Karting is a sport that gives out a lot of adrenaline in gratitude. Incomparable emotions, an almost physical feeling of the proximity of asphalt, speed, testing, the desire to be the first. In Moscow, this sport has become a trend: from corporate karting at the karting track in honor of the company's anniversary to serious training with professional racers.
A kart is a small car on small wheels, without a body, differential and elastic suspension. In fact, it consists of a seat, a frame and a small engine. There are two types of karting: rental and sports. Rental is popular as a form of entertainment and is available to anyone. Cars used in rental karting do not have a gearbox, they are easy to drive even without driving skills. Everyone starts with a rental, many then move up a notch. This is a sports kart, which is aimed at more trained riders, the cars here are more powerful and equipped with a gearbox.
On professional tracks, a sports kart can be rented, but the cost of a ride on it will be many times higher - 10-15 thousand rubles. for six races, each for 15 minutes. Those who can no longer live without the roar of the engine acquire their own racing cars - their price ranges from 5 thousand to 8 thousand euros. Tires have to be changed every day, the kit costs around 200 euros. Pleasure is not the cheapest, but those who cannot afford it can always rent it for 800 rubles. simpler machine and get your portion of the buzz. There are several dozen karting tracks in Moscow, usually whole complexes with bars and restaurants. Indoor tracks, where they even give out shoes with overalls, are more suitable for beginners, while professionals are already chasing outdoors.
“My friends and I have been skating for four years, we have our own tournament, prizes, a group in social network, made their own website and application, before each race they send an SMS with the time and place of arrival,” says 36-year-old top manager Maxim Kislovsky. His team of 15 people meets once a week in karting clubs, and at the end of the year they count the points, and the winner receives a challenge cup and a gift - two air tickets to anywhere in the world. The sponsor is the construction company of one of the participants.
There are thousands of such private tournaments in Moscow every week. But karting as a sport did not appear yesterday, and not only wealthy people are engaged in it. “Before the laws of physics, everyone is equal regardless of social status, ambitions and the number of cars in the garage. It is worth putting on overalls, lowering the helmet visor - and determining who is who on the track can only be done by driving technique, Kislovsky believes. “And it’s never boring here, even when you’re waiting for your turn, because only in karting you can follow the races from an arm’s length.”
Question answer
Alexey Karachev, vice-champion of Germany "Formula 3",
Mercedes AMG Racing Academy Chief Instructor
What is karting?
This is the basis of racing. Despite their size, the machines are powerful, reaching up to 50 hp. If you put the best lap time on the map, then even on the Formula circuit you can drive well. Anyone who has learned to drive a go-kart can handle any car.
Which trails are more suitable for beginners - open or closed?
Indoors, you are not dependent on the weather, but on open-air tracks, the feeling of speed varies greatly. For beginners and people who just want to have a good time, I would recommend indoor karting more for several reasons. Firstly, there is no such developed infrastructure on open highways. They are still more focused on athletes. There are cozy cafes in indoor karting tracks where you can sit, have a bite to eat and watch the races of other pilots.
How to choose the right car?
I need to see the printout best time per day and choose the car that showed the most fast time circle.
How to learn how to quickly and correctly manage a kart?
I would recommend taking lessons from professional riders first. This will allow you to save time and money and start getting the most out of karting and even winning competitions as soon as possible.
Pioneers of karting
When karting appeared is not known for certain. Russian Wikipedia claims that karting was invented by military pilots in the United States after World War II, who drove around the airfield on carts to transport aerial bombs. But the first motor kart was built by American engineer Art Ingels, who worked for the manufacturer of racing motors Kurtis Kraft. Ingels installed a lawnmower motor on a regular cart, which set the rear wheels in motion through bicycle chain. Small but nimble cars quickly became popular, American youth began to arrange races in parking lots near supermarkets, and in 1959 the first cards were shown at the Paris Motor Show. Glory reached the USSR just as quickly.
“Like the Asian flu, a wave of a new sports hobby has swept over Europe. It comes from America, first capturing England, and is now spreading sporadically on the continent, reaching Scandinavia,” wrote the Soviet magazine Za Rulem in 1960, describing new races “on the so-called go-karts, that is, dwarf cars without a body and any wheel suspension.
The first Soviet mini-bolides went from the palaces of the pioneers - in one of such useful establishments at that time in Kharkov, the first karting section was opened in the early 1960s. But karting eventually became a hobby for the elite. Basically, one could get into such sections only “by pull”. In the West, karting became widespread, the first Soviet fireballs began to be produced there in the late 1960s. In those years, the magazine “Technology of Youth” was published, where drawings of karts were posted, many people assembled cars from improvised materials with their own hands in garages - even helicopter wheels were used. By the time of the collapse of the USSR, 130 thousand people were engaged in 5 thousand sections at schools, palaces of pioneers and stations for young technicians. Competitions were held annually union republics. With the collapse of the empire, karting fell into decline, like all sports in those years.
Start after finish
Karts on indoor tracks can reach speeds of up to 90 km/h, and on open tracks up to 200 km/h, but crashing on the map is unlikely. “Side boxes, front and rear bumpers protect the rider and kart mechanisms in the event of a collision. The chain drive is covered with a casing that does not allow the chain to fly off to the side. Brake rod is duplicated by a cable. In karts with brakes on all four wheels, the front and rear circuits operate independently, and if one fails, the second can be braked. At the bottom of the frame is a plate on which the legs rest. Yes, and to roll over, you need to really try hard. Usually even daredevils fail to do this, ”the manager of the karting club reassures.
Five kart racing tracks in Moscow
Alexander Mityaev
In childhood, we all loved to play, it was our main occupation and entertainment. Through games, we learned to learn and learn something new every time. The girls liked to play with dolls, but the boys liked to play with soldiers and cars. I remember how we, as little boys, wanted to drive or steer in a real car. And now dreams come true. Now we work as coaches in the karting section at the House of Creativity on Poklonnaya Gora, and we came here when we were 11-12 years old.
Now a lot of people from the smallest to already respectable uncles like to relax, riding go-karts. Entire families spend their leisure time in karting clubs, getting great pleasure, not even knowing that this is a very serious kind of motorsport. But wait, we, as experienced karters, have found some bugs that we are a little worried about. Firstly, we will drive by car, not ride, and this car is correctly called - cart. This must be remembered. Karting is a kind of motor sport, and kart- a car driven by drivers named kart drivers. But this high rank you still have to earn it with great difficulty, but for now we are just Drivers.
There are now many open
and closed karting tracks. Karting is a hobby that unites whole families and friends. It not only entertains, but also develops a person comprehensively. And we will try to prove it to you on the example of our school. So, let's begin.
How did karting come about? There are very few books about karting in Russian and all of them are mainly designed for future athletes. BUT only every tenth person who loves to ride these cars becomes a real karting athlete, and the rest? The rest continue to enjoy this incomparable pleasure. For them, this is leisure, they devote their free time to karting, their favorite hobby: it’s not boring, it’s interesting, and it’s useful ...
So there is an opinion that karting appeared thanks to American military pilots, who during the Second World War at their air base in their free time from flying had fun riding carts with small motors. Others say that the birth of karting is connected with American boys aged 9-14, who rode down the hills on special carts in the form of wooden boxes. Such carts were controlled with a rope connected to the front wheels. They competed with each other and such competitions were called “races of soap boxes (Soap Box Derby). Or maybe before it was soap boxes? Interestingly, you will not find the word KART in the English-Russian dictionary, but the word CART exists and it is translated just like - “cart”. Their carts were without motors and were then called micromidgets, which translates as "the smallest." Then someone suggested replacing these boxes with a flat steel frame. Further more interesting. Around 1955, an American magazine told about a boy who decided to put on his "soap box" a small motor from a washing machine, with a capacity of only 0.75 Horse power. This is probably how the first club of the smallest cars was born. The first rules for these cars appear, the so-called technical requirements, that is, the requirements for this technique - microcars. The length of the car was supposed to be no more than a meter and a half, the diameter of the wheel was 30 cm, and the mass of the fueled car was supposed to be no more than 92 kg. Behind, for safety, there were protective arcs, and the riders fastened their seat belts.
And only in 1956, the adult uncle Art Ingels, he was a mechanic, built a go-kart on which the already adult racing driver Daffy Livingston drove. He showed the audience gathered to stare at such a spectacle how simple this machine is and, most importantly, not expensive. Firms for the manufacture of these machines began to appear. The first such company, for the construction of go-carts, was created by Livingston himself and called it the Go-Kart Company. The cars were first called go-cards, and then just cards. 
In 1957, the "American Karting Club" appears. This club develops special rules for karting competitions. In 1958, karting moved to Europe (Mickey Flynn, a US Air Force pilot, brought 5 karts to England). England, France, Italy actively began to produce such machines and accessories for them. Unfortunately, there were no uniform requirements and rules, and then the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which considered karting only leisure entertainment, decided to take it under its wing and create the International Karting Commission (CIK). Then everything fell into place. There are clear rules and requirements. And already in 1964, international competitions were held.
Karting came to Russia thanks to foreign magazines. In 1960, such a magazine was brought from France by Viktor Marzhetsky. Karting began to take root in our country. Federation of Automobile Sports of Russia, even before the advent of Russian karts in our country, developed and approved the "Rules for competitions, classification and technical requirements for kart cars". It was December 3, 1960. In 1961, Yuri Melikov at the stadium named after V.I. Lenin drove on the map along the ice path for almost a whole circle. By the way, Russia is the only country where winter races are held. And Timkart has been in them for many years in a row highest places, being a multiple Champion of Moscow and the Moscow region.
Today, dozens of karting competitions are held annually in Russia. Karting opens up new and talented personalities, both among racers and mechanics. Outstanding mechanics work in our club, they are former athletes Lobanov Sergey, Shevchenko Taras, Starikov Konstantin, Osipov Valery and Roman and others.
And now briefly and by date, do you know?
Briefly by dates:
Since the 30s of the twentieth century - "races of soap boxes" (Soap Box Derbi),(9-15 years).
1951 in Phoenix - 0.75 HP engine
1953 - 25 participants; track racing
1955 - Popular Mechanics magazine article "Make way for micromidgets"
1956 September - Art Ingels built, drove - Duffy Livingston, Pomona. 1.84 kW.
Livingston - "Go-kart company", Ingels - "Caretta"
1957 - "American Karting Club", competition rules
1958 - 5 karts were brought to England, Mickey Flynn of the US Air Force (1960 - more than 100 companies)
1962 - International Karting Commission (ICK), unified sports and technical rules
1964 - the first World Championship - Rome, Italian Guido Sala
USSR
1960 - Kursk Palace of Pioneers, Lev Kononov; Kharkov Palace of Pioneers, Vitaly Enin and Eduard Kostenko; Odessa - Fedor Shakhmatov; Latvia – Leonhard Reingold
1960, December - Federation of Automobile Sports (FAS) of the USSR: Competition rules and classification and technical requirements
1961, January - Luzhniki: motorcycle racing on ice, demonstration race on the map, Yuri Melikov
1961, May - the first competition, cycle track in Ventspils, Latvia, 14 athletes
1961 - competitions in Moscow, Tula, Noginsk, Smolensk (cycle track, cinder track)
1962 - the first, Riga, 80 athletes from 8 cities, "car ring"
Karting is gaining more and more popularity both as entertainment and as a sport. In many cities there are karting tracks where you can get a dose of adrenaline, improve your driving skills, relieve stress and just have fun. That's probably why everyone more people wonder about karting: what it is, how it appeared and how to ride it correctly. Let's figure this out.
What is karting and its types
Karting is kart racing(subcompact racing cars with small wheels, consisting of a frame, seat and engine, they do not have a body, elastic suspension and differential). It is considered one of the most popular types of motor sports. Karting can be divided into 2 types: sports and rolling.
Sports karting (professional) is the backbone of the racing sport. Designed for advanced riders, the karts are equipped with a gearbox and a more powerful two-stroke engine. There is winter and summer sports karting.
Did you know? Many famous racers such as M. Schumacher, F. Alonso, S. Vettel, S. Loeb, A. Vasilyev started their sports career in karting.
There are amateur, national and international sports classes. The gender of the participants does not matter, everyone performs on an equal footing.
Rental karting (hobby karting, amateur) is good fun and view active rest. Available to almost anyone, so most people know what exactly rental karting is. The cars are not equipped with a gearbox and are easy to drive. Karts, like tracks, are safer than in sportswear. They have a stronger frame than sports ones and less powerful engine, mostly four-stroke. In the worst case scenario, you'll just get stuck.
Important! In such a situation, the main safety rule requires: do not get out of the car, but wait for the instructor.
The session of such karting is designed for 10-15 minutes and the car is rented only with protective equipment.
From the "cart" to the "beast", the history of the emergence of karting
The history of karting originates in the 30s of the last century. At that time, American boys really liked to go down the hill in carts. The word "cart" (cart), in fact, is translated as "cart". The next stage of development began after World War II.
Military pilots from the United States installed a lawn mower engine on carts for transporting air bombs and staged entertaining races in between flights. And in 1956, former pilot Art Ingles, working in a company manufacturing racing cars, created the first map similar to the modern one. The following year, the first kart building company was organized, and the rules for kart racing were adopted at the same time. And a year later, these machines appeared in Europe.
Karting was officially recognized as a sport in May 1960. In 1962, the International Karting Commission already existed, and in 1964 the first world championship took place (karts with an engine capacity of 100 cubic centimeters were allowed).
I must say that such a mass recognition of karting did not last long and interest in it began to gradually fade away. Everything is explained simply. The first cards, due to the simplicity of design, low power and lack of security features, were quite cheap, which means they were available to the public. But, gradually, the design was improved, the engines were strengthened, and the safety of driving on the map increased, which served as a significant rise in price and higher requirements for driving skills. As a result, mostly professionals remained in karting.
A modern kart can reach speeds of up to 260 km/h, and maximum speed, developed by a kart with a jet engine, amounted to 407 km / h.
Did you know? Soviet karting was "born" in 1961. The first track for a public race was the ice of the Central Stadium of Moscow. The two cars that appeared before the audience were built by several enthusiasts under the leadership of Yu. Melikhov.
National classes in Russia
National classes differ in different countries. They are created by the national motorsport federations of the state. Commonly used motors domestic production. Russian karting is divided into several classes, the description of which will be given below.
Pioneer. For participants from 8 to 12 years old. Karts in this class must be equipped with a 2-5 speed gearbox, air-cooled stock single cylinder engine and piston valve timing / full flow valve.
Cadet. Designed for ages 10-15 years old. Specifications the card practically does not differ from the characteristics in the Pioneer class. The volume of the cylinder is 50 cubic meters.
National Junior. Class for athletes 13-18 years old. It provides for a gearbox (with 4-6 speeds), a single-cylinder engine (with water or air cooling). The maximum volume is 125 cubic meters. Other characteristics are similar to the previous classes.
National class. It differs from the previous class only in age restrictions - 16 years +.
Did you know?The rules of karting in Russia and other European countries allow even children over 6 years of age to participate in competitions. This applies to children's classes.
How to drive karting, 5 rules from the pros
Exist ground rules, which will help to pass any track in the shortest possible period of time.
The first of these, called "outer - inner - outer" says that the turn should be driven using the entire width of the track. That is, when starting a turn, hold on to the outer edge, then the inner, and exiting the turn, again the outer.
The second rule concerns the trajectory. The shortest does not mean the fastest. After all, to enter a sharp turn (along the inner edge of the track) you need to significantly reduce the speed. The result is a significant waste of time.
Rule number 3. In karting, the best trajectory is not symmetrical, this can be explained by the fact that the braking dynamics of the car significantly exceeds the acceleration dynamics, therefore you need to know - slowly enter the turn, quickly leave.
The fourth rule advises to beware of drifts. After all, this reduces speed and reduces engine speed. It is better to take turns in the "rolling in" way.
The last rule also applies to drifts. To prevent the kart from skidding around corners, brake when the front wheels of the kart are still in the straight position, just before the turn.
First, it is better to learn these rules, and then work out all the details in practice.
Thinking about what karting is and looking at photos of karts (looking like toy cars), you might think that this is nothing more than a fun pastime, but in addition to entertainment, it is also one of the most popular types of motorsport. Try visiting the karting track and we are sure you will not regret it.
Once upon a time, boys dreamed of becoming astronauts, today one of the most popular childhood “dreams” is to become Schumacher or Alonso! Why? Yes, because cool racing drivers get everything - fame, money, beautiful women and, importantly, adrenaline through the roof. Children grow up, but the dream to develop extraterrestrial speed on a sports car does not self-destruct. In the absence of the opportunity to implement it in a one-to-one format, people are looking for more affordable analogues and go to kart tracks.
Cards in hand
The simplest racing car was invented by the Americans, and with English title"kart" is translated as "cart". As a power plant, an engine from a lawn mower was used for it. Then, of course, it was a very primitive unit, but a modern baby kart can reach speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour! For comparison, a racing car from the "Formula 1" develops a speed of about 330 kilometers per hour.
When karting began to gain immense popularity in America and Europe, International Federation Motorsport has officially adopted karting into its ranks. Thus, since May 1960, karting has been a form of motorsport, and not just entertainment for the masses.
Already in 1964, the first World Karting Championship was held in Rome, in which cars with engines of 100 cubic centimeters took part. By the way, the German kart driver then won.
And here's what interesting fact: many Formula 1 racers started out with karting. Among them are the aforementioned Michael Schumacher, and Fernano Alonso, and Mika Hakkinen.
domestic manufacturer
There was no sex in the USSR, everyone knows that. But was there a go-kart? “Vrya-I-poison,” you drawl. However, in vain you have such an opinion about the Soviet Union. It's time to find out what karting was in the USSR. The first domestic kart was made by Lev Kononov, a graduate of the Kharkov Road Institute, in 1960. In the same year, the USSR Motor Sports Federation approved the “Rules for holding competitions, classification and technical requirements for microcars of the Kart type. Karting has become incredibly popular due to the simplicity of the design of the main attribute - the car itself. It could be assembled even in the garage from improvised means. Tires from scooters, helicopters and even reinforced bicycle wheels. History recorded the appearance of a kart whose seat was made from an aluminum basin. In technical magazines such as "Young Technician" drawings were published on how to make do-it-yourself cards. Yes, there was no internet back then!
In 1964, the Tallinn Automobile Repair Plant launched the production of a Soviet serial kart, and a year later, domestic kart athletes entered the international level, taking part in races among socialist countries.
What is karting like?
Karting is divided into sports (winter and summer) and rental (this is how karting "for everyone" is called). Despite the fact that the cars for these two varieties differ significantly in price, in general terms they are similar: the base of the car is a frame, there is a motor, a pilot's seat, a steering wheel, brakes and no suspension (which is why the car rides very hard and requires perfect track coverage). The most significant difference in appearance is that in the "entertainment" cards there is no gearbox, but in the sports ones there is.
In sports karting, as you would expect, everything is complicated - a bunch of rules, classifications and requirements - just like in real racing.
But in rental karting, in fact, there are no rules. I got into the car, remembered where the gas is, where the brake is (there is no clutch there at all) - and off we go. Get the most out of your baby and don't be afraid of anything! Because both the rental karts themselves and the tracks are equipped according to all safety requirements, and no one will let you go to the track without the appropriate equipment (they will definitely put on a helmet and gloves, and sometimes they will also give you special shoes and overalls). The worst thing that can happen to you is you get stuck. Remember the main rule: even if this grief happened to you, do not get out of the car. Sit and wait for the instructor to push you. And bravado like “what am I, a small child, or something, I can’t handle it myself?” it’s not at all appropriate here, because you’re probably not the only one on the track, and if you get hit at a speed of at least 100 kilometers per hour (and no one drives less on the maps), no helmet will save you!
There is nothing illogical in the rules for handling the card. As in a conventional car, you cannot press the gas and brake at the same time - this will overload the engine and lead to breakdown. And don't touch the engine or you'll get burned. Here are, perhaps, the most basic requirements that apply to amateur karting. Well, professional karting is a completely different story.
M. PODOLSKII, teacher at MADI, coach of the Megafon-motorsport racing team.
It can be very crowded on the karting competition track.
Knots and aggregates map.
Rental cards are protected from all sides by a pipe chipper. A small but powerful engine with automatic transmission accelerates the car to a very decent speed, sometimes up to 80-100 km / h.
Finish flag. black and white, checkered.
Red flag.
Black and white flag.
Black flag.
Black flag with an orange circle.
Green flag with yellow chevron.
A blue flag with two red diagonals.
Yellow flag.
Yellow flag with red stripes.
Green flag.
White flag.
Blue flag.
It is impossible to calculate how many sports there are on Earth. And not only because under the sport different people understand different things. Moreover, ordinary viewers may consider, for example, that Athletics- this is one sport, and experts will say that there are at least four types of jumps. Motor sports are no exception. Someone thinks that races are races, and a knowledgeable person will object: only rallies exist no less than all the same four types- classic rally, rally raids, rally cross and rally sprint. BUT circuit racing? They include special racing cars (for example, in the popular Formula 1 races), and ordinary production cars, and even trucks and lawn mowers. One of the most common and affordable types of car racing is karting. Let's talk about it in more detail.
Karting can be done at any age. AT big cities there are indoor karting tracks where they ride all year round. Cars are rented there, but almost every karting center has racing schools. Children from the age of 5 are allowed to take classes, and after a couple of months they arrange the first races of young pilots. And in sports karting, the smallest "professional" class - "Micro" - has already been mastered by 6-7-year-old racers.
It is believed that the first maps appeared in American military pilots during World War II. Once, the pilots adapted a motorcycle motor to a baggage cart and between flights, having nothing to do, began to drive around the airfield. Then the competition started. In 1956, Art Ingels, a mechanic at Curtis Craft Company, built the first kart similar to modern ones. On a simple frame, he installed a lawn mower engine, made a hand brake and elementary steering. And already in 1957, a karting club was organized in America and the rules for the competition were adopted. Maps appeared in Europe in 1958. In 1960, there were already more than 120 card manufacturing firms operating in England alone.
For some 15 years, karting has conquered the whole world. In 1964, the first official world championship was held. The competitions held in Rome were won by the Italian G. Sala. By the way, almost all outstanding racers started their sports career in karting. For example, seven-time world champion in Formula 1 Michael Schumacher, four-time world rally champion Sebastian Loeb, multiple winner of international and Russian competitions Alexei Vasiliev.
Why is karting so attractive? Firstly, the machine is easy to manufacture (although when compared with other racing cars) - therefore, it is inexpensive. Secondly, the machine is stable and therefore quite safe. Thirdly, the kart is easy to manage - therefore, almost anyone can ride it.
Karting is perhaps the only type of motorsport in which there is an almost official division of cars into special sports and rental cars. Sports cars are in most cases more powerful, have two-stroke engines, and sometimes a "real" transmission with a clutch and gearbox. Rolling cars are mainly equipped with four-stroke engines, and instead of a gearbox, they are equipped with a centrifugal clutch (variator).
ANATOMY MAP
All kart units are mounted on a frame welded from durable steel pipes with an outer diameter of 35-40 mm. The front, steered, wheels are mounted on the steering knuckles. With the help of a transverse link and a steering shaft, they are connected to the steering wheel. There is no steering gear on the map (a mechanism that helps turn the wheels in "big" cars), so the steering wheel travel is very short, almost like on a bicycle. Turning the steering wheel requires considerable effort, and after half an hour of driving, the hands of inexperienced pilots “fall off”. The pilot's seat is also installed on the frame, and so low that the pilot literally draws his booty on the asphalt. To save the "fifth point", the seat is made strong enough and under it (from the bottom on the frame) a sheet of aluminum, fiberglass or thick aviation plywood is attached.
The motor is placed to the right and slightly behind the seat (most often to the right, but on some models to the left or completely behind). Using a chain or belt drive, the engine is connected to the rear axle. On the cards of the recently introduced DD 2 class (Direct Drive means direct transmission), the motor is mounted on the rear axle and the drive is carried out by its direct rotation through the gear. The rear axle of the kart, unlike the car, is one-piece. It has a brake disc on it. Fuel tank on sports cards they put it under the steering wheel between the pilot's legs, and on rental cars - behind the seat.
The shift lever is located to the right of the seat. The control pedals used to be located in the same way as on a conventional car: in front of the right is the accelerator pedal, a little to the left is the brake. These pedals were controlled by the right foot. Left leg, as on "adult" cars, "managed" the clutch pedal. But on sports cars, the pilot shifts gears, practically without depressing the clutch, and a quarter of a century ago, the control was transferred to a lever, very similar to a motorcycle, and placed under the steering wheel in the left hand.
On rental cards - simpler: on the right - gas, on the left - brake; there is no clutch pedal and gear lever, and this is not necessary, because the car is equipped with an automatic transmission.
There are no springs or shock absorbers in the suspension of karts. Actually, there is no suspension as such. Because of this, small cars are very stiff, riding them feels like moving on a stool. Therefore, they try to make karting tracks perfectly smooth, everything is removed from the asphalt, even the smallest bumps.
An important element of the kart is the wheels. The anterior ones are always smaller than the posterior ones, both in width and in diameter. The rear ones, on the contrary, are more massive and wide. It is understandable: the main weight of the car and the pilot falls on the rear axle. rear wheels they accelerate the kart, they also slow it down (there are simply no brakes on the front wheels on many even sports models). By the way, tires for karts, as well as for large racing cars, are made for both dry and rain from a special rubber compound that literally sticks to the track and allows you to turn corners very quickly.
KARTING EQUIPMENT
You don't need any equipment to go karting. Everything you need is given out at the karting track. And this is a helmet and gloves. In some karting centers, the equipment includes overalls (it is often muddy on the track) and protection for the ribs and neck. Shoes, as a rule, are not given out, so if you are going to the karting track, put on light sneakers or sneakers. For regular classes in a section or club, you need to have your own helmet, balaclava, gloves, overalls and special racing boots. If the karting track is located on outdoors, then for bad weather you need a waterproof cover for overalls or a jacket with trousers, like those given to road workers. If we are talking about professional karting and participation in official competitions(in Russia they are held under the auspices of the Russian Automobile Federation - RAF), then the equipment is selected only from the permitted, or, as they say, homologated, RAF. The pilot's helmet must meet strict requirements, but such models are quite heavy, and in order to reduce the load on the neck in the event of an accident, they additionally use a special "collar". The pilot's shoes must protect the ankle. Gloves are required.
Kart only looks like a simple cart with a motor. In the range of these cars there are workers who work almost around the clock at rental karting tracks. They give the initial skills to young pilots, infect them with the excitement of a real racing fight. And there are unique samples of modern racing equipment, equipped with the latest technology, stuffed with sensors from spaceships.
Karting is the only motor sport that a child or teenager can do. All you need is the permission of a doctor, the consent of your parents - and the world of speed and adventure is open before you. A kart in the right hands allows you to drive very fast. The best sports cars easily accelerate to 200-250 km / h, and in terms of acceleration dynamics from the start, it happens that they are ahead of the cars of the "queen of motorsport" - "Formula 1". But even cars of special children's classes - they are called "Micro", "Mini", "Rocket" and "Cadet" - drive at a speed of 80-120 km / h. Once you learn how to ride a kart, when you're older, you can easily jump into big cars and take on circuit racing, off-road racing, or the pinnacle of motorsport - classic rallying. And just being a good driver in life will come in handy.
Details for the curious
"THE SMART STAR"
The speed of the kart depends on the power and speed of the engine. The more powerful the motor, the faster the kart accelerates; the higher the RPM, the higher the maximum speed can be. But not only these parameters determine the pace of the car. Recall: the engine and the rear axle (that is, the wheels) are connected by a chain drive. The sprocket in the motor (it is called the drive one) always has 10 teeth, and the sprockets on the rear axle (driven) can be different - from 80 to 83 teeth. The more teeth on the driven sprocket, the better the kart accelerates from a standstill or picks up speed from low to medium. On the other hand, the smaller the driven sprocket, the higher the maximum speed.
Driven sprockets change depending on how difficult the track is. If the distance consists of continuous sharp turns and steep climbs, it is better to put a bigger star (if the pilot is heavy, by the way, too). On tracks with smooth long sections and smooth turns, it is more correct to focus on the “fast” sprocket.
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BASIC RULES OF THE COMPETITION
There are two types of competitions in karting - circuit racing and winter track racing on ice. We will not dwell on ice races, they are held infrequently, but let's talk about ring races.
Qualifying heats are held to determine the starting order. In competitions different levels they may be run in different ways, but the essence remains: the one who has completed the official timed lap (or section) faster than the others starts first. During the start, no overtaking is allowed before crossing the starting line. If we consider that up to forty riders start in the most advanced junior class Rotax Max Junior in one race, then when the leaders are already fighting for centimeters race track, the tail of the starting peloton is still weaving in the starting zone. By the way, the level of professionalism in this class is such that the results of passing the qualifying lap often differ by less than one second for two dozen pilots!
During the race, you can not push, knock the opponent off the track. Be sure to let those who go faster and not interfere with them. The start of the race is given either by a flag or a traffic signal. The start can be given from the spot, as in Formula 1, or from the move.
Judges on the track give the athletes signals with flags. These flags are the same for all types of motorsport, so if you watch the “first formula” races on TV, you will see how the pilots obediently follow the laws of the flag alphabet.
Finish flag. Black and white, checkered. The size of the cells, alternating in a checkerboard pattern, is 10x10 cm. It is used to notify the competitors about the finish. The signal is given by waving the flag.
The red flag stops the race. Drivers must immediately stop the race, raise their hand and, making sure that the drivers following him have accepted the signal, stop.
Black and white flag. The field of the flag is divided diagonally into two equal black and white parts (in the language of racing drivers - “penguin”). It warns the driver about unsportsmanlike behavior and informs that in the next violation he will be excluded from the competition or race.
Black flag ("black mark", just like the pirates). Informs the driver that next round he must bring his kart to the place specified by the regulations and report to the head of the race.
Black flag with an orange circle. Informs the driver that his kart has a technical problem and that on the next lap he must fix the defect in the repair area, after which he can continue the race.
A green flag with a yellow chevron is a false start.
A blue flag with two red diagonals. The driver must stop the race immediately and return to the closed park.
The yellow flag is a danger signal. Drivers should slow down and be prepared for possible stops. If the judges are actively waving the flag, then the danger is very serious. Overtaking is prohibited in the yellow flag zone.
Yellow flag with red stripes - slippery road. Most often used to signal spilled oil or puddles.
Green flag - the danger has passed. Used in two cases:
To mark the end danger zone(shown motionless) and the place from which overtaking is again allowed;
To give a start to a training session or a warm-up lap. Shown by waving until all cards leave the starting area.
White flag - slow moving kart on the track. When it stops, the white flag is immediately replaced by a yellow one.
Blue flag. Informs a driver behind a lap that one or more faster moving karts are about to overtake him and must give way.