I'm not sure where else to have a forum discussion on this. I'm sure a lot of you are under the 20 sec time. My best lap so far has been 19.6, and I'd like to improve. I'm looking for tips.

Since Lemans changes where the pits enter the track, I'll call the grid position where the starting light on the ceiling is (far back left of the building) as the start/finish line.

Here's my assessment, please critique and tell me what I'm doing wrong:

Turn 1: wide 90 right - so wide you don't need to go all the way out. From exit of the previous corner, you should be at full throttle by the time you come back to turn 1. Cut the corner and setup to cut the next corner. Treat turn 1 and 2 like a double apex.

Turn 2: wide 90 right - You should still be full throttle from turn 1 and cut the corner. Exit all the way to the outside of the long straight for the next turn.

Turn 3: Anticipate a sharp right. A little bit of lift throttle is all that's needed to enter turn 3. Use the karting trick and yank the steering right and loosen a it to point in the right direction to set up for turn 4. The exit is very wide but you shouldn't need to use all of it. Stay in the middle of the exit to set up a decreasing radius line for 4. This turn is a great place to pass noobs because they won't have enough speed here.

Turn 4: hairpin right. Lemans shifted the track and sped up this turn in the last few months. Use the decreasing radius from exit of turn 3, you should be on the gas well before turn 4 and cut the apex. Before Lemans shifted the track, you had to really take this turn slow to set up for turn 5. However, since widening the track, turn 4 is faster. Briefly lift immediately after apexing turn 4 to set up for turn 5.

Turn 5: essentially the 2nd half of the turn 4 chicane, the exit of turn 5 is so wide that you can practically early apex turn 5 and quickly get full throttle.

Turn 6: this is a decreasing radius left. Not sure if braking is even necessary. This brief turn enters you into a descreasing radius to setup for a very critical turn 7 and 8.

Turn 7: Continue wide right out of turn 6 to cut a very late and slow turn 7 apex. You'll need as much width to the left on exit of turn 7 as possible to carry speed into the sharp almost hairpin of turn 8. Lift quickly on exit of turn 7 to rotate to setup for turn 8; the most critical of them all.

Turn 8: This is about a 270 degree right and carrying speed into this turn from 7 is critical as from turn 8 you should be able to go full throttle through turn 1 and 2 and the longest straights of the track.

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My problem areas:

- judging how wide to go out of turn 3 and into turn 4
- judging how wide and fast to do 6 and where to apex 7 to setup for 8
- where braking is actually necessary as opposed to just lift throttle

Help?

 

I used to work there. Here's a tip: the fast guys don't brake.

Weight is also critical to achieving good times there. 50 lbs. is worth quite a bit of time.

Lastly, how many times have you karted there? If you've gone a few times, you should know that the karts are markedly different. They all handle differently, and some are definitely faster than others. If you want to go fast, ask the track marshalls what karts are hot that day. They know because they test them out regularly and have to report on their condition.

 

Weight? Uh oh... I weigh 190 lbs, so that's not good is it?

I've gone to Lemans about 4 times now, all spread out over a couple years. So, yeah I don't get to go very often. However, I'm going to try an go more often and buy a stamp card.

I've never asked for different karts... I'll do that next time.

Last time I went (a month ago), they gridded me last (for practice). Does that mean they assumed I sucked? After the "quals", I got gridded 2nd or 3rd (can't remember) for the sprint.

Any tips on the track? Especially turn 4 and 7? (I hope I'm getting the turn numbers right.)

 

No idea why they'd grid you last for Practice. I don't think the grid matters for practice--all you're doing is getting a feel for the course. If they deliberately moved you out of line to the back, maybe they were trying to accomplish something, but I wouldn't read too far into it.

Sometimes, they gridded the kid marvel Morgan in the far back (way before the grid) even to start sprints because they knew he would be catching traffic within two laps if not on the first lap.

Definitely ask for a good kart. It makes a huge difference. Also, it's difficult to compare your times from day to day because they make changes to the track surface and the karts to make them go faster/slower. The changes can be as simple as dropping the tire pressure on a fast kart to even it out with the slow ones. The track is under constant repair and certain spots on the surface have to be constantly painted over with traction compound otherwise they'll be slick and slow down the track. Also, temperature matters a whole lot. A hot track will be markedly stickier, whereas a cold track will make slightly more power but overall be slower (in my experience) since the tires will not grip as well.

Also, I heard a rumor that they changed the type of tires they're using fairly recently. They are using a harder compound for longevity but they've found that it actually grips better on the surface. I wonder why that is.

Good luck next time you head out there!

 

even though i only weigh about 140lbs, i've realized that weight transfer is huge in this type of racing. here are some of the things i think about throughout the whole track:
- lean forward to balance out center of gravity, since the engine is in the back.
- lean into the turn. ie. turn right, lean right.
- start turn early by jerking the wheel before you get to the turn.
- barely break traction early.
- re-gain traction by blipping throttle and countersteering.
- at apex, your front right tire should just clear the wall and you will be facing farily straight into the next straightaway
- stay on throttle through the end of the turn.

 

I just came back from Lemans. I know day to day comparisons don't mean much, but my best lap was 19.470 today which is better than my last time. I think I'm improving.

I think I figured out a better way to do turn 6 to 7 and turn 4.

So, from ripping through 1, 2, and 3, an abrupt lift throttle just after passing the apex of 3 and start turn into 4. The kart will want to drift. Use only enough oversteer to start the rotation, but the trick is to just touch the throttle enough to transfer weight to the rear (probably would help leaning too) but not so much that you power on oversteer. By the time you hit the apex of 4, you should be unwinding and getting on the way to full throttle. Turn 5 is nothing so an early apex is ok at full throttle... plenty of exit room.

Into turn 6, if I carried enough speed from 4 throuth 5, then I had to brake at the end of the straight into 6 and go WIDE (don't touch the inside of 6). Through 6, I turned in and touched the throttle to again transfer weight to the rear (but avoid power oversteer). The idea is to late apex 7. I got on as much throttle as possible out of 7 but quickly had to lift again to begin turn in to 8.

8 is a long turn and I had to wait for it before squeezing on the throttle. A wide, almost straight exit helped the kart accelerate. This seemed to give more speed going into 1, but I'm not sure if I lost speed going so wide out of 8.

 

good info.. hahah, that place is hell of fun. my best lap time is 20.092

 

That is actually opposite of what the racers say to do. You lean to the outside so that you help the inside tire unbind a bit and you may be able to build up more revs. I'm not sure if this applies as much indoors, but that's what they teach you outdoors.

Yeah, when did you work there? Did you work weekends much? I've been a regular for years.

Definately ask for a good kart. While they are more consistent now, some of them have more motor or more grip depending on conditions of the day and if someone crashed them.

Edit: Also, don't hesistate to ask the staff what their times are and ask them for some help. The majority of them are in the 18s and they drive the track a lot so they could probably give you some advice.

 

So how does this work? Is the idea that you are increasing the traction of the INSIDE tires? I would have guessed that you want to lean towards the outside tires since they are what's holding you through the turn (turn right, lean left).

 

i'll be driving there in a few weeks, good info in here!