No one seems to have mentioned karting since 2015 so here goes.
It was my elder son's stag do on Saturday so 11 of us found ourselves at the outdoor karting track at Tockwith near York looking foward to few laps in the 2-engined 250cc karts. I had taken both my sons occasionally for some years and we all thought we knew the track well, but new owners had taken over and reversed the track direction. If ever there was a case of needing to know the track backwards, this was it.
We raced in one group of 5 and one of 6, each group having 2 sessions. For the first few laps, despite driving kart no.13, I managed to hold my own in the top 3 but then the lighter guys learned the track and were soon passing me, but not before someone spun and punched me into the tyre-wall. I saw my son-in-law spin in front of my son and get T-boned. Son needed a few moments R & R after that. I think he piled into the other kart with his foot still hard on the brake.
Remembering the briefing when the owner told us it was possible to take the chicane flat out, I decided to have a go. It was obvious that most of the group were chickening out halfway through because the engines would go pop-pop-pop on the overrun. My confidence far exceeded my ability. Driver error meant my kart took a sloping apex kerb hard and launched into the air, the engines' revs soared, and I didn't land until well after my braking point. Then it was straight into the tyres in a cloud of smoke from locked wheels, collect some spectacular bruises and wait for a marshall to push me out. In the break between sessions I rightly became the butt of much humour from my son's heartless friends.
In the second session I had a different kart with much more sensitive brakes. It took a lap or two to unlearn the hefty shove on the pedal that the first kart needed to slow my bulk down. Then it began to rain with increasing severity. Assuming the kart's unwillingness to turn had a lot to do with the absence of a differential, I figured out that I should go steadily round the outside of all the bends. Outside that is, while avoiding those karts stuck in the tyres. The youngsters' enthusiasm and confidence was their undoing; by the time we were red-flagged I absolutely owned the hairpin. I also wished the kart's bucket seat had some drain holes. Bucket seat, boom-boom!
Outdoor karting; absolutely the most fun that someone my age can have with their trousers on!
Let's have your karting experiences.
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I last went march ish last year out in Cyprus at an outdoor track. We went in groups of six decided by some baffling program/results from the previous race which I never quite understood.
We went at night which was a nice chamge and the low level of the seat in the go kart made it feel more like a proper race somehow.
I've been a few times but I'm not the best at all, usually in the bottom quarter and this was no different. However I ended up in some great tail end Charlie wheel to wheel racing. Absolutely great fun.
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I've never karted, but I used to drive a Cooper 970S in club races. (mid to late 1960s)
The old Paddock Bend at Brands was interesting, as was Cadwell Park. Mallory Park was fun, but Snetterton eventually cured me of racing - I met the future SWMBO there!
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Only done karting twice - once outdoors and once in doors.
First time was a company team building type event and the outdoor track was on a slope and a little muddy at the bottom Much fun could be had sliding the back around that corner before powering up the hill. Other time was at the NEC at a motor show.
Reminds me the same day for the team building, also drove a Landrover blindfolded around a course of cones.... when I went round in circles three times before being told when to turn I had no idea where I was heading. He did shout at one point I was going the wrong way.... well I was blind folded and he wasn't!
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I remember doing karting outdoors at a seaside place - think it may have been Great Yarmouth?
Rain came on after a couple of laps, karts without a hint of tread had no grip whatsoever so we ended up basically drifting them all round the course.
Great fun
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Had a go on the cart track at the IOM, fifty-odd years ago. They offered to let me have a go in the more powerful jobbies, but someone asked if I rode a motorbike and when I answered honestly, they withdrew the offer.
Never been in one since, but hoping to have a go at those segways soon.
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I did some work with young people back in late nineties. Part of the reward was a morning's karting - great fun it was as well !!
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Karting - sooty123
