1 May 2011

Labour Day and the weather is perfect for go karting

Went to stc at around 4, had a few laps after that. First few laps are routine ones where we warm up the tires and brakes a lil. After that, business starts.

So it was sunny, track and tires were warm enough, the first Fastest lap i managed to pull off was under the 1 min mark...quite an achievement for me!

After doing a few good laps, i went back to the pits and took a rest..arms were totally numb and tired. Really do have to fight hard to maintain control of the kart in the corners. Took a look at the gauge and it reads 59.74 for the first fastest and 50.70 for the fastest for the first session, by the standard of the veterans it is way off their mark.

But for me, any time under 1 min is very satisfying..and then off for another session, got a push from my uncle and i'm off. The first lap was a another warm up one, getting myself set for the track, with the numb and tired arms. Upon exiting the last corner heading for the start/finish straight, i sped up revving the kart from 7-9 in the rpm scale(couldn't really remember the reading..it gets scary to even blink in that turn). During the turn in from the 1st to 2nd corner, i could feel myself gliding through the corners gracefully with the right amount of wheelspin and steering(in other words drifting).

Exiting the corner to the big 3rd round turn, jamming hard on the throttle and making minute adjustments with the brakes..and i could feel this will be an even better lap. Getting done with the lap, i glanced down on the gauge and it reads 58.++ secs, i was thrilled, Motivated by it, i start to get better and better. On the 3rd lap, i finally managed to do 57.77 with the rpm reading 14.58..quite an achievement really. Cheering on my own on the kart, doing swift corners i started noticed the front plate was loose and started to have a bad feeling.

As i exited the turn leading to the longest straight, i once again went above 1300 rpm and when i started to brake and brace the for the hairpin turn, i heard some strange noise. Turning into the corner, the tail end brakes loose and the kart literally drags itself to a standstill and with the engine revving even without my foot on the throttle really scared me..fearing the engine block would explode right beside me. I looked down and turned the pins on the carburator as taught, to cut the oil supply to the engine, only then i got out of the kart. Walking around it, i could see the brakes smoking, chain guard's out of place, chain's some where else and that was when i knew what had happened.

My uncle walking towards me with a smile knowing what went wrong in the back of his palms, told me that i had braked too much, locking the wheels and breaking the chain.

My heart was pumping hard that time..first experience of such scariness in my life, first fearing the engine would explode beside me and now fearing what would it take to make everything well and running again..

Labour day is a day to chill and enjoyed..no doubt that i enjoyed but not for my uncle..felt sorry but such accidents do occur in the world of motorsport..If none of it occurs, its just too good to be true..sorry to say that nothing is perfect..