Twins in unlimited

1

Thank you for being nice to me in the past with my stupid questions. Here is another.

I see that the latest AKRA superkart class rules allow the laydown chassis as well as the superkart chassis. This allows 250 two stroke twin cylinder engines in a laydown chassis in the SUPERKART CLASS.

I also see the various classes that are on a roadrace track at the same time during a race. Such as 125 shifters, twin engine no trans, 250 singles and more. There are obviously significant differences in agility, downforce, acceleration and top end.

Given the following parameters:

  • Mid Ohio or similar speed track
  • a properly sorted laydown chassis
  • an experienced kart driver (not me)
  • Superkart class and weight for 250 twin which is 490 lbs
  • powered by a 250, two stroke, 6 speed, twin cylinder motor that only has 80 HP

My question is: Would this low HP superkart get blown off the track? I understand it would likely not be competitive in superkart but might it stay on the same lap as other laydowns or superkarts? Would it be able to make up time on the 125s or 250 singles on the longer straights?

2

This reads as essentially a laydown 250 twin… am I reading that correctly?

3

Yes, we are on the same page.

The 2024 ARKA rules allow it in superkart unless I’m all wet.

4

I would be surprised if this kind of kart was uncompetitive though and would certinanky expect it to be able to play with the twin 100’s and 125’s in the turns, but have an advantage on the straights… As it is, the single 250’s laydowns do pretty well at Daytona.

Maybe it will lose some in the turns compared to a superkart, but in the grand scheme of (karting) things, superkart chassis are not particularly nimble either.

What twin 250 engine do you have?

5

I have a very good 1989 TZ250 reverse cylinder engine that currently sees use in its original home.

1 Like
6

Check out Brian Wilhelm’s Unlimited Laydowns…