Finding a go cart racing supply store in your neighborhood isn’t as easy as, say, finding a convenience store. And if you do find a store that sells the stuff you need, most likely it’s integrated with other motor sports under one roof. But going online yields you a far easier way to shop at dedicated cart supply stores. Everything you need for yourself or for your ride is available in just one website.
Online cart supplies
From steering system parts to engines to driver safety, dedicated cart stores can let you browse and buy everything you might possibly need for yourself or for your race machine. The better ones have comparison charts available so you can check out what others are buying in your item category. Most also list bestseller items in a category, so you can see for yourself what makes these other items so great.
Power train supplies
If you need to up the power in your engine, as well as giving it more durability and a more reliable performance when it goes on track, you can browse the engine supply sections of your favorite parts supply site. From pistons to connecting rods to u-bolts, you can find everything that will make your engine more of a beast on track and give additional ponies when you stomp on the gas.
Drive train and chassiss parts
Not only can you find parts for your engine, you can also find performance enhancements for your racer as well. Body parts and accessories that bolt on to the chassiss are also sold here. The supplier or manufacturer will also let you know if these items are CIK or IRA approved, so that you know if it’s legal to use in competition. This concerns body pieces, like nose cones and chain guards. These must be certified to be legal in competition.
As for chassiss bits, since there is no suspension, you can also replace such parts on your racer like stiffening bars to adjust traction levels and cornering attributes. Given the number of track conditions you could possibly face, your components should be adjusted accordingly. There are even condition-specific items like tires, which can be slick tires for dry conditions and rain tires for slippery, low traction conditions. It would be best to order up a spare set in advance so that your vehicle won’t sit around on a lift while you wait for your parts to arrive when something breaks as they inevitably do.
Pricing, payment and delivery
Since online stores don’t have a monopoly on their clients, they must also face competition, and this leads to price drops down to competitive levels. Check multiple sites for an item you have in mind to see if there are discounts in other stores. See if the part number is the same so you can be sure that you’re comparing identical items.
Online stores will also accept most major credit cards or take PayPal as well, so no worries on payments. The better stores will also offer same day shipping except maybe for oversized items like seats and whole cart chassiss. However, for small items you can expect them to arrive real soon.
The parts you order will arrive right on your doorstep via a reliable courier, and from there you can install the parts you got from your go cart racing supply store and compete in your next race.
In carting, there are three kinds of racing formats. These are Sprint racing, Endurance racing and Speedway racing. For those who are still unfamiliar of this type of motor sport, this article should help you learn getting through the basics especially for those who are planning to get themselves really involved in this sport.
In the US and United Kingdom as well as the other parts of Europe, Speedway racing is the most popular type.
Sprint Racing
Unlike the other racing formats, this is the type that is available to everyone as this is the ones normally offered in most carting circuits particularly for those who only want to experience the sport merely as a pastime instead of a racing competition. Children ages 8 and up can already take on the sprint racing.
This type normally takes place on tracks similar to that of road circuits having both the left and right turns. The tracks may range from one-fourth mile to over one mile in length. However, there are still other tracks that are longer and offer a greater period of racing time.
A sprint race typically lasts for only fifteen minutes thus, requiring only a number of laps to be finished. However, some may be shorter but others do not tend to really go beyond the average time period and the racing is usually done during daytime. In this racing format, it is the speed as well as the successful overtaking of the racer that is of utmost importance to truly succeed.
Normally, there are only three qualifying rounds to determine who will move forward to the last round wherein the scoring calculations will be used as the basis for deciding who takes home the trophy positions in the said event.
Endurance Racing
For Americans, Endurance racing is commonly termed “Enduro racing”. From its name, the race tests the endurance of both the machine and the driver that is probably why most of the time, the competitors are exceptionally experienced drivers. These races last much longer than the sprint type. Racing period may range from about half an hour or may even reach twenty-four hours in the track. However, longer races require the use of more than one carter. The tracks can go as long as 4 miles and at least 1.5 miles taking place on asphalt road circuits
Generally, for this type of race, skills such as reliability and consistency coupled with pit strategy are given great importance than speed.
Speedway Racing
With only left turns in the course, this race takes place on oval road circuits composed of either asphalt or clay. Ranging from one-sixth to one-quarter mile long, it has two corners with four corners for the left turns and may be run day or night but since this format is an excellent challenging race, it is already a usual scenario that these dirt track races are done during the night. The races take four laps for trophy dashes or may even reach twenty laps for main events.
The two formats of Speedway racing are:
• The IKF race which has two heats comprising of ten laps. The concluding positions serve as the basis for determining the starting positions of the twenty-lap race.
• The WKA race use the qualifying times and whoever has the fastest recorded qualifying time takes on the first position in the order of the race for the main event.
Normally, one would think that the engine is the probably the most important part of the Go cart. However, it is really the chassis that has the most significant role in the mechanism of the equipment. The chassis or also known as the frame is the one responsible for holding up the components of the equipment all together.
The Ideal Go Cart Chassis
The perfect chassis would be one that is sufficiently light to allow for an excellent handling of the equipment, and yet a material that is durable enough to launch a cart forward without the smallest amount of deterioration. However, this kind of material is one that is truly rare in its kind.
To maneuver well on the circuit, the machine should have a well-built frame since these frames are responsible for how well the equipment turns into every corner. This is the most important characteristic that the frame should have, to be able to negotiate the turns well. Unlike weaker Go carts with low quality components, with a sturdy frame, you will not have to deal with inappropriate slides and drifts.
Earlier Go carts used stiff frames which consisted of shorter bars crossing over each other. These frames easily broke down due to the wrong tire traction or suspension. This means that the Go cart does not have the adequate weight stability which has a big impact on the handling of the machine. Right tire tractions help reduce the strain experienced by Go carts as an upshot of acceleration, turning and braking.
As a remedy, the modern Go carts are now using longer bars for the frames. These longer bars provide for more flexibility which allows the driver to maneuver better over different kinds of track surfaces, be it concrete, asphalt or dirt.
Choosing The Right Kind Of Chassis
Before finding a frame for your Go cart, first consider the kind of track surface with which you will be riding on since different frames behave in a different way depending on the demands of varied track surfaces.
Dirt tracks tend to place a large amount of challenge and stress on the Go cart’s front rail while the stiff back rail that zips through dirt may result to the engine’s losing of power when the Go cart cuts a turn. To provide for this, the ideal frames for dirt tracks are those with narrow front rails and with longer backs. As for asphalt or concrete surfaces, the complete opposite is the best option.
With regards to the design of the chassis, wide rear rails make the Go cart plant itself better on the track without the possibility of skidding or sliding. This movement is commonly known as “side-bite”. With more ability to do so, the Go cart won’t easily flip over in the instance of crashing.
Maintaining The Chassis
Carting aficionados often face one major issue and that is the longevity of the chassis. Frames undergo distortion every now and then as a result of the grueling breaks and turns of the speedster coupled with the smacks on track walls. It is thus recommended that the frames be changed at least once a year.
Another technique to preserve one’s chassis would be to run the Go cart in a reverse manner that is running the cart in the track backwards. It gives the effect of shaping the frame opposite of what it would be if it will be run in a normal course.
Choosing a chassis for your cart is largely dependent on how flexible it is and on the right traction of the tires. For a more demanding circuit, it is always best to opt for more flexibility and vice versa for the less demanding ones.
Go carting can be just a simple hobby or by getting so much involved in the sport, this can turn into a racing career. Whether it is for the mere recreation or a serious Go carting, it is important to know the right kind of clothes and the necessary safety gear that should be worn when riding the Go cart and zipping around the circuit.
It may be a bit of a challenge choosing the right kind of clothes. As for beginners, a good amount of research or perhaps a little help from the more experienced carters will do.
Just For Recreation
For those who loves Go carting and enjoys it only as a pastime as well as for those who are still new to this kind of sport, splurging for expensive carting gear is not really advisable. Since it will only be used a couple of times, the basic carting clothes are good enough to enjoy the sport.
What composes the basic outfit for Go carting? One essential racing gear is the protective helmet. As a head gear, it is important that the face is all covered up or perhaps as much of it as possible. One should also have protective overalls that can either be fireproof or waterproof and with it are the protective gloves which keep the hands from sores that may possibly arise from holding the steering wheel too tightly.
Usually, new carters tend to hold the steering wheel very tight that is why it is important never to forget putting them on. Lastly, one should have footwear that is sensible enough for the sport.
The carting packages offered by most carting circuits already include the protective helmet and protective overalls that is, except for the footwear. When choosing the perfect footwear, more experienced carters would typically recommend wearing the trainers. However, one should choose those trainers which do not have thick soles.
A pair of thick-soled trainers prevents the carter from feeling how much pressure is already put into the pedals thus resulting to unanticipated accelerations and sudden braking. Some Go carts tend to accelerate really fast with just a slight push so it is important to still feel the pedals properly to avoid the any danger. Thin-soled trainers also help develop one’s driving skills. It helps the carter maneuver the Go cart in such a way that does not impair his/her driving skills.
For The Serious Go Carter
For occasional carters and beginners, the necessary protective gear is usually provided in the carting packages. However, for serious carters, it is a different case. If you decide to pursue on this sport, joining the carting club and carting on a usual basis, then you will have to invest not only a great deal of time and effort but also money. A competing Go carter should have for his/her own, a Go cart and of course, the protective gears with which he/she will compete in.
These safety clothes may be expensive depending on the brand and style that you want to go for. This time, it is important to invest in good quality protective garments to avoid any risk of major injuries while racing. Buying used racing suits and other protective gears is not really a good and safe choice since they are not as good as the new ones.
Getting into this kind of sport is truly a fun and exciting experience. However, for a more thrilling and safe ride, one should wear the right clothes to avoid unfavorable circumstances. One last tip, wear loose clothing; they will definitely make the ride comfortable!
Go carting can be done indoors or outdoors and one good advantage of indoor Go carting is that there is no worry about having to battle against unfavorable weather.
A lot of Go carts nowadays have features that work well when operated indoors such as those Go carts which are battery operated. Ventilation is not required for these types since they do not emit toxic fumes unlike the popular gas Go carts. But that does not mean that Go carting indoors is less fun and exciting than when done outdoors. They still share that same thrilling experience if not more. And as with the outdoor type, indoor Go carting still requires practice to perfect the sport.
For those who are into indoor Go carting or has plans to take carting sessions, these few mechanics might help you improve your driving skills in the track.
The Steering Of The Wheel
Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can mostly affect the usage of your Go cart. It is always best to position your hands in a quarter to three all throughout the round unless going around corners. It is also noteworthy to avoid holding the steering wheel too tightly. Hold it loosely so that the handling will not be affected and hand sores will be avoided.
When Braking
For most beginners, if not all, braking is not an unusual issue. When turning into corners, pressing down the brake firmly will help avoid unforeseen circumstances such as sudden braking. It is important to balance the pressure you put into pressing the brakes. Pressing it too firmly will cause the Go cart to spin while pressing it too lightly will cause it to run wide.
Use More Of The Lines
For faster and more lap times, one should exploit most of the track. Turning in from the outside of the corners and moving through the inside will make a good technique and will help prevent the slowing down of your lap times. And once you emerge from one corner, automatically head for the outside.
Overtaking
When an opponent attempts to overtake, keep your position in the inside line and do not slow down. This way, it would be more difficult for the driver behind to catch up with you.
Upon approaching a slower driver at your front, you have to close in down the straight in order for you to get alongside him or her. Once done, let the other driver brake first, so that in a little while you can brake and then use a greater speed to go past them.
Some drivers tend to take the defensive line. In this case, you will have to find a line where you will be able to accelerate faster down the subsequent straight.
Adjusting Your Driving Style
This is one of the trickiest aspects of Go-carting indoors. When you lean forward in your Go cart, you adjust your body weight resulting to your front tires having more grips. However, the rear tires get fewer grips and this will result to over steering. To avoid instances like this, you should lean backwards to sort out the weight of your body, which in turn rebalances your Go cart.
Similarly, if your Go cart is suffering from under steering, lean forwards to reacquire balance. There is a fine line between over steering and under steering, so you will need a lot of trying out to get a hold of that right balance.
These are just a few simple mechanics that one should know in order to have a good indoor Go carting experience. But of course, practice makes all of these maneuvers perfect so keep the lines occupied.
If the traditional Go carting done in cemented road circuits is already one adrenaline-pumping experience, just imagine the thrill there is with racing or carting off the road. Off road carting is one good alternative for those who wants to enjoy the challenge and adventure of carting but doesn’t want to get competitive. Despite the risk related to the sport, with the fun and excitement that it gives to the driver, there is no doubt that one can easily get hooked up with it.
Tougher than track carting, Off Road carting is now a popular motor sport drawing so much attention from the fast-growing number of carting enthusiasts all around the globe. But just like racing Go carts down the road track, it also requires skills to really excel in this type of motor sport.
The Off Road Go Cart
Off Road carting is the kind which makes use of a four wheel go cart primarily designed for the off road use.
Off road go carts are not just like the traditional go carts that can be enjoyed in many fun centers worldwide. These off road go carts have special features that are primarily designed to cater the demands of off road conditions that is why it takes an adult to handle and operate this type of carting equipment since greater speed and performance may mean greater risks at hand.
An off road carting machine has larger tires compared to the conventional ones. This provides an added ground clearance as well as traction needed to pass through off road surface. It also has a full suspension accompanied by shock absorbers located in the front and back of the cart to smooth out the driving in rough roads. Typically, it holds a powerful engine, one that enables the vehicle to climb up elevated surfaces and reach higher speeds and with the reverse feature that come with most off road Go carts, it would not be difficult backing up.
Origins Of The Off Road Go Cart
The first ever off road Go cart manufactured was the Odyssey produced by Honda. Released on the year 1977, it has a 250 cc 2-stroke engine with a single seat and CVT automatic transmission with bigger sized tires and one roll cage.
With the increasing popularity of this off road Go cart, by 1985, Honda upgraded the Odyssey and came up with the FL350. The changes included the improvement of roll cages, am increased engine size of 350 cc with an electric starter and a full suspension system for the front and back of the Go cart.
By the later part of 1989, the same company released the FL400 which has a larger engine size of 400 cc and now, it had already 2 seats and the suspension was enhance to be able to handle extra load. But the cost of the machine increased alongside with the enhanced features of the product. This resulted to unfavorable sales figures which led to the discontinuance of the production of the said product a just about a year after its launching. However, there are still existing units today of these Honda models.
The main goal of the company to open up the field of off road carting and introduce the possibilities to a lot of carting enthusiasts has indeed been a success. The sport has evidently been growing popularity worldwide.
A shifter cart is a perfect example of the evolution that cart racing has undergone. It’s a long way removed from being a glorified lawnmower modified for pavement use. Advances in technology have given these machines better components, high-tech transmissions, and enough horsepower to give it a ratio that equals the very best high-end performance cars available on the market today. But even shifter carts differ from their other cart cousins, mainly because of the presence of a manual transmission in their drivelines.
What Makes A Shifter Cart Different?
Since these machines have the advantage of a transmission present, the speeds that shifter carts can achieve is truly astonishing. Figure something to the tune of 100mph, and the upper limit even reaches 120 in some instances. Talk about going fast. Shifter carts have earned the name pocket rockets, and rightly so. It can embarrass a wannabe sports car when push comes to shove.
Six gears in a sequential manual transmission are similar to the most exotic cars, and add to the driving pleasure, since shifts are lightning quick and downshifts can be perfectly coordinated. G-loads in a shifter cart reach 2 g levels, and you can really feel it. By comparison, the best sport compact cars offer 1-g levels of performance, whether to the side, or during acceleration or braking.
Shifter Cart Racing For Practice And Competition
Racing a shifter cart in actual competition can be considered an intense sport for aspiring driver. The speed that they reach, and the response that they have to driver input, as well as the g-loads it puts on the driver are perfect training and maintenance exercises for drivers to keep in shape when not in their race cars. Reaction times can be refined using a shifter cart, and the fundamentals of racing are stressed in such a small machine that can go so fast. Along with that, the precision afforded by its minute size helps hone drivers in practice or competition so that they can place vehicles exactly where they want, and when they want it.
Real races for shifter carts are typically enduro-sprint events in excess of one mile in length. Not only are drivers expected not to crash, they also must drive the fastest that they can, brake as hard and as late as possible, and if that were not enough of a challenge, overtake other drivers for the checkered flag.
Talk about multitasking. The best part about this is that a driver not only masters steering techniques to place the vehicle where he wants, but also has to deal with a shifter to match the engine revs and vehicle speed to reduce lap times. Footwork is often trickier in a shifter cart because of this, and gives an added element to see who’s got the right stuff.
The Adrenaline Rush Of Cart Racing
When it comes to racing, no other form of four-wheeled competition comes closer to the precision and relative speed of races of formula one than shifter cart racing. That’s probably why shifter carts are considered as formula racers but on a smaller scale. As such, the thrill of racing one would also rival formula racing.
Shifter cart racing is a great form of racing that is way cheaper than bigger, more expensive forms of motor sport, but it doesn’t come up short on the fun factor as well.