IgloONotes

If you've been keeping up with my Go karting shenanigans, you'll know that I've got a pretty good record. I set the fastest lap time and placed second on my first outing. My second time round, I placed second in every possible place: qualifying, fastest lap, and the race, behind the one and only Speedy Sparky.

I've been waiting for my time to get back into a Kart for a while. The last two times left me with an addiction that I just couldn't shake. My jousting with Sparky left me in a definite second place. The fact was, he was faster and I couldn't pass him. I had led for one ceremonious lap, but he duly passed me right away. I wanted to know what could of been...

Time went along and every once in a while my mind would get stuck on Karts. How fast I would be against real competitive guys? Would I be able to pass them or just get relegated to an uninspiring second place? Sparky was good, don't get me wrong, but he was only one guy. I wanted to challenge a group of highly strung veteran German racers on the track.

My friend asked me if I would be interested in joining him and a group of fellow guys on the Kart track. He said it was a different track than we've been to and we'd be going for one hour. He didn't even have to ask me twice. October 30th...redemption.

That day was the longest day at work. I would constantly visit my friend at his desk and ask when we'd be leaving. 10 minutes...way too long.

It was a night full of anticipation. Quite a few of the guys had experience up their sleeves and one even had a full-carbon fiber helmet. Now that's extreme.

We walked into the kart track and there in front of us was the holy grail. The karts were much bigger than the ones I was used to. They also looked a lot faster with curvy bodywork and fancy decals.

The track was much longer with more passing opportunities. I was looking forward to the first hairpin because it followed a long sweeping corner. If there was anywhere to pass, it would be there. It looked menacing and if you turned your wheel too soon, or braked too early, you would for sure end up on the wrong end of the time sheets.

I strapped on my trusty pair of Alipinestars Tech 1-S driving gloves, slipped on my helmet and snugged in tight to car number 16.

These Karts are quick. It didn't quite snap your head back like a high-powered sports car would, but you could feel the push telling you that there's something going on back there.

The first thing I always like to find out about a Kart is the limits. The cornering limits are pretty easy to find. Just rush into a corner and see how fast you can go with the car still turning in the direction you told it to. If your wheel is turned and you still seem to be going straight, then you've probably taken the corner too fast.

Stuck's Karts were not too much different than the ones I had previously run in, but I could tell that the tires were newer and therefore had more grip. You could really just toss the kart wherever you wanted and it would obey every single command just like good'ol Fido. Though that's a given for go-Karts, what I found to always be variable is the braking.

In other Karts, you could stomp on the brake and easily end up facing the wrong direction. these Karts, unless you tried really hard, you just couldn't spin it. Don't get me wrong, the braking is by no means 'worse', its just more controllable. You can stomp on the brake hard enough to slide the back end a little and get you through the corner. Pros call this technique trail-braking. I was very satisfied in my ability to take advantage of it.

First up was a 12 lap Qualifying session. Since a couple other guys had more experience that me, I wasn't expecting too much. I just needed to feel the track, know where I could keep the foot down and where I needed to brake. As the laps progressed, my times consistently came down. I started off with a 47.56s lap and every single lap after, except for one, I had improved my time. 46.47s, 45.81s...44.90s, 44.84s....44.14s.

Then on the very last lap of Qualifying I grabbed my fastest time: 43.65s. This would be good enough for second on the starting grid, ahead of more seasoned veterans. I could see in the other guys eyes that hadn't expected me to be so quick. Ready or not, here I come!

My start to the 34 lap race was not that great. I was hung out to dry on the outside of the first corner and was passed, which pushed me down into third place. I was almost passed for fourth, but i managed to keep it together and hold my spot. I was in for an exciting race.

I knew that if I had any chance of doing well, I had to pass the second place guy. I knew I was faster. In the twisty bits, I would always cruise up to his tail. In braking, I would have to brake harder than normal to avoid tapping his rear bumper. Because of this, he would always have better acceleration out of the corner. I needed to be patient and wait for the best chance.

By the fifth lap, I was the fastest kart on the track, despite still being behind someone slower. Every lap, I'd glance up at the timing board and see my number '16' in first place. My chance to pass came about 10 laps later. Coming onto the long sweeping corner, I moved around his outside with better acceleration out of the previous loop. I braked late for the first corner and retook my second place.

For a handful of laps, I thought that I would be sufficiently happy to be relegated to second place. After all, I was the newcomer and second place was already pretty good. The first place guy was about a 1/4 of the track ahead of me so I started to settle into a second-place-is-good-enough mood. Soon though, that would all change...

Once I had a clear track in front of me, I beat the track and kart into submission to give me the best lap time possible. I needed to make up time, and fast. In my mind, I thought close to half the race was already finished.

Braking deep into a corner and exiting rather quick, I noticed that I was closer to the leader than I was in previous runs down that same corner. I was consistently braking later and taking the tight corners faster than him. It was now full-on attack mode for first place.

I could feel myself becoming one with the Kart. It was an awesoem feeling, being able to transfer everything I wanted to do, to the kart beneath me. The brakes were feeling good, the steering was accurate, and the engine was pulling strong. My blood was pulsing through my veins. The Kart had become an extension of my mind. More than once, I would take a corner too tight and clip the barrier. My Kart would bounce back with a jerk and throw off my rhythm. I felt the pressure building but I knew I could do it. My lap times were consistently in the 42s range with my opponent varying between 42s and 44s. Sooner than I thought, I was breathing down his neck. It was time to pass.

My demise of my last race with Speedy Sparky was my inability to pass. This was different. I had the knowledge of what it takes and now, experience under my belt. The best passing point was at the very first corner. Every single time, I would dive into the corner braking as late as possible. The thing that made this so tough was that usually, I would be glued to his tail coming onto the previous sweeping corner. To pass, or not to pass, that was the question.

A lot of times, I would have to abort the pass to avoid a collision. Other times, I would brake late and swing around the outside of the corner. More than once I managed to exit side-by-side, snapping a look at my opponent's surprised eyes.

I could never keep the lead because he would always have the better line for the next chicane.The only way was to get fully ahead in the first corner and take the inside line. Around lap 25, I sensed the corner was mine.

Glued right to the back of his kart like a magnet, I had a really good run. Entering the hairpin, I swung to the inside, and braked a fraction of a second later than my nemesis, mashing the stop pedal to bring down my speed. The Kart wiggled in the back and I counter-steered to control it. I ran a little deep into the corner, but my opponent had no other choice but to yield. It wasn't over yet because running into the next corner, we were side-by-side once again, but the difference was that I had the inside line. That was all it took. I was first.

I didn't let up my speedy pace because I knew in no time he would back on my tail, attacking into every corner. I was untouchable. During this runaway period, I set my fastest lap time of 41.95s. Not only that, but every single lap save for one, I was faster. My lead was growing and there was no turning back.

I took the checkered flag and earned the respect of my fellow racers on the track. I wasn't just a newcomer anymore, I was a force to be reckoned with.

In the first race, I had set the fastest lap time, the fastest average speed, and of course, the race win.

I lined up first on the grid for the second race in the kart that propelled the slowest driver. I really didn't think there would be much difference, but how wrong I was. Immediately into the first corner, my first place was taken from me. My Kart just didn't have the same grip. The tires were obviously more worn and the brake pedal was softer as well. I just couldn't attack the track as I could earlier. Then again...I wasn't totally up to the task.

I was spent. I had used all my strength in the first race. My arms were becoming stiff and my left leg, the braking leg, was getting a bit stiff as well. To top it all off, my stomach was still not used to the high G-forces experienced in cornering. From around the middle of the second race, my goal was not to finish second, but to finish the race with my stomach in one piece. It didn't make it better that the air inside the Karting arena smelled of spent rubber and fuel. My lap times went in the wrong direction, and I was running 43s - 44s lap times.

Due to my slowing down and conservation of my stomach, the third place guy was right behind me trying every single thing to get past. Quite often, I would take a corner slower than he was expecting, only to be given a nice crash into the back of my kart. Near the end of the race I was almost begging him to pass because it would make my stomach a whole lot happier.

Soon enough, he made my life easier and duly passed me. After I was relegated to 3rd, I simple let off the gas and cruised the rest of the way. Just as my lap times tumbled in the first round, I kept tagging on the seconds. 45.12s, 46.17s, 47.32s...ending with a 55.02s lap time.

Getting out of the Kart, I was too tired to do anything. My stomach felt like it was in two pieces with one part trying to make its exit. I could barely celebrate afterwards, even half-heartedly paying 2.50 € for a cup of water because I was so thirsty. That was the most expensive water I had ever bought.

I retired to a long night at home, only realizing how much fun it had been the next day when my muscles had somewhat recovered. In hindsight, the less grippy tires in my second Kart allowed me to finish the race without purging my stomach in the middle of the race. I'm quite glad for that, thank you very much.

Having been in only 3 competitive Kart races, I think being the fastest guy on the track is worthy of a pat on the back. I guess its not very nice to be beaten by a rookie. Next time, I will be better prepared and even faster for the second race! Though I can't quite say the same for my stomach...

Tags: Germany, Go Karting