Hey everyone. Just wanted to introduce myself. I’m a recently retired guy who just moved from Cali, where I was born, raised, and made a career for 30 years, to Georgia. I’m settled into my forever home and I’m enjoying my new freedoms here. I’ve loved cars all my life and have tracked my F80 M3 some, but I wanted to enjoy racing on a budget without beating up my baby, so…karting. I’ve joined AMP as a karting member and I’m spinning laps there with my new CompKart Covert 3.0 x30 TAG cart. Once I get some experience and training, I plan to enter some of their club racing events.
I’ve been lurking here for a while and it seems like a great resource and community. Thanks for the help so far.
Welcome to the group. Great looking kart, and yes this forum is a wealth of knowledge and information with a great bunch of people always willing to help answer any questions you may have.
Welcome! Karting is filled with challenges, some large and some small, but the pursuit and the people you meet along the way is unlike anything else. Enjoy the experience and don’t hesitate to ask questions along the way, as many people in the karting community are willing to help.
Feel free to track me down at AMP club races or PM me if you need any help getting started. AMP has a good group of X30 masters guys that are fun to run with
Enjoy Georgia, California is a great place to be FROM. Ask me how I know, lol. Actually I just had another buddy from California who moved to Savanna. His first impression cracked me up. His words not mine. “How is it people here can talk so slow- yet drive so fast."
Yeah I really love it here. There is no way I could afford my GA house and property in Cali, much less put down pipes on my car, get NFA stuff, shoot on my own property, etc., etc. I’ve wanted this change for a long time and I’m savoring it. Great place to live, and so pretty.
It really is a hoot… So many blind crests and corners. Went again today to spin laps. I really suck, lol. Doing 1:05s. But now that I’m getting to know the track and the kart, I can see where I’m slow. It’s just so freaky to accelerate flat out into a corner you can’t see. But I can tell the kart can handle more speed than I’m carrying. But I’m improving. My lap times are 10 seconds better than they were when I first started.
I can tell that running sub-minute laps is going to be pretty hard core and exhausting. But it’s the most engaging and entertaining driving experience I’ve ever had. By far.
Awesome bimmer! I’ve got a 430 GC M package…i’ve some nice cars…but im in love! 2 liter engine with stage 1 carbahn runs great…not your M3 great but great. Im looking at doing the same, getting into karting…spend most of time on motorcycles, offroad and sport…still love bikes but looking forward to give karting a go. Good luck!
I had sport bikes for many years and rode bikes off road as a kid. Don’t have one at the moment but if I did get one now it would be a cruiser. Never had one of those, and my days of scraping the pegs on Angeles Crest are over. It’s a miracle I survived that phase—used to do it a lot.
The 430 GC is a beauty, though I will never understand BMW’s use of the word “coupe.”
If you like tracking your cars/bikes, I think you will love karting. It’s very entertaining and you can still keep your expensive babies nice.
I used to think my M3 cornered hard. Ya…not so much.
A buddy of mine has the CB on his x3m and loves it. I’m running BM3 stage 2 with down pipes, charge pipes and exhaust, in addition to lots of other little mods.
When I was new at this a junior named Justin White was watching my driving. He’s the very talented son of my former engineer (compkart sponsored) and he told me something at that time that I could understand but not relate to:
“The kart is capable of so much more than you understand, yet”.
He was correct. A few years later I have a very different relationship with the kart and how it handles than I did in my first couple years. You get acclimated to it’s potential.
Speaking of BMW, here’s a couple vintage ones parked where I’m getting lunch:
I’m also a member at AMP. Have been karting for about a year and there are a lot of nice people at AMP. I run a Rok Shifter and it’s a blast. I plan on doing all of the summer series next year.
Welcome! Sounds like you have the setup. I can relate; I’ve tracked my E36, but have recently discovered karting and have been having more fun than ever, behind the wheel.
Glad to have you a part of this community and hope you get connected with a good group at AMP as well. I’ve learned so much from these forums and from my friends at my local club.
I may enter something this summer as well. I don’t know if some series are intended for noobs in the x30 TAG class or not, but I’ll ask around next time I’m there. Probably will spin some more laps on Thursday. hopefully I can hit the minute mark.
Paging @olivier.p Can you provide insight wether he can find racing for new guys at AMP in x30 or will he need to be in lo or something first? IIRC you started there.
There aren’t any specific “noob-only” x30 classes offered, but AMP also doesn’t have any experience requirements for any of their classes. You could hop right into a club race there in TaG Masters or TaG Senior whenever you feel like you’re ready to take the plunge.
My suggestion would be to start off in TaG Masters (30 years and older,) provided you aren’t under 150lbs-160lbs or so - less than that and you’ll need a ton of lead to make minimum weight for masters (410 lbs for an X30). TaG Senior has a lower minimum weight (366 lbs), but it also has kids 15 years old and up and can get a bit more competitive compared to masters.
IMO, targeting a first race this summer would be totally fine if you’re planning on getting plenty of seat time leading up to it.
