Testing on a Kart Track

[RS]

Do any of you test on a kart track?

[Sam Zimmerman]

We are trying to set up to run on a shifter cart track in Spokane.

Sam Zimmerman
Vandals Racing

[Charlie]

There is a nice shifter kart track four hours north of us in Decatur, AL. The size fits these cars well. We've only been once, but will definitely be back this summer, hopefully inviting some other teams to share the track.

Video here:

http://www.eng.auburn.edu/organizations/SAE/AUFSAE/video.html

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE 1999-present

[terc04]

This past November we were invited to test at a major raceway just east of St. Louis. Even though they asked to remain anonymous I think it is worth telling all of you about our experience.

We got hooked up with the deal by just making a phone call to the track promoter to tell him about our program. It was our hope to display the car at an event, or even put on a small race with the local teams during an event in front of all the spectators. At the time he could not accommodate this plan, but he said that they would pencil us in for the last open Sunday of the year.

When we arrived that cold and drizzly November morning we were greeted to a 1.5 mile infield roadcourse that was all ours. The one and only track official gave us a quick tour and then let us set up the track to our liking (slaloms, switchbacks, etc.) to slow the track down. The track was way to big for our 100mph cars, but after some slight modifications to the track we were pleased with the level of speed and difficulty.

We spent all day running there and had a blast. Never before have we need 6th gear, or driven the cars that fast through corners. I was pleasantly surprised how stable they were at this speed.
If any of you have a major raceway nearby I would recommend a similar approach. We plan on attending as often as we are invited back.

Tim
University of Missouri - Columbia

[Dominic Venieri]

We just found out about several kart tracks right nearby, and are considering them as sites for practice this year, since they've decided to build things on our parking lots http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif (what good is a multimillion dollar biotechnology research center if we can't test our car? http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ) So we'll see how that pans out. I'm actually going to check a couple of them out today.

RPI Campus Construction (http://www.rpi.edu/dept/gov/construct/scope.html)

www.formularpi.com (http://www.formularpi.com)

[Sam Jowa]

Kart tracks are fun, but MOST of them are too large for typical fsae use. They don't have turns that are tight enough. The only thing to do is change it a little with some cones.

sj

[Charlie]

It is also worth mentioning that there is a nice public kart track in Jacksonville, FL that GaTech has visited annually in the past (I don't think they went last year). It's a very nice track, with a couple banked corners and a fast straight. Lots of fun, a lot different experience than a flat track. We went there with GT in 2000 and 2001.

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE 1999-present

[Chris Maher]

Charlie....Did you just pull up to the Jacksonville track, ask the karters for some time, and then just run?..Or did you ask and get permission from the city?

I made some calls and was told that we (University of Central Florida) could not run our car there.
Guy I talked to said the track does not have high enough quality asphalt for the size of our tires, among other things.

It is a fun track though...I was out there in a Rotax Max kart 3 or so weeks ago.

-Chris

Chris Maher
Secretary,
University of Central Florida,
Society of Automotive Engineers
info@ucfmotorsports.com
www.ucfmotorsports.com (http://www.ucfmotorsports.com)

[Charlie]

GT really organized the event. However, that's pretty much how it seemed to me. It was during the week and we shared the track with a kart or two. The people running the track knew we were there and seemed happy to have us. It was hell on tires though.

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE 1999-present