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I just purchased a kart with the intention of propping up the back of the field in TaG Masters next year and have a few questions. I hope these are not too stupid!
1. Licenses:
Is there a license requirement? If so, are there requirements beyond the ability to write a check? How/where do you get one?2. Numbers:
How does one get a number?
Is there a local “number keeper” or registrar?
Is it first come first served when you register?
Is there a list of current numbers so I don’t step on someones toes?3. 2007 helmet requirements:
Since Snell 2005 helmets are now readily available, will the minimum helmet standard be Snell K-98 or better (M;SA2000, M;SA2005) next year?4. Driving suit:
The CSC rules state “No portion of the leg or ankle may be exposed when in the driving position”. My suit fits this rule perfectly when I first get in the kart, but I find the leg riding up beyond my ankle after a few laps. Would this be considered a violation?Anything else I should be worrying about?
Thanks,
Graeme Weston-Lewis
#?? TaG MastersGraeme,
Glad to see you bought a kart. I would suggest you try some club races. Nothing needed other than the obvious stuff and your check book. I know The Track at Centennial requires a License to enter thier club races. They will assign you a number. Sounds like your helmet and suit will work fine.
Just get out there and have fun!
See you at the track.
Tony
Hey, I’ve been hoping for someone newer than me to fill up the spots (or lack thereof) behind me 😀
things are pretty simple although I’ve only run at a few places and only raced club races at The Track. Tag Masters is a great group to race with and it is also the largest group out there. Lots of people to help out and a really fun class. I got my kart in July and had a blast running in two club races this fall.
Just show up at the tracks and ask questions. Having the checkbook and a good attitude is all you’ll need for quite a while.
Welcome to a fun racing event.
BTW, while the CSC has official numbers you are best to ask a track owner and double check for any numbers used by CSC racers so far. I’m using #12 as that was open, but there are a lot of open numbers. Perhaps we could have someone post open or taken numbers.
Welcome to Colorado Karting Highlander!
You can see the assigned number plates in TAG Masters here: http://www.coloradosprintchampionship.com/06pointswithdrops/2006pointswithdrops.htm
The driver/racer license situation was discussed in a town meeting a couple of weeks ago. There was no conclusion at that time. Just log as much seat time as possible this winter, and get out there with as much on-track traffic as possible. Your times will drop and your skills will increase as you learn how to pick off slower karts, safely.
Don’t worry about your suit creeping up your leg while driving. That’s the first thing to creep up on you while driving. Just wait till you meet Mr. Jansen. 😯
Feel free to ask any question you please on this forum. There are many great karters out here willing to help you figure things out.
If you’re anywhere around Jansen your pant legs may not be the first thing to creep up. In fact anywhere around him on a low level inverted fly by may just get your undies moving up slightly! 😯
@Curt Kistler wrote:
You can see the assigned number plates in TAG Masters here: http://www.coloradosprintchampionship.com/06pointswithdrops/2006pointswithdrops.htm
Excellent! thanks Kurt. I had been looking at individual track event results and they only show driver name, not number.
Graeme
Hey Gang,
I’m not a superstitious kind of person but #4 has been a challenge for the last 2 campaigns! Inverted/backwards finishes, nosecones falling off in the last corner, DNF’s etc etc. My number is 6 for the upcoming campaign but I’d like to use number 27 (my original number when I started) so if anyone has a problem with that let me know now before I order plates. BTW… I won’t order plates till the rules tell me what colour the plate has to be AND the colour of the number itself…
Well, well, well, we meet again, Graeme. Nice to see another Porsche Club guy step over to the dark side. As you’ve probably discovered by now, these karts are a bit quicker ’round the bends than your Boxster. 8)
Glad to see you made the jump! Now, what kind of kart/engine did you buy yourself? Lookin’ forward to seeing you at the track! :cheers:
–Pete and Jon Romenesko
Hey, I was going to start a thread with this title… :loony: I’ve had all the fun I can see having on the rentals at The Track, so I’m about to pull the trigger on a used kart purchase. Like Graeme, I’ll be “pack meat” in TAG Sr. or Masters next year (I’m 35, but still a skinny boy).
I’ve raced road bicycles since 1988, but can’t put in the 150-200 miles a week it would take to be competitive anymore. For years, I’ve driven at indoor kart tracks in the places my business takes me, but the opening of The Track was a real eye-opener. Suddenly, having a kart made sense, and my wife even went along with the idea. Sweet!
Looking forward to meeting y’all at The Track. You’ll know me by the silver Mazda6 wagon towing a dinky flatbed and the Rice U. decals. 8)
So, now for my silly questions:
–We’ve already covered numbers, but what about the letters (e.g., 7x)? Can you go ahead and request a letter if the base number isn’t already taken?
–Anyone want to comment on TAG Seniors vs. Masters for a newbie who could do either one? Part of me wants to think the Masters would be a little more laid back, but I know from bike racing that is NOT the case (in some areas, 35+ is considered the hardest racing).
–Do any shops in town have seats you can “try on” for size?
–How do you gauge chain wear? “Use it ’til it breaks” obviously doesn’t work, but do you measure stretch, or use a chain a given number of hours, or what?my wife even went along with the idea.
You’ve already won.
I can comment on your question about being 35 and what class to run. I just turned 35 this summer and *wanted* to run with the TaG masters class, but, like you, I am a skinny dude at about 155-160lbs. I would have had to have added a total of about 50 or 60 lbs of lead on my kart to make the class minimums. (390 in my case.) Instead, I race in the TaG Senior class. This has been my first year of karting. I, of course, got my a$$ handed to me in the first few races. Finally, after alot of practice and spare parts, I can now avoid being badly embarrassed.
You’ll hear some comments about Masters being more laid back, etc..and it’s true; but I feel a small reward in now being able to at least keep in touch with the younger/faster (?) guys at the back of the TaG Senior class.
I aspire to be a mid-packer. That’s my goal. So far I’m having a blast working my way up to ‘average’.
Welcome.
Kirk
Garrick,
Welcome, I too came from the pro ranks of cycling and am having a blast with this. At 37 and 140 lbs soaking wet I have what we call a lead sled. But the TAG Masters is a blast. Everyone is out to have fun, for the most part. As in anything you are going to run accross a few who think that this is their olympics. Just have fun and ask alot of questions.
Joe Marshall
Hey Glad to see you bought a kart, and welcome! Are you still going to be racing with SCCA next season, or have you traded solo in for karting?
-Savannah@fionajane27 wrote:
Hey Glad to see you bought a kart, and welcome! Are you still going to be racing with SCCA next season, or have you traded solo in for karting?
-SavannahThanks Savannah. I’ll probably run a few National Solo events and definitely will be back in Topeka to see if I can’t improve 1 position…
As for local events, I’ll have to see how the schedules work out. However, if there is a conflict, the kart race will have priority 😛
@Jon Romenesko wrote:
Well, well, well, we meet again, Graeme. Nice to see another Porsche Club guy step over to the dark side. As you’ve probably discovered by now, these karts are a bit quicker ’round the bends than your Boxster. 8)
Glad to see you made the jump! Now, what kind of kart/engine did you buy yourself? Lookin’ forward to seeing you at the track! :cheers:
–Pete and Jon Romenesko
Do you recognise this machine?
It’s Charles Gordons Birel R32/Rotax.
The grip is simply astounding. I’m still working on trusting that the thing will actually stick when barreling into corners.Garrick & Highlander,
Welcome, you’ve stepped into a great group to hang out and race with!
So glad to have more Tag racers coming in. I would say that the Masters class has had some of the tightest racing in any of the senior classes but you’ll need to make your own decision. I’m sure you will both get up to speed very quickly. Once you feel comfortable and consistent, bolt on the weight that would be required to compete in Masters and see how the kart feels. It will slow the response of the kart somewhat. Track your times in both trim and see what you think about being competitve in either class. A heavy kart will be lifted several times a day but, Masters is typically the biggest class and some great racers and racing. Your choice, of course.
Garrick Posted: Wed 12 13, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:
Looking forward to meeting y’all at The Track. You’ll know me by the silver Mazda6 wagon towing a dinky flatbed and the Rice U. decals.So, now for my silly questions:
–We’ve already covered numbers, but what about the letters (e.g., 7x)? Can you go ahead and request a letter if the base number isn’t already taken?
–Anyone want to comment on TAG Seniors vs. Masters for a newbie who could do either one? Part of me wants to think the Masters would be a little more laid back, but I know from bike racing that is NOT the case (in some areas, 35+ is considered the hardest racing).
–Do any shops in town have seats you can “try on” for size?
–How do you gauge chain wear? “Use it ’til it breaks” obviously doesn’t work, but do you measure stretch, or use a chain a given number of hours, or what?Some of the National series require a letter designator to follow the number. In the Csc we do not do that. Roman picked 7x because he liked it.
Your second question. try your kart in both race trim weights. Then race what makes sense.
All the shops have seats you can sit in. They may even let you take one home. Sit in it and watch Tv ot whatever for a few hours and see how it feels. Get help mounting your seat as it is a very big component in the karts handling dynamic. A poorly mounted seat will never handle right.
You can use a caliper and measure the new chain and monitor stretch. I like to see how the chain rides on the gear, it should sit in the bottom of the teeth and not climb the teeth when streched around the gear. You can also monitor the gear wear. Allways keep the chain well lubed and lube when the chain is warm (right after a track session) and that your gear alignment is perfect. We also change chains every race that counts. Look at the money you soend to get there, you feel bad sitting in the infield knowing you skimped on a chain that ended your day. The o-ring chains are expensive but will last much longer. You will need a special chain breaker for these. but they are more money.
Just come out and race you guys. Have some fun ask questions and learn, then pass on what you learn.
The 2 most important things…..
Get laps………..
Then get more laps!
Rick :cheers:
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