Picture this.
Had to have a seat tab welded on engine side that broke and wanted to look over the whole frame for any signs of cracks or stress. I had spent several days putting back together making sure everything went together perfectly. I cleaned and lubricated all the bearings and steering joints. Set up the chassis based on some advise from our local guru to better suit my size. Nut and Bolted the entire kart. Everything looked great.
First race after and kart is running good. Still may need a few tweaks to the set up. Pre-Final had some improvements over last run. Made my adjustments for the final and my pace was improving.
Halfway through the final, I am coming off the last turn into the straight toward the line. I am on the gas, moving to the outside of the track. About a third of the way down, the kart starts drifting toward inside of track. I make a minor correction. No change. I make a bigger correction. No change. Steering feels dead, no resistance. I am looking around at my front hubs, the tie rods, the steering column. Everything looks good. I move the steering wheel again and notice it lifts upward on the shaft. WTF!!! Hard on the brakes and let the track shuffle me off into the grass. I get out and see that the bolt from the steering hub through the steering shaft is missing. Somehow I either forgot or lost the lock pin that secures the nut and bolt vibrated out.
I felt like such a fool. Had to do the walk of shame back to the pits to retrieve the kart stand and then again with the kart. (inner thoughts…“Loose Nut behind the Wheel…How Cliche’…Dumb Ass !”.) Had I crashed in bid for position or got tangled up in traffic I would not have minded so much. Only plus side was it cost about $2 to fix!!