Kart Racing Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
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- čas přidán 1. 12. 2023
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I'm a little disappointed that he didn't buy a Kart and proceed to spend the next 3 years ignoring all his other projects while he tried to become a competitive racer.... The projects won't go anywhere. Literally.
That is why they are called projects and not cars
That's next week's video.
The problem is that, as Matt explained, karting rules are so restrictive that there isn't much room for the usual Superfast Matt craziness. And he's already done it.
I think part 2 is still coming
Dereliction of duty. A cart will be in that garage. It may be a year from now but I believe in him. He can do it.
A work buddy does this, and he flies around the track likes he's merely suggesting the direction the kart should travel. Every turn is a flirtation with control. It's truly amazing.
got a guy at work that does this too - was surprised when he wanted to stop by the kart shop after lunch one day and I was like "karts" and he's like "yeah shifter karts are the step before actual race car racing". When we got there the surprising part was that first it was far more expensive than any Sears go kart I ever seen but also with that bro told me you could tweak them to stupid speeds no problem if you wanted to and that statement meant I was probably not going to spend that money because if I did I would 110% wrap it around something, somewhere, and likely die lol
Im absolutely stealing the line every turn is a flirtation with control thats gold
@@russellzaunereven some of the drivers from Aqours like Chika Takami, Kanan Matsuura and You Watanabe also spent their times on racing go karts during offseason.
The Superkart record lap at Laguna Seca is a full second faster than a Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo (and almost 2 seconds faster than a 911 GT3 RSR).
I'm surprised he didn't explain the difference between the green shell, red shell and spiky blue shell. It's very important to know the difference.
Wish Gran Turismo 125cc Shifter Karts also has Spiked Blue shell though.
what is the difference?
This is absolutely the best explanation of karting I've ever seen. ModeratelyfastDoug says thank you.
BuiltforcomfortnotforspeedGreg agrees
Totally agree, I spent about 6 year karting (mainly in Open class in a 250 National (NZ) kart) but I learnt more from this video.
@@philnolan7193New Zealand Karting Championship?
@@purwantiallan5089 thats my guess
Had an engineering professor that only talked about gokarts when describing all things mechanical and related to power transmission. It was very effective. His name was Mike! CHEERS Mike, something tells me you are watching!
These karts still looked cool even today.
I'm 75 now and I started karting when I was 11. Back then there were very few rules, mainly don't kill yourself, other drivers and most importantly the spectators. For the first few years there were no limitations on the size, number or types of engines. I ran two of the biggest chainsaw engines built at the time, around 20 hp each. They could propel the kart to well over 100 mph which was insane for the size of the tracks we raced on. Nothing could touch it on the straights. My Dad who built it was afraid to drive it because it was so fast, but not me. Only flipped it once, not sure how fast I was going but I covered a lot of air before I finally landed with a few bruises and was back out on the track for the next race, abet a bit slower. A few years ago I started designing a kart for the Salt Flats land speed record but the rules they put on karts were outrageous and they limited the top speed so drastically I decided not to build it.
Whos stopping you building the kart and running it without all the fuss of rules?
@@dopey_duck_944
First it couldn’t be raced on a track because of its speed and gearing it down just wouldn’t make any sense. The design spec is a 200 mph kart, with suspension, purpose manufactured rims, tires and brakes. Aluminum, composite and carbon fiber frame and body. It would have a purpose built 250 cc engine, approximately 80 hp using fuel injection and ECM with a six speed transmission. Built for straight line driving only, not a track. Estimated cost to build 15-20,000 usd not counting labor. Then convincing myself to drive it.
@@joereedmusic9853 you sound like you have it sussed. Why not approach some companies?
I think you're fudging the numbers a bit here lmao
@@mattbrown5120 200 mph should be possible with 80hp is your kart is fully faired.
in europe, there's a tiny class called speeddown karts which drive downhill without any engines built in. that of course removes quite a bit of thrill while getting to speed, but as most tracks go through tiny mountain towns and countryside backroads with tons of curves, theres usually not a lot of space to drive extremely fast anyways. the benefits of this class are the very low cost, the supporting yet competitive scene around it and that it focuses a lot more on braking and finding the absolute best racing line, which often differs from those of motor racing. with speeds upwards of 50 mph or 85 kmh on narrow streets, its really fun and you dont really miss the engine, especially when drivers all across europe drive against each other. check it out if u can :)
all karts are only allowed to use FIA approved parts, so its actual karts with just the engine missing. also there are other, faster classes, which dont look like karts but rathers small racecars, and these can get up to 80 mph, once again on tight, mountain roads
Mike Rowe (dirty jobs guy)'s YT channel did a video on the american rendition of this a bit ago. 3IXjn0RlfEM
in Brazil we have the poor people version. you take a plank, some bearings and create a car that will go scary fast on downhills.
Search for "Carrinho de rolimã"
@@irfuel basically all around center europe, there are guys from spain to latvia driving in the series, but its so small that you basically just need to sign up for the events to be able to drive there, pretty cool, its called speeddown, and there are 10 different classes, karts being one of them
@@unitepunx just watched it, looks quite similar, but the european version is more like time attack in that only one kart drives on the track at once. Also, there are more different types of vehicles and in most classes more regulations. however, we also have the drift trike category at some races
So refreshing to see a video that promotes karting in such a good light. Great work Matt! Let us know if you'll be at any future races!
Yooooo, kart chaser! You guys are awesome!
Don't you have some cars to be working on...
SuperprocrastinatingMatt
This is his way of telling us he's about to start another one because the others are taking too long 😉😂
@@heiner71 like a true engineer
🤫
Stop it, we don’t do complete projects here
Around 1960 my father built a kart with a small rocket motor. He had help from Art Arfons.
Liar.
I'd be scared to come near it, let alone drive the thing. Where did the engine come from? I was under the impression that you wouldn't generally have access to small jet/rocket engines so far back, although if anyone would have a way to get a jet engine on the side, it'd be Mr. Arfons
@@Look_What_You_Did I'm serious. It was tested on a runway at what is now O'Hare Airport in Chicago. All I remember him telling me was that it was scary fast. Something like 90 miles per hour.
@@theleva7 That's why I dropped Art's name. It would not have been possible without his help in getting the motor.
@@Look_What_You_Did Prove it?
When I was a kid, I raced RC cars. Spec racing was similar to what Matt said, buy sealed 10 motors, dyno them, use the fastest sealed motor, ebay the rest, a process that circumvents the cost control and spirit of spec racing. Some people make the racing their identity however. You'd have fervent racers who would cover their car with a towel or something and verbally (sometimes threaten physical) attack anyone within 50 yards who had their camera or phone up, recording, lest the racers' super secret chassis or shock setting be revealed to the masses. It was petty and ridiculous. Kart racing sounds like it has the propensity to be equally petty and ridiculous.
Having karted for a few years myself, "not expensive" gets pretty expensive pretty quickly depending on how competitive you want to be. Admittedly still way cheaper than running a full size car, but you still go through tires like crazy on a kart and they aren't exactly cheap for all the less time you get on them while still being competitive. Add to that 3+ versions of what feels like every single part on the car (hubs, axles, wheels, bars, etc), plus tools and a trailer to hold all of that stuff and it quickly turns from "this is a cheap way to have fun" to "this is a really fast way to spend money". It was still a lot of fun and something I wish I did when I was younger, but also something I don't mind having stopped doing. Might be different if I had more tracks near me, but running on the same track every time, even in a different config, got a little stale.
Agree - depends what the definition of 'not expensive' is!
A season of 2-stroke racing at just club level is going to cost minimum $4000 (everything included).
Worth it though!
This video is fantastic and provides an excellent explanation. I think this is the best karting video I've seen.
Happy you liked it!
Video summary: "Make it more rigid" is not always the solution
Sometimes it is.
@@Look_What_You_Did Yes
That's what I said yes
Usually it’s not
Rarely is.
More rigid with soft tires. With spec/hard tires you need that chassis flex.
"karting a good place to start and a good place to stay" i feel this a lot.
Was half way expecting the last sentence of the video to be; "so this is my brand new Kart!"
I did electric karting for the first time recently and had SO MUCH MORE FUN than I expected! You're never going very fast, but man does it feel like it. And you pull some surprisingly hard Gs going through the tight corners
the instant torque from a electric motor makes it so much fun in a kart
Yeah i did some electric too about 3 or 4 years ago. Definitely didn't miss the smell of choking exhaust while being strapped in around 20 other idling carts waiting to race.
I've only ever driven gokarts at a fast kart.
I don't know the economics or feasibility of it but imagine torque vectored electric gokarts. Things Ive heard about the Rimac Nevera and Lucid Sapphire has me interested in the future of low cost racing.
@@grantlauzon5237the K1 speed OTK karts have a differential of sorts, with the way the race karts lift a wheel, you almost don’t even need a differential
the way that crazy amounts of very technical info that i will never need are structured to feel like i understand everything is just amazing, your videos are now my adhd brain's most favourite procrastination content on the internet, it feels like christmas every time there's a new video notification
GHPC callout! I love how their shopping cart kart was finished for the video and then *immediately* set in the "don't drive this" pile.
I was thinking the same thing lol they are def a safety 3rd TY channel
@@gniawd pretty sure it's power, style, power, fun, redneck shenanigans, power, vroom vroom sounds, and then maybe some safety. So at best, safety 8th
The karting community needs more content like your's. Thank you. :)
Ultrafast Kyle was always very dominant vs all the other FSAE drivers in the same car. I rode as passenger in his car in SCCA several time 20 years ago, a very smooth and natural driver.
"it felt natural" - Squirrely Dan
@13:37 aaaaand breath.
No but seriously, your storytelling is awesome slightly fast Matt!
I learned more about Karting now in 13 minutes and 37 seconds than I've done in almost 33 years alive! And I was very into Karting for a while! Just didn't put the time into it apparently!
this was incredibly interesting, and really densely packed, no filler.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to put it together and share it.
this is my favourite kind of video, the kind where you have to pause and wind back to make sure you didnt miss any of the details.
I teach engineering at a High school in Australia, one of the projects is building a kart. I will be showing the students your video. Thanks SuperfastMatt . They also enjoy your video of the oil tank build, you know the one with the avantages of slots and holes and how you decided to combine them. great stuff!
I like it when you do videos about other things than your projects! You do you!
I've been known to make a car find its way around the track but burned out years ago. In a later life there was a daughter who found out that dad actually had a former life and wanted a kart. Easy peasy. No springs, shocks, sway bars, diff, front brakes, oiling, etc. Just adjust the toe and tire pressure and sit back in the shade and watch her go around. I had no clue. None.
As a guy who did a few years of motorcycle track days, starting on an 05 Yamaha R1 and ending with an 08 Honda 600RR (edit: like 5 sec/lap faster at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS with the 600.), this video really illustrated the differences in thinking between a car and motorcycle track enthusiast, as well as just being interesting. Thanks Matt! 👍
I raced a lot karts, both indoor and out. Was top 3 many times at my local track, but most important, above everything was I HAD FUN! I would practice and race sometimes for hours. Go home completely spent, muscles cooked, and loved every second of it while recovering over the next few days with a BIG smile on my face. Awaiting the next time I'd out think, brake, and line read better than the rest of the field. The occasional side-rail bangin' always reminded me I was racing and it just doesn't get any better! I HIGHLY recommend karting for fathers, sons, daughters and even mom. Don't forget, to tap that brake at just the right time!
My friend worked for a go kart place and would have me come over to help him kill the tires that needed changing. I never felt any machine give you so much feedback and information as a 2 stroke go kart flat in a corner burning the tires without the care of speed. Just holding it in a constant no traction slip with the the engine ringing its neck out until nothing was left of the tire!
"the next max verstappen and the only obstacle is you" i LOL'd so true.
Used to race dirt karts as a teen. Absolutely super fun. My Teamate was a neighbor and friend of my Dad's who also dabbled in SCCA. I spent many days and nights in his garage learning that car projects take way more time than and money than you think they will.
I'm more of an motocross guy myself but this was very eye opening video and kind of got me excited. I also have a kart chassis laying around in the garage and a 125cc 2 smoker motor as well. 🤪
Making the simple complex. Welcome to SuperFastMatt
I had a CR 125 powered shifter card for a brief bit that I bought on a whim. I would take it out and drive it around my neighborhood at night in the industrial district. Every bump on the road felt like I was being physically assaulted. I also took it out to Roach lake outside of Las Vegas and drove it out there on the flat dirt and it was an amazing blast, despite it not having a Kickstarter or electric start so you had to bump start it every time.
Great video
Race mechanic for many years with many different race series undery belt like USPKS, Rotax, SKUSA, Rok, CKNA, WKA. I would consider this a great beginners guide to karting! Missed SKUSA 2023 at Las Vegas motorspeedway due to car racing but this video just gave me motivation to get back into karts for the winter "off season". Was great to see some of my friends in this!
Love the channel, please keep it up!!!
A former Rotax 125CC 2-speed mechanic here. I agree! Very good introduction video!
So which would you guys recommend as a beginner adult class? Which engine class is more popular? Rotax seems to have longer life and there is no competition between engine tuners, but you can't service it yourself, unlike iame stuff.
@@kirya312 For any beginner I'd recommend Briggs 206. Many local kart tracks and clubs run them. Price point is the cheapest, it's a sealed engine keeping everyone pretty much the same and skill is the determining factor for the most part excluding chassis choice. If you want more speed and don't mind a few more dollars go the KA100 route.
You can't go wrong anyway, just get out and race!
@@Wholebakedcooky Thanks for the answer!
@@kirya312ka100. LO206 reminds me too much of mowing the lawn as a kid, while I would be dreaming of riding my YZ85. A used KA is fairly affordable
Shifter karts are fun as FUCK! So much so that my FSAE team had to get rid of ours before we accidentally killed a freshman or something 😂
To some they are like a drug that you only do once because they are dangerous and extreemly adictive.
We nearly killed freshers with our TKMs back in the day. Can't imagine giving a shifter kart to one of them!!
Working toward an SCCA Timing and Scoring license, I worked a cart race with my mentor at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, GA. There was some really good racing going on! And definitely more of a "family feel" to it than club racing.
I was racing karts for 2 years, and working as a mechanic in a team. This is the best video about karting I've ever seen. Keep it up 😊
There is similar thing in the sky. Karting is to racing what gliding is to planes. From the "this is so much cheaper to have fun with" down to "its terrifying what these things can do"
Great vid!
Great video!! I raced karts when I was a kid, shifter karts in my 20’s and now have my 5yo and 10yo boys karting too. Such a fun and accessible form of racing. Thank you for a great representation of the sport.
What a great video! Videos like this are exactly what the sport needs to make it more accesible and easy to understand to people who mare unfamiliar with it. I am actually working on a video similar to this too, but you beat me to it... dang it! Anyways, love from the biggest kart/only youtuber 🙌
I think you have a great presentation style and could present almost any topics without it being boring.
My first Kart in 1959 was a Caretta kart which was built by Art Ingels. It was a dead axle kart with a scrub brake which rubbed on the sprocket. I wish I still had it today.
that was an excellent karting explanation video. Especially your closing statement !!! Good Job
Great video!!! I love the writing, VO, and all the footage. Very well done!
When I was a kid we used to regularly go to a kart track with my dad, these karts were even more barebones as they had no clutch (push start). Good times.
This is a really good overall review/walk through of karting. All the options are listed to gain a little, and nothing feels slimy or hidden. This is a very good video to introduce someone to owner karts who's just been curious for a long time. Well done.
Your content has great depth, clarity, and style.
Just be glad you aren’t setting up an oval kart. Every tire is different and it’s so complicated. Tires have insane amounts of prep and basically it’s just tire game. Plus you have weights and whatever else to deal with cause your cross and left aren’t gonna be 50%
Always been excited whenever YT showed a notification with SuperFastMatt on it
As a kart racer, this is the best 13 minute video explaining kart racing that I have ever seen. Great video!
great job covering the complexities of the sport. Awesome well put together video with accurate research done. no easy task for sure.
Funny looking viper you got there
I remember racing when I was a kid. So many good memories, also some very average injuries from going upside down
When we say "cheap" it still costs a lot of money... Some kids (or their parents, rather) spend easy $150K a year on racing go karts. The pack is so dense that the tiniest advantage makes a huge difference.
Pretty awesome to see someone hit the nail so perfectly on the head with a video on Karting! Been racing karts for 15 years all the way from small 4 strokes to now shifter karts. I've raced cars as well and nothing compares to the thrill of hauling ass less than an inch off the ground!
*IVE GOT TO THAT POINT IN MY LIFE* where I look to remove things, not add them.
Remove complexity, remove possessions, remove cars, remove people who don't have my best interests at heart, remove luxuries, my LIFE is a 28Hp cart...
I'm so glad you said stay at the end.
In the UK most people think karting is a stepping stone to other motor racing and it's very sad. We have massive junior grids but not so many in the senior grids.
Karting is a great sport I just wish more people did it here in the UK.
Here in Canada (and presumably in the US) it appears to be largely the way for young people to race, and for their parents to be involved with racing without actually driving.
Did 5 years of karts before I moved up to full size race cars. Best thing about karting is most of your mistakes are $50 mistakes. With a race car, _all_ of your mistakes are _at least_ $500 mistakes, and making $5000 mistakes happens all the time, as well.
Man, this will definitely inspire people to at least to go a race. It's always fun for someone like me to hear an engineer casually talk passions. The ease in which art and tech intersects in racing I can understand where the problem solvers come from
They do have very effective suspension - it's just that most people wouldn't recognise it
At that point is it suspension or just chassis flex?
Yea, it's called your spine and head. Works like the 2-CV inertial dampers.
@@HFV_Junkyardinlike stated in the video, it's not just chassis flex. I suspect the biggest component in smoothing the ride are the tires, and the rear inside wheel lifts not really because of chassis flex but because of caster angle (and scrub radius, but also inversely proportional to steering axis inclination, as well as some other things I'm sure matter but I'm not really aware of).
I recognise mine own flabby @$$...
@@HFV_Junkyardin It certainly includes chassis flex, but practically every part of the kart has an impact. Axle length, axle flex, wheel hub size, brake hub, sprocket hub, seat stays, lead placement, wheel structure, caster, camber, toe, seat height, axle height, seat position, driver weight, height, heavy or light upper body size, tyre type, tyre pressure, and some others I have forgotten. About the only thing that doesn't have much impact is the fuel tank right in the centre of everything. I loved my karting years, so much fun. I raced KT100S, RESA, and Rotax Max. Always used Azzuro M6H chassis for all engines, Australia.
One of my very favorite channels. Inspirational to we builders.. thanks Matt
It's Speedy Nuts Kyle from the book! I thought he was just an urban legend.
Matt--- I'm a relatively new subscriber (4 or so months).
I enjoy your content for your dry sense of humor and the knowledge you have in the areas I don't, the engineering aspect, with cars.
I'm an electrical contractor with 35 years in commercial industrial construction (high rises, hospitals, stadiums, high tech) with a high degree of service and troubleshooting background as well. I also started out after high school building emergency vehicles, police, ambulance, fire chief vehicles, and all electrical and A/C on cars. I've always tinkered with my own cars, I've had mostly muscle cars, some trucks, but was never a fabricator, never learned to weld, but I can bend pipe ½- 4 inch, build racks, and brackets.
I'm watching your videos to learn new things and to get soke laughs at the same time.
Thanks for your videos
I never knew there was this much information in Kart racing. Super informative, well done.
I was Sort of Fast Fred. ;) Shifters, 206 and 6 hour endurance on a methanol 206. Not last, some times 2nd or 3rd, once 1st.
I miss it but I'm on road course bikes now.
Yes bikes are more expensive. MIght get a kart again.
I recommend karting to everyone who wants to or does any other kind of motorsports.
So many variables. So well understood and described. Keep being you SFM!
That runtime though- 13:37
Hearing Matt pronounce "Max Verstappen" makes me a happy Dutch person
Dual engine go karts and 1 wheel drive go karts are still go karts. Both have been used in racing. The definition of a go kart is much wider than you have implied, there's cross karts, yard karts, drag karts, etc. Cross karts, although they might seem pretty far separated, really just started when somebody put suspension on a yard kart.
This is the best karting video CZcams. I never knew karting was this involved.
My previous boss is owner of the 2 Wild Kart shop down here in Orange County. Got to go out and help out at a few of their races, They're pretty cool to watch and as Matt touched on, there's tons of things you can do to tailor them to you and the track.
Ryon or his dad?
@@KosmicHRTRacingTeam Rhod was in process of handing out over to Ryon when I left.
Thanks Matt, what a channel you have in here ❤
That’s wild. I’ve been to a few kart races and I always leaned aggressively into the corner, thinking it’d be best to keep the weight on the tires as balanced as possible. I knew about the need to lift the inside rear tire but somehow never connected those in my mind. Next time I’ll play around with my posture some more and see if I can get faster!
Fun segment, thank you Matt!
As a former kart racer, this was a very good explanation of karting. While Matt covered the Sprint world in this video, I opted for the Road Race arena where we raced at VIR, Summit Point, and Mid Ohio to name a few. They say it's the best kept secret in Motorsports. I had a blast and hard to beat the $ per fun ratio.
Excellent video, thanks SFM!
I got to drive a few sessions in a KA100, and let me tell you, those things are no fucking joke. They pull the better part of 2G in the corners and reach top speed nearly instantly when you get into the power band. I could only run about 5 laps at a time because I was physically exhausted and needed a break.
I had no differential in my R32 Skyline years ago. I made it a fast 3 wheeler with a big rear sway bar. No one told me to. Just figured it out. Was comparable to 4 wheels since low power and light rear so so inside rears not overheated while working alone.
I do this exact sport and know a lot of the guys in this video. Super spot on video and something I’ll definitely be recommending to beginners. Thank you for bringing attention to our little community!
Nice to hear how Kyle is doing! I remember reading about him and the team in your book a few years prior to your CZcams start. I always wondered how the others in the Sooner racing team were doing
I hope to go karting one day and this video is a really nice reminder to try and do it for real
Karting is incredibly fun, even as a filthy casual.
I was actually looking into Karting, perfect video
Awesome Chassis Work! Looks like fun!
awesome video mate!!! I'm sharing this to all my friends and family when they ask me to explain karting lol
Great shifter kart explanation, thanks for sharing your thoughts 👍.
Very nice and useful video. I love most of you videos😉
Great production.
I am pretty much known as super slow Dean, "old" and "fat" are sometimes added as modifiers. After retirement I stumbled into kart racing. It is fun. It is competitive. The other club racers are very helpful, wanting to beat you on the track not in the pits. There are a surprising number of former road racers who have become kart racers due to the cost. Unlike other forms of motorsport it is easy and cheep to give it a try. $100 spent at the local rental kart track is a good way to see what it is like.
I started racing Karts in 1962, the next year I stepped up to a better chassis and a McCullogh mac8 motor. Today’s karts are a world more sophisticated, but even back then top speed was around 60mph. Big thrills for a 14yo.
EXCELLENT Off-Road Viper diversion video 👏👏👏
Glad to hear someone else reference Formula SAE, I'm working on a FSAE team right now, focusing on suspension geometry, and it's a great challenge!
Raced karts as a kid, I really miss it. I love how they drive, you kinda just upset the kart before entry and steer with the throttle, it's awesome
Fantastic overview of karting. It is a very fun and exciting sport that can be done with a reasonable budget at the local level. When you start attending events like Super Nats the budget goes out the window. Sounds like Kyle had a good run until he got punted, it happens. Thanks for the karting content.
Brings back memories of visiting Cal Karts in San Jose as a kid. Could never afford a real kart, bought a frame once at a garage sale and the tubes had been just tack welded then covered with bondo. That was my only venture with owning a kart since I just threw that frame away.
Fabulous video. I had a Rotax Sr. Max eons ago until my home track, The Track at Centennial (Colorado), closed down. Never raced it, only did test & tune runs, but sooooo much fun, and I could do pretty much everything myself (hey, whatever got screwed up was my own damn fault). I've since returned to my true love, bike racing, but every so often I do miss that kart.
Your presentation is so damned good. I don't care much for Karting but this was still such a pleasure to watch.