A few pointers... You need to learn how to use your eyes. You are missing apexes over and over. That is because you are focusing on braking points. Here is a little hint...most top level drivers....do not look directly at braking points. They focus on hitting the apex....by LOOKING further down the track at the apex as they are coming down the straight. They then brake where it "feels" right and using peripheral vision. The way you keep missing apexes shows you are not using your eyes properly. Even if you have terrible understeer...if you are LOOKING at the apex early...it will lead you to compensate for the understeer. By the time you look at the apex....you are on a path that causes you to miss the apex. The corner is already blown by the time you realize you need to change your path. A lot of your understeer is because you are not pre-loading the chassis. Karts do not like to just turn. You need to load up the chassis with a mild turn...before the actual turn. We call it taking up the slack. You do not brake straight in line with the straight away...you point it outside a bit...then, right at the end of your straight line brake phase, you turn slightly...for a just a split second at about 20% of max turning force.....this loads up the tire sidewalls and puts tension in the chassis members. THEN you turn in, with firm tires as chassis and it totally changes how everything works. You can be much more aggressive (less gradual) with your initial turn in. You should also try to use your body. A lot of times compression forces between your body and the outside side of the steering wheel can help the chassis handle. Many high level kart racers bend steering columns and wheels pushing their body back into the seat as they push on the wheel.
I appreciate all the great input! Would love to get back out there especially to try your second tip about taking up the slack. I’ve never heard anyone mention this. If you can, please send good examples of drivers doing this or talking about it. Thanks!
Hold your head up. You qualified for nationals and got experience. Take that experience into your next season and get better. Never hang your head for something you accomplished.
Hey good race mate, was there as well! If you end up going next year, would you be interested in doing an interview. I wanna try to get a different drivers perspectives.
Quick question yall, I know each store has their own monthly championship, so in order to qualify for this national championship, do you just need to finish top 3 for each monthly event or you have to be top3 of the entire state? If so is that mean I have to race other stores too?
Good question. To qualify for nationals, you need to finish in the top 3 of your state for a given calendar year. For states with one K1 location, you just need to finish top 3 at that one location. For states with multiple locations, you need to finish top 3 at that location, and then compete for top 3 at a state championship with the other locations.
