Karting in the Rain

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Matty
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Karting in the Rain

Post by Matty »

So I took my nephew to Rednal Karting near Shrewsbury this afternoon. It had been raining overnight, and had just stopped when we'd got there, so track was soaked. It's been a few years since I've karted in the wet - last time I remember it being a slippy nightmare and most of the group facing backwards....in other words, challenging but far more fun than in the dry.

However, what I didn't remember is how little front end grip you have. Anything more than a few degrees of lock and over 5mph and it was an understeering nightmare. The tips of using gentle inputs, very little lock and only putting power down with wheels straight just didn't work....you had to drive incredibly slowly to get front grip.

I tried keeping it tidy, but it was way too slow. The only real solution seemed to be to brake late, turn in then use the rear to steer...not easy in a kart which are tricky to hold. You seemed to scrub off way too much speed just in corrections. Never managed to find a comfortable approach, but it's damn good fun to try with so little grip.

Nice place though, good track and well organized. Great that they let the younger kids (8+) on with adults, as other places don't. Worth a visit.
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nuttinnew
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by nuttinnew »

8-)
I'm not sure I'd want the young 'nes on track with me, they#d have too much of a weight advantage :oops:
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mik
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by mik »

I did a 4hr team endurance event in heavy rain on slicks. Twin engined karts. Pretty rapid. Quali and initial 10mins were dry and great (although i was wondering if we'd be able to keep up the pace fof 4hrs, as it was physical) might have well have been on ice. Very frustrating. All the quick guys knew the (frankly bizzare) lines that worked in the wet
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NotoriousREV
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by NotoriousREV »

Wide lines to stay off the laid down rubber, square it off, slow in, fast out. I’d imagine, anyway :lol:
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mik
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by mik »

Yeah, I assumed that too and thought I was clever it worked on some corners. Others knew where the grip was on repaired sections etc and best lines there were totally illogical.
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Barry
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by Barry »

Used to use an outdoor karting place years ago and the accepted method for turning in the wet was positive throttle or the kart geometry just caused huge under steer. Basically turn the wheel, hit the gas and it'll turn in, then you have to balance the drift throughout the turn and until it's straight. No amount of delicacy worked, you had to stab the throttle on turn in and then catch the slide.
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Mike1215
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by Mike1215 »

Matty wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:12 am So I took my nephew to Rednal Karting near Shrewsbury this afternoon. It had been raining overnight, and had just stopped when we'd got there, so track was soaked. It's been a few years since I've karted in the wet - last time I remember it being a slippy nightmare and most of the group facing backwards....in other words, challenging but far more fun than in the dry.

However, what I didn't remember is how little front end grip you have. Anything more than a few degrees of lock and over 5mph and it was an understeering nightmare. The tips of using gentle inputs, very little lock and only putting power down with wheels straight just didn't work....you had to drive incredibly slowly to get front grip.

I tried keeping it tidy, but it was way too slow. The only real solution seemed to be to brake late, turn in then use the rear to steer...not easy in a kart which are tricky to hold. You seemed to scrub off way too much speed just in corrections. Never managed to find a comfortable approach, but it's damn good fun to try with so little grip.

Nice place though, good track and well organized. Great that they let the younger kids (8+) on with adults, as other places don't. Worth a visit.
It’s not a bad place is it Matt

Lad that runs it, Tom, has a monstrous M240i - very quick!
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Matty
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by Matty »

mik wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:31 am I did a 4hr team endurance event in heavy rain on slicks. Twin engined karts. Pretty rapid. Quali and initial 10mins were dry and great (although i was wondering if we'd be able to keep up the pace fof 4hrs, as it was physical) might have well have been on ice. Very frustrating. All the quick guys knew the (frankly bizzare) lines that worked in the wet
A few of us on here went to Daytona - that was only a 45min session but after 30 mins I was struggling, arms/hands were giving up! Lap times dropped off a cliff after that. It's hard work!
Barry wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 10:52 am Used to use an outdoor karting place years ago and the accepted method for turning in the wet was positive throttle or the kart geometry just caused huge under steer. Basically turn the wheel, hit the gas and it'll turn in, then you have to balance the drift throughout the turn and until it's straight. No amount of delicacy worked, you had to stab the throttle on turn in and then catch the slide.
Yeah, it seemed to be the only 'solution' but was a bit hit and miss. Karts aren't the easiest to hold, and with the random patchwork of various tarmac types most of the time you found yourself facing backwards. It was good fun, nonetheless.
Mike1215 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:09 pm It’s not a bad place is it Matt

Lad that runs it, Tom, has a monstrous M240i - very quick!
Yeah, spotted the 240i - or my newphew did. There's what looks like a garage/workshop behind the track so figured it was one of theirs!
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Mike1215
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by Mike1215 »

Matty wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:40 pm
Mike1215 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:09 pm It’s not a bad place is it Matt

Lad that runs it, Tom, has a monstrous M240i - very quick!
Yeah, spotted the 240i - or my newphew did. There's what looks like a garage/workshop behind the track so figured it was one of theirs!

Yep, he has a workshop that does BMW under his name
He does/did a bit of Ginetta/Porsche racing
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mikeyb
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Re: Karting in the Rain

Post by mikeyb »

Mike1215 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:58 pm
Matty wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:40 pm
Mike1215 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:09 pm It’s not a bad place is it Matt

Lad that runs it, Tom, has a monstrous M240i - very quick!
Yeah, spotted the 240i - or my newphew did. There's what looks like a garage/workshop behind the track so figured it was one of theirs!

Yep, he has a workshop that does BMW under his name
He does/did a bit of Ginetta/Porsche racing
It’s was reviewed by the LLF YouTube bloke recently. 700+ bhp apparently 😳
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