3rd Place Baby!!- And some questions on passing. | FerrariChat

3rd Place Baby!!- And some questions on passing.

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Dom, Feb 25, 2008.

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  1. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,489
    Ok, a little Dad bragging moment...

    My 7 y.o. daughter took 3rd place at saturday's So-Cal Sprinters Kart race!!! Granted, there were only 6 entrants, and technically, they don't score kid karts, but hey, it was pretty cool to watch.

    She is getting faster and faster, and the more we practice, the faster she gets. Last weekend, we practiced at the same track, and her fastest time at practice was 1:05. Her fastest time occurred in heat 2 of the race (1:06). The main race took place during a drizzle, with rain tires, so everyone was a little slower.

    Here's a link to the mylaps times (kid karts)

    http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=279661

    Her biggest issue seems to be passing. She will get behind a slower driver and take forever to pass (sometimes the session will end before she gets a chance to pass). This happened in one of the practice sessions on saturday, and in the first heat. It is really frustrating to watch. You know she is faster, but she just won't pass.

    I try to talk to her about passing, but she just doesn't want to listen (Ok, she is 7). Other than more and more practice, are there any tips you can offer on helping to get kids to pass?

    I know that I am being too emotional about this, and should just let it go, but I can't tell you how frustrating it is to watch her behind someone who is a good 5-6 seconds/lap slower than she is.

    Anyway, thanks for looking, and letting me brag a little.

    Dom
     
  2. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Sep 15, 2004
    5,465
    VIR Raceway
    Full Name:
    Peter Krause
    Congrats! Let her progress and savor the moment before working on her head... :)

    Work on her eyes. Ask her to look "around" the cart in front of here and stoke her hunger for "clear track."
     
  3. fluque

    fluque Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2004
    1,759
    Above 2240m
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    That's great and congratulations. Post some pics!

    Passing is a learned skill and takes some practice... and guts. She's only 7, it's understandable that she's being conservative.

    Some times it's difficult for young kids to follow complex verbal instructions. Rather, hop on a kart yourself and with both of you on the track train her on passing moves. Even on slower competitors you need strategies like slowing down to then gain momentum/space or key moves in specific corners. Same will apply for defending her position.
     
  4. Blocktrader

    Blocktrader Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    204
    Boca Raton
    Full Name:
    Mike R.
    Have her watch the cadets. Pick someone to cheer for and be excited everytime that person makes a pass. Don't put on pressure like "look they do it so why don't you". Instead just say something like "wow did you see that pass? That was great!"

    This worked for me. My son is gifted to the point we moved him up a class. He is a little younger than your daughter. In a large event (over 20 karts) he got crashed out in the first lap of the first heat. He was very dejected as he knew he would be stuck behind slower kids. He was afraid to attempt any passes. A fast kid in an older class was in a similar situation. His final was before my sons so we watched it and cheered him on the whole way. Watching him make countless passes and how exciting it was was just the incentive my son needed to overcome his fear. He went out in the final and moved up through half the field by the end of the race. I had previously tried many things to give him that little push to overcome his fear including working on passing against me but this was the one thing that did it right away.

    One other thing I did with him that helped was to go out in a kart and bump him (very lightly) down the straights from behind. This got him used to contact so he would more easily handle it when it inevitably happens during the race. However, again, my son is in a cadet aged class against kids much older so he needs some of this to survive. Kid Kart is an exhibition class. She has plenty of time to learn all this so I would try to keep it light and just enjoy the time. I do know what you mean by frustrating though ;)
     
  5. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,489
    What class is your son running?

    I am planning on running her in micromax after this season. I will probably buy a micromax in the near future, so that I can have her practice with it before she starts competing.

    Dom
     
  6. Blocktrader

    Blocktrader Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    204
    Boca Raton
    Full Name:
    Mike R.
    My son races Micromax. The class is great. There is little variation in the motors and they are so understressed that they will run forever. When the child is ready, you just switch the pipe and remove the restrictor and you have a minimax.
     
  7. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,489
    Cool!! Micromax just seems to make so much sense. I've heard so many bad stories about the Comer 80 (and the comer 50's in the kid karts, although ours has been OK) that I just don't want to go there. Also, micromax has the self start, which is great. There's not many people out here running it yet, but I know of at least one other guy that just bought one. He has an engine that I will buy off of him, so I just need to get the chasis. I've got a couple good leads on the chasis (I will probably go with Birel), just need to find the time to go pull the trigger.

    Dom
     
  8. fastback33

    fastback33 Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2004
    1,851
    Give a little speed up at teh beginning of the turn, so at the exit she is full throttle and has a possibility to pass. If to no avail. she is set up to out brake (assuming show knows what it is) on the next turn. She does need to be on the inside of that next turn though. I know it is kid karts and all, so there isn't much speed to play with but that is the trick i would use occasionally.
     
  9. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,997
    socal
    Now that bears repeating! So basic yet only good racers seem to do this with regularity. I myself get bumper fixation and then I am late to capitalize on an opertunity. Kicking myself I vow to not do that again but I always do... If you could teach such an important skill to such a young child "now", how awesome that would be.
     

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