Awards Dinner

The club gathered this afternoon at an area party center.  Nearly every family was able to attend this event and it was enjoyable seeing everyone again.  The evening started with good food and an opportunity to participate in a "Chinese Auction" for donated items.

Funny anecdotes and situations were relived and trophies passed out for the racers.  Lian connected with her buddies and we sat with two other racing families at our table as well that were good company.  I bought a bunch of auction tickets and Lian helped choose what we bid for.

Lian was presented a fifth-place trophy for the 4-cycle Restricted Junior class.  Here is the group that made the banquet:

Fifth, Second, First and Third place

She was also named the Most Improved racer in her class this season.  Here she is with her awards:

Note the picture on the plaque is actually Lian in her kart.

The auction results were highly anticipated as there were some small items like boxes of home made candy and bigger items like a high tech kitchen faucet.  Everyone agreed that the most valuable was a full set of Hoosier racing tires.   Lots of tickets were dropped in to bid on that one.

Lucky us, we won it!  Now Dad gets the first set of tires free this next season!  That more than paid for the evening.  Thanks Doug Marsh for donating that prize item!

The track expansion has been interrupted by above average rain and a poor drainage situation causing ponding right where the new pavement was to go in.  Several members of the club have invested much personal time in trying to manage the water so the pavement could go down but it just was not going to happen without improved drainage management and time for the soil to firm-up.  The asphalt plant is shutting down for the season so we will have to wait until around June (after the drainage situation is fixed and the soil dries-up) to lay down the new pavement.  We will plan to run most of the season next year on the old track and maybe run a race or two at the very end of the season on the new track.  Oh well.

I have not yet begun making any preparations for next season.  As I make progress toward the start, I'll try to also post here so you can follow along.  Thanks for staying with us!

Race 15 - Rainout

Last race of the season.  Paving is scheduled to start this week on the track expansion.  The earthmoving and tire barrier dislocation will preclude any further racing without a significant work party effort.  Only one more points race was planned anyway.

Weather was wet the night before but looked like we might be able to get the races in before showers moved in.  In the months of July and August, rain does not stop the racing but any other time the club will postpone or cancel races for rain.  The track was still damp before practice started and the older kids and adults were asked to run some laps to help get it safe for the Kid Kart drivers to begin their practice.  Lian enjoyed the challenge of driving in the slick conditions and did better than most keeping it on the pavement.

Practice times reflected that conditions were not ideal and were about a half second slower than ideal but she told me the kart was balanced and she didn't want any changes for the heats.  She and her friend agreed to perform the National Anthem after the drivers meeting so they set up Lian's drums, her friend's flute and a microphone in the control tower (out of view of the crowd so her friend would not be so nervous).  Well, it was not the worst rendition but it definitely revealed the lack of practice her friend had.  The crowed eventually began singing it to help her along and we got through it.  Lian did fine with her drums and cymbals but was frustrated by how it went.  She was ready to put that performance behind her and race.

She lined up in second place for the start of Heat 1 and I felt a few stray raindrops.  For the second week in a row we had only the four toughest competitors in the class present.  These were the points leaders and the final season results were in play with the race results.  I warned Lian that conditions may worsen during the race and to be ready to adjust to the area outside the racing groove to find bite.

Lian had a pretty good start and held second place through the first turn.  The number 25 made a few runs at her but never really had a shot until the second-to-last lap.  Check out this attempted pass during Heat 1.  When she came off the track, she was very pleased with herself and optimistic it was going to be a good day.

We lined up for Heat 2 in the third position and waited for the previous class to clear the track.  Before we started engines, a light drizzle began.  The officials took about a minute to consider options while the intensity of the rain increased.  They decided to have us cover our karts while they waited a short time to watch what the weather was going to do.  Eventually, they declared a rain-out and we started to pack up for the last time this season.

My friend from work - Myron and his wife and son were in the area visiting family.  I was hoping that they could see some great racing action.  Unfortunately, they arrived just as we moved off the starting grid for the rain and they never saw any racing.  They did ask some questions about the club and the karts and promised to visit again sometime next season.

Thanks for following us so far.  That puts a wrap on the racing action for this year.  We plan to attend the Awards Banquet next month so I'll update this blog after that.

Race 14 - A Tribute

On the night before we were to race,  the father of one of Lian's good friends passed away.  Patrick Clancy was 51 and was suffering from complications following surgery.  If curious, you can see his obituary here.

Lian wanted to dedicate this race to his family.  Having gotten to know the them over the years, we all shared the pain of his loss.  I was proud that Lian not only came up with the idea but made a sign to attach to her kart for the race.

We unloaded in blustery but warm conditions.  Significant rain had fallen the day before so the track had no rubber in it and was slightly damp.  Practice was a little slippery and her times were down about 6 to 8 tenths but she only complained it was slightly loose.  I made a track width adjustment and put her race tires on for the first heat.  The Heats and the Feature were very fast, Lian set her personal best!

Lian was starting second in Heat 1 and third in Heat 2.  There were only 4 racing this week but they were the toughest of the class.  In the first heat, the third place kart got into the back of the first place kart and got him loose.  This gave Lian a chance to take the lead - which she did.  She held off the second place driver for her first Heat win ever.  We were very excited!  I'm just a little bummed I didn't get it on video.

In Heat 2, Lian fell back at the start a little and ended up fourth.  As you can see in this video, the second lap had a gift for her in the form of a spun-out kart.  This allowed her to move to third and that is where she finished.

With a first and a 3rd place finish, she tied for the best average with one other driver.  Fortunately, she picked a very low pill at registration's random draw and ended up starting on the pole.  She didn't want to mess up this opportunity and she felt strongly that the helmet camera would slow her down so I filmed from trackside.  She lost the lead to the second place starter in the first turn.  The video footage is not as good but you can see her getting passed for second.  See what you think of this.  She was particularly angry about this as she bounced out of her seat and the seat edge hit her below the rib protector.



When she calmed, we told her how proud we were for fighting hard out there and being so thoughtful of her friend.  Third place is still respectable with this competitive group.

Track expansion plans for the club have been set.  We will have one more regular points race which will also be our halloween trick-or-treat at the trailers.  The following day, the paving company will begin and a whole new track will emerge for next season.  Lian has said that she is planning to run again next year so, I guess you will be reading this blog for a while...

Race #13

Lian leads off the second heat.

This week there were five present in Lian's class.  All but one were looking to improve their points situation in these last few races so intensity was high.  The weather also was a challenge in that it was cooler and slightly damp.  Watch the two lead cars carefully during the  warm up laps for Heat 1.

Lian started in fifth for the first heat and passed one driver who had a problem.  She started in the front of the second heat.  Second place got ahead of her in the first turn but she was able to hold on to second to the finish.  These results gave her a third place start for the Feature.

More interesting incidents occurred on the first lap of the Feature.  The leader had a spindle (front axle) shear just before the hairpin and caused a backup in the turn.  If you watch closely, there is moisture on the lens in this video.

The number 25 got straight and caught up with Lian.  After some increasingly rough bumping, Lian got passed for third.  This frustrated her because she has received warnings from the volunteer flagman for less-rough driving than she experienced.

Lian finished 4th in the end and joined with another 4th place finisher that she befriended from the Senior Animal class for this picture.

I was proud of her performance overall in that she didn't ever spin-out and yet drove hard.  Even with the weather, this group was only a few ticks off of their best times in this class so they are a talented group.  To gain on any of them is impressive.

The club has nearly enough money to contract for the proposed track expansion which will add two large turn loops to the existing course.  That means two things, we may shorten the season by a race or two and we may have a really neat season next year with numerous configuration options for our racing.  I'll keep you posted.

Race #12 Getting up front

Not much work needed on the kart leading up to this race.  Just had to get a friend to trade with me so I could go.  Lian has been getting busy with marching band and picked up a little bit of a cold before this race so we tried to keep her rested between sessions on the track.

Before I describe the action, I wanted to share this trophy picture from the night race two weeks before.  Things finished so late that they postponed the awards until this race day.
 

Night race awardees.  Ladies placed one-two!

Practice went smoothly and we made a small adjustment to the rear track to help a push condition.  She seemed comfortable with the kart and the speed was good so I was optimistic we would have a good day.  Lian's starting positions were to be 4th and 3rd in Heat 1and 2 respectively in a field of six racers.  

Starting outside on the second row, Lian had a strategy to improve her position right at the start of the first heat.  She knew that the second place driver started very fast and she hoped to stay on his bumper and gain on the third place kart through the sweeper.  This strategy actually put her slightly ahead of the pole sitter!  Unfortunately, she pinched low and tangled with the number one starter costing them both several positions.  Here is the video from the GoPro and the sidelines.

Lian went on to finish 4th in that heat.  Heat 2 went uneventfully and she finished where she started in 3rd.  This placed her 4th for the Feature start.  She was going to have to run hard to finish on the podium.

She wanted to try the strategy again that almost worked for her the first heat.  Attached is another video of an exciting start.  Notice the right hand of the leader.  He thinks that the start is going to be waved-off (the flagman had waved of several already).  He started slowly and this helped her strategy.  She was able to get ahead of third-place and hold that position to the finish!

I'm very proud that she backed-up her second place with a third place.  She is definitely a force to be reckoned with out there!  We didn't get a podium picture because it was again very late when we finished all the races but here is our driver at home with her prize.

Maybe that flame hair does make a difference!

Race #11 - Bring on the night

For the last NIGHT race of the season, we had a few weeks to prepare.  We took advantage by taking the kart back to Prime Time Racing and had Gary check the front end and other stuff.  In the period between our visits, I managed to get the toe setting off so he was good enough to correct that for us.  We also discussed the apparent high clutch engagement speed.  After reviewing the gauge data and even testing the clutch stall speed on the stand, he agreed that we had a problem.  He offered several corrections we could try but most involved new parts.  This led to another on-line order for new stuff.

When the parts arrived, I rebuilt the clutch and with the adjustment to the rear axle we were optimistic we would see some improvements on the track.  By the way, the old clutch was showing signs of overheating with the "rainbow" coloring on the shoe weight and the drum and the drum slightly belled out at the opening.

Heat damaged clutch parts

The heat races were to start in the late afternoon and then the feature races were scheduled to run after sunset, around 8:30 or so.  Well, the club had a few delays, then we had a red flag during a Junior Sportsman heat that stopped everything for over 30 minutes.  Needless to say, things ran very late.

There were only four competitors in the Restricted Junior class this race.  Lian started second and third in the respective heat races.  Lian was very happy to place where she started in each of the heats, especially when she finished ahead of a certain driver.

The club was pushing to get everyone to get their video cameras out and get a boatload of footage for a new promotional video.  For the first heat, Lian had the GoPro on her helmet - looking backwards!  Here she is leading the third place driver who carried two cameras.

Long shadows during Heat 1 leading up to the night Feature

Curious what the backward cam gave us?  Click here and let me know what you think!

She started the Feature race in second place under the lights.  After nightfall, the dew began to fall and everything was getting damp.  This included the track surface, much to the surprise of many competitors.  Numerous spin outs occurred in all the races.  The club warned all the racers about the track conditions.

The start was interesting for Lian, the first and third place starters got a bit of a run on her and  exited the sweeper ahead of her.  What happened next was a product of a little bit of zealous driving and the moisture on the track.  Here is another great GoPro moment.

Lian went on to finish second!  This was her best finish in a feature race.  We couldn't get her trophy because the last race ended near midnight and everyone was rushing to pack and leave.  We should have an nice trophy shot for the next posting in a few weeks.  Come back and see it!

Race #10

I made a few changes to the kart before this race.  We made a few practice runs at Fremont and noticed that the exhaust pipe seemed to closer to the rear sprocket afterwards.  When I investigated, I discovered a crack in the pipe.  Who knew that problem was underneath the fiberglass insulating wrap?

Not where the exhaust is supposed to come out!

I also was frustrated that adjusting the idle mixture on the carburetor did not have any effect on the idle quality.  Because the idle mixture affects the low and midrange throttle response, I wanted to make sure it was right.  Fearing the incorrect idle jet was installed (I had heard that others had this issue with used carbs) I purchased another one.  Turns out that the jet was plugged and I couldn't clear it so I just replaced it.  Now the idle mix works!

Do flame tips give you a speed advantage?

Finally, I wanted Lian's clutch to engage earlier and with more force so I changed the shoe position on the hub which determines this behavior.  I was hoping to get her better starts.

Lian made her own changes and decided to Flame her hair.  What do you think?

In practice on race day, Lian complained that the kart was really loose.  I adjusted the chassis to improve this but she still felt it was loose.  I told her that the only other change I made was to the clutch and began to think that by engaging harder, she might be getting loose on the throttle application.  I switched her clutch back to the way I had it before.  In Heat 1 she reported that she liked it better.

Lian drew a high number so she started 5th out of five in Heat 1 and started on the pole for Heat 2.  I still didn't think the clutch was right because it appeared to be slipping too much.  You can see it most in this video of the start of the second heat where the second place kart gets ahead right after the flag.  Lian finished 4th and 2nd in the respective heats.  You would expect her to start 3rd in the Feature but she actually tied for third with two other drivers and with the high number she drew, she wound-up starting in the back.

Holding off third place during Heat 2

The feature didn't bring any change to the running order (although she had a shot at passing the 4th place driver).  We have more changes planned for next race.  The practice tires are done, especially the right front.  I knew we would probably need another set before season's end so I just bought and mounted what will be our new "race set" of tires, re-marking the old race set as our "practice set."

We resolved to get the kart over to our consultant, Gary at Prime Time Racing, for a re-check of the front end settings and corner weights.  I suspect we will find some more speed in this thing yet.  Thanks for reading!

Race #9 - Summer Shootout

This race was in low to mid 80s and very light wind.  It made this crew chief pretty hot!  Lian is sporting some lighter weight pants that have removable legs so she can cool off between sessions on the track.  She also was sporting her brand new chrome lens on her helmet.  Very cool look, don't you think?

If you look closely at her right rear tire, you can see the sidewall flex these racing tires endure on the track.  No wonder they get so hot!

Lian drew a very low number at registration so she started on the pole of the first heat.  Between the GoPro on her helmet and some video I shot trackside, I was able to put together a decent record of her first lap, while she held off a very quick number 25 kart.  Again, Lian picked the music for this video.

Unfortunately, the second place kart did eventually get past her and while she was off the ideal line, the third and fourth place kart got around her too.  She was passed by the last place kart later but got that position back right away and held on to finish fourth.  By the way, she recorded her fastest lap ever at 21.31 sec.  That is over a tenth quicker than her previous best!

In Heat 2, she started in the back (fifth) and finished there.  Afterwards she complained to me that the kart was too tight in the hairpin and asked me to adjust it to help the kart rotate there.  I think it was the first time she asked for a specific adjustment.  I moved the rear hubs out 0.25" each to loosen the kart a little.

In the Feature, Lian started in the back and got a great start.  She got the inside line on fourth and was able to make the pass coming out of the sweeper as you can see here.  Unfortunately, the change I made went too far and made the kart too loose.  The yellow number 12 kart passed her again and we had another frustrating finish.

Still enjoying the family time at the track.  A bad day racing is better than a good day at work!

Race #8 - Saturday Night!

This was the first race of the season run on Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon.  These races start the heats in the early evening and the features start around sunset, under the lights.  It was also the first  race that I couldn't attend because of work.  I was scheduled for night shift so I was able to get the trailer to the track and help for a few practices before I headed to work and left the racing to Lian and her Mom.  Fortunately, there were plenty of helpful parents there aware of our situation and gave Mom help when she needed it.

Lian was ready to step-up and contribute more to the work in the pits.  So after I made a toe adjustment, she re-installed the wheels and tightened the lugs.  An important thing about the wheels, they can sometimes get a little crooked on the hubs and it may seem like they lug nuts are tight but when the wheel settles onto the hub properly, the lugs become loose.  I believe that is what happened in the second practice because she kicked the left rear wheel off and it bounced about 20 feet in the air before landing in the infield.

Dad loaded the kart and recovered the wheel from the EMS worker nearby.  Walking back to the pits with a sheepish young driver who remembered Dad asking "are you sure you got the lugs tight?"  Aside from her pride, the only damage was to the studs and the wheel.  They were junk.  Fortunately, I was able to get the damaged studs out of the hub without too much problem.  The wheel was a complete mess as you can see by the elongated holes:

After Dad was out of the picture, Lian finished 3rd and 4th in the heats.  This put her in 4th for the Feature race and she was excited to show off her lights.  In addition to some of the blue LEDs we had last year, I installed some green LED strips under the clear plastic sticker protectors on the sides and they really get your attention.  Here is a picture her Mom took on the starting grid:

Mom got the GoPro going for the Feature and so you get to watch what happened to her at the drop of the green flag here at this youtube link.  Lian chose the music to go with and wanted it loud to drown out her exclamations.  She needs to anticipate starts better but Dad is also looking at throttle response.  It was another frustrating feature for her but overall, she enjoyed the day and really appreciated the temperature drop after sundown.

Race #7

Mixed weather at the track this time.  We saw a shower blow-in just before the first heat and got the race director to panic and stop Lian's class from taking the track.  The club officers made it clear that with this club, rain does not stop the racing during the months of June, July and August.  By the time the corner workers made their way back out to their positions, the rain had stopped and the wind had the track mostly dry.  I think she was more concerned with the dampness in her pants after sitting in her seat.  Here she is after climbing in:

"I just sat in a puddle!"

We started looking over the kart to make sure we were ready to go and discovered a broken seat mount!  This was a real surprise.  When did it happen?  Who knows.  Presumably late in the feature last week because I would hope Lian would have noticed something amiss.  Anyway,  I quickly started to dismantle and remove it.  As soon as I had the long arm removed, I handed it to Lian and told her to run to the Rocketech Motorsports trailer and see if they had a replacement.

Fortunately, they had another in stock and after setting the proper length, we were back in business before the first practice.

The practices went fairly well with a best of 21:82 sec and a small air pressure adjustment promising even better traction in the Heats and Feature.  When the rains came, advice was flying around the pits on how to manage the limited traction situation.  We listened intently as we did not have the option of putting rain tires on (haven't invested in those... yet).  I was relieved when Lian didn't have to use any of that advice.

In Heat 1, Lian started 6th out of 6 and was very frustrated that she couldn't make any passes because of how the 5th place driver kept closing the door on her.  I calmed her reminding her that she would be starting from the pole position in Heat 2 so it would be her turn to hold back others.

Heat 2 was her start to control but she started slow and the outside row started hard.  Entering the first turn, she was side-by-side with the kart that started 4th.  The driver that started behind her was very aggressive and bumped her in most of the turns in the first lap.  Lian was so angry, she turned her fastest lap ever at 21:55 sec.!  She got out a 5th place finish from that and she came off the track very upset that the roughness she experienced didn't bring even a warning from the officials.

Because she drew such a high number at registration, she started in the back of the Feature.  I told her that she can't wait for the blue flag to be displayed for her.  Her blue flag is her front bumper.  Becoming more aggressive will be an adjustment for her but I think that at some point her frustration will be too much for her to hold back.

Lian sporting the GoPro camera during the Feature race.

The start proved interesting.  Lian actually moved up to 5th very quickly when one unfortunate racer had a flat from a leaky valve stem. Before the field spread too much, she closed in on the 4th place kart but then he surprised her and caused her to move off the edge of the track - spinning in the grass.  With a quick boost by a corner worker back on the track, she didn't get passed.  Try this link to see Lian's First lap from Race #7 on 6-30-13

The rest of the race was a downer for her, getting lapped by the leaders while her tires dried, then passing her friend for 4th place when her friend lost a neck brace on the track.  Here she is with the rest of the leaders.

I've got a few small things I'd like to do to Lian's ride before next race.  It will be a night race on the 13th so lights are on the list too.  Until next time...

Race #6

Good day racing!

We had a clear sunny day to race although it was a little hot and sticky (low to mid 90's with humidity in the upper 60% range).  Unfortunately, several of the regulars were at a bigger race (WKA event I think) and were not present.  Only four raced in Lian's class but they were very evenly matched so there was good action on the track.

We started the first practice and I anxiously awaited Lian's report on the engine.  It was disappointing.  She seemed to feel like it was down on power slightly overall (low rpm to high).  I could not imagine what was wrong - I felt like I was very thorough in the work I did.  The second practice, the engine would not even start.  I quickly had the assistance of other families surround me as I pulled repeatedly on the starter. Kill switch, choke, fuel flow, etc. were all explored.  We had to give up on getting her on the track and retreat to the "garage" for a more thorough check.  One of the more experienced dads pulled the "kill" wire off the ignition and we got a spark.  This told us, there was a short somewhere in that wire.

With a quick teardown of the engine covers, we were able to isolate a spot where the wire had melted against the cooling fins and grounded on the engine.  There was no way that was going to start like that!  Another dad quickly produced some electrical tape and soon we were repaired and re-assembled. Sorry this photo is poor but here is what we found - it does not take much!

That bright spot on the wire is the conductor inside that was touching the engine.

Hoping that was also what effected her performance in the first practice, we kept our fingers crossed and sent her into Heat 1.  She started in 4th and finished 3rd but had some great lap times.  Even better, she said that she felt like she had every bit as much engine power as the rest on the track.

In Heat 2, she started on the pole.  It was great seeing her lead the group to the start.

Lian was able start clean and get ahead of the #25 in the first turn for the ideal line.  This gave her a nice advantage and potential for winning this heat.  The fastest driver - #12 in the yellow kart - was closing in on her as the laps wound down.

On lap 10 of 12, Lian leaned a little too hard on the throttle exiting a turn and slipped wide.  This gave both the second and third place drivers an opening to pass.  This was a bitter lesson for her but one she accepts responsibility for.  Up until that point, the #12 was not able to pass her so I was proud of her for that driving.

The feature was a little anti-climactic in that everyone finished where they started.  For Lian that was 3rd place.  She did wear the GoPro for the feature and got some video of the race.  Here she is leaning hard on the right rear tire during the feature.

I have replaced the irksome wire in the engine and we are ready for next week!  Meanwhile, I'll try to figure a way for a rookie blogger to get video to you...

Practice session - new track

We decided a little change of scenery might be a good thing for all of us.  Some fellow club members had visited the racetrack in Fremont, OH and had good things to say about it.  We were unable to confirm that the track would be open for practice when we planned to go but decided to take a chance.

We found the track okay with the help of our GPS but it was vacant except for a large SUV and very large trailer parked nearby.  Spotting a fellow on a tractor in the back of the property, I decided to walk that direction.  He spotted me and introduced himself as Kit Henry who leases the property and runs the track operation.  He didn't think anyone would be out to run that day so was trying to get some work done on the property.  He gladly opened the road course up for Lian.

The course is similar but different.  Many of the same curves were there but in a different order.  Kip commented that the key to speed on the course was the sharp, right-hander (similar to our club course). He observed that she had a good line through it and most of the other turns.  Soon, she was putting up some impressive lap times.

It was a hot, humid day and Lian didn't get a break from the track much because she had it all to herself.  For her last run, I mounted our new GoPro video camera on Lian's helmet.  Once again, I'm having trouble getting video on the blog but I'm working on it.

Meanwhile, I decided that even a slight leak in the engine exhaust valve was more than ideal and probably will not get better with time.  Rather than trying to "lap" the valve to re-seal it, or sending it out for complete re-build, I elected to just purchase the component I was concerned with: the engine head.

Baker Racing "stock" head with matched valves and seats.

I contacted a engine builder that does only kart engines.  In the conversation, he identified our engine as one of the older versions of the Animal with an older head that probably does not flow as well as the current version.  I bought a new head, machined by him to - but not beyond - the WKA limits for a "stock" engine.  Here it is:

Lightly machined surface that mates with engine block.

 Installing this was more than unbolt and bolt-on.  Turns out the previous owner of the old engine changed some of the fasteners over to "standard" verses the original metric so I had to locate several metric fasteners to replace.  Additionally, the exhaust pipe braces mount to unused bosses on the head that had to be drilled and tapped.  I didn't realize this until I had the head on the engine so I had to tap these while installed.  Fortunately, there was enough room to maneuver the tools.

Looking forward to seeing if there is any performance improvement on the track.  I'll let you know right here...

Race #5

This race was held in great weather and the turnout was better than I've seen before.  The senior 4-stroke class was split in two groups.  There were seven that showed-up in Lian's class so the action was going to be good.

Lian ran some practices and although not as fast some of the quickest in the group, she was nearly as fast as her best times.  Here are her fastest three laps in practice.

She started third and fifth in the two heat races.  She finished fourth and fifth respectively.  Her best times were in the second heat as indicated by the Mychron:

Her starting position in the Feature was fifth and that is where she finished.  That oversimplifies the action that took place on the track.  She was passed and she passed some competitors that had misfortune.  Most of the action was clean but there were some situations where a pointed black flag would have been appropriate.

Here is a look at Lian doing what she does.

We are planning to get a little practice time while I'm still off work.  Hopefully, we can find another tenth or two for future races.  I'm still thinking about that leaky exhaust valve.  These things don't tend to improve with time so I'll have to fix it eventually.  That will probably be my focus.

Thanks for reading.

Tuning on the off-week

Suspicious of missing out on some straightaway speed, I sought the advice of one of the experienced club members.  We discussed several ideas to explore but settled on doing a leakdown check on the engine.

The process is pretty simple.  You take the cam out of the operation by removing the rocker arms.  This ensures that the valves stay seated (closed) during the test.  Compressed air is introduced through the spark plug hole and we check to see where it tries to get out.

It is normal for the rings on the piston to leak some as they do not form an airtight seal but you should not hear air coming out of the exhaust pipe or the carburetor throat.  During the test on our engine, we could hear a small amount of leakage through the exhaust.  Although it is was detectable, my friend assured me that it was insignificant on the track.  What else could I try?

Spark plugs? I have been running a conventional plug like the one pictured here.

This has the standard ground and I was diligently keeping the gap set properly.  No surprises here.  What about this stuff I read in the forums about a great racing plug for the Animal?  I decided to give it a try.  It has a cut back ground to increase the exposure to the spark.  This is the plug I had in when I visited my friend for the leakdown test.

My friend pulled out yet another upgrade to the plug.  It is radically different and offers even more exposure.  This is similar to what is used in some aircraft engines.  Apparently, it is legal to run so, we will give it a try.

Another upgrade he recommended was a larger air cleaner assembly.  This picture is a side-by-side of the new verses the old.  Obviously, the new has more surface area and will have less restriction.  With the larger restrictor plate, he claimed that this could make a difference for us.  The elongated base also acts as a semi-velocity stack to leverage the inertia if the intake air to "pack" molecules in the engine.

Finally I replaced the drive chain as I understand an old chain can increase drag.  With the stretch between rollers, the rollers don't fit nicely between the teeth and take slightly more power to engage.

With the new air cleaner installed I found it interferes with the right rear tire.  I may have to get creative but for now, I'll have to run the old air cleaner.

I'm again on-shift for the next race but may still be able to get a friend to swap.  I'm looking forward to see if any of this makes a difference.

Race #3

I got a break and found a co-worker willing to trade shifts with me so we could go racing.  I was interested to see if any of my fine-tuning would pay dividends on-track.

The weather was beautiful - sunny, mid-seventies and a light breeze.  It couldn't have been more pleasant unless you could magically make the pollen go away.  There were a total of six in Lian's class ready to race so we had some good competition on the track.

The practice sessions went pretty well and Lian was keeping pace with the rest but it was hard to tell who was fast and who was just riding along.  Lian admitted that she wasn't going hard on the first session and her best time was 22.20 seconds.  She backed that up with a better effort during the second session with a 21.76 second lap.  She complained that even driving hard didn't get her as quick as some of the faster kids on the long straight.

For the heat races, Lian started 4th and 3rd.  In the first heat, Lian was passed at the start by the 5th place racer but held onto 5th and put up some good lap times.  Her best three are below.

I should note here that one of the competitors was a relative rookie and was not moving fast.  He started behind Lian in the first heat but he started on the pole in the Heat 2 - directly in front of her.  When the green flag waved, the outside line went and the 5th place starter followed.  Lian had to wait for them to clear before she could attempt a pass.  She was less aggressive than the other racers and was not confident that she could make a clean pass although she knew she was faster. She was hoping for a blue flag to wave but it never came and Lian finished in the back.

Here she is on the starting grid sporting her new drivers jacket and helmet.  We ordered a dark visor because there are many sunny days ahead...

Starting in the back of the feature, Lian managed to get past that slower driver at the start.  Later that first lap, the 3rd and 4th place drivers bumped causing one to slide wide in a turn and stop.  Lian slipped past cleanly and held on for a 4th place finish.

Despite my efforts, Lian still feels that she is down on power at the end of the straight.  I've discussed this with a few other crew chiefs and I'm hearing mixed signals.  Some don't see that there is a difference on the track, others suggest leakdown testing on the engine to see if a valve is leaking.  I'm even considering a new engine to take any doubt out of the issue.  I'll let you know what I decide in my next post.

Race #2 - washout

Not much to write here beyond the title.  We never even went out on the track for morning practice.  We hoped to at least get the heat races in before the rain started but it arrived earlier than forecast and dampened the track before registration opened.

We made a few changes after last race.  I tightened the valve lash on both the intake and exhaust valves (set at a "tight" 0.002" gap). Installed a cutback racing spark plug and adjusted the carb to a little slower idle but set the mixture so it is a little more responsive.

I will have to let you know how these changes work out next time we make it to the track.  I have to work next race (May 5) and because we are short-handed, I can't get anyone to swap with me.  It's going to be a while before we get to the track.

Points Race #1 of 2013

Back to racing!

We were able to practice the day before.  This gave Lian a chance to get used to the new set-up an brake-in the new tires.  We bought new wheels and tires all round to better operate with the increased weight and power.  Fast laps in this class are around 21.15 to 21.30 and Lian ran as fast as 22.30 so we knew we needed to get quicker but it was not a bad place to start.

We got to the track on Sunday and unloaded under cool, breezy conditions.  The sun kept things comfortable but the wind picked-up as the day wore-on.  We all eventually got cold but got some good track time.

Race day we got Lian out on the track for both practices to get some all important laps in before her first race.  Here she is waiting her turn before the second practice.

Practice went well but we were disappointed that only two other racers in her class showed-up to run the race so we were not able to compare Lian's times with many others.  Lian got plenty of complements on the new look of her kart.  The club photographer got several pictures.  He and I agreed that that was the day to get them because the graphics and body will never look this good again after the first competitive race!

The heats went well.  Lian started second of three in both and finished second and third in each.  We noted that she was turning rpm at 6709 on her quickest lap 22.98 seconds.  That was too high.  The target for this restrictor plate is 6500 to 6600.  If Lian gets any more speed (which I'm sure she will), we'll really be on the tailing side of the horsepower curve.  

Here she is on the outside pole getting ready to start Heat 2.

In the first turn of Heat 2, the yellow kart went below Lian and slid up into her.  This knocked her off line and scuffed her new graphics (ouch).  Lian was a little steamed about that (she did not speak to that racer for a while).

I, fortunately brought along some rear axle sprockets.  I quickly swapped out the sprocket and during the feature, Lian turned a maximum of 6531 on her quickest lap of 22.96.  That should give her room to gain speed.

In the feature race Lian started and finished in the back but still turned some good times and got used to the engine tune.

We still have work to do.  My list includes fine tuning the engine (plug, carb, valve lash) so we can squeeze everything out of it.  We also have to do a few things to make Lian more comfortable.  Who knew her driving suit would start to get short or her helmet would get tight?  Ok so those items are on-order...

Looking forward to more competitors next time.  Thanks for reading.

Winter preparations

Took a nice break from working on the kart after Christmas.  Now, we are back at it and starting a fresh blog for Lian's sophomore season.

Bodywork was going to be changed to the new stuff that Lian got for Christmas.  It took longer to mount than I thought but here it is.

After a little hand-wringing, she chose some nice graphics to complement the blue color.  After a short struggle to put flat vinyl on a irregular surface, we got it looking pretty good.

On the priority list for preparations we had to add weight to the kart.  This year though, I wanted to do it right so I sought to get someone to "scale" the kart with real competition grade scales.  My old standby, Doug, was pretty busy this winter/spring with 4 or 5 karts that he was trying to assemble and prep for customers.

I contacted a few racing families from the club and one name came up a couple times, Gary Lawson.  He is a veteran of the club and now races in national series on the pro level.  Gary was available when we had time and I had just received a batch of lead weights to add.  He did an amazing job starting with front end alignment with laser toe gauge and digital camber gauge.

Gary found several problems with the kart.  First, the caster settings were too excessive.  Second, the weight bias was too far forward.  After adjusting the front spindles, he got to work moving her seat back two inches.  After all that, he even adjusted the pedals to make Lian more comfortable to reach.

After getting it back home, we added the cool numbers and name decals that Lian picked out.  Here is the look she wanted.  What do you think?