Tips for Becoming a Faster Go Kart Driver

There isn’t much better than feeling the adrenaline as you race your way around the track, trying to outrace your fellow go kart competitors. If you want to get a cutting edge and start winning more races, one of the things you need to improve on is your speed. If you are looking to shave a few seconds off of your lap times, you have come to the right place! Here are five insider secrets that will help you drive faster to get your finishing position higher.

Have a Better Posture

Having great posture will actually help you drive faster while you are tearing through the course! Keep your body relaxed but sit up straight. Have your feet rest comfortably on the pedals while your knees are slightly bent. Having your hands at 9 and 3 on the steering wheel while also give you better control when you are turning.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

During your next race, follow a faster driver to see how they are driving. Look at how they take their corners and follow their racing lines. You will begin to see how they use and maintain their momentum by using wider lines around the course.

Maintain Your Momentum

Use what you learned from faster racers and implement it into your own strategy. One of the best ways to increase your speed is to sustain a good top speed. You can usually do this by following the “racing line” around the track. As you approach corner turns you should start on the outside of the turn, cross to the inside at the apex, then exit on the outside. Our staff can assist you with learning the racing line to achieve faster lap times.

Don’t Crash!

As you start using this wider driving technique, you may find yourself crashing into the barriers or even the other racers. Don’t worry about this too much when you are first learning (just no intentional bumping and efforts should be made to avoid other drivers), a lot of people need a lot of practice to truly perfect their turns and driving lines. As you get better at these turns, you will notice your times will decrease tenfold because you will be driving properly, and you won’t be crashing into anything!

If you are looking to increase your speed over the winter, come by Formula Kartways to get your practice in! We are open 364 days a year so you can come by whenever we are open to start perfecting your racing lines and turning techniques, you will become a faster racer in no time!

All credit goes to Formula Kartways