My993C2

Two years ago my local race track closed down and I have not been able to track my 911 anywhere since then. There are rumors of one maybe two replacement tracks surfacing, but they are only rumors and for sure they are two to three years out. I have been trying to forget about this debacle and think about other things in life, but today I got to drive a real Rotex 2-stroke racing Kart and now I understand why some people love the sport of Karting. What a blast those Karts are and while I was only doing an open lapping session after some lead-follow stints, I can see why people like Kart racing.

My biggest concern right now is:

1) Storage ... I would need a trailer and I need to think about where the Kart and trailer would be stored. I have options, it's not like I wouldn't be able to find some place to store the two. But that would mean sacrifices.

and

2) This Karting track I was at today will also be permanently closing at the end of this season and while the club members assure me there will be racing next season on a replacement track, the new location is still not confirmed.

3) If a replacement full size race track is built, I would want to resume tracking my 911 on it. So would I have time and $$$ to do both? Then again, I could become so addicted to Karting that maybe that would be more fun than tracking the 911? Who knows ...

There has to be some Karting enthusiasts here? What a blast.

J richard

Yep they are a blast. The response, handling and intensity is like nothing else, the cup is about the closest I've come in a car. That said they will beat the crap out of you, it is a vey physical racing platform, cars are much much softer, and you are very exposed to the mistakes of others.

They only take a small trailer. I has a 5x8 set up to stack two high. A small open trailer or a pickup or suv would be all you need for casual use. All bets are off for a full race setup.
Cost wise they are way cheaper to run than a pcar, but $2-300 for slicks, 110 race fuel, axles and parts it can add up...

Nizer

Had a Rotax kart for two years. They fit great in a chevy van. Extended wheelbase van will give you even more room for storage.

ltc

My son spent 6 years racing karts, from club to national events.
It was a 6 digit budget....just ask my bride (team President, CEO, CFO,Chairman of the Board. I was just the hired help...transport driver, coach, engineer, mechanic)

Rotax is OK, but the cheating that goes on with "sealed engines" makes it hard to be competitive at almost any level.

mikew968

I am a member at Motorsports Country Club which is a karting club here is Cincinnati. We have a .6 mile 25' wide track. I run a CRG shifter with a maxter ICC engine. I don't race but run about once per week as a way to tune-up for racing the car. The shifter is VERY physical with heart rate demands in the 160-170 bpm range (at least for me). Also the G's beat on you pretty good as well. We do race a spec kart here (Rimo's) that are pretty safe to race (no wheel's getting together) and I have learned more about racing from these karts than anything else.

93 FireHawk 968

I'd go the arrive and drive format if you can find a reputable shop. No initial or ongoing expenses. Just pay for what you use. I've done it a few times and had a blast. Just need a shop that rents good equipment.

My993C2

I have slide down the slippery slopes, and now own a 2 stroke Rotax DD2 Kart on a PCR chassis. I know it is not a full sized car (which may not impress some people), but this is a fun machine to drive and it is a rather physical experience the way it pulls a good 2Gs in the corners. Oh and notice the two front disc brakes, to go along with the usual rear disc brake. It's my mini formula car. But I have a lot to learn now. Power to weight, this is the most powerful machine I have ever driven and I need to learn to be smooth with it and not overdrive it.

Here are some pics of my new addiction:





and I also needed a trailer to tow the Kart in. Fortunately my DD Wrangler does the job as a tow vehicle seeing as the Kart is pretty light.



Definitely not a cheap hobby, but still the most affordable form of motorsports?

DreamCarrera

Very cool...looks like a blast to drive. What size engine does it have?

Good luck with the new ride.

My993C2

Thxs ...

It's a 125cc that generates almost 34HP at 13,000 RPMs. but it only weighs about 180lbs. There is not a lot of torque at low RPMs, so you need to carry your speed through the corners. But if you do all that, it screams. As I said I have so much still to learn concerning driving smooth and not overdriving it. I am currently doing 51s and I need to be in the 48s-49s to be competitive with the other shifters and other DD2s. However my 51s aren't too bad. I only have about one hour of driving under my belt with this machine and I'm too old to be thinking I can go anywhere with my racing. But it's still fun fun fun and the most affordable form of motorsports?

coryf

Very cool! I do a little racing in a rotax challenge series at Carolina motorsports park in the masters class. It is lot of fun and great practice for the "big" cars. I have all ways wanted to try a DD2. (I run the normal tag with rear brake) The DD2's are the fastest class at the track we run at with the tag senior/master just behind them. You are right, learning to not overdrive it is the biggest thing. It's a lot of fun being a drift king but it kills the lap time. Good luck in your racing this year.

ltc

You will need to learn to properly setup a Rotax engine (carb) and set gear ratios and axle swaps if you really want to get close to track fast times.

I remember watching the US US female DD2 champion (Kristina Vorndran) when she first started racing.
http://www.ekartingnews.com/news_inf...1ab35b3fdfa9fa
My son and I would always help her learn a track or setup the engine/carb with her Dad.

Apart from setting the needles/float height, one quick tip.
Rotax engines are over carb'd. The 34mm carb they chose is too big. Open the throttle too abruptly and you will lose vacuum and the engine will bog, most people then chase float heights, needles, spark plug heat range, etc. Drive the throttle like you have an egg under your right foot; slow changes in throttle acceleration.

You can also learn how to pinch the fuel line on starts to help lean out the mixture on a rolling start.

And definitely learn how to download the Mychron data. A Mychron 4 2T is perfect. RPM, water temp, exhaust temp (optional GPS).

And if you can, avoid rain racing for a while, trust me.

My993C2

Thanks for the info. I bought the Kart used (it's a 2012 engine on a 2012 chassis) from a local reputable Karting dealer who I will continue working with (though my long term goal is to learn all there is to know about these machines ... not there yet). Anyway the previous owner was a 16 year old phenom who was beating all the shifters with this DD2. But I am a semi-old fart and there is no way I can replicate what the young phenom did. The Karting shop owner did de-tune my carb jets from what this 16 year old had them set to. But I think all would agree right now my goal is to learn how to be smooth to be fast before I worry about impressing people with lap times. But I will keep what you have said in mind. Oh I am at altitude (about 3000 feet ASL) so that will also have some effect on which jets to use?

As far as pinching the fuel lines at the race start, I was watching some YouTube race videos where the guys were reaching down into their carbs and yeah I guess that is what they were doing, pinching their fuel lines to lean the mixture. When I get more laps under my belt I can try this during some T&T sessions. But I am not there yet. As far as the rain, I hear you. I loved driving my 911 on a wet track during my DE days. But this Kart is a different beast. I have two sets of rims. The originals with the slicks that came with the Kart which are at least half way through their life, and I also picked up a 2nd set of rims currently sporting a brand new set of slicks. But I don't have any wet weather tires yet, so when the track gets wet I have to come in. I have so much to learn about driving this Kart with eggs under my throttle foot on a dry track before I mimic the rain dance.

multi21

+1 what Lewis said. I raced a Rotax for about 4 years and tuning it is definitely a black art. It'll take you a good 9-12 months to get up to speed with the guys that have been racing karts for a while and then it comes down to fresh tires and a good tune.

Speaking of tuning just looking at the size of your radiator and being in Canada, some of the surface area will need to be covered by tape to get to the optimal temp. Track support is very helpful and having a mechanic/tuner at the track especially when just starting out is worth it.

Good Luck!

ltc

Maxjet is an excellent Rotax jetting program, Canadian company IIRC.
Just enter your atmostpheric conditions (temp, barometric, humidity), fuel type and it willl give you a good starting point, conservative.
Don't worry about needles, 8.5mm vs 12.5mm, float height, etc for now, just make sure you don't get it too lean (bad for cylinder) and it "pops".

Get some vinyl decals and place them on your exhaust. When your exhaust stinger cracks (and it will) and you burn thru the packing, the decals will telll you exactly where. You lose power when the stinger cracks but you often don't know it....decals are an easy way to know.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions. My son's been retired from national karting for a few years now but I haven't forgotten everything.

Rain racing is about an hour off track for every minute spent on track.
My son loved rain racing. he won his first rain race on slicks (we diidn't have wet tyres). Amazingly fast in the wet, usually about second per lap faster than the rest of the field...if he was only that fast in the dry ....

Rain ingestion ruins a (Rotax) motor. Period. Don't let anyone tell you differently. I took too many apart, fogging them after every session, doesn't matter. I ended up wiith wet weather engines and dry weather engines. We would never run one of our "good" engines in damp conditions.
Plus, the kart would hvae to be stripped to the bare frame after every rain race ... every nut, bolt, screw, etc, wiped with WD-40 (buy it in gallon cans and use a spray pump, you'll save a fortune) and then reassembled, realigned, and repeated.
Again, he loved rain racing....me, not so much since I was the mechanic.

Have fun

My993C2

I am going to have to talk to Joey about this (the local Kart shop owner). I sort of understand what you are saying, but I think I will comprehend better talking to the reputable local "go to" guy in person.


Mission accomplished if you were trying to scare me away from the "Rain Dance" at least during my rookie season. I don't know enough about these Karts yet to be stripping down the engines to dry and WD-40 them every time I was to drive in the wet. Maybe in the future if I slip down even further on the slippery slope I can turn my current engine into my wet weather engine and pick up a new dry weather engine. But I am not there, nor will I be there this season. Good advice to know though, so thanks for your input.