[Mark Sink]

Here is my link to a file for Google Earth with Ski Resorts and Sprint Tracks.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucz8vhgru7iwu0r/SkiingAndKarting.kmz

[Mark Sink]

UPDATE:

I was up to 110 tracks, hours and hours of  work and then google deleted all the data. So, I’m putting this on hold until I have a more stable method in place.

[Mark Sink]

Hi Folks,

There have been a couple of tracks labeled as Point50, Point51, etc.

If you think this might be you, first of all, thank you very much for adding tracks!  I do think I had to delete Point36, which was out in the ocean. Sorry, if you know where it was supposed to be, you can try adding it again.

So that tracks are named correctly with all the right info, all you need to do is this:

Instead of adding your point, just type in the name in the search box at the top. You will first need to get the map to an area close to the track so Google can locate it.

Type the name as you did for the description, and Google will find it. It found all the ones you did earlier which I have updated.

Once google locates the track,  just click the green icon, then look for ‘add to map’ and click that.  The color will change to red, and you can drag the red point where ever you want.  That’s it.  It will now include lots of good info about the track as well.

Thanks again who ever you are!

Mark

 

[Mark Sink]

Hi James,

 

I can import raw data too if it had Lat, Long, and Name.  Although the way folks are adding them now we also get lots of other info.  But just being able to locate them would help as well.

We could definitely add different types of tracks as new layers.  If anyone wants to track down dirt, or ovals, or even larger tracks, let me know and I can setup layers for those.  Layers can be turned on and off individually to keep clutter down and things well organized.

Thanks Guys, folks have added about 10 new tracks already.

 

 

[Mark Sink]

Thanks Everyone!  Jim, I added SIMA. Have 10 additional tracks now.

[Mark Sink]

Awesome, thanks guys.  Looks like Colorado is in the lead… :)  My biggest problem in answering this question on my own is Google isn’t very good at finding kart tracks, unless there is some magic word to describe them that doesn’t pick up all the other baggage.

 

Utah looked like an option as well. Miller Motorsports Park…

https://www.google.com/maps/dir//Miller+Motorsports+Park,+2901+Sheep+Ln,+Tooele,+UT+84074/@40.5781909,-112.375626,3313m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x8752b90dfd00891b:0x133bf2cf725d251a!2m2!1d-112.373491!2d40.584074

Keep the suggestions coming.  BTW, this came across my screen today… new complex in Long Island maybe…

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1953888

 

[Mark Sink]

People always want pictures.  This _is_ the Internet, right? :)

[Mark Sink]

7 minutes of noise?  Maybe should have included some music and someone talking about the details.  You are trying to sell it right? Nice track though.

[Mark Sink]

Did you inherit the seat from someone else?  Are you sure its a Ribtect?  It doesn’t look like one when you compare it closely to either their carbon or fiberglass versions. Great price though! :)

 

Mark

 

[Mark Sink]

Hi Rodney,

I have just come across NCCAR and Woodbridge Kart Club information.  Did not even know NCCAR existed.  I see that the Woodbridge kart club has a ‘<span style=”font-family: GillSans; font-size: 9pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5em;”>Fun Finale’ </span>event is time permits.  I am new to karting, don’t race (no class for me here) but would like to participate in the Fun Finale event if possible.  I have a 100c KPV-4/3.  Will this be an option at this event?  Will you be running the full course for the Fun Finale?  I probably don’t have the gearing for a 2 mile straight.  If this is an option, do you have a suggestion for gearing for allowing the KPV to hit its top speed on this track?

I think my engine might hit peak TQ at 12,400 and peak HP at 13,300.  Educated guess. I’m pretty sure that gearing for any vehicle is perfect for top speed if the tach is sitting at max HP RPM and your speed is constant. (no longer able to accelerate).

 

Anyway, I read thru some of your club info and was extremely impressed with you guys!

Thanks Rodney,

Mark

[Mark Sink]

Hi Jeremy,

Im new to karting, and have a KPV motor.  Similar to your KT100, and I live in Cary.  I also just met another newbie who lives in Raleigh, he got a KT100 too.  He and I want to go to the kart track at VIR soon, would you like to join us?  I went for the first time a few days ago, and it was a lot of fun… I was also the only person there, it was a Wednesday.  We would like to go on a Sat or Sun, maybe this weekend.  Ive been to MMX maybe 4 times.  VIR is smaller, so there is less time to relax and catch your breath.. it’s kinda brutal actually :) We’re just going for fun if you’d like to join us.

Mark

[Mark Sink]

Thanks Lawrence!  I came across racing where after starting this mapping project.  Ive taken their data and combined it with data for Ski Resorts to create a Skiing and Karting KML file for Google Earth.  Ill post a link later.

[Mark Sink]

For those who just want to look at all the lovely tracks, you might want to use Google Earth.

Open Google Earth, and select from the top menu bar:  Add -> Network Link

For Name use whatever you want, but we’ll use ‘Kart Tracks’ for now.

For URL copy and paste the next line into the box

http://mapsengine.google.com/map/kml?mid=zdz_Fl8mCyAk.kqcP4d-ihlnc

You can leave everything else alone, or play around with it.

OK, This will add  a new Place on the left named ‘Kart Tracks’ or whatever you named it.  This is optional, but the red circles are really big, and this will make them smaller.

Right Click on the name ‘Kart Tracks’ and select ‘Get Info’

Click the ‘Style, Color’ tab.

You will see a section called ‘icon’  You will see the red color, which you can change, and a number next to ‘scale’.  Change scale to 0.3 for example to make the circles smaller.

Link to Google Earth if you don’t already have it.

http://www.google.com/earth/

Mark

 

[Mark Sink]

Great… this is growing so I took the initiative to start mapping these tracks and all others, but need your help. This is not just for tracks near snow, but all tracks anywhere in the world.

I have created a Karting Tracks map using Google MapsEngine.  I am allowing anyone to view and add tracks.

Here is all I ask:

1. Search for the actual track name in hopes that google knows about it.  This will ensure the tracks will have website info, address, phone, etc associated with them. Not just a pin on  a map.

2. If google finds it on the map, just click the pin and select ‘Add to Map’ Pin will change to red circle.

3 Drag red circle to closer identify the actual track where karts run.  Do not obscure the track with the pin/lable. So place it at bottom, top, right, etc to keep the track clear but close enough that we can clearly see where the track is.

That’s it!  You’ve added a track to the database of tracks.

There is a drop down arrow next to ‘Base Map’  You can change from satellite image to others types of layers there if that helps.

Link to Karting Tracks

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdz_Fl8mCyAk.kqcP4d-ihlnc

Thanks,

Mark

UPDATE:

I was up to 110 tracks, hours and hours of  work and then google deleted all the data. So, I’m putting this on hold until I have a more stable method in place.

[Mark Sink]

TQ is for pulling stumps out of the ground.

HP = TQ x RPM / 5252

The question is too complicated to answered completely, because we’d need to have both complete power curves just to start.  But the short answer is, you want HP.

The fact is that TQ as a number, by itself, doesn’t tell you much.  What is 500 ft/lbs?  It’s a fat guy jumping up and down on the end of 1 foot wrench connected to a crankshaft.  That’s not going to win any races.  You need more information than just TQ.  The missing number is Time. How quickly can he jump up and down on the wrench? one time per minute… 1 RPM or 16,000 RPM?

That’s what HP tells you. It’s a number that takes both TQ and TIME into consideration, accounting for both and allowing you to decide which is better.

Motor A. makes 5 ft/lbs @ 13,800 RPM = 13.13 HP

Motor B. makes 5 ft/lbs @ 16,500 RPM = 15.7 HP

Motor B makes the same amount of TQ, but at an RPM that is 20% higher, 16.5K vs 13.8K.  It also makes 20% more HP, and because it can rev 20% higher, it can run gearing that is 20% higher… which is where TQ really comes into play.  NOT how much TQ the engine makes, but how much TQ actually makes it to the ground.

Imagine Motor B, it’s generating the same 5 ft/lbs of TQ, but at 20% faster intervals AND running 20% higher gearing.  Now, this is not an real world example (Motor A / Motor B)  I don’t know what levels of power they make at what RPM.

If Motor A is running a 10/82 gear, Motor B can run the SAME track with a 98.4/10!

Muscle cars pay a price for that low end grunt in engine weight.  Its very difficult for a normally aspirated car to make lots of torque without forced induction, or more cubic engines.  But adding RPM is almost free. Not increasing compression, not adding weight, just doing things faster!

In the 3.0L V10 days of F1 cars, they were revving to 19,000 RPM, making lets say 850 HP.  If that 850 HP came at 19,000 RPM, then they were also making only 234 ft/lbs of TQ at 19,000 RPM.  When they upshift, revs dropped maybe 2,000 RPM.  That means the fastest circuit racing cars in the world were driving around producing TQ levels found in a mid-sized ford pickup.  Engine TQ doesn’t win races. Small, light weight, high revving engines win races.

 

[Mark Sink]

Hi Brian,  Im interested. Ill PM you if thats OK. Might be too late to call.

 

Mark

 

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