WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.040
G'day guys and welcome back to the 7 Hour Cart Class podcast.
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.719
Today we're going to be looking at a beginner's guide to being quick.
00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:13.439
I've seen a recent influx of newcomer drivers, and that's a really positive sign for karting as a whole.
00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:22.079
We're getting some really big numbers when we're looking at our major races, but obviously we need to keep continuing to grow the sport from a club level.
00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:32.079
And just, you know, when I'm going to coaching days, I'm seeing a lot more people I've never seen before, people with you know pea plates that are just getting into the sport and it's it's really encouraging.
00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.600
But obviously, when you're starting out, things can be a little bit tough.
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:40.960
So we want to try and give you a bit of a guide on how to get up to speed quickly if you're trying to do it yourself.
00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:51.039
So the first thing that you know parents slash drivers want to concentrate on is just try and do the fundamentals really well.
00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.679
So, what do we mean by fundamentals?
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.079
This is flowing out of the corners, flowing into the corners as well.
00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:01.840
You want to try and use the full track width where possible.
00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:15.920
Now, not every corner is going to require you to be on the extreme outside of the circuit to start your corner, but where possible, and obviously looking for that racing line, you want to try and use as much track width as you can.
00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:23.680
This just allows you to flow a lot more speed through the corners, but it's also going to make you more gentle on the steering.
00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.200
If you're on a tighter line, you're going to have to turn the steering wheel a lot more.
00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:34.640
And that brings about slowing the cart down, but it also brings in a lot more instability with a cart when you're having to turn the steering wheel a lot more.
00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:40.959
So let's just get our corners nice and wide, flow as much speed as we can through.
00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:45.680
And when we're talking about minimal steering inputs, it comes back to that saying of smooth is fast.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.280
So this comes back to the first time you want to turn the wheel, be a little bit more gentle.
00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:14.960
And why I say this is because the first part of your steering, if it's too aggressive, that's when two or three inputs are going to have to be those little corrections, and that's when the cart gets more unstable and we get these oversteering moments where that you know equates to a spin, you can hear the tires screeching a lot more in the corners, which you know ultimately isn't that fast.
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:20.159
So let's slow our hands down by using a minimal steering input.
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:31.599
And if you need more steering, you can always start to apply more steering as you go through the corners, but don't go a sudden movement because then there's going to be a couple of corrections that will follow from there.
00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.479
The next thing is being comfortable with your brakes.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:44.560
Now, when we're starting out, we're going to go from not using them at all because we're too scared to spin out, then we're going to start hitting them too hard, and it's probably going to cause us to spin out.
00:02:44.719 --> 00:03:01.840
So we need to find that balance where the brakes are working sufficiently and they're got a little bit of a touchy feel to them because we want to try and use the brakes in a way where they slow us down pretty quickly, and then we can obviously release the brake from there and then get back on the throttle as quick as we can.
00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:08.240
So we need to find that brake pressure, that feel on the brake pedal, how long it's going to travel that suits your driver.
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.199
Some kids like a really responsive brake.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:21.199
Some other drivers like to have a little bit of play in the pedal where it's moving back and forth, maybe you know, let's say three or four mil in the pedal before it starts to engage.
00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.639
So just see what your driver likes.
00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:28.560
You can try multiple different setup adjustments on the brake pedal to see what is is best suited to them.
00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:33.199
But we need to get comfortable with the brakes because we want to use them effectively, but also short.
00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:39.120
We want to get on them quickly and get off them quickly so we can again maintain that speed through the corners.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:46.719
When it comes now to you know tweaking the chassis, let's try and start with a very neutral setup.
00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.039
Now, if you're new to the sport, you don't know what a neutral setup is.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:04:03.919
But also if you've bought a secondhand go kart, this may have a setup in in it that you know you've got no idea because it could have a left field axle in it or different rims that you see a lot of drivers that are using.
00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:18.399
So when we say a neutral setup for your driver, it might be that let's go for a cadet, for example, you want to be using a a medium axle, so like the the yeah, the middle axle that you can use in your range for your chassis.
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:23.199
We want to then have generally a low front ride height.
00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.639
Now, this is because we want to release the rear grip in the cart.
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:34.399
Because the tyres have a sufficient amount of grip, we don't want to have too much stability in the cart where it's going to actually slow the engine down.
00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:35.920
It's going to be nice to drive.
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:45.199
So for us, a very neutral setup in a cadet cart is a low front ride height, two mil negative camber, that's very, very common across a range of chassis.
00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.800
One mil toe out.
00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.040
If you can go two mil, that's fine.
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:57.040
It's better suited for you know tighter technical circuits, but on the 90% of the tracks, one mil is is totally fine.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.040
Um, again, keep that neutral axle.
00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:01.120
1100 mil is our rear track width.
00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:09.360
So again, fluctuating between 1095, so a couple of million per side if it's the track slippery, and 1100 is the maximum track width we can use.
00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:18.480
So you want to try and keep it as a neutral setup that you can just go from track to track or from day to day and not have to worry about the chassis too much.
00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:23.839
When we start throwing different rims at it, different camber and cast are at it, that's okay.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.319
And you can get, you know, one to three tenths out of those setup adjustments.
00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:40.240
But as a beginner, you need like a constant, you need the cart to be the you know, very similar feeling from day to day, so that you can build your confidence, you can start to push your limits.
00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:42.639
So, again, tweaking is okay.
00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:48.879
Let's talk in two mil increments, let's go with minimal cast adjustments, so like the smallest amounts that you can choose.
00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:53.920
If you want to change the the camber or the toe out, again, one mil increments, that's fine.
00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.759
Front track width, one little space in or out, again, that's that's okay.
00:05:57.920 --> 00:05:59.519
One sprocket up or down.
00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:09.040
They're all things that you want to tweak rather than going from a hard axle to an extreme soft axle, going from you know, magnesium to aluminum wheels.
00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:13.120
You can do that, but you don't need to do it too much, especially when you're just starting out.
00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.360
The next thing we want to look at is watching other drivers.
00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.639
So, again, you're starting out, you want to get up to speed as quick as you can.
00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:25.519
Let's focus our attention on watching what the fast drives are doing.
00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:31.680
So if you're out in the track and you've seen someone just zoom by you, hopefully you've been able to switch onto their lines.
00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.800
You know, speed will come with the right racing lines.
00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:56.959
But even if you can't keep up, how about we sit out a session or two and we just watch and we listen and we listen to when they're backing off or when they're accelerating or where they're clipping the apex, and then you start to visualize those things so that when you go and drive yourself, you can go to that same braking marker, you can clip the apex on that same colored box, you can turn in on that crack that you saw the fastest drivers do.
00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.120
Again, we don't need to match their speed yet.
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.480
We need to match their lines, their apexes, their braking markers.
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:04.720
Speed will come again at the end.
00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:13.439
And lastly, which is you know sometimes a little bit hard for drivers to grasp, even parents, is don't be afraid to make mistakes.
00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.120
You're not going to go from being a beginner to winning races without making mistakes.
00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.240
It's just not possible.
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:24.560
I I've told drivers that I coach, you know, hundreds of times that you need to make mistakes.
00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.439
You need to find the limits of your capability for now.
00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:37.920
Now, in six months' time, your ability hopefully has grown and your markers have been pushed along by maybe one or two cart lengths, or maybe it's only half a cart if you're close to the speed already.
00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:39.600
But mistakes are good.
00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:40.480
Mistakes are okay.
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:46.560
As long as you're learning from them and you're finding your boundaries, you need to find where that mistake's going to be made.
00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.920
You don't want to be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone on a race day.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:58.399
We need to be doing that in a testing or a practice environment so that when you come to race day, you're in that not so much comfort zone, but you know your limitations.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:03.759
And whether that's, you know, because your first club day, you might be, let's just say, one second off the pace.
00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:12.160
And then you've got a whole month to build up on practice days again to make those mistakes, to find your limits, to then get to seven or eight tenths off the pace.
00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.720
And then again, two club days' time, a couple of months' time.
00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.639
We've rehomed our skills.
00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.079
We've pushed our boundaries another half a cart on a few corners.
00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:24.079
We've carried one or two kilometers more speed, and now so we're only four or five tenths off.
00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:30.000
So you can see how that we're not trying to go from one second to the pace within one month.
00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:36.240
You just got to do these little building blocks and you get there over time by making mistakes and learning from them.
00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:41.440
So that's a pretty quick guide on you know, going from beginner to being quick.
00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:44.960
So just recapping that is just do the fundamentals really well.
00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:49.919
Flow the corners, don't overuse the brakes and use minimal steering input where possible.
00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.639
Tweak the chassis, don't go overhaul when it comes to the cart setup.
00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.919
Watch and learn from the faster and more experienced drivers.
00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:00.559
And lastly, don't be afraid to make your mistakes.
00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:04.159
I hope this guide has been, you know, a little bit of a valuable tool for you.
00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.960
Just something to sort of listen back on and go, you know what?
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:11.519
Actually, I'm putting a little bit too much pressure on my son or daughter to get up to speed really quickly.
00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:16.240
And just try and get those little building blocks in and just take it month by month.
00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:30.240
If you've enjoyed this episode, probably the best way to repair the faith in the podcast is just to leave it a review or give it a good, you know, a good five star rating if you possibly can, just so that more people in the caring community can see this podcast.
00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.679
Until next time, guys, I'm your host, David Serra, and I'll keep in touch soon.
00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:34.080
Cheers.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.040
G'day guys and welcome back to the 7 Hour Cart Class podcast.
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.719
Today we're going to be looking at a beginner's guide to being quick.
00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:13.439
I've seen a recent influx of newcomer drivers, and that's a really positive sign for karting as a whole.
00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:22.079
We're getting some really big numbers when we're looking at our major races, but obviously we need to keep continuing to grow the sport from a club level.
00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:32.079
And just, you know, when I'm going to coaching days, I'm seeing a lot more people I've never seen before, people with you know pea plates that are just getting into the sport and it's it's really encouraging.
00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.600
But obviously, when you're starting out, things can be a little bit tough.
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:40.960
So we want to try and give you a bit of a guide on how to get up to speed quickly if you're trying to do it yourself.
00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:51.039
So the first thing that you know parents slash drivers want to concentrate on is just try and do the fundamentals really well.
00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.679
So, what do we mean by fundamentals?
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.079
This is flowing out of the corners, flowing into the corners as well.
00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:01.840
You want to try and use the full track width where possible.
00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:15.920
Now, not every corner is going to require you to be on the extreme outside of the circuit to start your corner, but where possible, and obviously looking for that racing line, you want to try and use as much track width as you can.
00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:23.680
This just allows you to flow a lot more speed through the corners, but it's also going to make you more gentle on the steering.
00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.200
If you're on a tighter line, you're going to have to turn the steering wheel a lot more.
00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:34.640
And that brings about slowing the cart down, but it also brings in a lot more instability with a cart when you're having to turn the steering wheel a lot more.
00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:40.959
So let's just get our corners nice and wide, flow as much speed as we can through.
00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:45.680
And when we're talking about minimal steering inputs, it comes back to that saying of smooth is fast.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.280
So this comes back to the first time you want to turn the wheel, be a little bit more gentle.
00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:14.960
And why I say this is because the first part of your steering, if it's too aggressive, that's when two or three inputs are going to have to be those little corrections, and that's when the cart gets more unstable and we get these oversteering moments where that you know equates to a spin, you can hear the tires screeching a lot more in the corners, which you know ultimately isn't that fast.
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:20.159
So let's slow our hands down by using a minimal steering input.
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:31.599
And if you need more steering, you can always start to apply more steering as you go through the corners, but don't go a sudden movement because then there's going to be a couple of corrections that will follow from there.
00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.479
The next thing is being comfortable with your brakes.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:44.560
Now, when we're starting out, we're going to go from not using them at all because we're too scared to spin out, then we're going to start hitting them too hard, and it's probably going to cause us to spin out.
00:02:44.719 --> 00:03:01.840
So we need to find that balance where the brakes are working sufficiently and they're got a little bit of a touchy feel to them because we want to try and use the brakes in a way where they slow us down pretty quickly, and then we can obviously release the brake from there and then get back on the throttle as quick as we can.
00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:08.240
So we need to find that brake pressure, that feel on the brake pedal, how long it's going to travel that suits your driver.
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.199
Some kids like a really responsive brake.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:21.199
Some other drivers like to have a little bit of play in the pedal where it's moving back and forth, maybe you know, let's say three or four mil in the pedal before it starts to engage.
00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.639
So just see what your driver likes.
00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:28.560
You can try multiple different setup adjustments on the brake pedal to see what is is best suited to them.
00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:33.199
But we need to get comfortable with the brakes because we want to use them effectively, but also short.
00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:39.120
We want to get on them quickly and get off them quickly so we can again maintain that speed through the corners.
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:46.719
When it comes now to you know tweaking the chassis, let's try and start with a very neutral setup.
00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.039
Now, if you're new to the sport, you don't know what a neutral setup is.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:04:03.919
But also if you've bought a secondhand go kart, this may have a setup in in it that you know you've got no idea because it could have a left field axle in it or different rims that you see a lot of drivers that are using.
00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:18.399
So when we say a neutral setup for your driver, it might be that let's go for a cadet, for example, you want to be using a a medium axle, so like the the yeah, the middle axle that you can use in your range for your chassis.
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:23.199
We want to then have generally a low front ride height.
00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.639
Now, this is because we want to release the rear grip in the cart.
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:34.399
Because the tyres have a sufficient amount of grip, we don't want to have too much stability in the cart where it's going to actually slow the engine down.
00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:35.920
It's going to be nice to drive.
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:45.199
So for us, a very neutral setup in a cadet cart is a low front ride height, two mil negative camber, that's very, very common across a range of chassis.
00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.800
One mil toe out.
00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.040
If you can go two mil, that's fine.
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:57.040
It's better suited for you know tighter technical circuits, but on the 90% of the tracks, one mil is is totally fine.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.040
Um, again, keep that neutral axle.
00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:01.120
1100 mil is our rear track width.
00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:09.360
So again, fluctuating between 1095, so a couple of million per side if it's the track slippery, and 1100 is the maximum track width we can use.
00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:18.480
So you want to try and keep it as a neutral setup that you can just go from track to track or from day to day and not have to worry about the chassis too much.
00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:23.839
When we start throwing different rims at it, different camber and cast are at it, that's okay.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.319
And you can get, you know, one to three tenths out of those setup adjustments.
00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:40.240
But as a beginner, you need like a constant, you need the cart to be the you know, very similar feeling from day to day, so that you can build your confidence, you can start to push your limits.
00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:42.639
So, again, tweaking is okay.
00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:48.879
Let's talk in two mil increments, let's go with minimal cast adjustments, so like the smallest amounts that you can choose.
00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:53.920
If you want to change the the camber or the toe out, again, one mil increments, that's fine.
00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.759
Front track width, one little space in or out, again, that's that's okay.
00:05:57.920 --> 00:05:59.519
One sprocket up or down.
00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:09.040
They're all things that you want to tweak rather than going from a hard axle to an extreme soft axle, going from you know, magnesium to aluminum wheels.
00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:13.120
You can do that, but you don't need to do it too much, especially when you're just starting out.
00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.360
The next thing we want to look at is watching other drivers.
00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.639
So, again, you're starting out, you want to get up to speed as quick as you can.
00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:25.519
Let's focus our attention on watching what the fast drives are doing.
00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:31.680
So if you're out in the track and you've seen someone just zoom by you, hopefully you've been able to switch onto their lines.
00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.800
You know, speed will come with the right racing lines.
00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:56.959
But even if you can't keep up, how about we sit out a session or two and we just watch and we listen and we listen to when they're backing off or when they're accelerating or where they're clipping the apex, and then you start to visualize those things so that when you go and drive yourself, you can go to that same braking marker, you can clip the apex on that same colored box, you can turn in on that crack that you saw the fastest drivers do.
00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.120
Again, we don't need to match their speed yet.
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.480
We need to match their lines, their apexes, their braking markers.
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:04.720
Speed will come again at the end.
00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:13.439
And lastly, which is you know sometimes a little bit hard for drivers to grasp, even parents, is don't be afraid to make mistakes.
00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.120
You're not going to go from being a beginner to winning races without making mistakes.
00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.240
It's just not possible.
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:24.560
I I've told drivers that I coach, you know, hundreds of times that you need to make mistakes.
00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.439
You need to find the limits of your capability for now.
00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:37.920
Now, in six months' time, your ability hopefully has grown and your markers have been pushed along by maybe one or two cart lengths, or maybe it's only half a cart if you're close to the speed already.
00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:39.600
But mistakes are good.
00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:40.480
Mistakes are okay.
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:46.560
As long as you're learning from them and you're finding your boundaries, you need to find where that mistake's going to be made.
00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.920
You don't want to be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone on a race day.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:58.399
We need to be doing that in a testing or a practice environment so that when you come to race day, you're in that not so much comfort zone, but you know your limitations.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:03.759
And whether that's, you know, because your first club day, you might be, let's just say, one second off the pace.
00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:12.160
And then you've got a whole month to build up on practice days again to make those mistakes, to find your limits, to then get to seven or eight tenths off the pace.
00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.720
And then again, two club days' time, a couple of months' time.
00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.639
We've rehomed our skills.
00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.079
We've pushed our boundaries another half a cart on a few corners.
00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:24.079
We've carried one or two kilometers more speed, and now so we're only four or five tenths off.
00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:30.000
So you can see how that we're not trying to go from one second to the pace within one month.
00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:36.240
You just got to do these little building blocks and you get there over time by making mistakes and learning from them.
00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:41.440
So that's a pretty quick guide on you know, going from beginner to being quick.
00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:44.960
So just recapping that is just do the fundamentals really well.
00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:49.919
Flow the corners, don't overuse the brakes and use minimal steering input where possible.
00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.639
Tweak the chassis, don't go overhaul when it comes to the cart setup.
00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.919
Watch and learn from the faster and more experienced drivers.
00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:00.559
And lastly, don't be afraid to make your mistakes.
00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:04.159
I hope this guide has been, you know, a little bit of a valuable tool for you.
00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.960
Just something to sort of listen back on and go, you know what?
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:11.519
Actually, I'm putting a little bit too much pressure on my son or daughter to get up to speed really quickly.
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And just try and get those little building blocks in and just take it month by month.
00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:30.240
If you've enjoyed this episode, probably the best way to repair the faith in the podcast is just to leave it a review or give it a good, you know, a good five star rating if you possibly can, just so that more people in the caring community can see this podcast.
00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.679
Until next time, guys, I'm your host, David Serra, and I'll keep in touch soon.
00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:34.080
Cheers.
