Tom's Race Log
Go Kart Racer Race (7/4/2008)
Independence Day Battle
Tom's Race Log
Go Kart Racer Race (7/4/2008)
Independence Day Battle
Features 
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Again, I'm out of practice. Three-and-a-half months since I've been on the Monza track. I got up to speed a bit quicker than last month's Yokohama practice. Still nearly a full second off my best time though. This race though I can blame nothing on the kart. It was perfect. The power was good. Steering and traction were perfect. The seat position and my distance to the pedals were both good. I was able to be much smoother in my braking. The qualifying session went well and I wound up nine-tenths of a second quicker than the second place qualifier. For some some reason however, they lined me up in second place for the start of the race. I could see my wife in the spectator area freaking out. I didn't say anything though. I figured it would be a good passing exercise. I knew I was faster, so I should be able to get by him. I waved to my wife and, as she told me afterwards, figured out what I was thinking. It took five laps but I did manage to pass him on the long straight. This, as I said in a previous report, should be impossible. Even if I'm faster than someone, the speed difference should come in the corners. The straightaway speeds should be the same at best, and with my excess weight I should be slower. However, I was wrong. I looked back at the Skip Barber race driving book and found something. It turns out that while our top speeds may have been equal, I came off the previous corner so much better that I reached that top speed much quicker than the other kart. So it isn't as impossible as I thought. So I passed the guy and I was in the lead. A few corners later I came up on a slow kart who got the blue flag and pulled right in front of me and hit his brakes. The second place guy got by me again. I was able to keep on his tail for a couple laps, then I'd get hung up by a lapper. This happened several times till on lap 19 a lapper pulled in front of him right after the big hairpin and I got the lead for good. Yes, it was the same guy who'd cut me off. After that I was able to pull out about a second a lap. I love winning, but I especially love winning a tough race.
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