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Have you ever driven a vehicle that accelerates so hard, you think you will lose your grip on the wheel? Or so hard your eyeballs roll back in your head? And when you get to the end of the straight will turn the corner, at 3+ G?
No, probably not, but you can.
Last week a friend (owns a'95 E36 M3)and I did an all day karting course in Ocala, FL (about a hour north of Orlando).
Since both of us have a background in performance car driving (several various driver's school between us) we were able to set up a day that started in the school karts and ended in a 125cc Shifter Kart. For those without several driver's schools, this package might not work, being too much too fast.
We started the day in the school karts. These are 9 HP Honda powered karts with a top speed of over 50 MPH. They have fairly hard tires so tend to slide a good bit. The also understeer a lot. But for learning, they are great. Our instructor had a different style. He lead us around a couple of laps to see the track then let us run. He would stop each person as he saw things that needed to be corrected. This worked very well.
After a while as we got things going fairly well he came out on the track with us. We worked on racing skills like not being effested by the other drivers. How to pass, and be passed. He would even come up from behind and give you a little tap .
After several sesions of the school karts we moved to the Rotax powered kart. This uses a 125 cc watercooled Rotax engine with a centrifugal clutch, so no shifting, like the school karts. OH MAN what a ride. This thing goes like stink. It will top 80 MPH on the straight at the track and even with a somewhat tired engine was impressive. We thought this was the Ultimate Ride, but we were wrong.
The 125 cc shifter kart has an engine special built for karts, but based on a 125cc motorcross motorcycle engine. They put out about 41 HP, and this in a 250 pound kart. It includes a 6 speed sequential gearbox with the shifter right next to the wheel. There is a hand clutch that is only used for stopping, you power shift during driving. To start it you get a push in neutral, pop it into first and HOLD ON. This kart is capable of speeds around 135 MPH and will hit over 100 at their track. It corners so well, you will probably never find the limit. The power is so high you can steer the rear with the throttle in ANY turn. As I said at the top, the acceleration is so hard, I felt that my arms might be pulled from the wheel. This thing is a ride.
So you want to do this. Contact Wade at Ocala Grnad Prix (www.ocalagrandprix.com) tell him I (Terry Carraway)sent you. Before he will set up this package he will want to know you driving background and schools. If you have less experience he can set you up with other packages to learn. And the skills will transfer to cars. The price for this day was $450 and included everything. They supply all safety gear, or you can use your own. Lunch is provided, along with cold drinks all day long. And a LOT of seat time. You will spend more time on the track in this day than any other driving experience. And the only real limit is you. By the end of the day, we were limiting our sessions, not the instructor.
Now you can take the family on that Orlando theme park vacation they have always wanted, and take one day for yourself.
I will tell you to expect to be sore the next day. Your arms and upper body get a serious workout.
And if you decide you want your own, OGP sells karts. A Rotax kart ready to race is about $5000. A 125 cc shifter will run about $7000 ready to race. And a set of new race tires is about $200, for the SET, not each.:thumb:
No, probably not, but you can.
Last week a friend (owns a'95 E36 M3)and I did an all day karting course in Ocala, FL (about a hour north of Orlando).
Since both of us have a background in performance car driving (several various driver's school between us) we were able to set up a day that started in the school karts and ended in a 125cc Shifter Kart. For those without several driver's schools, this package might not work, being too much too fast.
We started the day in the school karts. These are 9 HP Honda powered karts with a top speed of over 50 MPH. They have fairly hard tires so tend to slide a good bit. The also understeer a lot. But for learning, they are great. Our instructor had a different style. He lead us around a couple of laps to see the track then let us run. He would stop each person as he saw things that needed to be corrected. This worked very well.
After a while as we got things going fairly well he came out on the track with us. We worked on racing skills like not being effested by the other drivers. How to pass, and be passed. He would even come up from behind and give you a little tap .
After several sesions of the school karts we moved to the Rotax powered kart. This uses a 125 cc watercooled Rotax engine with a centrifugal clutch, so no shifting, like the school karts. OH MAN what a ride. This thing goes like stink. It will top 80 MPH on the straight at the track and even with a somewhat tired engine was impressive. We thought this was the Ultimate Ride, but we were wrong.
The 125 cc shifter kart has an engine special built for karts, but based on a 125cc motorcross motorcycle engine. They put out about 41 HP, and this in a 250 pound kart. It includes a 6 speed sequential gearbox with the shifter right next to the wheel. There is a hand clutch that is only used for stopping, you power shift during driving. To start it you get a push in neutral, pop it into first and HOLD ON. This kart is capable of speeds around 135 MPH and will hit over 100 at their track. It corners so well, you will probably never find the limit. The power is so high you can steer the rear with the throttle in ANY turn. As I said at the top, the acceleration is so hard, I felt that my arms might be pulled from the wheel. This thing is a ride.
So you want to do this. Contact Wade at Ocala Grnad Prix (www.ocalagrandprix.com) tell him I (Terry Carraway)sent you. Before he will set up this package he will want to know you driving background and schools. If you have less experience he can set you up with other packages to learn. And the skills will transfer to cars. The price for this day was $450 and included everything. They supply all safety gear, or you can use your own. Lunch is provided, along with cold drinks all day long. And a LOT of seat time. You will spend more time on the track in this day than any other driving experience. And the only real limit is you. By the end of the day, we were limiting our sessions, not the instructor.
Now you can take the family on that Orlando theme park vacation they have always wanted, and take one day for yourself.
I will tell you to expect to be sore the next day. Your arms and upper body get a serious workout.
And if you decide you want your own, OGP sells karts. A Rotax kart ready to race is about $5000. A 125 cc shifter will run about $7000 ready to race. And a set of new race tires is about $200, for the SET, not each.:thumb:
