Go Kart Club of SA – Monarto – 17/4/2016
The C and D Grade titles is unique meeting held by the Go Kart Club of SA. It is designed to reward the newer drivers (those with C or D grade licenses) by awarding the podium places to these drivers. Drivers with higher license grades can enter, but need to win their class for any sort of recognition. This is a great idea to encourage newer drivers, and a good fun race meet for the more experienced drivers.
On top of all this, the club also threw in a vintage kart class and demonstration. The vintage karts are great to watch, especially when they decide to strap on 2 engines and give it the beans.

These karts provide entertainment for two different reasons. Number one is the fact they seemed to have been designed and conceived in an era before safety was invented. Just get a light frame, bolt on as many engines as will fit, sit down and enjoy yourself.
The second reason for the entertainment is how the karts leave the grid. Kids these days simply press a button and the kart goes. From my observations, it appears the vintage start procedure is:
2 people lift up the back of the kart slightly
They start running with the kart
They lower (sometimes gently) the kart so the wheels hit the ground
The kart fires up and drives off
One or both of the people fall over
<<<I would normally insert a picture of it here, but I forgot to take one as I was too busy enjoying myself.>>>
Jimmy also did some racing during the day. He managed to qualify in second, giving him that starting spot for the first 2 heats.
Heat 1, we had the usual Jimmy start, and he was 4th by the first corner. He quickly got the positions back though, and was second by the end of the first lap. The guy in first had already cleared out, and he was too quick for Jimmy to catch. Jimmy finished in second.

Heat 2 saw the return of another familiar theme – poor mechanicking. Jimmy’s kart seemed to choke up (suspected fouled plug), and the kart just wouldn’t go. Jim fell right to the back, but he somehow managed to clear the problem near the end of the first lap. Jim was a fair way behind, but managed to catch up a bit and finish in 7th.
Jim had to start the prefinal in 4th spot. He was third by the end of the first lap, and second the lap after. Again, the guy in first was just to fast to catch.

After the points had been determined, Jim had to start the final in 4th spot. For this race meet, the result in the final was the result for the day, so he had a bit of work to do. Jim took a couple of laps, but managed to work his way back to second. He stayed there for the rest of the race, and finished second overall.
Thanks go out to Jim’s sponsor Iocane, and to CRG. Jim would also like to thank his mum for all her support, and all the officials and volunteers for putting on the race meeting.
For those of you who are interested, the ongoing battle between the kart and myself has stepped up a gear. I now refer to the kart as ‘Christine’ (possessed car/Stephen King/it’s a thing/look it up/Christine Video on YouTube). Christine went for the double on the weekend – first attempting to burn me, then having a go at me with the degreaser. Both attempts were unsuccessful, but only due to my laser sharp focus and cat-like reflexes.
I was tempted to give a point to Christine (mostly out of fear of reprisals if I didn’t), but I’ve hardened up and allocated no points this week.
Current score: JP 1 (survived 2 weeks without hurting himself) – Christine 2 (Burn by exhaust, Degreasing of the eye).