Finally bit the bullet...Joined a Motorsports Ranch and bought a race car.

Dueller · 05:02 PM

Well, sorta. I gave my nephew a used race kart a few years back but he never caught the bug. So I drug it home from my dad's barn a few months ago with the idea of playing with it at our local kart track since they were trying to get a vintage/geezer class going. Turned out it was pretty obsolete...soooooo, my buddy Larry and I started shopping for a decent used Kart. We ended up buying a complete roller for $300, a fresh flathead race motor for $400 and a good clutch for $200. A guy whose kid runs on the national level gives us his 1-2 race old slicks for free.

So we're off.

The track was built by (former Nascar driver) Lake Speed's dad in the 70's in a park owned by the city of Jackson, MS. Somebody wrote a federal grant this year and the city was awarded $37,000 to repave it with new asphalt.

Joining the Mississippi Karting Assn costs $65/year and with membership you get a KEY TO THE TRACK SO YOU CAN PRACTICE WHENEVER YOU WANT!!!!! One of the few benefits of living in small town America.

Some pics:

Sorry about the quality...buddy's 10 y.o. dtr took em and had a smudge on her camera lens.

HardDrive · 11-11-2008, 04:49 PM

Are you trying to get me divorced? Seriously.

Christ, the wife isn't over the Ducati yet.....

Dueller · 11-11-2008, 05:01 PM

Track map:

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

UHH YOU SUCK

Have fun

Dueller · 11-11-2008, 05:13 PM

Damn fuel costs are killing us....I bet we used a half gallon of methanol last weekend. At $3.50 a gallon, I don't know how much longer we can stand it

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

If its so pricey you better give me your cart.

tangerine911S · 11-11-2008, 05:30 PM

Nephew never caught the bug?? Who wouldnt love zipping around on one of those things? Might want to get that boy checked out!

Dueller · 11-11-2008, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangerine911S

Nephew never caught the bug?? Who wouldnt love zipping around on one of those things? Might want to get that boy checked out!

LOL...nah....he's a stick and ball, deer hunting, four wheeler kinda kid. Plus his dad (my brother) just didn't have the interest once he realized how much work goes into setting one of these up to handle on the track. As simple as they are you have to adjust track, toe, camber, caster, gearing, tire pressures, weight distribution, offset, etc to make them hook up. A lot more complicated than I thought.

dd74 · 11-11-2008, 05:56 PM

I also hear karting can be a lot more expensive than people at first thought.

Dueller · 11-11-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

I also hear karting can be a lot more expensive than people at first thought.

I can see where it could be if you wanted to race shifter karts or on a national level. My buddy and I are content to run the old Briggs flathead motors which are being gradually phased out and replaced with a "crate" Briggs OHV motor and run only on a local level. There's plenty of low key fun competition and we're keeping it in perspective. We're in our 50's and just enjoy having something to tinker with.

You can buy a top of the line 2-3 y.o. Briggs kart with spares and an open trailer for $1000-1500. Freshening a motor is $100+/- if you do it yourself. Tires (usually spec are $120-200 a set. But you do see guys coming in with 3 or 4 karts, tons of spares/tools in an enclosed 32' trailer. I guess its all relative.

The local track runs 2 Saturdays each month from March thru November and its about 10 miles from my house. There are two other tracks within 120 miles but we haven't even bothered to try them yet....maybe next year.

One of the most impressive things is how family oriented and helpful everyone is. Everybody has come around with tools, parts, advice, etc to make sure we are competitive and having fun.

Schumi · 11-11-2008, 06:26 PM

I give you 6 months before you're buying a shifter kart.

I have driven several flavors and 125cc shifter = where it's at.

And don't let anyone tell you that those $4-5000 chassis are not worth it. We owned an Italkart; it was worth it for the brakes alone.

Dueller · 06:34 PM

Nah, schumi....not a chance

We're GEEZERS!!!!!! This little kart is beating us up enough as it is.

Jim Bremner · 11-11-2008, 10:04 PM

wish that I could still do it!

dewolf · 11-12-2008, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dueller

As simple as they are you have to adjust track, toe, camber, caster, gearing, tire pressures, weight distribution, offset, etc to make them hook up. A lot more complicated than I thought.

Yes, simple things these go-karts........bullsh$t!!! Both my lads started racing this year. Where has my life gone........ Great fun though. 5 laps and I'm stuffed.

Schumi · 11-12-2008, 01:47 AM

I was supposed to co-drive a kart endurance race this summer, that fell through. Probably for the better, I don't think my neck would have held up to it.

Tim Hancock · 11-12-2008, 04:35 AM

After my last broken collar bone break in the early 90's, I gave up competitive motocross (my new boss did not appreciate my occasional injuries) and my buddy and I bought Coyote race carts and built up a couple Briggs. The governors were removed and slight mods were allowed that made these "5 hp" Briggs make about 9 hp at about 6000 rpm on alcohol. It was fun at first, but soon we got bored with it as you basically ran the local tracks with your foot to the floor the whole way around. The incredible grip and g-forces in the turns was pretty cool at first, but we tired of it after one season. It just did not offer the kind of thrills or competition level that MX had given us.

Shifter carts OTOH, would definitely be a bit more exciting and driver dependant.

jtfreels · 11-12-2008, 06:10 AM

If only Jackson weren't 200 miles away....

Have fun.

Jay

herr_oberst · 11-12-2008, 06:22 AM

I really should be taking advantage of this facility - A few of my buds have shifter karts and I've ridden several times, a ton of fun, my worry is losing sight of reality if I made any sort of a plunge.

http://www.patsacres.com/index.htm

Dueller · 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I really should be taking advantage of this facility - A few of my buds have shifter karts and I've ridden several times, a ton of fun, my worry is losing sight of reality if I made any sort of a plunge.

http://www.patsacres.com/index.htm

WOW!!!! Beautiful facility. But renting at $25/10 minutes could get pricey. Our little .277 mile track ain't fancy but its more complicated than it looks. Plus we love the fact that we can go out there anytime we want and practice for free. We're about 2 sec a lap slower than the 100cc 2 stroke "can" carts. We turn 7100-7200 rpms on alcohol.

The latest organization's attempt at cheap thrills is the "Harbor freight" class where you use a chinese built 6.5 hp Honda clone motor fro...where else? Harbor Freight. No internal mods allowed. They sell for $169 each but there are online coupons letting you buy them for $99.99 each. We may pick up a few to try it.

Hey...we'll race anything