or bending stuff. Also, karting is not cheap, and you'll spend a lot of time working on, and cleaning/lubing things compared to drive time.
08-29-2008, 01:51 AM
#35
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Well, I ran a 125 shifter kart, ARC with a TM moto reed valve motor. In top tune they put out pretty close to 40hp but you'd be running them on the edge for that kind of power. Freakin fast, and an absolute blast to run, we have a few nice tracks and PRKA is one of the best, the bondurant course is ok but not as technical. The clutch karts are fun but the shifters are the F1 of karting. Just like cars a faster kart can make up for some bad driving, but nothing is more embarrassing than being out on the track and getting smoked by a well driven clutch kart.
As one of the "old guys" it got to be a bit much, push start karts are a pain if flooded or starved (not an issue if you get an electric start) as simple as they are running a motor too lean will stick a ring and then you've basically got a rebuild on your hands (full rebuild with refinished jug/piston about $2500) a set of dunlops is about $250 and will last about a weekend, if you bounce off a rumblestrip or tangle wheels with another kart and bend an axle (easier than you think) thats another $350 or so, chains, clutch pack, brake pads, all are consumables and can add up. If you want to run on a nice track you pay dues and use fees for practice and then entry fees for races, don't forget race fuel and oil, best to get a stacking trailer, stand and spares...
Safety is not a problem, as long as you are on a good track with lots of runoff, and just like de's you're running with people that know what they are doing. I know plenty of guys with broken legs, arms, ribs (get rib protection) all it takes is to get wheels tangled and you can do an up n over, flip etc... I had some kid with his hair on fire ride up over the back of me and cleave the whole airbox off narrowly missing my fat head... Thats about the point that I started thinking that being in a caged car is not a bad idea. Plus it is a young sport, although we had a 410 (lbs) series, its mostly kids, and it got to be a bit weird being the old guys... but it was a blast nonetheless....
As one of the "old guys" it got to be a bit much, push start karts are a pain if flooded or starved (not an issue if you get an electric start) as simple as they are running a motor too lean will stick a ring and then you've basically got a rebuild on your hands (full rebuild with refinished jug/piston about $2500) a set of dunlops is about $250 and will last about a weekend, if you bounce off a rumblestrip or tangle wheels with another kart and bend an axle (easier than you think) thats another $350 or so, chains, clutch pack, brake pads, all are consumables and can add up. If you want to run on a nice track you pay dues and use fees for practice and then entry fees for races, don't forget race fuel and oil, best to get a stacking trailer, stand and spares...
Safety is not a problem, as long as you are on a good track with lots of runoff, and just like de's you're running with people that know what they are doing. I know plenty of guys with broken legs, arms, ribs (get rib protection) all it takes is to get wheels tangled and you can do an up n over, flip etc... I had some kid with his hair on fire ride up over the back of me and cleave the whole airbox off narrowly missing my fat head... Thats about the point that I started thinking that being in a caged car is not a bad idea. Plus it is a young sport, although we had a 410 (lbs) series, its mostly kids, and it got to be a bit weird being the old guys... but it was a blast nonetheless....
08-29-2008, 01:22 PM
#36
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Yours truly here is a beginner (been on a kart only twice). So, I guess either school will do it for me.
The superkarts are really like smaller versions of the F1 cars. Ifc, if your son can drive one, I am pretty sure he is in the advance level or even expert level.
"Karts are meant to throw their passenger, instead of cocoon them, in an accident." I never understood this. Is it safer to be thrown out then to put roll bars/harness on a kart?
The superkarts are really like smaller versions of the F1 cars. Ifc, if your son can drive one, I am pretty sure he is in the advance level or even expert level.
"Karts are meant to throw their passenger, instead of cocoon them, in an accident." I never understood this. Is it safer to be thrown out then to put roll bars/harness on a kart?
