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If your looking for some quality driving shoes, may i recommend some Pilotis? Best driving shoes on the market if you ask me. Nicest thing about them is they’re super comfortable (most driving shoes arent even remotely), you can wear em all day, no problem! Great pedal feel too. They just released a Karting Boot, which is quite good.
Unfortunately, i don’t know of any dealers around here…Detailer’s Paradise used to carry them, but they are in the process of closing out all their Pilotis. But all their sizes seems to run pretty true to athletic shoes.
@fuzzy wrote:
….extended porch? I assume you both are talking about the front section where the pedals are right?
You would be correct. Extended porch simply means that the pedals are mounted further forward (than a normal chassis) to give you tall guys a bit more room….you know, so you aren’t eating your knees when your driving.
AJ Noud’s number is 303-587-4656. The GP is a fantastic chassis. One of the best supported around here, which is important. Been on it a year now and I can’t say enough good things about the chassis or the guys using them. 🙂 GIve AJ a call, see what he has to say.
@Freezeman wrote:
Jon, I hope your not talking yourself into doing some big down hill air this winter?
Well, i need something to do during the off season…right? :idn:
Well, unless plans change or something else materializes, i’ll be back for another year in TaG Senior rocking my GP7/Rotax. Most likely in the CSC and the odd club race. 8)
I dont know which is more impressive….
8.5 million hits from people trying to buy tickets to crash the CR website….
Or that…
Yikes. 😯
@sjpkarter wrote:
As a 57 Y.O. rookie, partly based on some reading I’ve done right here, I’m leaning toward TAG, so I can focus on driving without worrying about shifting yet. I guess in my age group that would be TAG Masters, if I formally race w/ you guys and gals.
The way to go, IMO. Starting out in TaG teaches you to be smooth and learn to conserve your momentum. Should you ever decide to swap gears in the future, you’ll be faster having learned to drive in a TaG. The Masters are a great group of guys, usually put on some of the best racin of the weekend. Almost makes me wish i was old so i could race with em…….almost. 😉
@sjpkarter wrote:
It’s too early to tell where I plan to go w/ the racing, per se. Step one is to get into a machine and run laps, learn, maybe some driver coaching/instruction (any thoughts on that?), see whether this ends up just a nice way to get some therapy (already is, even in the rentals) or hopefully participating in some club racing. Partly depends on if I have anything talent wise, I guess. Sure do like to put it to the floor and see how fast I can corner, though, and I’ve done enough passing to realize the thrill of that passtime!
The biggest thing you need to concentrate on when you’re first starting out and learning is getting laps in. Seat time, seat time, seat time. Dont get too worked up about your lap times early on, just focus on getting laps in and keeping it on the black stuff (with the shiny side up). Once you start getting some laps in under your belt, and keep it pointed the right direction, your times will fall naturally. After you have some experience and maybe a couple races, then id look into coaching. Biggest thing i had trouble getting around me head when i started was; dont be afraid to push the kart and yourself. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll have to dust it off, and your ego might take a bit of a bump. Learn from your mistakes! (just dont go too crazy 😯 )
@sjpkarter wrote:
What chassis, engine, cool looking helmet and suit :-), and so on…
Don’t know on the chassis, although I had a nice visit with Doug W. of ShockWave at his shop a few weeks ago and am impressed w/ what he had to say about post-sale support (if I buy new).
How much difference at this stage of the game does chassis make? How so?
Might I recommend a G.P. through AJ Noud of Rocky Mountain Kartworks? 8)
One of my high school friends recently got into karting and kept making a big deal about getting the right equipment to start out with. I told him that he shouldnt make a big deal about it. Like i said, the biggest thing in your first year is getting laps under your belt. IMO, if you buy top-of-the-line for your first kart, sure it’s nice, but as a newbie, people tend to beat theirs up. Wouldnt you rather beat up a used chassis than your brand new $4000 shiny one?
In karting, most of your fast drivers are fast because they are fast. The chassis does definitely make the difference, but a fast driver will be fast no matter which kart hes in.
@sjpkarter wrote:
Rear only brakes vs. front and rear (as in the ShockWave, which I understand can be had either way), don’t know. I’m thinking about learning advantages here too, not just ease of driving or control. Maybe rear only would be good to learn on, don’t know? I’ve already learned how much fun it can be if you brake too late w/ rear only (nice view driving backwards but kills your lap time), and I know rears only can be helpful in certain turning (e.g. hairpins) situations.
I learned on rear brakes, i think it would be a good idea. Rear brakes bite you more if you lock em up, so it teaches you brake pedal finesse. Plus, front brake systems add to the overall cost of your kart.
@sjpkarter wrote:
Engine, I’m sort of leaning toward ROTAX, mainly because I understand that, as two stroke power plants go it tends to be one of the more robust, lower maintenance ones around. Plus I understand this opens up what races you can participate in as well. I know there will be plenty of mechanical to this sport, but not being particularly interested in that per se, and don’t want to spend huge amounts of time in grease for every hour on the track.
I’ve been running the Rotax for 2 years now (which is my entire karting career!), and i like it. It can be a bit temperamental at times, and very needy in the jetting arena, but once you get its intricacies down, its a great package. Very reliable and quite competitive at most CO tracks. And yes, if your Rotax is sealed, you can compete in the Rotax Max Challenge (feeder series to Champ Cars), which is a spec class that makes for some really good racing. Best part about the Rotax is that it has a huge following around here, which is really important for an engine.
@sjpkarter wrote:
Not sure about the 4 strokers at all yet. Just don’t know enough. I hear they tend to be less maintenance then the 2’s and a bit (?) more power, but that’s about all I know so far.
If you’re looking for nice, hands off maintenance, go 4 stroke. Initial investment is higher, but they can go something crazy like 300 hours before a rebuild (Rotax is 50)! No mixing gas, just change the oil. The Vampires and Orals make something on the order of 34hp (Rotax is 28 ), and have tons of torque. A TaG 4 stroke turned the fastest lap at the TaG World Finals up at IMI this month (amongst all the Rotaxes, Leopards and Motoris) at a 50.001! That’s only a few tenths off of the lap record…which is held by an ICC shifter! 😯 This is the future of karting, IMO….a very nice package. Plus they sound wicked! 👿
@sjpkarter wrote:
Hauler? I drive Honda Accord, don’t really want to invest in a truck for this yet, so that precludes all but fairly light, easy to load and handle trailers.
Harbor Freight has some dirt cheap open trailers that are perfect kart size for under $200…just supply your own plywood.
@sjpkarter wrote:
I really like metallic red and blue for helmets… Which colors make you go faster? (really, I’m not that naive, but what the hell…). OTOH, who does a good job w/ fitting helmets, other racing gear, etc. in town?
Metallic red and blue are some of the fastest colors out there! 8) Lots of people like to use motorcycle helmets, and they work just fine. Get the best one you can afford…this is your head that you’re protecting! (the old adage; if your head is worth $90, get a $90 helmet!) The most important thing about helmets is getting one that fits you properly, dont buy one that doesnt fit you well. If you buy a motorcycle helmet, any bike shop you buy it from (Performance Cycle, RPM Motorsports, Erico, etc) will fit a helmet for you properly.
@sjpkarter wrote:
Yes, I hope to get to the swap meet and meet some more folks. I’ve been to a couple of club races, met a few folks already, and met a few folks just when running at The Track (one very nice gentleman named Tony, no last name, loaned me his ROTAX/unknown chassis one day which I promptly drove like a bad out of hell for a number of laps and that just confirmed my ambition to keep on with it!
Come out and introduce yourself when you can…we’ve all been in your shoes at one point and are happy to answer any questions!
Little known fact about engine coolant….
The stuff you put in your car (ethylene glycol antifreeze, which most people refer to as coolant) doesn’t actually cool as well as straight up water. Its purpose is just that, antifreeze, it prevents the water from freezing.
Larry, Run pure distilled water in your radiator, and only that. If you mix antifreeze/water in your kart, you’ll actually reduce its capacity to reject the engine’s heat as opposed to running straight H20. I dont really see the point in running any antifreeze in your kart (since they’re used primarily in the warm months)…sure it saves the time of draining the radiator, but that only takes a couple minutes! You just gotta remember to do it!
38 degrees(high)….60% chance of rain/snow…. 😥
Jim, are you sure you dont want to hold the last race on saturday? (74 and sunny) Oh well, i think i’ll keep my fingers crossed for some crazy Colorado turn of the weather.
Maybe you should consider hosting the year-ending annual ‘Will-It-Rain-Or-Will-It-Snow classic’ Remember the last CSC race last year? :loony:
Now that we can reply to posts again…
:woohoo
WOW! Way to go everyone! Especially Kyle and AJ! Very few drivers out there can say they finished in the top 5 at Monaco, regardless of the discipline. You guys beat Giorgio Pantano at his own game, and he’s got more than quite a few laps around Monaco…..in a Formula 1 car! Kyle, a podium? At Monaco? Simply amazing….Huge congratulations, you guys deserved it. That must have been one of the sweetest moments of your career by far…wish i could have seen it.
:cheers:(stuff like this makes me get all…..patriotic :usa: )
WOW, that’s awesome David! 😯 Great to see some of our homegrown racers branching out into national and INTERnational competition and getting the recognition they deserve. Go kick some butt in Europe!
Big congrats to all the Colorado TaG World Champions and everyone else that raced, you guys did great! Hope i’ll be racing in it next year! :cheers:
