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Post by Topcontender on Jul 11, 2002 17:04:13 GMT -5
How do you see the photos?
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Post by Henrik on Jul 11, 2002 17:07:51 GMT -5
What you need to do is to got to the following link: atlantic.photoisland.comTo login to "our" album, type the following details: Username : shamucroaks Password: takagi There is also a link at the bottom of the main shamu page.
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Post by greg99 on Aug 19, 2002 1:56:11 GMT -5
I hear there should have been another ass-whipping heat of the Shamu Karting Championship?
Full report please!!!!
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Post by Cine_Man on Oct 17, 2002 5:18:04 GMT -5
A precis of the Indianapolis ShamuKarting Heat from the driver's seat.
After getting all the indoctrination video stuff, its time to suit up, pull on the balaclava, gloves and helmet. I have my own neck brace, so that went on under the helmet. We all walked down the stairway to the pit... where an altercation is going on between one of the drivers sitting in a car and a steward. He is irate that he is being pulled from the car... and thinks this is heat 23... which I gather it actually is... but there is some irregularity with the scheduling. The guy finally surrenders the car and stalks off to have a good pout. But anyway, its time to sit in, and try to get comfortable in a rental kart that has obviously been around the circuit a couple of million times. The seat doesn't fit, its hot ( and ewww, sweaty) and I'm tenth in a line of eleven cars. Going to be bumper to bumper out there in rush hour folks.
So we're waved out at intervals and the heat begins. Rx is two in front of me, and Jas is behind him. I'm thinking that if I ever make it onto the course, I'm going to be starting a lap down, with the local hotshoes breathing down my neck -- the out-of-towner backmarker. But as they say... first lap, go flat. Who cares if you don't know where the next turn is? Traffic is already heavy as I start my first reconnaissance lap... hmmm.... double apex lefts under the stairs... quick burst to set up into the hairpin.... yikes I'm already crawling up Jason's back... and the local boy behind me is impatient... let'em go... So this is where the highspeed section begins... got to build momentum very quickly to make the ramp upstairs, must be wide to get a shallow straight apex into the climb, and try to set flat all the way up, and around, then a little lift to help into that off-camber right that dives down the ramp back to the very short double apex lefts past the pit exit and another lap...The local yokel is really pressuring Jason now, but he's having none of it. I'm watching and learning the local trix.
It seems the place to overtake is that hairpin, but it takes some "muscle" and paint-swapping. Another place is the bottom of the ramp, if you've gotten a good arc through the upstairs and stayed flat coming down the ramp. Lap three... as I recall.... hairpin pileup. Local boy decides its time to shove Jason aside. Luckily, there's a hole left over, and I thread the needle. But there's another hotshoe coming through at the same time. I need some room setting up for the run up the ramp, but its not there. I get really slammed into the outside, and momentarily lose momentum, but I am through, and climbing. It seems that I have passed RacerX somewhere along the line... he may have been in that harpin pileup. Now I am following someone who is going really fast. He easily pulls away, and I don't really get a chance to follow... However, I now have some room and its time to try to set up some rhythm. So for about a half dozen laps, it round and round, shaving a few tenths, here and there. Try a new line... try a little wide here, a lift there, smooth, smooth... wuff! I got some "air" entering the downhill right hander onto the ramp! The car actually flew sideways a foot or two in the air before I got the rubber back on the road... course it killed a bit of forward momentum... but that was different!
Well, another of the local hotshoes is crawling up my back again, but hey... he'll have to work for it this time. By now, I'm starting to overcook it coming down the ramp... and thats how it happens... I get loose and wide and Mr Experience gets inside... maybe that doesn't sound so good, but racing is better than... almost anything else you can think of.
So I get to follow another quick boy, but he isn't pulling away so fast, this time... and so a couple of smooth, quick laps later... its "pit" time. I haven't hardly glanced at the lap-time display, so I have no idea whether I've made any impression at all.
We get our printouts at the top of the stairs... and its all worthwhile when the pronouncement is "Cine, you KICK!" I almost never go quick when I push... and yup, my quick time was after I relaxed near the end, and just floated "down the river" letting one of the quick boys tow me around. Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
Well, time to go change another film roll.
And thanx, RacerX and Jason, for a fond memory... Yes! I raced at Indianapolis!
Cine_...
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Post by Topcontender on Oct 17, 2002 9:19:51 GMT -5
HAHA Cine, the trick to going down the hill is to actaully brake before you turn right to go down the hill. It sounds odd but trust me you get squared away and go much faster.
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Post by Cine_Man on Oct 17, 2002 20:49:27 GMT -5
I usually just use the brakes to "back off" someone... My braking technique is to lay off the left pedal, and use a "lift and twist" technique, to momentarily massively oversteer to get the front end to brake and start turning in. I have an aversion to slowing down the driveshaft, especially in a "horsepower-challenged" vehicle. Its amazing how much braking effect that steering has. How about you, Henrik? Use brakes much? Or just in the pitlane? Cine_...
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Post by Henrik on Oct 18, 2002 1:29:47 GMT -5
Hey Cine,
Do I use the brakes much? On those indoor rental karts, not really. I may touch the brakes a bit, but without letting off the gas, so as to not lose too much rpms (I know the guys who run the go-kart places hate it when you do that, but it really is the only way to improve your lap times).
As for the karts I race normally, you bet! Braking was what I found to be the most difficult part when I started racing. One problem being that you can't brake once engaged in the corner, or you will spin (due the the lack of a differential). So I set about learning this part really well, and have now managed to get pretty good at it. I always manage to catch other drivers upon entering corners as I brake later and harder. Sometimes I use the brake to set the rear-end in a slide, and then keep that slide just slightly throughout the corner, providing a quicker exit. It all depensd on the corner, and what comes after the corner. But this is all with the 2 stroke kart that I have now sold...
On my new 4 stroke kart, having an amazing 30hp from a 250cc twin, I can adopt a smoother driving style as, unlike the 2 stroke, it does provide for engine braking. So, with this kart I use the brakes less, and slide less. Smoother passage through the corners, but with a higher entry speed than before.
Anyway, sorry to bore you all, but I could talk about this forever....
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Post by raptor22 on Oct 18, 2002 9:57:04 GMT -5
No bore at all ;D ;D I've been refining my technique and I've found that what works for me on the indoor karts is to very lighty feather the brakes to scrub some speed off and then balance the kart against the throttle while inducing a slight slide. It'snot the most efficient indoor technique but works a treat on the outdoor circuit. Also what works very well on indoor tracks is to turn the wheel slowly and keep it as steady as possible. Any movement through the s/wheel teds to slow the Kart down. I took second on wednesday at the Indoor Grand Prix evening in Sandycroft. The bloke who won is a regular karter and @ lives at the circuit. Learning all the time. This is becoming addictive!
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Post by Cine_Man on Oct 18, 2002 17:34:15 GMT -5
There are worse things to form addictions to.
Well, I just got back from my little birthday present to myself which was a couple of heats at the local timed circuit... which they have changed, so its time to learn a new rhythm. And you have to use the brakes on this layout... its essentially two large esses... a return ess folded inside another. "Ess"-entially, its five hairpins. Three linked with a sweeping left, then two followed with a 90 degree left.
Everyone is still getting used to it... extremely technical... lap times have all dropped by a full second plus. It requires a LOT of throttle modulation, and definite use of brakes... trying to go flat through the three linked hairpins is guaranteed out-of-shape by the end... and it opens onto the only (short) straight... so you have to be well-and-trulli sorted going in. My trouble today was that there is a little barrier protrusion at the apex of the first ess, and I kept touching it, which would throw the kart a little sideways, which would put me shallow into the second ess. Its a great obsession.
Cine_...
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Post by Henrik on Nov 27, 2002 1:04:33 GMT -5
Met up with my teammate in Austin, and got some racing done. Here are some shots fom a memorable day. Checking the track out Is that belt a bit tight? What am I doing in a Ferrari?? Thanks for a great day Pabs!
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Post by RacerX on Nov 27, 2002 11:33:26 GMT -5
Great pics Henrik!
Keep'em coming! I'm looking forward to reading Consuela's report in regards to Pabs & Yours races!
Later, Rx
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Post by RacerX on Nov 27, 2002 11:34:18 GMT -5
BTW- Did I tell you how good you look in a Ferrari?
LOL, RacerX
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Post by Henrik on Nov 27, 2002 11:38:04 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliment!
Looks a bit like Steve McQueen no? At least the helmet is more in line with what he had in Le Mans.
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Post by daSilva on Nov 27, 2002 12:16:24 GMT -5
Errrrrrrr,
Is Pabs Jag sponsored by Viagra?? LOL.
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Post by OT on Nov 27, 2002 15:18:58 GMT -5
hehehe daSilva.... it's amazing what a bit of dyslexia does for you....
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