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KARTING, EMOTION & PASSION
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CIK HOMOLOGATION 2015/2020
PHOTO D. PASTANELLA
THE LATEST CHASSIS FROM THE TOP MANUFACTURERS
SPECIAL EXHIBITION
KARTMANIA 2014 GARAGE HOW TO GET READY FOR THE COLD
ROTAX GRAND FINALS NAIL-BITING RACING SAVES THE SHOW IN A FLOODED KARTODROMO LUCAS GUERRERO, VALENCIA
BRITS AT THE RGF DAVE WOODER, 2ND IN JUNIOR MAX, HITS THE BEST RESULT FOR TEAM UK
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DARTFORD KARTING – OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR
www.kartstore.co.uk contact Maria at sales@kartstore.co.uk BAYFORD MEADOWS KC www.bmkr.co.uk contact Ian at info@bmkr.co.uk
SHENINGTON KC www.sheningtonkrc.co.uk contact Graham at Graham@sheningtonkrc.co.uk
BUCKMORE PARK – DARTFORD KARTING www.kartstore.co.uk contact Maria at sales@kartstore.co.uk
TRENT VALLEY KC www.tvkc.co.uk contact Clare at clare@tvkc.co.uk
CUMBRIA KC www.cumbriakrc.co.uk contact Malcolm at malcolmfell@yahoo.com
WHILTON MILL KC www.whiltonmill.co.uk contact Debbie at debbie@whiltonmill.co.uk
FOREST EDGE KC www.fekc.co.uk contact Colin at carolyne.wright@btconnect.com
ZIP KART www.zipkart.com contact Dan at dan@zipkart.com
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LLANDOW KC www.llandowkartclub.co.uk contact Colin at llandowcompsec@hotmail.co.uk 6
AND IF YOU ATTEND THE SUPER ONE SERIES, FIND IT AT THE S1 INFO CENTRE
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CONTENTS
www.vroomkart.com
JANUARY 2015 - N. 13
info@vroom.it www.facebook.com/vroomkart twitter.com/vroomkart
NEW CHASSIS
28 HOMOLOGATION 2015/2020 - PT1
news
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14 MONDOKART - News & Previews 20 YOUR TKM GUIDE A new beginning 22 ROTAX MAX BEGINNERS TIPS Getting the chassis to work 24 ABKC NEWS Annual General Meeting
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SPECIAL 36 KARTMANIA SHOW 44 HALL OF FAME 56 FOCUS Brits at the Grand Finals 76 VINTAGE BHKC at Kartmania 78 2015 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL CALENDARS
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48 ROTAX GRAND FINALS 62 BUCKMORE PARK KC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.8 64 SHENINGTON KRC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.12 66 TRENT VALLEY KC WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP RD.1 68 BAYFORD MEADOWS KRC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.9
technical side 28 CIK-FIA CHASSIS HOMOLOGATION 2015/2020 Latest frames Part 1 70 GARAGE Warm it up VROOM UK
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ABKC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
BY G.SMITH
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
REPORTS Colin Wright confirmed in his role as ABkC Chairman, Nigel Edwards as Kart Committee Chairman, licences for mechanics, new Rotax Evo discussion and a lot more at the ABkC Annual General meeting.
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In his annual report, ABkC Chairman Colin Wright said that 2014 had been a somewhat difficult year with smaller clubs struggling to maintain profitability and more clubs expected to host IKR racing, where more seniors seem to race. He believed the ABkC should formulate a framework for IKR racing. He noted that our fantastic sport is becoming more of a children’s activity and he would continue to press the MSA for relaxation on medicals before we see Clubs reported a total more circuits lost to membership of 4436 - very MSA racing. He noted similar to the 4489 in 2013 that Juniors held up well and gearbox is licences are going to be very looking good for a bright similar at 3900 compared with future. He thought the 3986 in 2013, participation trial of the International Steward system was a is increased and so is the positive note. The most number of permits issued important thing is to bring in more participants, re-invigorate the O Plates to benefit smaller clubs. Investigations have shown that Royal Mail could target key cities by demographics for probably £500 per club. But first we
need to lower entry costs to the sport, have less classes, protect drivers from commercial pressures and bring in our Drivers Association. Those round the table here have all the skills to advance these ideas. We also need to look into licencing mechanics and teams and give them value for their expertise. The MSA has a key role to play in all of those. Drivers have many choices for their karting between MSA, IKR, F100 and Historic racing. In his Secretary’s report, Graham Smith said we had 29 clubs in membership this year compared with 30 the previous year, but two new clubs have just joined – Whilton Mill rejoining and the newly MSA affiliated FP4k a brand new member. We thank the clubs for their support of the ABkC. The clubs reported a total membership of 4436 very similar to the 4489 in 2013 and licences are going to be very similar at 3900 compared with 3986 in 2013, but participation is increased and so is the number of permits issued. Pack sales are inevitably down significantly presumably because of the higher price. In his view, the
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L a t NEW CHASSIS HOMOLOGATION 2015/2020
frames WITH THE NEW HOMOLOGATION PERIOD REGARDING THE STRUCTURE OF KARTS, HERE ARE THE FIRST INNOVATIONS OFFERED BY THE MAIN ITALIAN MANUFACTURERS FOR THE COMING SEASON, WHERE THEY HAVE LOOKED TO REFINE AND OFFER THEIR CLIENTS MORE. REPORT: M.VOLTINI 28
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e st We all know what the karting world is like, there is a homologation turnover every three years: one year for engines and relative accessories, such as carburettors and ignition; the following year it is tyre homologation; last but not least it is the chassis’ turn and that of the “elements” connected with it (brakes and fairings). Well, this 2015 coincides with the new chassis homologations, which conform to Cik-Fia norms will last from 2015 to 2020 included. In the following pages we will show you the first innovations, the ones that we have managed to get from the most important Italian manufacturers; who are usually very busy at this time, trying to respect the dead line for production. In fact, besides having to make two models, which are necessary for homologation and the visit from the sports authorities, there is however, also the need to meet the request of the different retailers all over the world. Furthermore, some factories also produce for third parties, other brands, and therefore have more work on their hands. Having said this, we can point out which are the latest tendencies in this field: it is some time now since we have seen any revolutionary innovations “genius solutions” in
trying to suggest or present something that is superior. We have seen more or less an alignment of designs similar to the more traditional frames, and now a tendency leading to a range of more versatile type of karts. That is, as wide a range as possible, but at the same time with moderate changes of flexibility between one model and the other, and trying to adapt more specifically to the different requirements of kart with or without gears. Further on you will see, in the following pages, how each manufacturer has interpreted this tendency, but you can clearly see how they have come up with similar models, designs are similar, using “half step” passages in tube section. That is, they have started to think that the difference between a frame made of 30mm tubes and one made of 32mm diameter tubes, with the same design, is too much, so a model has been made with a combination of 30mm and 32mm diameter tubes. This way one can satisfy the different requirements and situations more, also because there are lots of different classes for different types of engines, tyres and weights used on the global market. Well, the time has come to turn over a new leaf and see how each manufacturer has tackled this new challenge.
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EXHIBITION SHOW KARTMANIA 2014
REPORT G.SMITH / PHOTOS C.WALKER (KARTPIX.NET)
A SNEAK PREVIEW
OF 2015 The annual Kartmania show at the end of November had a real buzz and atmosphere that was perhaps missing in previous years. The fantastic venue at the “Wing”, right in the heart of the home of British motorsport in Silverstone, once again played host to the only show in the country dedicated exclusively to Karting. The layout had been revamped and being on a fifth weekend meant that there were no clashes with kart race meetings. That brought in more clubs than before, and most had made a great effort to attract customers. The single floor layout for the main show was more compact, leading to aisles that looked busy. Exhibitors with the bigger articles for sale like instant Shelters plus the formula cars and motor vans were located on the ground floor beside the boot sale. The usual initial rush snapped up the best bargains, but there were many to occupy browsers throughout the two days. Kartmania promoter Martin Capenhurst summed up: “Everyone has told me they really like the new layout, it definitely has a better atmosphere and we have had about 2800 visitors.”
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B R I T I S H
C H A M P I O N S H I P Too bad that the demise of the national direct-drive categories (KF and KFJ) forced the MSA to cancel the British Junior Championship at the beginning of the 2014 season. In fact, with extremely low entries in KFJ, the championship organizer was left with no other option, awarding the British titles only to Senior (KZ1) and Cadet (Iame). Quite a decisive blow to the international racing format, which since then has undertaken a series of tests to change the current engine regulations. As we are about to see the new course in CIK racing (the new engine homologation should take place at the end of 2015), the two British title format ended the previous set-up - three British titles, one for Senior, one for Junior and one
BRITISH GLORY AT STAKE
REPORT S.MURTAS / PHOTOS C.WALKER
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for Cadet – dating back to 1987, when Steve Brogan (100 Super), David Coulthard (Junior 100 B) and Claire Bogan (Cadet) were crowned British Champions. In the meantime, the British Karting crown has seen the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Davidson, the late Dan Wheldon, Paul di Resta, Will Stevens and many others making an impact on the series, and honing the skills that would have been crucial later in their brilliant career.
H A L L
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19 6 1- 2 0 14 SENIOR BRITISH CHAMPIONS (MSA, RAC & SUPER ONE)
BRITISH SENIOR CHAMPS After a very successful spree in international racing with the CIKFIA U18 World Championship title in 2012, Henry Easthope (KZ1) joins 8-time champion Mickey Allen, 6-time champ Terry Fullerton and 5-time champ Mark Litchfield in the list of all times greats in Senior Karting. The list, which includes other multiple champions such as Michael Simpson, Bobby Game and Chris Rogers, among others, sees Easthope as the second ever
gearbox driver to be awarded the British crown in over two decades. Still unmatched, Litchfield’s three crowns in a row (’05-’06-’07), and Allen’s back to back titles twice - in ’67-’68 and ’76-’77.
BRITISH CADET CHAMPS A thrilling fight saw the conclusion of the 2014 British Cadet Championship, with as many as three drivers fighting it out till the very last lap. In the end, Teddy Wilson had the better of two worthy rivals, Kiern Jewiss and Jonny
Above, two senior stars of the new century 5-time British champion Mark Litchfield and double British champ Chris Rogers. With international direct-drive classes temporarily out of the picture, KZ1 is the category awarding the British Senior title since 2013, with Henry Easthope (opposite) clinching the 2014 crown. Top, Teddy Wilson joined the likes of Hamilton, Wheldon and Di Resta in the list of British Cadet champions.
1961 J.Brise (Class 1) 1961 A.Sisson (Class 2) An senimenit forudem 1961 J.Hainsworth (Class 4 Special) essere orae patiostrat 1962 B.Allerdice (Class 1 Super) ad facto us, consulus, 1962 G.Bloom (Class 1 Special) que R.Keele actum(Class in te4inSpecial) hos 1962 1963 B.Daydiendest? / Outright champ. manum Nam G.Bloom (Class 1 Super) erbitienam hiliquam 1963 G.Bloom (Class 1 Special) acero vigilint? me in 1963 R.Keele (Classquo 4 Special) des?B.Ferrari Id Catis? Opiorum 1964 / Outright champ. C.Lambert (Class 1 Super) te contebatquam 1964 D.Povey (Class 1 Standard) proratodius, Catus hilius, 1964 B.Ferrari (Class 1 Special) utemB.Ferrari esillem publissata 1964 (Class 2) aucitab ituamdium 1964 S.Thompson (Class 4iae Special) 1964 C.Lambertsentistasdac (Class 4 Super) quiurorum 1965 B.Ferrari / Outright champ. fac tem etem omnotil Chris Merlin (Class 1 Super) viliconscris ca Senit, con 1965 M.Allen (Class 1) 1965 (Class 1 Special vis inB.Day aurordius bone & Class 2) pos ina vis clerestius, 1965 C.Merlin (Class 4 Standard) quit,A.Palmer furnunc videsciem 1965 (Class 4 Special) meissa nonsullem 1965 J.Barlow (Class 4 Super) 1966 M.Allen (Class 1 Sport) vocturb itatuiurem nimis 1966 T.Fullertonrem (Classnost 1 Junior) cauconsus 1966 R.Hawcock (Class 1 Mod.A) publica; int, nirissimunt. 1966 P.Cole (Class 1 Mod.B) EctorC.Merlin patiam ius4 Ca 1966 (Class Standard) 1966 R.Williamson (Class 4 Special) 1966 J.Morrell (Class 4 Super) 1967 M.Allen (Class 1 Sport) 1968 M.Allen (Class 1 Sport) 1969 S.South (100 International) 1970 C.Hales 1971 T.Fullerton 1972 M.Allen 1973 T.Fullerton 1974 P.Burgess 1975 T.Fullerton 1976 M.Allen 1977 M.Allen 1978 T.Fullerton 1979 M.Allen 1980 T.Fullerton 1981 A.Gates 1982 J.Herbert (Formula K 135cc) 1983 A.Buchan (100 International) 1984 P.Hunnisett 1985 R.Weatherley 1986 A.McNish (100 Super) 1987 S.Brogan 1988 D.Beasley 1989 A.O'Hara 1990 S.Brogan (Formula A) 1991 G.Moynihan 1992 R.Firman 1993 M.Simpson 1994 M.Davies 1995 M.Simpson 1996 B.Game 1997 B.Game 1998 R.Jenkinson 1999 M.Spencer 2000 M.Conway 2001 C.Rogers 2002 M.Rochford 2003 G.Catt 2004 M.Litchfield 2005 M.Litchfield 2006 M.Litchfield 2007 C.Rogers (KF1) 2008 M.Litchfield 2009 R.Foster-Jones 2010 M.Litchfield 2011 T.Joyner 2012 B.Barnicoat 2013 D.Borton (KZ1) 2014 H.Eastwood (KZ1)
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15th ROTAX GRAND FINALS
RACE
VALENCIA (SPAIN), 28-29th NOVEMBER 2014
WETTEST DAY IN VALENCIA
IN ALL FAIRNESS, WE’VE SEEN BETTER - BOTH IN TERMS OF CIRCUIT AND ATMOSPHERE - THE TORRENTIAL RAINS ON THE MAIN DAY DID NOT HELP EITHER, AND YET THE ROTAX GRAND FINALS REMAINS THE MOST UNIQUE, COLOURFUL AND PRESTIGIOUS SINGLE MAKE EVENT OF THE SEASON. REPORT S.MURTAS / PHOTOS D.PASTANELLA, C.SCHINDEL
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How do you make a great event even better? Hard to nail it, and if you run out of luck in the crucial moment, the risk of something spoiling it all gets real. In a sentence, that’s how the 15th edition of the Rotax Grand Finals can be summed up. But let’s take it from the top. First things first, the venue - in truth, the choice of the Kartodromo Lucas Guerrero in Valencia was made for a question of opportunity. While the Spanish track can be a very good one to drive, the venue as a whole did not prove adequate for an event of such magnitude. Many in the paddock agreed that, after the glorious showcase of the previous Grand Finals in New Orleans, which no doubt was hard to match as it considerably raised the bar, something better was expected. Of course, the floods that hit the track on Saturday, the one of the finals, dramatically complicated the work of the organizers. According to the locals, they’ve never seen so much rain hammering it in Valencia! Yet, despite the weather forecasts did not leave much room for optimism, the staff seemed to be hopelessly at the mercy of the situation, while some sections of the circuit were heavily flooded. As a result, the prefinals had to be cancelled, the program had to be stopped for nearly two hours, leaving it all to play for in the final. Definitely lady luck turned her back on the organizers, but the choice of holding the event at the end of November should have called for more precautions, considering the bad weather almost came into play already two years before in Portugal. If the 2012 edition in Portimao just made it through without major disruptions (and it wasn’t held on the last weekend of November) this time the gamble did not pay off.
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f
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BRITS AT THE GRAND FINALS
WOODER TOP OF THE
BRITS
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With luck (and foreign licenses) playing against the British squad, Dave Wooder is the best of the Brits after landing a brilliant runner-up title in Junior Max. REPORT S.MURTAS / PHOTOS D.PASTANELLA
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GARAGE HOW TO GET READY FOR THE COLD
DON’T LET IT FREEZE
Karting doesn’t necessarily need to… freeze when the cold season steps in, however, all round, it is better to take some precautions to face the lower temperature. BY M. VOLTINI - PHOTOS: VROOM ARCHIVE
ith winter upon us, it is normal to expect cold weather. And for anyone who is exposed to the elements, like kart drivers, the weather is really felt. At this point, you can decide whether to store up your kart or keep on going to the track for a few laps. However, if you decide to continue using your kart and especially if you want to go back home in one piece, it is better to do a few jobs on it, technical and non-technical. Let’s take a look at one or two things that you could do.
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GIVE SETUP A BIT OF GO
If we aren’t lucky enough to find a warm day, almost certainly our kart will start to skid very much more than it usually does. This is due to various reasons: tyres don’t warm up as much as they do in summer, or they take longer to reach the right temperature, and already just for this reason we’d be slower round turns; but when at slower speed it is more difficult to load tyres to the right point so as they warm up properly. The first “mechanical” tip is to let the tyres work harder, loading those more. We can easily see that the firs thing to do is work on track
(especially rear) so that the centrifugal force round the corner conveys more weight and pressure on the tread. With this same aim, you can increase chassis height from the ground, both at front and rear, and also the seat height. In this basic adjustment you must also consider hubs, mount longer ones that load tyres directly. Watch out though because some chassis and some axles tend to work less if they haven’t got sufficient “lever arm” between the wheels and the rear bearings, something that could influence kart behaviour on the track very much. So, if there are problems you could start doing
some “experiments”, for example work on the height of the third bearing on the axle and check the reactions you get by locking it and loosening it. This is a rather simple operation and above all, one that allows you to check rapidly which is the best direction to aim for, whether to make it stiffer or adapt flexion in the area. You see, we have always to bear in mind that not all chassis react in the same way, and that situations are hardly ever “coherent” and unchanged: at times conditions are such that you get the desired effect doing the exact opposite of what you have always done.
LOOKING FOR WARMTH
To give you an example of set-up in antithesis with “golden rules” of the
definition, take camber: in normal conditions, with karts (because it works differently with cars), the straighter the wheels, more hold there is: while if we have negative camber, that is, tilted inwards, they tend to skid. The thing is that at times, when it’s cold and temperatures are very low, and the tread rests on the asphalt, tyres are not stressed enough so they don’t warm up. But, if we reduce the area where it touches the ground, increasing camber, the tyre is subject to more load, so it manages to warm up and there is more grip. Obviously there are limits to this, but it helps us to see how, at times, you must be a bit elastic with “set-up regulations”. And as we are dealing with the characteristic geometry of the wheels, don’t forget that an adjustment that helps both
aspects directly (more grip and more heat for tyre) is the toe in. So open the wheels at the front with too much hesitation, even up to 20mm only if necessary (remember we are talking of extreme cases, let’s get there but always gradually), because we’d get more directionality and at the same time tyres would warm up quicker. Moreover, being the front ones and therefore not subject to torque, they usually take a bit longer. In fact, in defining this set-up, it is up to the driver’s sensibility (and experience) to feel if less grip depends on adjustment or the fact that tyres haven’t warmed up enough; if we have lack of balance after some laps it could depend, say, on the fact that front tyres reach the right speed after the rear ones. To conclude the topic on steering geometry, usually it is good to
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