Kart setup help needed

Getting Started in Karting
1

Hello,

My son (8 years old) is running his first year at English Creek Speedway just outside Knoxville Iowa. He is running the R-Box class (green arc plate). I just bought a brand new engine 196cc engine from KO Karting.

My biggest issue is my son is taller and heavier than most 8 year olds. Right around 5’ tall and 120 pounds.

The minimum weight is 245. And we cross the scales around 320-325.

I need help on what sprocket combination to use. The track is a 1/5 - 1/6 mile high bank track.

For two races on the new engine I was running a 6-1 gear ratio. And we are still roughly half a second to a second slower than the guys up front. Last night I went to a 5.33-1 gear ratio. Our times were overall a little better but once the race started we constantly lost time to the leaders.

My limited experience is thinking it’s related to my son being heavier than most the kids in his class. I’m mainly looking to see what gear ratio I should be running for a track like this and if there is anything setup wise I could do to help.

2

I have no idea what R-Box is or what track that is but if you are 80lbs overweight for the class there is no hope of competing with the leaders; that’s an insane disadvantage. Gearing will not defeat the laws of physics.

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3

Restricted Box Stock just uses a green restrictor plate to restrict speed for 5-8 year old kids.

Not all the kids come in at 245 but there are some pretty small kids. I personally think they need to up the minimum weight for this class.

This is an outlaw winged go kart.

4

Weight and height will account for a lot of that.

Be careful who you listen to when it comes to kart setup. Being taller, what works for others may not work for your son.

Set the axle up high (lower the chassis) if it is adjustable.
Try varied seat positions.

As a taller driver myself I have my best races in the wet, where the height works to my advantage by working the tyres harder.

5

He’s running an oval winged kart so most sprint handling theory will not apply here.

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6

Hi Joshua, welcome to KP. Not that we are unwilling to help, but understand this is primarily a sprint karting/roadrace karting forum. We can somewhat help with general kart theory or engine theory, but set up may be out the window. Oval karts are often offset and/or running staggered tires. They do not set up the same way.

Like TJ said, there is no way around the physics. You can ask the organizers if you can move up a class to a higher minimum weight. Some places will allow that on a case by case basis. You may have to compete for while in your current class to prove competency before they allow it.