Jim Hall Cart School Tomorrow....

Hi,
I have a 125 Shifter kart that has been modified to race and they are wild to drive. Not sure if you've been in a shifter kart before, but if you have not hold on. They are the closest thing to an F1 or Champ car. Make sure you have clean underwear; drink a lot of fluids; good helmet; gloves and shoes. Also some durable pants and jacket (your school may supply a kart suite?). Key things in karts (lot of action going on in split time) focus; concentration; keep your line; turn your steering wheel as little as possible; squeeze the brakes and throttle; be smooth & watch your tach for the power band max about 11.5K rpm then shift.
Driving my shifter kart is much more exciting than driving my Ferrari, but my TR is a great machine. Have fun!
Jim

 

I dont know what kind of shifters you have driven, but the ones I raced you don't need a tach, you shift when you hear the power band just about to fall off. I ran a friends rotori7 125, making 47hp, as well as his swedtech 80cc with 32hp, both are shifting constantly, hitting 0-100-0 in 9.5 seconds,pulling 2.5g's in braking and enough acceleration forces to crack my buddies rib...

If you have never driven "real" karts before, not necessarily Shifters, but a true race kart, I would highly suggest not driving a shifter first, as it will heavily hold you back from progressing quickly.

Best bet is to slap a rib protector on and just go and drive all day, with the help from thier instructors of course. Learn kart control,drafting, passing, late braking, etc.

Shifterkarting requires barely any brakes, however when you use them you use them hard. I have video of me stopping from 80 to 50mph for a right hand up hill turn and you can literally see me almost fly forwards from the amount of gforces I experienced. It'll stop from 100 to 0 in less then 4 seconds!

Wear a very comfortable rib protector and watch your knees on the fuel tank and steering, those are the biggest places for soreness and injury. And obviously don't forget your neck-brace...you'll be bobble'heading like theres no tommorow!

 

I went there for my birthday last year. AWESOME time. Have fun, everything has pretty much been covered.

 

The Porsche Club is having an Aotocross there— I was thinking of taking the Scud.

 

Bring some Motrin. Have fun!

 

+1 on the rib protector...... Also pick a seat that seems too tight.....it wont be.
After 4 sessions or so, you ribs will hurt enough that you are reluctant to turn in hard and the insides of your thighs will hurt from bracing your knees......
By the end of the day you will be knackered...