Mombasa Go-Kart: A few facts about Karting

Karting, called Go-Kart or Kart, is a track racing event with small rear engined, four-wheeled vehicles. Karting is where motor sport starts; it is considered as the little brother of track races. Karting is exploding in popularity everywhere around the world, and represents one of the best forms of amateur racing to become involved in.

Karting, besides being a nice hobby, is also a good base for other motor sports. Many rally and formula drivers started with Karting. Formula1 World Champion Michael Schumacher and his brother Ralf Schumacher are good examples.

Mombasa Go-Karting

Karts

With no clutch or gears to worry about, there is no motor sport vehicle easier to drive than a go-kart. The brake is on the left and the accelerator is on the right.

Our Swiss made Karts are powered by 200cc 4-cycle Honda engines and are able to produce 6.5 HP. The karts have racing slicks all around to grip the track, and full form racing seats to grip you in the turns. Maximum speed is over 60km/h which is quite fast for our track with many bends and a longest straight of about 200ft. Go-Karts are very near to the ground which increases the sensation for speed. Speed on the straight isn't what will thrill you most. The high cornering speed and g-force is exhilarating.

Drivers

Karting is an inexpensive, family oriented, relatively safe sport that is enjoyed both by the young and not so young alike. We have quite a few good male and female drivers. You do not have to wear a special uniform but you must wear a helmet.

Timing-System

We employ a computer controlled timing system to provide all pilots with their individual lap times. The lap times are recorded and displayed on monitors in the pit area and the restaurant. For race events all karts are equipped with transponders and the time is measured with an accuracy of 1/1000 second.

Track

The concrete track is about 1500ft (500 metres) long with at width of 20ft (5 meters). The surface is smooth. Maximum 14 go-karts are allowed on the track. A 20kVA-floodlit system enables night racing.

What’s it like to race a Go-Kart ?

Let's envision the track. The short starting straight takes you to a hairpin bend. The best approach is from the middle of the 5 meters wide track. Then another straight followed by a fast 200 degree bend which lets you feel the high cornering acceleration. After the next corner the track is a bid wider, there is your chance to overtake others before you reach the most interesting sequence of the Mombasa Go-Kart track. Two sharp corners are followed almost immediately by a deceptively tight right hander and then right back to the "Start--Finish' line. Put in your practice and you'll have the highest speed down the long straight. This is an important factor of how races are won.

On the approach to the first hairpin bend it's time to reduce speed by braking hard before turning. The Golden Rule for best results on any bend is brake late, brake hard and brake only once. After your confidence increases and you know the track, it's time to start mastering race craft. That's the art of overtaking.