Nick,
There's some standard advice that has been boiled down into one post (OK I wrote it, but others have said it's fairly accurate):
The main part is the advice you have already been given. Come up to Clay this weekend, go and see Kevin in TKM, talk to the guys in Rotax and come down to Tabor at Billy's (red awning on the corner). We are all friendly guys, not aiming to bite your wallet.
The advice:
"If you are starting karting there are a few good rules to follow.
First, go to at least 2 if not three tracks. The reasons are:
1) you get to see what is involved in getting to another track
2) You see what is popular there and talk to other people in other classes.
3) It may change your mind as to exactly what you want to do. (Class, championships etc.)
Secondly, have a clear idea what your budget is. Now I know this will be your dad's problem to start with, but if you are working down to a budget, there is little use planning to go to SuperOne meetings and win. On the other hand, you may not wish to race at or only at your nearest track. You don't want to get into an unsuitable class because that's the only one that races at your local track when there's something more suitable an hour away.
Thirdly, be prepared to buy secondhand equipment when you start. As a novice you probably won't see the benefits of new until you have learned to drive consistently. If you aren't buying from a recognised dealer and don't know anything about karts, then ask someone at the track for some help in looking at the kart before you buy. Don't buy off E-bay if you don't know about karts, even regular drivers on this forum have been caught by incorrect descriptions or damaged goods.
Fourthly, be realistic. It is no use expecting to win in a competitive grid when you are a novice. If you want to do a national championship, then do something like the NKRA where you are competing against 'ordinary' drivers rather than SuperOne where many of the drivers get on the track every weekend with a professional team, coaches and mechanics. It's better to come 20th in a grid where you are a competitor, than 55th in a grid where you are seen as a mobile chicane.
Fifth. Don't be seduced by grid sizes. You can have just as much a race with a grid of 5 as you can with a grid of 20. Especially while you are new to the sport, you are likely to be racing against the same few people each time once the first couple of laps are out of the way. Of course, if the five in the grid are all nationally recognised drivers, then it's a bit boring, so talk to any novices or newcomers in the class too. Also remember that a grid may only be small because it's small, not because it isn't 'fun'. If you don't join that grid, even though it is suitable for you, then it will never get any bigger.
Lastly, there is no such thing as a 'best' class. All the karts take exactly the same amount of skill to drive well. They all arrive at the corners at about the same speed (within an MPH or 2) and as a novice, you won't be able to tell the difference.
Rotax goes round the track faster because of the way the engine delivers power in the mid range and because the tires are sticky.
Blue has less sticky tires (though some people complain they are too sticky even so) but has a restrictor system so that everyone is competing on a more or less equal basis, youngest to oldest, heaviest to lightest, without carrying huge weights of lead.
TKM is the simplest and has harder tires, meaning it slides more. Some people say it is more fun because of it, because it requires a different technique to manage the slide.
All take about the same amount of maintenance. Rotax has a seal that needs a licensed engineer to do much of the work which can cost, but isn't that much more expensive if you don't do any of your own engineering anyway.
A full racing kart bears little resemblance to most hire and drive karts, like a BTCC car bears little resemblamce to anything being driven on the road. In many places you can get a trial for free (or the trader will knock the price of the rental off the purchase price if you buy) but if you want to rent a race kart for the day expect to pay upwards of £300 a day for the privilege.
But above all, have fun....it's not worth doing it for anything else. "
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New guy wanting to start karting!! by 'itsnick13' (09 Sep 2009 @ 14:02)
