I was just under the impression that with a light, med and heavy class the lighter class karts would have an advantage over the heavier... Not true?
The only reason for a heavier kart to beat a lighter kart on starts and in the race is because there is something lacking about the lighter kart. Either equipment or driver. The only hypothetical way a heavier kart can go faster then a lighter kart is if the extra weight adds grip in turns(actually it's not about weight adding grip it's about more weight requiring more grip) allowing the heavier kart to maintain better momentum. I think, meaning i'm not 100% sure, with the ability to control the grip of your tires through prep, extra weigh can only be a grip advantage if the lighter karts tires are not properly prepared.
Butt thunkin about it more ...
I have a question for you tire and physic gurus out there.
I assume the fastest way around a track is to run at the limit of grip and the limit of grip is always controlled by the speed your going and the weight your carrying. Sure lighter weight gets up to speed quicker then heavier weight but with time and enough grip will or will not the heavier weight be able to maintain more momentum and in turn more speed then the lighter weight?
We argue about engine drive sprocket size and seem to come to a consensus from experience about how a larger sprocket can cause equal weight karts to maintain more momentum.
Could more weight rotating in the turns physically be able to maintain more momentum rotating in the turns because of being able to control tire grip? Is the real trade off here maybe the ability to out accelerate verses the ability to maintain more momentum because of things(weight) in motion tend to stay in motion. Maybe more weight simply has more ability to maintain it's speed in the turns then lighter weight, assuming each have tires capable of maintaining grip without having excessive grip?
I think it's all about tires and your ability to cause all tires to roll in the direction you want to go at all places around the track while accelerating decelerating and maintaining momentum. Tires can be adjusted for grip and how they operate but it's still setup which applies weight at the right time to each tire at every place around the track. Perfect setup without perfect grip is just as bad as perfect tires without perfect setup, assuming you have a driver who knows how to use their equipment to take advantage of both perfect setup and perfect tires.
The question is if the acceleration advantage of the lighter kart is enough to overcome the momentum(things in motion tend to stay in motion) advantage of the heavier kart? Or the other way around is the momentum advantage of the heavier kart just enough to over come the acceleration advantage of the lighter kart?
...
Or will the higher entry speed of the lighter kart be more maintained because it can run freer in the turns?
I still think given unlimited available grip via prep and tire preparation the lighter kart should always able to both out accelerate the heavier kart and travel faster through the turns. ... but if no yellows can the heavier kart eventually build up enough speed to travel faster through the turns by maintaining more momentum then the lighter kart? ...
maybe????