So Much....

20 Sept

I had a great session yesterday in Plentong, and I learnt so much again!

To start the good day, it did not rain!

Then, we had about quite a few regular race participants there.
KP and I had arranged to come, same as Cydric.
Then James came, along with Ang and Gary.

Albert was there on his regular sessions, and met a new guy, Chang.
I did not took pic of the nice brand new CRG kart, but here is it anyway
from his FB page.
I had always love the CRG sticker kit! It is just way too cool.

Had managed to do 3 good sessions.
As usual the first one, I had always just treat it as a warm up.
Warm up for the kart, and for the body.

I will try to do only about 10 laps.
After which, normally, I do feel somewhat tired.

But I know that I will be in a better shape to drive longer and harder in
the next session. In terms of lap times, I usually do 0.3 to 0.5 faster.
Perhaps it's the kart, engine, tyres which all warmed up, or it could
be the body & mind that made the difference.
I will go for a combination of these factors.

Second session was where it got really interesting.

It's where KP and I race together.
Man, we will sort of going for it.
We even had a touch going round the Spoon section together!


At the first few laps, I was really catching up with him quick and overtook
him uphill going into the spoon section.
He was particularly slow on the exits. I guess this will be a classic e.g. of
"fast in, slow out"
Soon after I overcooked the corners after and was slow in the pits section,
which he caught up and took the lead again.

It was interesting after that, as I was in 2 minds sometimes to be honest.

As I was out of the exits a tad faster, I was always come up Right behind
him at the straights. So do I go for it then? If the move do not come out well,
it will be a huge shunt..! I thought about it again, and wanted to do so.
However, it was not worth the risk on a nice non-race sunday.

Instead I just piled up the pressure on, by sticking very close to him.

And in about 6-7 laps of doing so, he somewhat lost it... going into the
grass patch when checking where I was.
It was a hairy moments for me too, because I was afraid his kart might
veered out and collect me too.
Thankfully it didn't. I continued on, and drove a total of 16 laps before
I pitted.

It was hot... when I noticed the temperature climbed all the way to 70C.

The second session with a total of 15 laps, we went out again and I
promptly overtook him at the entry of the spoon so that I will have
more distance to build the lead if possible. It worked. After that I
managed to go easy on the tyres, and the lap times were fairly
constant at low of 46s.

When I drove for about 13 laps, I was checking how much fuel I had
and started to contemplate to pit..
Then James pull alongside me and overtook me at the spot I
overtook KP. I tried to follow him for the next bits, then I looked at
my fuel again and thought better of it.
James then started to pointed to his back, and I thought to myself
"Oppphs... is my suit not wore properly or something amiss at the
back of my kart?"
And so I pitted.... in fact there lies my best opportunity to learn
from the best!!! He was actually telling me to follow him so that I
could learn his line!! DARN... silly me!

Anyway, I still had good advice from him.
I need to look at my front setup as he could tell from my tyre wear
which suggest understeer.
Then I need to play with my jetting as I could be running a jet or
so too rich. When sorted, he reckoned it will be about 0.2-0.3 faster..!


This is fantastic !
Because no matter how hard or long I drive, without a optimal
setting I will not be getting the max out of the equipment.

Now, I just want to go back to the track and test the setting he
recommended!


Oh, for anyone interested in serious karting, please get a rib
protector! You do not want to be like Chang, who is hurting now
from his drive without it. I had been there before.. so take my
words for it. Get well, Chang and we will see you soon enough.

Likewise, for anyone who is really serious about karting, do get
into shape. KP who has not been karting for about 2 months, was
well and truly knackered.
He was, in fact, asking for neck brace before our final run.
It is this important to be fit in this sports....
Yes, this is a sports unless one choose to be in a fun kart.