ATTN: GO KART DRIVERS AT MB2 RACING – GO KART RACING FLAGS

UNDERSTANDING GO KART RACING FLAGS

Go Kart Racing is an exciting sport but making sure you are safe at high speeds is important. Knowing what the different kart flags mean is an important part of ensuring the safety of all racers and getting the most from your time on track.

We have a team of marshals on the tracks that are there for your safety. Their job is to ensure you have the best racing experience possible. The key importance between racers and the marshals is communication, best shown in the flags.

Each flag has a different meaning that should be obeyed at all times. If you ignore flags you may be disqualified, so it is important that you learn them well.

 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT FLAGS & WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Blue flag – One of the most common flags. This signals that a faster race car is coming up behind you, and you should hold your line and let them pass. Once they are passed you can increase your speed and get racing.

Yellow flag – Caution on the track, reduce your speed and do not pass.

Red flag – This is a very important flag, and it means that the race is being stopped. Stop your kart as safely and as quickly as possible, stay in your kart, and do as instructed by the marshal.

Black flag – You are being disqualified for dangerous racing or failing to adhere to other flags. You need to pull over as directed by the marshal.

Green flag – This signals the start of the race or that the race has resumed.

White flag – This means that you are on the final lap of the race.

Checkered flag – The first one across the line wins, and everyone else needs to slow down because the race is over.

We hope these flags will help give you a full briefing on how to use your kart and how to have a fun and safe race.

 

 

 

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FIA EUROPEAN KARTING CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN THIS WEEKEND IN ITALY!

The best kart racers in Europe are gearing up for the start of the 2017 FIA Commission Internationale de Karting European Championship series, with the first race of the season taking place this weekend! The first stop on this year’s tour takes place at the Circuit Napoli, located in Sarno, Italy. The action has already begun with drivers taking practice sessions on the 1.5 kilometer track for the entirety of today.

Drivers from a whopping 31 countries will be competing in three different classes: KZ, OK, and OK Junior. The Academy Trophy and KZ2 classes will not begin until future events, and the year’s schedule features five races for the OK and OK Junior classes, four for the KZ class, and three for the KZ2 drivers.

In total, 165 drivers enter the weekend, giving the series one of its best starts in history. Amongst the pack is last season’s KZ class champion Marco Ardigo, as well as other top contenders Bas Lammers of The Netherlands, Anthony Abbasse of France, and Patrik Hajek of the Czech Republic. The reigning OK class champion Pedro Hiltbrand of Spain has also returned to defend his crown. He will be challenged this season by top-contending Englishmen Clement Novalak and Tom Joyner as well as Karol Basz of Poland.

The OK Junior class is perhaps the most enigmatic and exciting class to watch this weekend, as the youth of the tour have a number of up-and-coming talents. To add to the excitement, the throne has also been vacated as the reigning champion Finlay Kenneally of England has graduated to the senior OK division.

Qualifying heats for the race will begin tomorrow morning and continue into Sunday, where teams will put their speed to the test in time-attack style races with the fastest drivers claiming positions in Sunday’s main events. On Sunday afternoon local time, those who qualify will take to the track one final time for a head-to-head shootout to determine the winner for this first stop on the tour.

This year’s races will be broadcasted live online thanks to WSK Promotion! If you want to tune in and watch any of the races in this year’s European Championship or even the World Championship series, you can find the stream online at cikfia.tv and cikfiachampionship.com. Italy is nine hours ahead of Pacific Time, so the stream will begin at 1:00am (3:00am for our friends in Des Moines and Minneapolis) on Sunday, April 23rd.

Want to race for your own championship? Grab your friends and head to your local MB2 Raceway for high-speed fully-electric go-kart action! Our European-style karts are similar to those driven in the European Championship, only powered by electricity to ensure a safe and exhilarating experience. We offer arrive-and-drive style races to the general public every day, as well as several great party packages for all your celebration needs. Whether you’re looking to host a birthday party, corporate event, company picnic, bachelor party, or business fair, MB2 Raceway will help you make your event one that will be remembered for a long time to come. We can even help customize your event with great food and facility packages, including party and VIP rooms as well as multiple race sessions for each of your guests.

For more information on our events or kart racing experiences, call MB2 Raceway today at 866-986-RACE.

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WHY ELECTRIC RACING IS BETTER THAN GAS

We are occasionally asked why we choose to race with fully-electric go-karts as opposed to the more commonly-known and widely-used gas engine powered go-karts. There are several reasons for this, mostly pertaining to the advantages that electric go-karts have over their gas-powered counterparts. Each type of kart has advantages and disadvantages, which we’ll explore now.

EMISSIONS

We race indoors here at MB2, which means that all of the exhaust and fumes put out by a gas-powered kart would be trapped inside the building without a complex and high-power ventilation system. When you come to MB2, you won’t be greeted with the smell of burning gasoline, grease, and car exhaust (which some people appreciate far more than others). Likewise, the noise created by a gas-powered kart is fairly loud, and placing that in an enclosed space would make the noise deafening. Then multiply it by 12 karts or more and you would need hearing protection just to be inside the building! In this regard, electric karts are far superior to gas powered ones.

POWER

One of the biggest advantages that an electric motor has over a gas engine is that electric motors can maintain their maximum torque right up until they reach their maximum speed. This means an electric car can deliver extremely fast acceleration with immense power in the blink of an eye, without the need for a transmission. This also makes them far easier to limit in terms of speed, which ensures race safety. A gas powered kart would need a transmission to maintain its maximum power, as there are certain spots along the rev band in which the engine produces more power than others. This also makes a gas powered kart more difficult to drive. So once again, the electric kart is superior to the gas kart.

FILLING UP

Topping off an electric kart’s batteries is a simple matter of plugging it in and letting the charging units do their work. However, topping off a battery is not quite like topping off a fuel tank. Whereas completely refueling a gas powered kart can take just a few brief minutes, filling up a drained electric kart can take hours. We leave our karts plugged in every night to ensure they are topped off each morning, and they can last most of the day on a single charge (and be plugged in between races to extend their life further), but gas engines are still far better in this regard.

Ready to experience the difference in driving a fully-electric European-style go kart for yourself? Head over to your local MB2 Raceway to hit the track today! We offer daily arrive-and-drive style races for drivers of all ages and skill levels, as well as a number of great event packages for birthdays, bachelor parties, corporate events, and more. Whether you’re looking to get a few practice laps in or prove to your friends or colleagues that you’re the master of the track, our San Fernando indoor karting center can help you experience the high-speed thrills of wheel-to-wheel racing.

For more information, call your local MB2 Raceway today by dialing 866-986-RACE!

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WHAT IS “DRAFTING?”

If you’ve ever watched an auto race from NASCAR, Formula 1, or any other head-to-head lap race, you’ve likely noticed cars chasing each other while driving right on the tail of their opponent. This practice is known as “drafting,” and may seem strange to someone not familiar with the practice. Why would you not drive in a spot where you can pull ahead and pass your opponent, or stay in a spot where you won’t rear-end them if they suddenly change speeds? To answer this question, let’s take a closer look at how drafting works in order to discover the benefits.

THE PHYSICS OF DRAFTING

Every car has forces acting on it while driving, but perhaps none is more powerful than that of friction. If friction didn’t exist, cars could easily reach their maximum speed, but would also not be able to drive because their tires would not stick to the road. So drivers both rely on friction and work to fight against it simultaneously in different ways during a race.

One type of friction they fight against is called “air resistance.” When a car (or kart) is driving, it is using the power of its motor to propel itself and the driver forward, but it faces resistance from the air in front of it, which it must push out of the way in order to travel through. It’s this same concept that makes you feel a gust of wind when a car travels past you at high-speed, or causes your hand to fly backward when you stick it out of the window while driving.

A kart’s ability to push through air is known as its “aerodynamics.” However, no matter how aerodynamic you make yourself or your kart, you will always face some sort of wind resistance when driving. That is, unless you have something push the air out of the way in front of you, such as another driver. When an opponent is in front of you, they are pushing the majority of the air out of the way for you, allowing your kart to use its power to propel you forward without the loss of speed created by having to push through the air.

THE STRATEGY

So now that we know how drafting works, how can you put it to use? For starters, the reduced air resistance on a kart that is drafting an opponent actually helps them to drive slightly faster. So drafting an opponent well can give you a small but immensely important speed boost. Skilled drivers can use this boost to gain an advantage over their opponents by traveling faster down a straightaway, pulling into a more advantageous position for the next corner, then completing their pass as they exit the curve. It takes some skill to pull off this maneuver successfully, as well as good instincts to know when to execute a pass in this way, but experienced drivers on all levels use it frequently to win races.

For cars that rely on fuel mileage during longer races (such as NASCAR and Formula 1), drafting also can help preserve power, meaning a driver who lives in a drafting position will use less gasoline to go the same speed as their opponent. It’s not uncommon to see drivers use drafting as a fuel-saving technique to help them ensure they have enough left in the tank to go all-out for the win at the end of a race.

Want to practice drafting to improve your lap times and win more races? Head to your local MB2 Raceway for an indoor go-kart racing experience for driver of all ages! Come take a spin in one of our fully-electric European-style karts that provide the high-speed thrills of wheel-to-wheel racing in a safe and sustainable environment that’s open to the public all year-round. We offer a wide variety of driving packages, including arrive-and-drive races on a daily basis in which anyone can drop in and head out on the track to challenge their fastest laps. We also offer great party packages for birthdays, bachelor parties, and corporate events, all featuring pulsating racing action as the highlight of your day!

Contact MB2 Raceway today at 866-986-RACE for more information!

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REASONS WHY WOMEN LOVE GO-KARTING

Just a few decades ago, you wouldn’t often see a woman who loves hitting the track to get some laps in. With women such as Danica Patrick and Alice Powell dominating the racetrack, however, more women are beginning to find the excitement and thrill in go-karting. In this blog, we share a few reasons why women love to go go-karting:

ADRENALINE

It’s true that more men would consider themselves adrenaline junkies than women, but there are still a number of ladies who enjoy chasing that feeling. Sitting in a go-kart can give women a sense of empowerment that can’t be found in any other setting. In addition, go-karting gives people the feeling that they’re invincible and free – and who doesn’t love that?

EVEN PLAYING FIELD

Once your helmet goes on, everyone is on the same level. It can be intimidating to enter the racetrack for a competition, but the only person who knows your skill level is you. Go-Kart racing is meant to be a fun competition for everyone, so leave your inhibitions at the door.

STRESS RELIEF

According to the American Psychological Association, women are more likely than men to report higher levels of stress. Go-Karting offers an outlet to relieve stress and do something that isn’t for work or school. Women who find serenity in a revving engine are likely to be attracted to the world of go-karting.

FUN FOR THE FAMILY

For women with children, it can be difficult to come up with activities that will be fun for both you and your children without breaking the bank. Regardless of age, go-karting is an enjoyable yet affordable experience for all. It gives children a moment to live out their racecar driver fantasy and adults a chance to goof off and feel like a kid again.

Looking for something fun to do with family and friends? Come on over to MB2 Raceway to hit the racetracks! Call (866) 986-RACE for more information.

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BASICS OF A QUALITY RACING LINE

One of the biggest factors in your ability to be a fast racer around our tracks here at MB2 Raceway is your ability to choose and stick to an optimal racing line. A “line” is what drivers call the path that you take around the track on each lap. Essentially, the track is a path itself, but there are still fast ways around it. On this blog, we offer a few tips for finding the fastest line around the track, which can improve your lap times and help you win more races.

YOUR LINE DEPENDS ON YOUR DRIVING STYLE

Before we get to the specific tips, there is one important thing you should know: everyone drives slightly different, and how you drive will influence what line is your best. If you are driving the same line as a friend but still feel as though they are faster, change up your strategy in areas where you are losing time and see if it helps you.

TAKING THE INSIDE OF CORNERS

All corners have an “inside” and an “outside.” The inside is the shortest distance around the corner and therefore usually (not always) the fastest way through it. Ideally, your ideal racing line on our tracks will shift from the inside of one corner to the inside of the next. This is the shortest possible distance around the track, which in theory should be the shortest lap time. But keep reading, there’s more to it.

THE INSIDE IS NOT ALWAYS THE FASTEST

As stated previously, the inside of a turn is not always the fastest. Getting down on the inside edge may be the shortest distance around a corner, but might force you to lose too much speed to maintain control. If you feel as though you’re losing too much speed in a corner, experiment with taking a wider line through it. The distance may be further, but you may not have to lose as much speed, so you may actually make it through faster. This is particularly true for wider-radius corners.

THE SHARPER YOU TURN, THE SLOWER YOU GO

You will need to lose speed in order to turn your kart while maintaining control, and the sharper you have to turn, the more speed you will have to lose. Part of being a great racing driver is losing as little speed as possible to make it through corners. This allows you to both make it through the corner faster as well as keep you as close to full-speed as possible for straightaways; the less time your car has to spend accelerating, the longer you spend at top speed and the faster your lap times will become.

The best racing drivers will choose a line that has them turning as little as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to start corners near the outside and brake as late as possible before shooting down to the inside of the track, getting to the very inside of the corner at what is called the “apex,” and then swinging back out wide again on the exit. This technique, called “apexing,” allows you to carry the most momentum and speed through your corners, lowering your lap times.

Are you ready to get out and practice your lap times? Head over to MB2 Raceway, the all-new Minneapolis indoor karting center. Our fully-electric European-style go-karts provide you with all of the thrill and action of wheel-to-wheel kart racing in a safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly environment that is available all year-round. We offer daily drop-in races as well as birthday parties, corporate events, and other special group packages.

For more information about our brand new facility in Minneapolis, call MB2 Raceway today at 866-986-RACE.

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5 MISTAKES TO AVOID ON THE GO-KART TRACK

MISTAKE #1: PEDAL TO THE METAL

One of the biggest mistakes new kart racers make is flooring the gas pedal, then slamming on the brakes when they need to slow down. Instead, you want to use the kart’s natural deceleration when going into a turn, then accelerating more gently as you exit the turn. When you get a feel for the kart and learn to time this properly, you’ll quickly improve your lap times.

MISTAKE #2: PUTTING YOUR HANDS OUTSIDE THE KART

This seems fairly obvious, but drivers sometimes try to grab or push their friends in adjacent karts. Not only will this quickly bring your race to an end, but it could also leave you seriously injured. Like they say at amusement parks – keep your hands and legs inside the kart at all times until the race is over!

MISTAKE #3: IGNORING SAFETY FLAGS

We use a variety of flags at MB2 – some of these start or end the race, while others are used for safety purposes. One of the biggest mistakes you can make on the track is failing to follow these flags. If you don’t stop when a red flag is being waved, you may find your racing at an end for the day.

MISTAKE #4: INTENTIONALLY BUMPING OTHER DRIVERS

At MB2, our go-karts are finely tuned electric racing machines – they are not bumper cars. While excessive bumping can damage the cars and slow your lap time, the biggest concern is safety. When drivers get too aggressive, they can force other drivers into walls, or even other karts!

MISTAKE #5: TAKING TURNS TOO TIGHT

Since you travel less distance in a tighter turn than a wider turn, many people think that tight turns are the best way to achieve a fast lap time. In reality, there’s a healthy middle ground. Depending on your speed, the design of the track, and the sharpness of the turn ahead of you, it’s typically best to start wide and steer toward the apex of the curve.

Want to improve your lap time in a fun, safe environment? Get some laps in at MB2 today! Call (866) 986-RACE to learn more.

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THE STORY OF THE VERY FIRST GO-KART

Go-karts have been such a big part of racing culture for so long, it’s hard to imagine the sport without them. The story of the very first go-kart, however, actually came decades after the invention of the automobile and occurred right here, in California.

ART INGELS & LOU BORELLI

The story of the very first go-kart starts with Art Ingels who, in 1956, was working for the Kurtis Craft Company in Glendale. Ingels was a mechanic who worked on racing cars that were mostly shipped and professionally raced in Indianapolis… but he had another idea. An idea for a smaller, one-man racing vehicle that everyone could use.

Ingels shared his idea with his neighbor and friend, Lou Borelli. Borelli worked for a petroleum company and had some expertise when it came to engine systems. Together, the men set out to make the very first go-cart in Ingels’ Echo Park garage.

DESIGN & ENGINE INSTALLATION

For the kart’s design, Ingels turned to the same tubing that was being used in the racing vehicles made by Kurtis Craft Company. The frame was a simple prototype to house other elements: a three-spoke steering wheel, two drag links, the steering column, and a seat hoop.

Borelli was in charge of the breaking system and the installation of the engine. For the engine, the men had selected a West Bend 2.5 hp. West Bend engines were primarily known at this time for lawnmower and chainsaw engines—but after the go-karting caught on, West Bend began to supply engineers with its engines for the creation of more karts.

TESTING & DEBUT

According to the story, the first go-kart test drives were not entirely successful. While the kart was able to carry both men, it was unable to lift Ingels up slopes. Borelli upped the horsepower on those early models so that, even in the face of an incline, the kart had the muscle it needed accommodate an average-sized adult man.

When Ingels and Borelli thought their invention was ready, they debuted it in public in public lots at the Pomona sports car races of 1956 and the Rose Bowl parking lots in Pasadena. There, spectators and passersby were instantly hooked by the invention—and racing history was made!

Ingels and Borelli went on form the “Caretta” kart model and make five more karts. While other companies carried the legacy from there and eventually mass-produced different models, their indelible impact on racing, sports, and entertainment had already been made.

At MB2, we’re passionate about go-kart racing and the excitement and fun it brings to enthusiasts of all backgrounds. Whether you’re a beginner, novice, or have been racing all your life, MB2 strives to provide an unparalleled racing experience for one and all. Call today to learn more about our facility and events.

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DRIVING TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR LAP TIMES

Racing technique is something that every driver who wishes to be competitive will practice as often as possible, from those just starting out to even the most seasoned veterans. While making your car (or kart) go fast with its technical setup is paramount to your performance, the best drivers can still win on race day even without the fastest car on the track thanks to refined driving skills that allow them to move their car around the track in the most efficient manner possible. By following these few quick tips, as well as getting in a few practice laps from time to time, you can see your lap times at your local MB2 Raceway location improve dramatically.

FOLLOW AN OPTIMAL LINE

An efficient race line is vital to your success on not only our tracks, but any race track in any vehicle. While a track is a circular path on which you race, think of a race line as a sort of secondary path within the track itself that allows your car to move around it in a fashion that maximizes your efficiency not only in distance traveled but speed maintained.

While it is common knowledge that the shortest distance around a corner is right next to the inside edge, that route is not always the fastest in auto racing. G-forces and required braking may force you to actually lose more momentum and speed by sticking to this edge than you would by taking a wider route for part or all of the corner. A skilled racer will often use a technique called “apexing” a corner, which is following a racing line that allows them to get as close to the inside of a corner at its peak, or apex, while moving smoothly to and away from it. This allows the car to carry as much momentum as possible through the turn, reducing the time it takes for you to reach top speed upon exit of the corner. Following a strong race line is the single best thing you can do to help improve your lap times.

SMOOTHER IS FASTER

You may not look like you’re moving really fast around the track, but in many cases the driver who is making the smoothest turns and appears to be taking every corner gradually and deliberately is the fastest driver on the track. Smooth drivers will make very few sudden-jerk turns of the steering wheel or have to slam on their brakes. Every move will be considered ahead of time, making execution simple. When you have finished with one corner, immediately start scouting the next one to help you plan out the smoothest line through it.

CARRY YOUR MOMENTUM

In general, a smooth and efficient race line will help you by allowing your car to carry as much speed and momentum as possible through a corner, thus reducing the amount of work your engine (or electric motor in the case of our MB2 karts) must do to get you back to your optimal speed. Cars that carry more momentum through corners see higher overall speeds on straightaways and give themselves more momentum to carry through the next corner. That being said, knowing when and how much to apply your cars brakes is also vital to a good lap time, as no car is going to be able to carry itself through a tight corner at full speed, but maintaining as much momentum by braking as little as possible through a corner will help your lap times shrink significantly.

KEEP YOUR WHEELS GRIPPING

While this is not always true, “drifting” your cart around the corners is not the fastest way round the track the vast majority of time. This is especially true with go-karts that have very little weight and an already extraordinarily low center of gravity. These features make them capable of turning very sharp at high speeds, but make them not very effective drifters. You’ll lose a lot of speed by drifting, and your kart will have to work extra hard to get all that momentum back, which in turn will cost you time out on the track. Take your turns smoothly, keeping all four wheels firmly gripping the track surface and you’ll see a nice drop in your lap times.

AVOID CONTACT

This one is really pretty simple. You obviously don’t want to hit anything dead-on as this can not only cause you to lose significant speed and momentum, but it can also injure you and cause significant damage to your car. But beyond that, even just slight rubbing contacts with things such as walls or other racers can cause you to lose speed and therefore slow your lap times down. In short, rubbing against something creates friction and friction slows you down. So while bumping and rubbing might make for some exciting, action-filled racing, it’s definitely not the fastest. When battling for position on the track, avoid making contact with your opponent and the retaining barriers as much as possible and you’ll have a much easier time chasing them down.

If you’ve got the itch for some high-speed racing action, head on over to MB2 Raceway for a heart-pounding indoor go-karting experience. Whether you are a seasoned racer or have never rolled around a track in your life, all drivers who are over 57” tall and at least 12 years old can have fun experiencing the exhilarating high-speeds of our fully-electric European-style go-karts. Public races are available daily at any of our five locations, and all safety equipment is provided.

Call us at (866) 986-RACE today for more information or contact us online with any questions regarding our state-of-the-art public racing facilities.

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