“Send It” NKA Podcast – Christian, Race and I talk about TAG and stuff. #keepkartingfun

Just around the time that COVID quarantine and esports races really picked up, I did a podcast with Christian, and Race Liberante with National Karting Alliance to talk about local and regional kart racing. (Probably because we were all missing our karts)

It was good episode (at least I thought so) and conversation, so I wanted to get this onto the blog.

We also talk about how karting could be using technology and social media more in 2021, to help promote and grow the sport.

Why karting will help your car racing

It’s that time of the year, where most of my autocross and road racing friends are packing up their cars for the fall and winter.  During the ‘off season’, they would love to be able to get more practice time in, but when you’re running a club racer like a Spec Miata or a Spec Racer Ford, getting practice time is an incredibly expensive premium.

Very few people have the resources to simply rent a full-size track, afford transportation and manage the regular consumable costs in order to practice sufficiently between big races or during the winter months.

So I’ve been working on some karting data videos…

…trying to look like I know what I’m doing. 😛

So I’m excited for a new opportunity that I’ve been working on the last few weeks with AIM Sport. We’ve been developing some data analysis videos for using the Mychron5 and Race Studio 2. For those who aren’t aware, the Mychron/Race Studio combination is the system that a majority of competition karters use for data-logging and acquisition. However, the concept of data acquisition is a daunting concept for most people to take on.

Help the newbies. Karting needs it. #keepkartingfun

Helping some new drivers and people who want to learn to tune by using the LO206. Simple and easy to get them started.

We all know what it’s like to be new when we started karting. It can be a bit overwhelming. You don’t know anyone, you don’t know anything, and generally you’re not that fast. It’s a very critical time when deciding whether you want to keep doing it or not.

When I got started, I was fortunate enough to have some friends who encouraged me to go out to do some track days with them, until I got up to speed. If that hadn’t happened, it would have been likely that I would have quit to do something else.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have that luxury, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Everyone can do their part to help new people get into the sport of karting, by just lending a few minutes of their time to provide some helpful tips. It’s not only valuable, but immensely satisfying to create that support structure. 

Moving things in the right direction #keepkartingfun #lo206 #Theartofkart

In life, things never go as you plan, but sometimes they end up better.

Originally, I had planned to go to the third and fourth round of the Gold Cup, but other events stepped in. However, an opportunity came up for a set of test days to help setup Ched Follis’ 206.

Between spending time at both PGP Motorsports Park and Sumas International Motorsport Academy, it was an opportunity to get some more seat time with the 206 and try some new setup changes with the four-stroke at two different tracks with Ched and Leo.

Making karting fun again – Turning track days into test days. #theartofkart

 

So in my last post, I admitted how having to worry about my engine exploding was making karting less fun, so while I’m working on that, I’ve been focusing on also how to improve my approach to my driving.

I’ll admit, though no surprise to anyone, that I am not the fastest driver in the world. Therefore, I always want to work to improve my driving skills, and my understanding of how to setup my kart. After a few years of racing, I’ve gotten to a point where “just getting seat time” isn’t becoming as beneficial. I need a more focused approach in how I practice and test, so I can work on developing specific skills with my racing, setup and racecraft.

I haven’t been having fun karting lately…and I’m going to do something about it. #keepkartingfun

 

Again, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. There is a good reason for it though.

I love driving, and racing. It’s my a favorite thing to do.  If I could, I’d make a career out of doing it. Karting is really the way that I express my enjoyment about my passion. Simply put, karting is awesome.

However, honestly, I haven’t had that much fun lately. Like really haven’t been having fun. It’s been frustrating, and I couldn’t figure out why. So I decided to write a post about it to see if it would help me clear my head. (This post might not even stay up long…or it’ll stay up forever. Who knows.)

|Technique| How to plan your test days to get faster #theartofkart

One of the advantages of karting, is the copious access to practice time that you can get compared to other motorsports. Most kart tracks are owned by clubs, so the entry fees are affordable enough for racers to get more seat time.

You’re going to need to have a plan of how to best maximize your time, if you’re going to take advantage of that extra seat time . Below are some quick tips about how to have a more effective practice day the next time that you’re out at the track karting.

|Technique| -You have to make it through the “Valley of Suck” to make it up to “Mount Awesome”.

A few months ago, a friend of mine shared with me this video from K-Racer about how to make it to the top of Mount Awesome, when it comes to improving your skills. I linked the video below, because it’s funny, but it’s got a good message to it when it comes to karting.

|Technique| Everyone has nerves. #theartofkart #kart #race #racing #karting

Everyone has nerves.

Nerves. Everyone has them at some point in their lives. Those anxious butterflies in their stomach. That pounding heartbeat in their chest that seems to want to burst out thier head. That overwhelming voice that echos when it asks “Can I do this?”