SWRA Swoops into Eagles Canyon

Five hours north of West Houston, just north of Ft. Worth, Texas near Decatur, Eagle's Canyon Raceway was recently completed and word was SWRA was the first official event at the new track.





The track is a technical majesty, the four outer left-turns are four different, double apex 180's of varying diameter. Turn 3 is a quick left into a full out exit, turn 6 is a tight turn in and a tight, compression exit with a lot of track to deal with, painted apex and exit curbs. Turn 9 has a massive elevational drop, but with the off-camber left/right to enter, it's a joyous run downhill through the Turn 9 complex. The fourth double is Turn 11, an even-tighter double left after a long straight. There are many elevational changes in the 2.5 mile track, making entries and exits exciting.



Competition was fierce again, with Jean and John Dale Brown in attendance on Friday for the lights, and Jamey on Sunday due to scheduling constraints. I was unable to be there for Friday practice, but I arrived early Saturday to assemble my unprepared kart. I hadn't completed the necessary repairs, and parts from Frank's shop met me at the track. Aside from a missing gas tank, and a new one ($55 trackside), the Birel went together with no hitches. Dropping out onto the track in the lights race without any practice laps put me down early. In the 12 or 13 laps of the race, I was able to shave 4 seconds off my times, and made my last lap my fastest, a 2:20.

The leaders with the three kart draft were lapping at 2:13 though, so I never saw them after the start. I passed several slower karts to finish 6th thanks to one of the lead pack going off on the final lap. I felt a lot of horsepower was left on the table after this race: some in the motor, some in the clutch, and some in my overall body weight, but after some consideration I think it'll also prove effective to update the aero package, it's ten years old now and though it's complete, it is a bit of an air dam.

Sunday's race was better for me, I finished 4th and improved on my lap times, but performance-wise it was the same. I look forward to our next race at Oakhill. We'll visit SWRA's home track twice in the year, May 16-18 and again Oct 17-19.

Sponsorship operations need to improve. There were several last minute donors prior to this past weekend, but overall, sponsorship is anything but busy.

The good news is I should be in the lead in points in the Heavies and fourth in points in the Lights.

-Katykarter

Starting Tribulations and Trials

The start of a race is an all important moment.

The green flag drops and all your systems come on-line at once: a flurry of movement and synergy: a flood of karts funnelling towards the first turn...

but the start is just a moment when you drop the accelerator and steer towards daylight.

Its over so quickly, it seems like just a moment. In truth, you prepare for the start giving it the extra attention and preparation it deserves. The start, done properly, can give an extra place or two in addition to the strength/weakness of your kart. That will play out on the high speed road course ahead. Starting grand prix style, or from a dead start, depends on reflexes, skill, and determination. When more karts than can fit dodge into the first turn mayhem ensues. Open wheels tend to not rub but launch skyward! Often, a small space is all you have, and it's everything you can do to just survive. But when an opening pops up, or a wreck happens, instinct, luck and skill provide the means to take advantage of it.

A Clutch in the hole is worth...everything

The start starts with the clutch. It's impossible to overstate the importance of a properly set clutch. With it, you'll rocket out of the hole into the lead. Without it, your mired in whatever-place.
Lately, the clutch is presenting itself as the center of the kart's universe: it has become the difference in the competition and us. This is no new revelation either, Frank has been collecting data, testing, using different models, different makes. Changing the weights, springs and friction plates. Our clutches are hard-hitting SMC's and they are highly tunable. The competition uses SMC as well, but some use Horstman and Hartman, both 'back in the day' clutches that literally kick-ass with regular rebuilding. The launch is maybe the most important role the clutch plays, but it is just beginning it's job, proper adjustment keeps you launching hard out of the slowest corner all race long.

The Kt 100 is a venerable motor produced by Yamaha in it's present configuration and displacement for decades. I don't know when it came on the scene, but Frank started tuning it and rebuilding it almost immediately, and that's some 30 or more years ago. It's a 100cc two stroke motor making peak power at almost 13,000 rpms. That's pretty high and your clutch will engage sometime before that in the rpms' screeching rise and you've got the motor's full power after that.

Keeping the Motor Running

The Walbro carburator is another old time/all time part to this package, it is relatively the same as in years past. The carb has two fuel-mixture adjustments: the low speed and the high speed. Because of the Kt's penchant for running at WOT (wide-open throttle), it needs to be greatly leaned-out prior to the start so it will stay running. In this extra-lean state, the carb keeps the motor alive, but on the start, or throttle input WOT, it needs to be richened immediately or it's lights-out for the motor. It can't handle that lean of a mixture: the added heat seizes the piston in mid stroke causing quite a mess not to mention an immediate halt.

Depending on the ambient conditions, after richening the mixture properly, the needle will be set to a position to accommodate the heat. Heat kills the motor (and clutch), and it's ever present in racing conditions. Ambient temperature, humidity and dew point greatly affect the carb's performance and in turn the motor's performance.

During the start of the Cresson 'Lights' race, I richened the mix sharply, and the motor chugged in protest. I screwed it back down a fuzz, allowed the motor to get it's breath and started out again, this time richening it evenly: a horrible start! Sunday I richened it evenly and had a superior start. There are still several slower karts in the fields, and at the start they are obstacles to avoid. Compound that with spins and offs, dust, smoke, flipping karts...it's a little hairy.

To Finish First...

All of this happens moments after the green flag drops. Getting through Turn 1 intact is paramount but getting the best start puts more behind you than is in front of you, making fitting into Turn 1 all that much easier. Finishing is even more important, so throwing it into Turn 1 recklessly is like going "all in" on the first hand of the poker tournament! Don't do it!

Instead, visualize smoothly accelerating past the field into lone possession of first place.

Now...make it happen.

-Katykarter