Has anyone take a kart to a parking lot for autocross? I have considered doing this but I realize it is likely not going to be ideal. You will start with cold tires on a surface that is likely not ever going to be clean like a kart track. That being said, it might be fun too. Does anyone have insights?
Even in what you would consider sub-par conditions, a kart will out-handle any car there. Shifters are great at auto-x but even lower hp karts can really be impressive compared to cars. Some auto-x have a class for karts.
I don’t have first hand experience but I know it’s fairly common.
Autox is how I got my start in karting and why I started in a shifter. Your slowest run is typically faster than the fastest car run. While there was a lot of people who liked seeing how fast they are, there was also a lot of comments about how it’s “cheating”. Never mind that the kart is as wide as a VW rabbit.
You kind of have to drive the same lines as the cars, because where you want to be as a kart driver tends to be dirty. We also found accelerated engine wear because of a difficulty keeping the engine warm between runs in the PNW.
Still, it’s an absolute blast being eye level with the cones, which adds another layer of difficulty on top of the speed. Your view of the course is completely different.
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I did autox in my shifter once around 2011. It’s very unfair to the cars for sure. Tricky but fun challenge. I actually fouled 3/4 of my runs because I got lost in the sea of cones. Figured it would be good experience for something like rock island where you’re dealing with rough surfaces not usually used for racing.
Didn’t enjoy the lack of seat time vs waiting around and/or standing by cones so decided despite the convenience of it being like 20mins from my home at the time, it wasn’t for me. Made more sense to spend a day at the kart track.
/edit found a video!
We took a 2015 Reghitti Extreme with a Rotax that we bought for $1500… we got 2nd fastest beating out Porsche, Mustangs, Lotus, Vipers Hondas, Miata’s that cost a little more… funny only the fastest Porsche had a better time…
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We actually got a couple of Auto Crossers to crossover into Karting- they were so amazed!..
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