Preparing
for Endurance Karting
Those
who aren’t familiar with endurance karting may giggle
just slightly when you tell them you’re training for
a kart race. Endurance karting not only can be grueling; it
can be hard on both your body and your kart if you’re
not properly trained for it.
Endurance
karting is the most intense form of go karting known in the
English-speaking world. It combines NASCAR Formula One style
racing with karting, and endurance kart races have been known
to be eight or more hours long for a single driver, or up
to even 24 hours for teams of drivers. Because of the wear
and tear on a kart in endurance karting, special provisions
must be made to ensure that your kart, and your body, lasts
the whole race.
Endurance
karts are maintained by a pit crew during every race. Just
like in any major car racing even, pit crews refuel and provide
any needed maintenance at strategic stops during the event,
and have to be available to deal with mechanical malfunctions
during the race. Kart teams are not only competing against
each other in endurance karting, but against the best posted
clocked times.
Many events
only give you a few minutes before each race to test out the
track. So it’s important to understand your track in
the first couple of laps of your practice run, and be able
shake down and warm up your kart in as little as 30 minutes.
Endurance training begins with the right equipment and the
proper gear. This includes the right tires, crash helmet,
chest protectors, driving gloves, seat inserts and race suits
to name only a few. Some competitions can rent this equipment
out to you, but there is nothing worse than finding out there
is only a small set of race gloves when you need a large set.
Proper
engine maintenance, including winterization of your kart,
is always a no-brainer, but making sure your kart meets inspection
and adheres to all race guidelines, including weight specifications,
before getting to the track is critical. Replace all valve
springs, push rods, or any other component that may be worn
out.
Find kart
clubs throughout the year that run endurance race tests. These
clubs should be familiar with endurance karting. Practice
as much as you can in preparation for endurance races, even
if you start out with only a two hour test.
Trust
your coach and know your kart. The key to endurance karting
is to work with a coach you trust, and one who will tell you
not only where your weaknesses are, but where your strengths
lie too. Endurance karting requires confidence and stamina,
and an encouraging coach will do you far more good than one
who makes you feel insecure. Knowing how your kart reacts
in even the most extreme situations can make a difference,
too.
Last and
certainly not least; make sure you are prepared by getting
plenty of sleep and exercise, and stay properly hydrated up
until the day of the race. Many endurance kart racers spend
lots of time running, weight training, or hiking to work up
lower body and leg strength, and this type of training will
certainly pay off.
Know your
limits. If your practice runs and test races have only been
for two hours, don’t try to enter a six hour race. Without
knowing how your kart will do or how much is too much for
your own body is an unwise thing to do. Pushing yourself or
your driver too far may take all the fun out of racing, and
can definitely cause some severe injury to you and damage
to your kart.
Racing
takes a lot out of you in way of hydration; and you don’t
want to end up dehydrated before the end of the race. Keep
the fluids to a minimum, however on the day of the race, as
you obviously don’t want to be making any other kind
of pit stop!
Being
prepared for an endurance kart race is the most important
thing you can do to ensure a successful finish. Taking care
of your body will help keep your mind focused and your reflexes
sharp. Everything else will have to rely upon your skill as
a driver.
