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Tracy |
03 November - Getting Back On The Horse X 2
Who is that strange (and we do mean strange) figure at the wheel of our Biesse B3? Photo by Tracy
Having thoroughly twanged Tracy's Biesse B3 during the Mazda RoboPong 200 we wasted no time moving all the components to our spare chassis for one last run before NCMP closed for the season. The main reason for this was to get Tracy out there again, up to speed before the long winter with her huge crash as the memory of the last moments of her season. A secondary reason (although it has been suggested it was the main reason) was to get yours truly some laps in our kart before the long off season.
It's been 5+ years since I driven one of our own karts and I've never driven NCMP. In recent years I've driven Mike Unger's Kosmic ICC at Ocala, his Biesse Leopard at CRP and a CRG/Rotax at the P1 circuit in Tucson. But never our own equipment where I could let it all hang out and accept the consequences for damaging the equipment, if it came to that.
Tracy had no trouble attacking NCMP's Turn 16 despite going in there last time and finding absolutely no brakes under her left foot. Within just a few laps she was back into the rhythm and flow. She asked for a few tuning changes and then set out to get her best lap. Then turned the machine over to me.
Getting the wrinkles out of the old driving suit.- photo by Tracy
The first thing that I noticed was the incredible vibration that the TaG engine gave off - even with the Vortex anti-vibration plate mounted under the engine. The buzz to the nether-regions was alarming. Given time I got used to it. Given more time I might even enjoy it - but we're keeping this a family site.
The power was respectable but it wasn't overwhelming. I thought it might be for a guy that hadn't driven a 25+ hp kart seriously for years. The track had low grip and the temps were cool so I was surprised by how much the kart wasn't sticking. I also got to experience the notorious Biesse brakes, or lack of them. The last high horsepower karts I'd driven were Unger's Kosmic (which had the capacity to launch you out of the seat - really: http://www.conlinss.com/css/060311.html, go to "Thursday... Out Of The Seat" section) and a CRG at P1 Circuit which at least stopped well. Our B3 wasn't this day. The kart also had a lot of oversteer mid to late corner which, if we were determined, we could have probably tuned out. The balance was good for Tracy but my weight is distributed just a bit differently from hers.
Overall though I was surprised how easy it was to overdrive the kart. As such I was having fun but I was making all the newbie mistakes: braking too late, too hard, trail braking when I shouldn't, turning in too late - just generally hustling too much. As a result I couldn't get closer than 1.3 seconds of Tracy's best lap. The good news was that I didn't hurt my ribs (the result of using the Deepseat or not being at CRP... or both), I could see the MyChron display fine (unlike almost anything else at that distance) and I wasn't winded and wrung out after 10 laps. Not bad for a 48yo that hasn't been in a kart regularly for 6 years.
A few more sessions and I think I could find that 1.3 secs.
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