go kart track ?

[962porsche]

i have had many people tell my this track or that track is a go kart track .
the funny thing is i don't know just what that means .
this was told to me this morning when i was washing my car and some 20 year old kid stop in and told me he does not like NHMS becouse it's that type of a track but he has never ran there before .
so can some one please explain just what it means ?

[breakaway500]

Go-karts have no aero..and are geared to run less than 125mph (normally.. ) therefore,tracks where you can't go much over 125mph could be considered or described as "go-cart" style tracks. It's kind of a crude assessment..but somewhat valid.

[n1gzd]

What kind of car does this kid drive on track?
Rebecca

[John F]

There were a few groups that ran track days with shifter carts at NHMS in the past. An engineer I worked with did that for awhile. They were fast, but I didn't consider them all that safe with your head being the highest part of the vehicle. They did laps in the 14's or so. This kid probably can't come close to that time.

[962porsche]

the kid drive a 318 BMW .

i will have to say i don't like the saying go Kart track ! not there is a thing wrong with karts they a total blast to drive . i just thing the saying is dumb !

my self i like NHMS i think it's a better track that say LRP not that LRP is all that bad i hate the management there more than the track it's self . but the LRP is just plain boring !

i can't see a 318 going faster than 125 MPH at LRP but people don't call that a go kart track .

[StephanAlfa]

Go-kart track in my definition is a track that is tight and winding, like that of a ... well ... go-kart track!
NHMS is not really a "go-kart" track (although I have raced there with WKA using a counterclockwise North-Chicane/North Oval in the 4 cycle group). but rather a "technically challenged track (thus why some people like it and some don't). I personally love NHMS, great for the experience, offers other track configurations and challenges in both wet and dry conditions.
Some other definitions I have collected along the years and from feedback from others:
LRP: is a momentum track. Also a track that does not reflect driver experience if you are good ONLY at that track does not mean you are good at others.
Calabogie: "Giant Auto-X track"., With 22-23 turns, you are constantly turning left or right
Mont Tremblant: According to Sir Jackie Stewart (O.B.E), "Le Circuit is second only to Monaco in difficulty". For me, it's one of my three "simply AWESOME" tracks
WGI: simply AWESOME
Mosport: simply AWESOME
NJMP: I have never been there but I heard comments like "I'ts like LRP with significantly more run-offs"

My 2cts fwiw

[dradernh]

I call it a kart track because my car is very stiffly set up and it behaves like a kart there - spins are never more than the blink of an eye away!

[Shawn624]

Well...it's a track and people race go-carts there. So...there's that.

[962porsche]

so what it really comes down to is no one really knows !
i asked the same question on the porsche forum .
so the kid stopped back today and i asked him what he ment when he said that . he told me it was a track that is not very long . so i asked is LRP a go kart track ? he said no LRP is a longer track than NHMS .

so the answers are :
it's a track were you don't get high speeds .
it's a track that is short .
it's a track with lots of truns in it .
it's a track were they race kart's at .
it's a technical track .
it's a track were you don't need a high HP car to turn a good lap .

i know i'm missing some of the replys and some answers are the same just worded different but i think it's kind of a dumb saying because there is no clear answer for it .

[grovefromnh]

Both NHMS and LRP are about 1.5 miles in length.

[962porsche]

that's the funny part when the kid told me that . i know LRP is 1.53 miles nhms i think is 1.6