Basic info

[golfo]

Hello to all,
and thanks to the administrators of this site for the excellent info.
I am a Pom but live in Mexico so please do not hold any of that against me!

I have been researching dirt karting on the web. I am a partner in an offroad track and we rent the track and vehicles. However I am interested in creating a dirt kart track also. Karting is losing popularity here due to cost of asphalt tracks but dirt karting could be a good answer. Also modifying a bitumen kart for dirt use does not seem too difficult though not the best answer.

Any suggestions on track preparation - my current track is 2 head to head tracks of approx 2.5km dirt. Looking at a 400m track with bends (not oval). Compact with heavy roller and top dress with earth mover on regular basis?

Any info or comments welcome.
Cheers
Chris

[mike]

Hi Chris
The Tracks in West Australia are clay based with some sand mixed in.

Mark out the track with a grader then dump the sand and dirt mix on your track to about 30-40cm deep.Grade it so you have a smooth track and water it with a water truck. You could then roll it to get it flat if the grader hasn't made it flat enough. You could also play with banking around the corners (not too much).

Track prep for race day is basically Water a decent amount, Grade it if it needs it. Fold the track over one way with the grader then fold it back the other way over the top. Throughout the day the track will dry out so you may need to re-water with the water truck once or twice.

Preparation is pretty much the same as a speedway track. So if you can go see how they do it that would help you. Don't know about the South Australia Tracks, never been there but guess they would be similar.

Hope this helps
Mike

[SA Racer]

SA Tracks are similar as WA .
Some are on limestone bases, some are on clay.
Usually they lie on whats the natural ground in that area.
Clay tracks have grip , but if they dry out they become hard & smooth & will melt tyres, then making slippery when watered.
They need to be moist , but too much water & they can get bumpy. Sand is added to allow water to get thru.
Sandy tracks can get slippery & sloppy making harder to see , but the base is usually hard packed & doesn't get bumpy.
They add clay to increase grip.
Either way no water & you quickly have a dust storm , bad for air cleaners, loose marbles of dirt on the surface bad for grip, & your soft racing tyres wear quickly.
Graders make it flat & make edges on the trcak so racers don't cut corners.
Rollers pack the track to remove bumps & pack down the soft dirt sprayed out from the karts on the corners , so the outside line is still fast & driveable.
Tracks are about 400 to 500 metres long - 8 to 10 metres wide.

Get the right moisture thru the track & your going from having a go, to some pretty fast & close racing.