I had no plans for this past Saturday. Apparently, my social media feed knew about this as well: Friday I was served an ad for a nearby drop-in rental kart league that had spots available for a race taking place the very next morning.
A hundred bucks later, I was registered for my first kart experience in nearly three decades. …
If you ever want to do an endurance race and need a slower partner, I'm in!
A million years ago, JG, Rennie and I confidently showed up for an eight-hour kart enduro. We got this, we figured.
After our first practice, we realized that we were so over our heads. For one, everyone wore real kart suits. And they were built like real kart racers.
By the end of the race, we drafted any willing and able body to join us.
I can still recall sitting across from a puddle of JG at a burrito shop for our post-race dinner. Soon after, pretty sure I fell asleep on the way home in JG’s CRX. (Sorry, JG.)
In reply to David S. Wallens :
That sounds like so much fun! Though I am very out of shape and don't think I could handle sharing an equal portion of the time, I would sure try!
Austin Cannon said:If you need a slower partner, I'm in!
I actually said something similar when I asked my wife to marry me.
Austin Cannon said:In reply to David S. Wallens :
That sounds like so much fun! Though I am very out of shape and don't think I could handle sharing an equal portion of the time, I would sure try!
You’re in. Our roster eventually included a friend’s dad, the truck driver who delivered the rental karts and the owner of the track.
In reply to Austin Cannon :
We should start going karting again, it has been way too long since we have.
I am also down for an endurance race.
David S. Wallens said:A million years ago, JG, Rennie and I confidently showed up for an eight-hour kart enduro. We got this, we figured.
After our first practice, we realized that we were so over our heads. For one, everyone wore real kart suits. And they were built like real kart racers.
By the end of the race, we drafted any willing and able body to join us.
I can still recall sitting across from a puddle of JG at a burrito shop for our post-race dinner. Soon after, pretty sure I fell asleep on the way home in JG’s CRX. (Sorry, JG.)
Yeah that was fun for the first 15 minutes or so...
The sprint races are a blast, though. The BMP race I did was two eight minute practices then two ten lap races of about 13 minutes each. It was long enough to start feeling it, but honestly I'm more gassed after a night at my pickleball league. It's definitely within the realm of doable for mortals.
Fitting into the karts helps, too. I remember the Endurance Karting setups having a very long reach to the pedals for me. the BMP karts had adjustable pedals and I was able to get a more proper bent leg seating position and that helped immensely. It would still be awesome to have karts with FiA seats, though.
BMP does a one-hour solo enduro series that I wouldn't mind trying at some point. Call it a long-term goal. It requires two pit stops and I think my yardstick will be "which put stop do I use to just get out of the kart and head for my car while I can still stand upright?"
And, yeah, we definitely need to do a company enduro sometime. They also do them at the Orlando track. Would be good practice for the Miata (except the kart would probably run the whole time).
JG Pasterjak said:Fitting into the karts helps, too.
I'm almost always too tall for the rental karts I end up in; my legs are usually jammed in sideways and I usually just rest my left foot past the brake pedal. Who needs to stop?
In reply to Austin Cannon :
Brakes are for the weak.
We occasionally did this at the kart track on the west side of Tulsa years. 2 person teams, I want to say 15 laps per stint, I was carrying less pounds back then so I was always typically up front or winning with whomever I was driving with.
But if you aren't ready, even the sprint races will make you forget you never workout your core or forearm muscles (for the non-gym rats like myself).
In reply to z31maniac :
The first time I did the "fast" indoor karting around here my chest and biceps were sorer than anything else. I stretched before karting the next time and I didn't have those problems anymore lol.
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