Blocking discussion

this is a commonly discussed topic whats your guyses opinion on it and what would you consider safe and clean blocking vs dangerous or dirty blocking

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This is a very hot topic at my local track. Mostly because it is a tight bull ring with limited passing opportunities. I have 2 very simple rules.

  1. Never run the block line before 2 to go.
  2. If you are running the block line and give me only the option of “moving” you, dont be mad when I actually do it.
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intresting in a lot of the “big” races the blocking goes on all race

In regional and national racing it’s become a lot more common and accepted to defend from lap 1 if you want. Trickle down from European racing.

In my eyes and in the eyes of most series/race directors, you get to make one move on the straight. The ol’ “you can zig but not zag”. There is some wiggle room, if you want to go to the bottom but then open up the entry a bit before the corner, that’s fine as long as you leave room for a kart to your outside.

I think it’s considered dirty by most if you move twice, or move in reaction to another driver. If you look over your shoulder and see someone going to overtake and you chop them off in reaction to their move, that’s dirty and you should be penalized either by the overtaking driver’s bumper or by the race director.

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If it feels lame and you feel like a turd, it’s blocking. You get one move, imho.

If someone does have the pace on me, it’s clearly my tire pressures, ambient humidity and my engine being crap. Certainly not my driving. In this scenario it would be unfair to penalize a fellow competitors forwards progress on account of my equipment suddenly being garbage. I always will allow them to pass unimpaired while I bemoan my misfortune. I then follow this act of selflessness with an ill-considered send two turns later, taking us both out. This is the way it’s done properly.

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image

That’s how I feel about it

let me guess x30jr final?

How do you judge “excessive”?

I got penalised for doing this, under the hold all rule that it was dangerous driving. :flushed:

If you pick the bottom down the straightaway, you should have to enter low. You should not get to swerve back up and widen your arc. I can bet you $100 if I am on your outside, i am pinching you as low as i can knowing that i will roll the exit better than you and have the spot.

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I’m in agreement that in that scenario the inside driver can’t swing out and push the outside driver off track.

But unless there’s only two drivers, if a driver attempts to swing around the outside you can bet a queue of karts are coming through on the inside following the driver defending.

i’m not a fan of the zig-zag style of blocking. fortunately, it’s discouraged at my local tracks, and really, the only people i see doing it are new drivers. officials and other drivers usually get them squared away within a heat or two. there are lines at our track, that produce slower lap times, but also make it harder to pass, and again, not a big fan of this, either, but i understand it. i consider this more a defensive line, not really blocking, and have used this tactic myself, but only on the last lap. the zig zaggers, if i can’t just blow by them at some point, i may resort to rattling their cage a little, nothing too drastic.

My personal opinion is you get one move to defend, and you have to commit to that line. I see nothing wrong with opening up the corner exit, but you’d have to leave space on your outside for a kart no matter what.

I know for USPKS, if you make that move down low you have to commit to that line all the way to entry. No opening up, no second moves.

Those second moves down the straight, or a reactionary move after seeing a driver pull out to pass you, are considered blocking. That is not defensive driving, and should earn you either a penalty or a bumper within the lap.

It was being done literally every lap into almost every braking zone :joy:

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Watching the USPKS highlights on Kart Chaser this weekend was brutal. It is not surprising at all that there was so much contact. Blocking being done more than racing…

This happened to me this weekend had a dude exit on to every straight. Drive down the inside. I need to watch the video again to evaluate what to do next time.

forgot the weaving on every strait

I don’t remember what class this happened in, but the leader of a 5 or 6 kart pack defended turn 8 and everyone except the guy in the back stayed on the defensive line. Dude in the back drove around the outside up to probably the second position. Pretty funny to watch.

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Obvious solution. :wink:

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KA Junior, Max Garcia defended and Parker DeLong pulled a great around the outside move in turn 8 to grab second place. Max was pretty much textbook defending there, great to see from a Junior driver.

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