Question:

Am I really bad at karting?

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Hi guys , im a 17 year old and i weigh 220 lbs ... i just tried out karting for the first time and im planning to take up motorsports as a career .. but first i wanted to know if i have any talent at all ? i did my first two runs and im like 3 secs off the annual lap record .. i wanted to know whether i can improve on it ... and one more thing (i dont know whether im assuming or not) i feel that my kart didnt have the straight line speed compared to others around me , this maybe because of my weight .. do u think that would affect it ?

the lap record was around 22secs .. my best was a 24.9 !

please review my performance thank you very much !

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3 ANSWERS


  1. you are a big boy and that much weight on a go cart would have a major effect.   as far as improving your times, practice is probably one of the best ways to do that.   Also, Some of the more realistic video games such as the gran turismo series, need for speeds, and several others can help to some extent.   They can help you learn the best ways to navigate turns more efficiently.   And since on a machine so small, your weight will give a big disadvantage against the 'average" 17 yr old, you need any advantage you can get.


  2. Practice, practice, practice, my man.  

  3. Weight will make a difference, but it won't make 3 seconds difference.  More likely you are seeing the difference between an experienced driver (the person with the lap record) and a neophyte (yourself).  And the difference you are probably seeing in straightline speed is more likely due to a more experienced driver driving a more precise line, carrying more momentum, and getting a higher exit speed onto the straight.

    More weight will ultimately be a negitive... not as much as some may think because the weight will also translate to a little more mechanical grip... but it will mean that any small mistep that costs you momemtum will cost you much more than someone that weighs less.  But it is something you can overcome (at 6'4" and 205#, I am not ideally suited for karting, but enjoy it and will usually be within a tenth or two of lap records on a 20-25 second course).

    The biggest mistake here seems to be that you would be close to the top times in your first run.  Drivers that are scoring top times and coming close to that generally have done ALOT of laps.  They drive solid and precise lines and have excellent control and are very skilled at looking ahead on the course... all things typically lacking in people new to this kind of driving (alot of pro drivers start karting as young children, just as many pro baseball players start in Little League).

    If you are planning a career, the key things will be:

    1)  More seat time:  go karting and go often.  Pay attention to those faster than you and see what it is they are doing differently (when they pass, follow their line as long as possible).  As you go on, look into other driving opportunities like Open Track events and Autocross to gain some other experiences (all make up a solid experience base before you decide to jump into getting a competition license).

    2)  Build your knowledge:  many seem to think racing is about reflexes and mashing the pedal.  If you are reacting rather than seeing things unfold well before they happen you'll never make up ground, and going fast is often more about where you choose to go slow rather than simply mashing the pedal.  Books like Skip Barber's Going Faster are a must read (Bentley's Speed Secrets series are good too, and Hank Watt's Secrets Of Solo Racing autocross book covers alot of driving essentials).

    3)  Weight:  If you are aiming for this as a profession, you will probably need to tone up and lose weight.  The vast majority of prodrivers train as do other athletes - many top flight driving positions have extreme physical demands, and even those that are less demanding, good fitness can often make that small difference over a race distance to give an advantage.  And lastly, even though most series will have minimum weight that would keep a heavier driver from an outright disadvantage, being able to choose where the extra ballast goes is another small advantage that can make the difference over a race distance.

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