Driving rules in go-kart

There are plenty of rules need to follow in order to provide the safest possible go-karting experience: Reckless go-kart driving is prohibited. Any driving that is dangerous, endangers other participants, or may result in damage to the kart, track, or the track personnel will result in the immediate loss of driving privileges Do not race with loose items, loose clothing, and or unsecured long hair. Racing with such items can cause injuries. Drivers must wear approved helmets and hygienic liners. Helmet will be 2005 Snell approved and up with Full Face Shield refer to Track Rules. Full coverage driver wear including: Sturdy shoes, socks over the ankles, long sleeve shirt, long pants and especially gloves are required. Neck brace designed for racing is required. Arm sleeve is recommended but no required. Elbow pad for right elbow is recommended but not required. Chest and rib protective jacket is recommended but not required. Driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription and or illegal drugs is strictly prohibited. When entering and exiting the kart, care must be taken to avoid touching the engine which may be hot enough to cause burns. The throttle for the go-kart is controlled by right foot. The brake is controlled by left foot. In the pit area the maximum speed allowed is walking speed. Never get out of the go-kart while on the track. If assistance is needed, pull to the side of the track, raise hand and wait for the track personnel for help. Walking onto any portion of the track or beyond any divided partitions is prohibited.

Steering should be done with both hands on the steering wheel in the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. Pay attention to and comply with all go-kart driving flag signals and the instructions of the track personnel.

Track Regulation

I.

Track Operations

For participant and employee safety the track marshals are in charge of all track operations. Participants must obey all track marshal instructions. Flags and signs are used throughout the track to communicate with participants. The flags are as follow:

Green - Signals the start or restart of a race. When the green flag is displayed drivers may drive as fast as they wish.

Yellow - Signals a caution. ALL drivers on the entire track must slow to a walking pace and there is no passing.

Blue - The blue flag is waved if a faster competitor gets behind you and you hold him or her up. It is not sure that you realize this situation, so the blue flag will be waved and you are required to pull off. Once you are passed by, you can continue the race according to your own pace.

Black - Signals that the driver is receiving a penalty. The driver who receives it should pull into the penalty box the next time that he/she passes it. Penalty escalation is a twostep process. The first black flag that a driver receives is a verbal warning. If the same driver receives another black flag he/she will be removed from the session and will not receive a refund. Black flags are administered for any safety issue, excessive contact or illegitimate passes and kart malfunctions.

Red - Signals that the race has been stopped. This flag is used in emergency situations only. All drivers must safely stop their karts immediately and wait for marshal instructions.

White - Signals that one lap remains in the session. Drivers should pass under this flag and drive one more full speed lap.

White and Black Checkered - Signals that the session is complete. After drivers pass under this flag they must slow to a walking pace and cease racing immediately. Yellow flags will be shown to the drivers who have completed their final lap.

No Stopping - Drivers must remain in motion at all times while on the track unless instructed by a track marshal or red flag to stop.

Stuck Driver - If a driver is stuck and unable to move he/she should raise their right hand to signal a track marshal for assistance.

Kart Failure - If there is a problem with a kart the driver of that kart should raise their right hand and proceed to the pits if possible.

Pit Rules - The speed limit in the pits is one (1) mile per hour and is strictly enforced. Speeding in the pits may result in a stop-time penalty. Wait for marshal instruction to exit the pit. If for any reason a driver needs to enter the pit during a session he/she should raise their right hand to signal that he/she is reducing speed.

II.

Kart operations

No driver should ever touch any part of the motor or clutch casing. These components contain moving parts and are often hot.

Hand Position - While the kart is in motion drivers must keep both hands on the steering wheel. It is recommended to grip the wheel at the ten and two position for the entirety of the session.

Pedals - The brake pedal is on the left and the gas pedal in on the right. Drivers use their left foot to depress the brake pedal and their right foot to depress the gas pedal. Drivers must use the pedals independently of each other - one foot at a time. Pedal and Steering Wheel Reach - Our karts have the ability to move the seats forward or backward to help make your racing experience as comfortable as possible. Ask a staff member if you need help moving your seat.

Go-kart concerning guide Before start the race, try and keep one thing in mind. Getting fast quick depends totally on the ability to be smooth. Any sudden movements on the brake, throttle or steering causes resistance and slows down through the corners. Here are some recommendations: As you approaching a corner, its recommended you place your kart on the outside of the track, staying on the gas. At the right moment, ease onto the brake firmly staying in a straight line. Come off the break and ease back onto the throttle as you turn into the corner. Maintain your power and aim for the inside edges of the track as your turn the corner. Maintaining the power is crucial to ensure you have plenty of speed coming out of the turn.

Some important matter need to be concerned:

The most important thing to remember about driving your go kart is to never, ever use both the throttle and brake at the same time. Not only does it just feel wrong, but it puts a huge amount of pressure on the clutch. You might cause the clutch to slip in some cases, but generally you will just causes damage to it, making it less efficient, slowing you down.

Double Apex Bend - this is the cornering technique that you would use if you were to race a double apex bend corner.

S" Bend - this is the line you would use if you were to race a track with an "S" bend corner in it.

What to do when go-kart crashes

It is very important to know what to do when it does happen when go kart crashes happen . Remember your safety and the safety of the other racers should be your number one priority, not your kart. You can fix your kart, you can buy new body work, but you can't just fix a major injury.

I.

In the event of a flat of popped chain it is best to slow your speed by breaking lightly, get out of the racing line and have one hand up (if you have control) to indicate to the other racers that you are having issues and to either slow or pass. Remember if you are having any sort of issue with your kart it is safest to give up the racing line and let your competitors pass. Now carefully pull off the track entirely and pull your kart well away from the edge of the track (if you can). Even once your kart is pulled off the track you should stand even further away from the race. A safety vehicle will come and help you.

II.

In the event of a spin-out kart crash, if your kart is still in working order, get out of the racing line, and work on getting back into the race, once you are back up to speed continue racing.

III.

In the event of a fire get out of the kart and get as far away as you can. The gas tanks are only plastic and will ignite. Whatever you do, do not try to put out any fire yourself.

IV.

Never fight another racer, regardless of who caused the go kart crashes. Officials will handle disqualifications after the race or black flag the offending driver. Fighting will only get you ejected from the race. No kart crash is worth that.

How to excel at kart racing

In kart racing driving skills are the most important factor to being able to have fast laptimes. Once you have mastered kart racing driver skills then you will benefit from having a great kart set up. But the driving skills have to come first! Here are the basics so that you can build on a solid platform.

I.

Sit correctly in your race kart. Sounds silly but makes a huge difference to how the kart handles. Sit back in the seat and resist the temptation to lean forward towards the wheel or to bounce the kart by jumping up in the seat. Both of these actions have a negative effect on acceleration.

II.

Hold the wheel correctly. The lowest you should hold the steering wheel is where 9 and 3 appear on a clock face. the highest is 10 and 2 on the clock face. Make sure your hands are symmetrically placed on the kart steering wheel and that you always hold the wheel in the same place whilst driving or you can introduce extra instability to the kart.

III.

Once you are used to the speed of the kart and are used to your stable way of sitting in the kart and holding the wheel, you need to explore the limits of braking. Brake very hard and be fast with the pedal so that the rears almost lock. Make sure you are beginning to release the brakes before you turn into a corner.

IV.

Experiment with kart racing lines. Kart drivers find that they often turn in too early to corners, so try to keep the kart straight and wide for as long as you dare before you turn in.

V.

Go straight as often as you can. Turning reduces the speed of the kart. Turn in later and later until you can't reach the apex, then you know you have gone too far.

VI.

Carry your exit speed out of the corner to the start of your braking zone. It's not how fast you get into the corner but rather how fast you exit.