Mantra for the day - 3 quick statements:
Sliding is slowing: When the kart is pointed in the direction you
want to go, all of the power from the engine is moving you in that
direction. When it is sideways, all of the tires are essentially braking.
Fast in slow out: When entry speed is too high the speed through
the corner decreases. When entry speed is just right, the speed
through the corner is never slower than the entry speed and the
speed gradually builds toward the exit speed.
Smooth is fast: The quickest drivers are invariably also the
smoothest. Upsetting the kart increases the friction while you correct
and this slows the exit of the turn.
· Turn the wheel at entry and aim precisely
· Hold that wheel position through the corner (avoid “sawing” the
wheel)
· If you must correct, do micro-corrections early, not macro-
corrections later
· Develop “soft hands” and become gentle with the inputs
Allsports’ turns are not all classic wide-entry, wide-exit corners. In
general, a wider turning radius such as the final turn, #7 which is the
most important turn as it leads to the straight. Below is a breakdown
by turn explaining the suggested line and common mistakes:
Turn 1 Left Late Apex Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far right as close to the wall as possible without
touching it
· Brake enough to slow the kart to a speed supporting turn-in
· Apex slightly late, just beyond center
· Exit is about mid-track, not all the way to the wall on the right
· Turn one time and hold the wheel without adjustments to get this
perfectly
· Optional line - brake from center of track for passing or if the grip
is better there
· Most common mistakes:
o Neutral or early apex with the corresponding exit far too wide
o Turn in from center of track, exit too wide
o Turn in from center of track, exit too slow
o Missed apex
Note: All diagrams are referenced from the spectators sitting across
the top of the page along the blue line.
Turn 2 Hairpin Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far left, the exit of turn 1 should line you up perfectly
· Brake enough to slow the kart to a speed supporting turn-in
· Turn in slightly late for a later apex approach
· Exit to mid-track no further to the left; this exit is a throw-away
· Optional Line – kick back of kart around through turn (advanced)
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Entry from mid-track
o Exit too wide
o Missed apex
Turn 3 Left Sweeper Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far right just next to the wall
· Drive beyond where a beginner would want to turn in
· Feather throttle to support proper turn-in without sliding
· Turning in later changes the angle of entry (see diagram)
· At the pole, the kart should be aimed as shown in diagram
· This eliminates sliding away from the inside wall through 3
· Follow sweeper never more than 1’ from wall
· Follow until crack in pavement then quickly turn right
· Optional line - turn in from mid-track when driving a slower kart
or if track grip supports this, or if making a pass
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Turn-in as shown incorrectly
o Turn-in without feathering throttle, winds up too far away from
inside wall
o Turn-out out too soon for turn 4 (very bad)
Turn 4 Quick Right Recommended (typical) Line:
· Entry is a quick right while from turn 3 (left sweeper)
· Turn-in somewhere near the crack in the pavement
· Angle is critical – kart should be pointed as shown
· If angle is wrong, this kills turn 5, 6, and 7
· Some karts require throttle modulation through this corner
· Optional line – none
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Turning out of 3 too soon (results in incorrect line)
o Not making a quick enough right coming out of 3
o Hitting the barrier slows you down
Turn 5 Left Sweeper Recommended (typical) Line:
· Entry is a sharp left while exiting turn 4
· There should be a gap precisely where the arrow is sitting for the
incorrect drawing; kart should not be there
· Angle is critical or else this kills 6 and 7
· Correct angle is neutral or late apex
· Optional Lines – neutral & late apex depending on style
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Coming out of 3 too soon, wrong angle through 4, results in the
incorrect diagram above
Turn 6 Quick Right Recommended (typical) Line:
· If the exit in 5 is wrong, the entry to 6 will also be wrong
· If 5 is a late apex, then 6 can be a tad late as well
· Build speed from turn 3 through turn 6
· Observe this turn carefully, sometimes it is not pushed out
· Optional Line – Neutral or slightly late apex both work
· Most Common Mistakes:
o If the exit of 5 is wrong, angle through six is wrong
o Sliding the kart sideways
o Obsession with the danger of the pole (reasonable for a
beginner)
o Not building speed through 4,5,6
Turn 7 Left Hand Neutral/ Late Apex Recommended
(typical) Line:
· Exiting turn 6 requires a right hand bend to set up turn 7
· Do not drive straight toward the apex from the inside of the turn!
· Approach from mid-track to driver’s far right depending on grip
level
· Be aware at turn-in for people passing you
· Apex neutral or slightly late; both work
· Exit all the way out to the wall
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Early apex = early exit, cannot hold speed this way
o Sliding on entry, apex, and/ or exit
o Not letting the kart push all the way to the wall at the exit
o Not realizing you are being passed until a collision occurs
o Driving the exit of 6 directly to the apex of 7 and losing
momentum
o Over-corrections on exit (wheel sawing) coming on to the
straight
o This is the most important turn on the track but often the most
painful to observe - yet it is directly in front of the spectators!
Sliding is slowing: When the kart is pointed in the direction you
want to go, all of the power from the engine is moving you in that
direction. When it is sideways, all of the tires are essentially braking.
Fast in slow out: When entry speed is too high the speed through
the corner decreases. When entry speed is just right, the speed
through the corner is never slower than the entry speed and the
speed gradually builds toward the exit speed.
Smooth is fast: The quickest drivers are invariably also the
smoothest. Upsetting the kart increases the friction while you correct
and this slows the exit of the turn.
· Turn the wheel at entry and aim precisely
· Hold that wheel position through the corner (avoid “sawing” the
wheel)
· If you must correct, do micro-corrections early, not macro-
corrections later
· Develop “soft hands” and become gentle with the inputs
Allsports’ turns are not all classic wide-entry, wide-exit corners. In
general, a wider turning radius such as the final turn, #7 which is the
most important turn as it leads to the straight. Below is a breakdown
by turn explaining the suggested line and common mistakes:
Turn 1 Left Late Apex Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far right as close to the wall as possible without
touching it
· Brake enough to slow the kart to a speed supporting turn-in
· Apex slightly late, just beyond center
· Exit is about mid-track, not all the way to the wall on the right
· Turn one time and hold the wheel without adjustments to get this
perfectly
· Optional line - brake from center of track for passing or if the grip
is better there
· Most common mistakes:
o Neutral or early apex with the corresponding exit far too wide
o Turn in from center of track, exit too wide
o Turn in from center of track, exit too slow
o Missed apex
Note: All diagrams are referenced from the spectators sitting across
the top of the page along the blue line.
Turn 2 Hairpin Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far left, the exit of turn 1 should line you up perfectly
· Brake enough to slow the kart to a speed supporting turn-in
· Turn in slightly late for a later apex approach
· Exit to mid-track no further to the left; this exit is a throw-away
· Optional Line – kick back of kart around through turn (advanced)
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Entry from mid-track
o Exit too wide
o Missed apex
Turn 3 Left Sweeper Recommended (typical) Line:
· Enter from far right just next to the wall
· Drive beyond where a beginner would want to turn in
· Feather throttle to support proper turn-in without sliding
· Turning in later changes the angle of entry (see diagram)
· At the pole, the kart should be aimed as shown in diagram
· This eliminates sliding away from the inside wall through 3
· Follow sweeper never more than 1’ from wall
· Follow until crack in pavement then quickly turn right
· Optional line - turn in from mid-track when driving a slower kart
or if track grip supports this, or if making a pass
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Turn-in as shown incorrectly
o Turn-in without feathering throttle, winds up too far away from
inside wall
o Turn-out out too soon for turn 4 (very bad)
Turn 4 Quick Right Recommended (typical) Line:
· Entry is a quick right while from turn 3 (left sweeper)
· Turn-in somewhere near the crack in the pavement
· Angle is critical – kart should be pointed as shown
· If angle is wrong, this kills turn 5, 6, and 7
· Some karts require throttle modulation through this corner
· Optional line – none
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Turning out of 3 too soon (results in incorrect line)
o Not making a quick enough right coming out of 3
o Hitting the barrier slows you down
Turn 5 Left Sweeper Recommended (typical) Line:
· Entry is a sharp left while exiting turn 4
· There should be a gap precisely where the arrow is sitting for the
incorrect drawing; kart should not be there
· Angle is critical or else this kills 6 and 7
· Correct angle is neutral or late apex
· Optional Lines – neutral & late apex depending on style
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Coming out of 3 too soon, wrong angle through 4, results in the
incorrect diagram above
Turn 6 Quick Right Recommended (typical) Line:
· If the exit in 5 is wrong, the entry to 6 will also be wrong
· If 5 is a late apex, then 6 can be a tad late as well
· Build speed from turn 3 through turn 6
· Observe this turn carefully, sometimes it is not pushed out
· Optional Line – Neutral or slightly late apex both work
· Most Common Mistakes:
o If the exit of 5 is wrong, angle through six is wrong
o Sliding the kart sideways
o Obsession with the danger of the pole (reasonable for a
beginner)
o Not building speed through 4,5,6
Turn 7 Left Hand Neutral/ Late Apex Recommended
(typical) Line:
· Exiting turn 6 requires a right hand bend to set up turn 7
· Do not drive straight toward the apex from the inside of the turn!
· Approach from mid-track to driver’s far right depending on grip
level
· Be aware at turn-in for people passing you
· Apex neutral or slightly late; both work
· Exit all the way out to the wall
· Most Common Mistakes:
o Early apex = early exit, cannot hold speed this way
o Sliding on entry, apex, and/ or exit
o Not letting the kart push all the way to the wall at the exit
o Not realizing you are being passed until a collision occurs
o Driving the exit of 6 directly to the apex of 7 and losing
momentum
o Over-corrections on exit (wheel sawing) coming on to the
straight
o This is the most important turn on the track but often the most
painful to observe - yet it is directly in front of the spectators!
