SETUP

Karting, perhaps more than any other Motorsport, is almost entirely determined by 2 key factors: Chassis Setup and Driver performance.

SEK Competition use a control engine and exhaust and provided they’re maintained correctly and have valve clearances checked regularly (refer Engines section), it is our experience that generally speaking, engines are not going to make the difference between winning and losing.

In terms of Driver Performance, smooth is almost always faster – if you’re looking to improve your times, watch the drivers who are running at the front; follow them on track if you can and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Kart Setup is a skill worth learning. Patience, persistence and a methodical approach are the key.

When looking to make changes to your kart there are many things to consider. Where are you looking to improve? Does the kart have too much steer (oversteer) or too little (understeer)? Where in the corner is the problem presenting itself (corner entry, mid corner or exit)? Is the kart stable under brakes? Is it taily on high speed sections?

There is a wealth of information online about kart setup and we’d encourage you to spend time researching those if you’re unsure of what changes might impact certain handling characteristics.

One thing is certain though, if you want to test and improve performance, change one setting at a time. Record the changes and the impact it had. The more you do this, the more you’ll learn and the more intuitive you’ll get about what needs to be changed and by how much.

As always, if you’re unsure or looking for assistance, just ask. Our entire SEK Community is here to help.

Making changes to your setup can be approached in one of two ways: you can just throw changes at it and hope they work, or you can be a little more methodical, change one thing at a time, record the outcomes, and learn so you have more information to rely on next time you want to try and improve the performance of your kart. Your choice, but we know what one we’d make (in case it isn’t obvious, be methodical!).

Karting, perhaps more than any other Motorsport, is almost entirely determined by 2 key factors: Chassis Setup and Driver performance.

Kart Setup is a skill worth learning. Patience, persistence and a methodical approach are the key.

When looking to make changes to your kart there are many things to consider. Where are you looking to improve? Does the kart have too much steer (oversteer) or too little (understeer)? Where in the corner is the problem presenting itself (corner entry, mid corner or exit)? Is the kart stable under brakes? Is it taily on high speed sections?

There is a wealth of information online about kart setup and we’d encourage you to spend time researching those if you’re unsure of what changes might impact certain handling characteristics.

One thing is certain though, if you want to test and improve performance, change one setting at a time. Record the changes and the impact it had. The more you do this, the more you’ll learn and the more intuitive you’ll get about what needs to be changed and by how much.

As always, if you’re unsure or looking for assistance, just ask. Our entire SEK Community is here to help.

Tyre Pressures are far more important than they’re generally given credit for. A single PSI change in tyre pressure can often have a very noticable impact on kart handling and performance. Most SEK Teams run between 20-28 PSI on the Dunlop Slick tyre, although some have run well into the low teens and others have experimented beyond 30. Test and record the changes you experience with different tyre pressures to help understand what differences they can make.

The general rule is the most obvious, Slick Tyres are for Dry conditions and Wet Tyres are, unsurprisingly, for use when it’s raining and the track is wet. In practice, though, it isn’t always so clear cut, and understanding if and when to consider changing from slick to wet tyres, or vice versa, is a critical part of endurance racing and an essential component of your race strategy. Races can be won by making the right tyre choice at the right time, conversely though they can just as easily be lost if you make the wrong call.

There are limitations you need to be aware of in SEK Competition. There are 3 track “conditions” that can be determined by the Race Officials and these will be clearly announced before or during the race as conditions change.

DRY TRACK: This track condition means you can only run slick tyres. Running a wet tyre in this situation would not only be pointless due to the lack of grip and performance a wet tyre would offer on a dry track, it is not permissible and would result in your team being forced to pit to change tyres.

OPEN TRACK: If the circuit is declared an “Open Track” by officials, it means you are free to choose which tyre you run; Slicks or Wets, the choice is yours. Before you make any changes though, make sure you’ve read the Supplementary Regulations for the event, as they will clearly detail how many sets of Slick or Wet tyres you’re allowed to run for that specific race. The other thing to watch is what’s happening with lap times. As a track becomes more wet, or conversely as it dries, lap times may be significantly different lap-to-lap. Knowing when the ‘crossover’ point is being reached (the point at which being on a different tyre would be preferable in terms of laptime potential) is critical if you’re going to make the right decision on which tyres to run. Don’t forget to factor in the time it takes to pit either; in-laps, pit transit time, the time it takes to change four wheels and tyres and then to get back on track; all these factors need to be considered before you make your choice!

WET TRACK: When Officials call a “Wet Track” condition they generally do so to ensure the safety of competitors and it’s usually due to the amount of standing/pooling water being beyond what a slick tyre can manage to disperse. When this condition is called by the Officials, every team must pit to change to Wet Tyres. Once again, make sure you read and understand the rule book to know how many laps you have before you must pit and change tyres; failure to do so will result in a penalty.