Hot & Greasy Track

[Rob Hogenmiller]

When the track temperature gets hot, it seems the rear end can get a little loose as well as a slight push some times.

What are a few things I might want to try to get the rear to stick a little better?


How about the front? (doesn't seem to be as critical)

Am I at the mercy of the track conditions sometimes or should a kart be able to handle great in 99% of the conditions?

Thanks,

Rob Hogenmiller

[Oscar Aguilera]

A kart should be made to handle great all day. But this requires changes through out the day. Obviously a team like the Speeds make alot of changes and are better at adapting to changing track conditions than most, or all at the current time.

Sometimes the track can change during the course of a long 20 lapper and the driver must adjust in which case the Speed team has this covered, as well, with a great driver.

Both of these issues addressed by each team also effect tire wear which will obviously happen the least due to the proper or best mangement of the two. Chassis set up and Driver adaptation.

A hot greasy track is usually a track with little rubber laid down and the oil is seeping up. You need to make an adjustment to the rear to get more grip and if you haven't hit the track since morning warm up you have to make a call. More than one team has made the wrong call and kicked themselves for it after the race. Watch the air temp, whether there is an overcast, and how hot the track is compared to when you drove it last. Sometimes it calls for air pressure change in the rear or front and sometimes it is a Hub change or something more significant.

Seldomly is it too much more unless you were way off to begin with, or the weather changed dramatically. You also can consider how many heat races are in front of you and what kind of tires those classes are on. Different compound tires leave different amounts of rubber deposits.

Piece of cake huh? That is why I have so much respect for what the Speeds have achieved. In addition to their obvious motor management abilities.

[John Denman]

I run a Tony and no matter where I go, or how slick/sticky the track is, set-up doesn't need to be changed.

My son runs a Trackmagic, and he has to anticipate how the set-up will need to change through the day.