Elusive first win??

B

BB2456

Member
Obviously this answer will be very different for everyone. I’m just curious to know what your path to your first win looked like? I ran almost a full season last year. This year will be my first full year. Ive been fortunate enough to have already found a good bit of speed due to the kindness of people I have met that have helped me tremendously and taught me a lot. So while I haven’t had many yet, I have had opportunities to win already and lost them due to making the wrong choices on the track from a driving standpoint. I learn a valuable lesson every time I make the wrong choice. but still feels like I have a monkey on my back sometimes and can’t get the job done. Anyways, just curious to hear what other people’s path to that first win looked like?
 
Petty Race Engines said:
Kart racing if you’re leading on the white flag then you definitely won’t lead the next
Click to expand...
thats BS but true, i saw Shay Chavous lead every lap at batesville and get taken out on the last lap, more than once, and alot of others, they say we dont through a yellow on the last lap, thats wrong, there are alot of racers that would not like me at all if i were calling the race, you take someone out, you going to the back and if you dont like it, get off the track, thats how we race around home, but these big races you can do almost anything you want to.
 
Hang in there bb, sounds like your getting pretty close already. It takes a year or two to get going even if you have some help from some knowledgeable people. There's so many factors involved in getting that win that it has a pretty steep learning curve, and you've got competition that has done this for years and years. I came into karting as an engine builder but what burnt me more often than anything as a novice was Tires. Lol.
 
There are many factors in getting that win. Tires, chassis setup/numbers, clutch, gear, etc. Most importantly is getting the seat time and figuring out what the kart is doing on the track. Tires are going to play a huge factor, unless the track(s) you run at has a tire rule then your tire program has to be better than the guys you're racing against (unfortunately). Tenths of a second are picked up by making one change at a time, and your tach is crucial in determining about 50% of those adjustments. Check your scale numbers multiple times throughout a race day, you'll be surprised how much they change. It took me 2 full seasons before getting my first actual win in my 3rd year, I had a lot of people helping me out which is what the community should be about. There are a ton of good people on here that will help each other out. Good luck this year, you'll get your first win! Just be patient.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast"
 
KartRacer89 said:
There are many factors in getting that win. Tires, chassis setup/numbers, clutch, gear, etc. Most importantly is getting the seat time and figuring out what the kart is doing on the track. Tires are going to play a huge factor, unless the track(s) you run at has a tire rule then your tire program has to be better than the guys you're racing against (unfortunately). Tenths of a second are picked up by making one change at a time, and your tach is crucial in determining about 50% of those adjustments. Check your scale numbers multiple times throughout a race day, you'll be surprised how much they change. It took me 2 full seasons before getting my first actual win in my 3rd year, I had a lot of people helping me out which is what the community should be about. There are a ton of good people on here that will help each other out. Good luck this year, you'll get your first win! Just be patient.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast"
Click to expand...
Thank you for the good advice and for sharing how your experience starting out was! Good to hear!
 
Jon Brogden said:
Hang in there bb, sounds like you’re getting pretty close already. It takes a year or two to get going even if you have some help from some knowledgeable people. There's so many factors involved in getting that win that it has a pretty steep learning curve, and you've got competition that has done this for years and years. I came into karting as an engine builder but what burnt me more often than anything as a novice was Tires. Lol.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Yeah the tire game has been tough! I won’t lie it almost scared me away at the very beginning of this journey last year lol. If it wasn’t for people taking me in at my local track i started at and mentoring me i don’t know where I would be with this kart racing deal today. Might have been short lived! I’ll certainly always pay it forward as I gain experience and help other new people as much as I can
 
BB2456 said:
Obviously this answer will be very different for everyone. I’m just curious to know what your path to your first win looked like? I ran almost a full season last year. This year will be my first full year. Ive been fortunate enough to have already found a good bit of speed due to the kindness of people I have met that have helped me tremendously and taught me a lot. So while I haven’t had many yet, I have had opportunities to win already and lost them due to making the wrong choices on the track from a driving standpoint. I learn a valuable lesson every time I make the wrong choice. but still feels like I have a monkey on my back sometimes and can’t get the job done. Anyways, just curious to hear what other people’s path to that first win looked like?
Click to expand...
If you’re learning you’ve already won. I’m a racer dad my son started in JR3 in 2021 at age 12. He’s 15 now last year of JR3 also running medium and heavy where we can. Our experience was similar to yours. Accelerated learning curve thanks to the kindness of others. Fast forward a few years we’ve learned so much and we come to play every weekend. My son won his first race ever the 5th race of 2022. I think we won 5 local races that year, ran top 3-5 at some big races in the fall and won a state race in 2023. Finished second more times than I can count on one hand. Keep at it and take it any way you can get it. Running 3rd and the leaders wreck each other is still a hard-earned win! Running second when the white flag flies lay down a lap you won’t regret! I don’t wheel it but the I’ve found the difference in winning and losing is more about race craft than going all out for 20 laps.

You have to get everything right and put it all together to outrun the competition… or get lucky. If you’re racing the same track the gear and tires should be predictable. When there are 10+ karts qualifying well is very important. Equally as important as race craft for drivers, tire guys have to know how to save your best stuff for when it counts. It’s difficult, but also fun and rewarding!

Fastest wishes!
-Neal
 
Last edited:
It took my many years before I could win. My 1st win was on a dirt oval. While racing in Europe against some guys spending half a million per season I had no chance against them. After the 1st one you can expect to win many more but the 1st one can take time.
 
ShialaBEEF said:
If you’re learning you’ve already won. I’m a racer dad my son started in JR3 in 2021 at age 12. He’s 15 now last year of JR3 also running medium and heavy where we can. Our experience was similar to yours. Accelerated learning curve thanks to the kindness of others. Fast forward a few years we’ve learned so much and we come to play every weekend. My son won his first race ever the 5th race of 2022. I think we won 5 local races that year, ran top 3-5 at some big races in the fall and won a state race in 2023. Finished second more times than I can count on one hand. Keep at it and take it any way you can get it. Running 3rd and the leaders wreck each other is still a hard-earned win! Running second when the white flag flies lay down a lap you won’t regret! I don’t wheel it but the I’ve found the difference in winning and losing is more about race craft than going all out for 20 laps.

You have to get everything right and put it all together to outrun the competition… or get lucky. If you’re racing the same track the gear and tires should be predictable. When there are 10+ karts qualifying well is very important. Equally as important as race craft for drivers, tire guys have to know how to save your best stuff for when it counts. It’s difficult, but also fun and rewarding!

Fastest wishes!
-Neal
Click to expand...
Thanks Neal! I totally agree with you on the importance of race craft. There have been a few that I let slip away due to not having the best race craft yet. But I’m working on it and learning more every time I race. I try my best to always get someone to video for me and I go back and study the races to see where it went wrong and what I could do differently
 
rainman said:
It took my many years before I could win. My 1st win was on a dirt oval. While racing in Europe against some guys spending half a million per season I had no chance against them. After the 1st one you can expect to win many more but the 1st one can take time.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing! I hope it comes this year but if not I’ll keep working and keep trying! Really cool that you spent some time racing in Europe
 
BB2456 said:
Thank you for sharing! I hope it comes this year but if not I’ll keep working and keep trying! Really cool that you spent some time racing in Europe
Click to expand...
Well I was born there, and though I am a US citizen now I lived there till 2000. My best advice is getting the right help at the track and you will win.
 
You can be faster and still not win, especially on dirt ovals with all the rough driving involved in stock classes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top