Dirt-track action revs up heart rate

Karting it: Gisborne Herald sports reporter Jack Malcolm gets the feel of kart racing at the Eastland Kart Club’s track in Aerodrome Road. Picture supplied

KARTING

On Sunday, I had the privilege to be invited to the first practice day of the Eastland Kart Club’s season, to try karting for myself.

With the weather about to pack in, everyone was racing against the clock to get out on the track before the rain ruined the fun.

Drivers were getting some laps in as the rain started to pick up, but the track was becoming more slippery by the minute as it began to get muddy.

Typically drivers grid up and have some fun racing on practice day, but with rough weather looming they opted instead to get out on the track and get as many laps in as they could.

The tricky conditions led to some exciting cornering as karts drifted and slid around the bends with little to no traction, their tyres bogged up with a layer of mud.

Unfortunately, the track started to resemble an ice-skating rink in the wind and rain and we had to pack up early as the conditions deteriorated.

Despite a shortened day due to the weather, it was a fantastic experience and one I’d do again.

Eastland Kart Club is relatively new. Established less than a decade ago by the late Murray Michie, it is now in its eighth season of racing.

The rush of adrenalin that comes from accelerating down the long straight and into the first corner, a deceptively tight left-hander, is exhilarating.

The dirt track leads to some interesting driving conditions that take a couple of laps to get used to, but once you’ve got the gist of it you can really push your limits.

It takes a special effort to change your mindset from focusing on “when you think you should start braking for a corner” to “when is the latest you can get away with braking and still avoid crashing out”.

The karts are quick and nimble; racers can get up to around 90 kilometres an hour down the start-finish straight.

With a lap of the almost-quarter-mile track taking less than half a minute, kart racing definitely raises your adrenalin level and heart rate.

Despite motorsport being infamously expensive to compete in, karting is a relatively cheap entry point to the sport — a second-hand kart can be bought for as little as $1000.

A big thank-you to Eastland Kart Club and its vice-president Robin Trueman for helping set up the day, and to Mike White for supplying a kart I could use for the day.

Anyone interested in joining should contact the Eastland Kart Club on its Facebook page. Its members are happy to help and offer advice to budding enthusiasts of the sport.