wet Wet wet, no, it's not the band

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Karting in wet weather is extremely difficult, but if you master wet weather techniques, you can easily win by miles!

[edit] Steps

1. When you brake, hit the pedal in a short, sharp motion. This should be enough to get the rear tires to lock and bite into the track. A nice gentle push on the brake won't do it because it kills the kart. You want the kart to feel quite lively, and you need to get it working and biting so you can get a feel for the grip that is available. Also, you want to reduce the amount of time on the brakes and braking needs to be out of the way before you turn.
2. Remember that you are taking a wet line away from the rubber. Turn into the boot very late, and when you turn the wheel, snap it into full lock hard and fast.
3. Now the kart doesn't turn and spin. You turned the wheel so fast and it's like you shocked it into a huge under-steer. But, you are also getting maximum jacking effect from the front end and when the kart finds a bit of grip it will turn very sharply. Also, since the front end is sliding, it is slowing you down too, acting like front brakes.
4. When you snap that steering wheel round, you will naturally need to lean forward a little because turning the wheel will extend your reach. Lean forward and toward the outside of the kart. By doing so, you are taking weight from the rear and putting it over the front, which helps the kart to lift the inside rear wheel.
5. When you get the timing right, you will find the kart turns hard and sharp, and that's when you need to get your weight back over the rear wheels, get the steering straight as possible and accelerate away.
6. Introduce the power gradually, and feel for traction. Always try for as much traction as possible.

[edit] Tips

• Driving a kart in the wet isn't all about being super-smooth and being frightened that the kart will bite you for pushing it too hard. In fact, when driving in the wet you have to be much more physical and much more forceful to drive with flair. Wet karting gives you even more opportunity than dry karting to let yourself go!
• Forget about being ultra-delicate on the brakes and turning the steering wheel tentatively, stamp on the brakes to make the tires bite into the track, and snap the steering wheel around like you want to bend the track rods!
• The "Wet Line" is the fastest line around the track in the wet the same as in the dry? 99% of the time the answer is no. I can't tell you the exact wet line for every track here, but I can give you a pretty good place to start. Take a look at your circuit before you drive and you can easily see the darker racing line covered in rubber, and you can see a lighter color where there isn't so much rubber. In wet conditions, the latter is exactly where you want your kart to be! Keep those observations in mind when driving. You will find you need to experiment using the wet line, and there will be more than one way round on a wet line. You have to go out there and feel where the grip is.
• Most importantly, don't hurt yourself, and have fun!

[edit] Warnings

• Stay off the rubber
• When dry, the best grip is normally found on the normal racing line, where all the tire rubber gets laid down, giving you an even better grip. When it rains, rubber is super slippery, so you have to find a new line where there is no rubber. Normally it's around the outside of the corner.

Event, Puggol, TNP 18 Nov, my views, and replies

Hi Ms Faith,

I had read with great interest your article on
the go karting event in our heartland, on 30 Dec.

However looking at the 'race track' layout, isn't
it quite a bore for competitve karters? The 'track'
consists of two long striaghts and two U turns,
therefore whoever has the fastest kart and the
lightest overall weigh-in will almost certainly win.

Yes, karting is about been speed but it is also about
braking into corners, both fast and slow corners, here
the layout do not have any fast corner(s) to show the
public what a kart is really capable of. Without more
corners, the idea of karting is been undermined. The
idea of overtaking, and on the striaght there is hardly
any opportunities to keep the specators excited.

I hope the organizers will rethink the layout, so that
the people will attend the event will entertained, and
then be interested in the sports.

Regards

------------
Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for the feedback, will definitely pass it on to the organisers. This being the first of many such events to come, I believe that everyone, from the organisers to the government bodies involved such as the traffic police, are concerned about public safety more than anything else. The organisers are limited by which roads are available for their use by this, as well as by how much inconvenience closing a road would be for nearby residents and businesses.

That said, this is just the starting point of a long runway, and I'm sure the road ahead will be an exciting one.

Regards,
Faith Teo
Assistant to Editor
(Projects)
The New Paper

-----------
Hi Jonathan,

just got word from the organisers. There will be tyre obstacles and other challenges involved, so it won't just be a straight stretch. Cheers.

---------

Hi Ms Faith

Many thanks for your replies.

It should be a quite a event then.

=)

Do hope this will give many more people the good idea of

what karting is about, then just sit and drive.

cheers
----
the article mention:

IT'S all systems go for the K1 Karting Series of heartland go-kart racing events. Graphics: Kelvin Chan On 30 Dec, Punggol Way will be closed to traffic, and turned into a race track for a day. It will be the first of more than 10 such motorsport events scheduled till July next year - all in heartland locations. While professional kart races will be the highlight, spectators will also be able to catch souped-up race cars in demonstrations along the 1.5km stretch of road. The Motorsport Experience, as it is called, will include both sprints and drifting. And all this won't be happening on a straight road. The end of Punggol Way is a tight hairpin turn, enough to test the skills of the best of drivers. The organisers, CS Racing, are creating a carnival atmosphere, to cater to the whole family. The public can try fun-carting, which involves slower go-karts. The organiser's aim to educate the public about racing as a sport led the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) to lend its weight to the privately run events. Mr Fan Chian Jen, SSC's deputy director of motorsports and corporate development, said the events are in line with the Government's aim to make motorsport big here. RACING IN HEARTLANDS He said the K1 series, spearheaded by CS Racing and Singapore Motorsports Association, came about after they approached the People's Association with the idea of taking racing to the heartlands 'It's a very commendable effort, and K1 will be seen in history as the seed that grew into a motorsport industry in Singapore,' said Mr Fan, 33. 'This education is very important. If the public participates in the K1 Series, they will get a first hand experience of what karting is. And karting is the starting point of motorsport. 'We want kids to learn about motorsport, and see that it's a sport like any other sport.' So what's in store for Singapore racing enthusiasts in the near future, besides next year'sF1? A feasibility study done by several government agencies explored the potential and consulted foreign race series owners and track developers. It culminated in the decision to build the Changi race track. A tendering process for the track will be launched in May next year, and it is slated for completion in 2011. 'We want to introduce motorsports to the masses, and nurture young talents. We hope to have a Singaporean racer in the international races one day,' said MrFan. It took F1 to wake up an otherwise languishing local motorsport industry. 'There is a lot of interest in the Changi race track, because it will be a big one... there is so much enthusiasm that a track is being built in Tuas on private money. 'Now, the public can look forward to world-class racing events that will be hosted in Singapore. We have a geographical and branding advantage.' ACCESSIBLE TO MASSES So, how accessible will the Changi track be to the average enthusiast with his souped-up saloon? 'The project is driven by the SSC, and it is our priority to make motorsports affordable and accessible to the masses. That was the consideration when we decided to build the Changi track. But it is a private venture, and has to be commercially viable,' said Mr Fan. What about car racing on closed streets? After all, it is now going to be done for kart racing. 'There are pros and cons when it comes to a road race. It causes inconvenience to businesses and residences. There are risks because roads are not designed for racing and the curves are too sharp. There are a lot of safety issues,' he said. 'But we do see that a street race is a spectacular, exciting experience. If it happens in the city, like F1, the benefits the race brings need to be very big.'

A race to forget

4 Nov, it is the 2nd race that Tony and me are going to take part in.

but my race was in tatters before it begins.
since my birthday was on friday, some of my good frens decided that
i shld go drinking with them on saturday and watch the Big match
at Paulanuers. ended the session close to 1am.... slept at 2am... with
much alcohol in the system
good catch up session with frens, but i would think it'll be tough for
the race cos of the session. something gotto give, i guess

Sunday morning, i wanted to wake at 9am. but in the end, only woke
at 10.15am. have to make Tony wait for me for close to 30mins as
i'm driving him in... sign of trouble liao

reached the track close to 1.30pm, and boss told us that the race will
start in qualifying at 2pm. wat the!?!? cos, tony and i just had lunch
at Jusco before going to the track.

Qualifying.. managed to get about the same time. 1min7sec+ .
was 7 then fall back to 10th when there're a few late comers.
i was behind Kenneth.

Heat 1
Disaster struck during the warm up rolling lap! Kenneth was going
SO SO slowly that he is (thus we are) all half a lap from the leading
pack!
then we had to bunched up to do another lap. it was super slow for
all. and at the hairup.... my kart stalled. cannot start again!
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

luckily there's Heat 2 for me, but i will be starting from the tail end.
but no DNF for me yet

Heat 2.
Start Position 16!!! cool!!! most easy to park! hahahaha
2 rolling warm up laps. this time, everyone got it rite.
at the start of the race, i overtake 2 before turn 1.
somehow, after that i can do no more....
tony and kenneth were in front of me. within 7-8 karts, but try
as i might i just cannot move an inch nearer...
and i was sweating more so than the previous race.
my hands are more tired.... why???
oh.... Bier! the magic of bier and late nite at its best
anyway, i managed to finish the 15 laps
Tony, in his haste to overtake the little boy was taken out of the race
Leo had the same fate cos of the boy. Louis had his bumper Bump off
all because of the boy whose dad works somewhere high up in the
JW company.

next race, 2 Dec.
have to train for it. no more late nite drinking on 1 Dec.
prepare all item and equipment early.
aim:
qualify 1min 6 sec. the rest will follow from there, i hope.