June 5 Senior Max race vids

[John Kwong]

Here is the Heat One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn44jkpPWwY

Heat Two didn't work as I had left the camera on

Final: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrtuzwwOYFM

John K

[Bainesy36]

Hey John,

Great videos, thanks for posting. I'm hoping to get into the sport by the end of this summer and currently looking at the Senior Rotax Max class. I believe the engines are 'sealed', but does this mean that all Karts should produce the same power? The reason I ask is you seem to lose a little down the main straight to the front 4. I'm assuming you're all on the weight limit for the class, which would lead to me think that a) you have slightly less power, b) you're geared differently, c) Carb' set-up, d) they're at WOT sooner or e) (probably this ) you're all equal and I'm going crazy!

Just wondering how even the karts are purely from a power perspective for this class as I believe the engine should produce approx' 28.5hp and as it's 'sealed' they're all very closely matched? If this is not the case, I'd be interested to know more about the performance from the Rotax Max Karts and how it can be optimized.

Hope you don't mind me asking,
Nige.

[John Kwong]

Hi Nige,

Thanks about the videos. I find them helpful for me as I can go back and see things that I may not have noticed or remembered while I was racing.

The motors are pretty much equal for the most part and there are occasional exceptional motors and some dogs. Tuning options available being jetting, needle clip position, float height, powervalve setting and gearing along with general maintenance of the engine (a clean engine is a happy engine). Then all the other variables can come into the equation with all the chassis set-up options. Where I was losing time was at the grandstand corner which is the corner before the chicane that led onto the straightaway. My kart had a mid-corner understeer condition that was causing the chassis to bind in such a way that the inside rear tire was not lifting and releasing. This did two things: it made the kart nervous causing the engine to bog down slightly resulting in a slow exit from that corner and the chicane onto the straightaway. The other effect that I could hear and feel driving through that corner was a chattering of the tires which was the rear tires trying to rotate at different speeds(solid axle) going around that corner. I am actively trying to figure this condition out and will be testing soon. Track conditions are always changing so there is more speed to be found in chassis tuning than engine tuning.

John K

[Bainesy36]

Many thanks for an informative reply John. I'm glad to hear that it is more down to chassis set-up/driver ability than power differences between Karts. I have a lot to learn, but looking forward to it once I can get myself out there.

Cheers,
Nige.

[Nathan B]

Thanks for posting the vids, gives us rookies a chance to see some new lines, especially helps to see the gas/brake zones.

[John Kwong]

The GoPro has such a wide viewing angle that you can see my feet doing their thing.

John K

[le_harv]

The vids are such a great advertisement for the club too. Been showing them to a few friends to show them what a professional set-up the CKRC has.