Track Tac

Question about Safety

1

1FasKart

New member
Been out of kart racing for awhile,
but have noticed that just getting back into it the karts carry speed very well now.

I have seen a few karts with a cage over the driver, mostly younger drivers.

My questions is: Why hasn't this been implemented into the classes as a must for Adults, Kids and Juniors?

Is there a downfall to this feature that I can not see. Please someone school me on the reasons why everyone doesn't participate in this safety feature... ie Helmets, Neckbrace, gloves, long pants, Jackets some even leather etc. Safety is paramount to growing ALL SPORTS.

Thanks,
1FasKart
 
It's more of a comfort factor. With champ karts (the ones with cages) you're strapped in, you can't really move around and every little vibration is transferred into the body, especially on impact and very few people find them enjoyable or comfortable to drive. With flat karts when it goes up and over it's designed to allow the driver to be flung free, a lot of times that doesn't happen for reasons out of human control. But the flat karts allow a driver to move around and you're not jarred by every single bump or hit as the kart flexes more without a cage on it. It really comes down to driver preference and cost, a champ kart usually runs 800 to a 1,000 bucks more than a flat kart when bought new.
 
Thanks for the reply...I guess coming from a world of offroad endurance racing
A few bumps dont really seem to extreme.
Suspension seat and a cage.
Before anyone goes overboard about weight...suspension seats can be very very light weight.
Maybe with age I just need a cage. Lol

Thanks again for the reply.
 
you've had suspension to help cushion the impacts. That's something karts don't have so any major hit, when racing a champ, is transferred into the person strapped in. With open wheels those hits can be very violent and extreme. Also I would not recommend trying to retrofit any seat designed for auto racing to work in a champ. All karts are designed with a flexible fiberglass or carbon/Kevlar-weave seat in mind to help with weight dynamics while cornering. If your're leaning towards running a champ feel free to PM me any questions as that's all I race now days and help crew on when I'm not in the seat myself.
 
Realize that karts weigh so little that the driver's weight - and it's position on the kart - significantly effects handling. Shifting the driver's weight can upset the balance. A suspension seat could allow enough weight shifting to hurt performance. I don't know for sure since I've never tried a suspension seat though. I wonder if you could set it up to actually aid handling?

You can place padding in your seat to cushion the bumps somewhat, and use stiff rubber washers at the seat mounting bolts. But eventually some of us give up driving because our backs can't take the punishment.


On your original question "I have seen a few karts with a cage over the driver, mostly younger drivers. My questions is: Why hasn't this been implemented into the classes as a must for Adults, Kids and Juniors?":
There ARE cage kart classes for adults and juniors, and they're very popular at some tracks. Maybe tradition or upfront cost is holding them back at other tracks...
Racing is dangerous and you can get hurt at any time. But in all of my years of karting I've seen lots of wrecks and flips but very very few broken bones or worse. I've had my share too. The broken bones were re-breaks of old injuries. Not saying that it can't or won't happen - just saying that lots of other racers have similar experience and may not feel the need for cages. But I'm not putting down anybody for trying to be safer.
 
Someone ... said:
Realize that karts weigh so little that the driver's weight - and it's position on the kart - significantly effects handling. Shifting the driver's weight can upset the balance. A suspension seat could allow enough weight shifting to hurt performance. I don't know for sure since I've never tried a suspension seat though. I wonder if you could set it up to actually aid handling?
Click to expand...

Back in the 80s we built a sit-up Sprint kart for road racing that had a suspended seat. It worked reallywell.

The race was at Sears Point Raceway in California. There's a turn there called the carousel. It's a long sweeping, downhill, left-hand turn. The inside edge of the track has, over the years, developed a severe washboard. Most unsuspended karts avoided it by taking a wide line through that turn. Not our suspended kart, we could stay right on the inside edge. A distinct advantage. Several different drivers drove that kart and all but one agreed that it was the best handling kart out there. I don't know how it would work on a Sprint track or a dirt oval, but it sure works good on a road course. So the suspension, just the seat, had some advantages, with no disadvantages.

In any case, if somebody shows up at the track with a suspended seat and dominates, they will make a rule against it.

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
I believe a Suspended seat is illegal for most major sanctioning bodies. Maybe a UAS class would allow it, but I thought any type of mechanical suspension was outlawed in WKA, IKF, SKUSA, etc.
 
jtrent64 said:
Al, how was this this seat suspended?
Click to expand...
the front two mounting points were pretty much like any kart except that they could pivot.
In the rear there was a bent piece of aluminum that curved around the seat and was bolted in two places. Maybe three places I don't remember. This was in the 80s so it's kind of hard to remember exactly how the back was hooked up. There were some levers and a spring. Kind of vague I know. No shock absorbers, probably an oversight in the design. Still and all, the drivers were very happy with it.

I saw a kart once at an IKF race, in the 90s, that used two McPherson struts. They were mounted pretty much like any seat strut but they had angled cross piece braces to keep the seat from moving side to side.

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
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