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KARTING, EMOTION & PASSION
DEVELOPED IN THE UK
W E I V
FINE-TUNED TO ADAPT TO THE DEMANDING BRITISH CIRCUITS, THE RK S7 UNVEILS ITS CURVES
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FOCUS
2016 CIK ENGINES FINAL TEST IN LONATO
CLOSE UP
KZ ENGINES ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING ONE
PREVIEW
PHOTO © CHRIS WALKER - WWW.KARTPIX.NET
WAITING THE SUPER ONE
INE
TECH: HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUR TILLOTSON CARB
VROOM POINTS
Here’s were you find your copy of Vroom UK
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DARTFORD KARTING – OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR
www.kartstore.co.uk contact Maria at sales@kartstore.co.uk BAYFORD MEADOWS KC www.bmkr.co.uk contact Ian at info@bmkr.co.uk
SHENINGTON KC www.sheningtonkrc.co.uk contact Graham at Graham@sheningtonkrc.co.uk
BUCKMORE PARK – DARTFORD KARTING www.kartstore.co.uk contact Maria at sales@kartstore.co.uk
TRENT VALLEY KC www.tvkc.co.uk contact Clare at clare@tvkc.co.uk
CUMBRIA KC www.cumbriakrc.co.uk contact Malcolm at malcolmfell@yahoo.com
WHILTON MILL KC www.whiltonmill.co.uk contact Debbie at debbie@whiltonmill.co.uk
FOREST EDGE KC www.fekc.co.uk contact Colin at carolyne.wright@btconnect.com
ZIP KART www.zipkart.com contact Dan at dan@zipkart.com
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LLANDOW KC www.llandowkartclub.co.uk contact Colin at llandowcompsec@hotmail.co.uk 6
AND IF YOU ATTEND THE SUPER ONE SERIES, FIND IT AT THE S1 INFO CENTRE
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CONTENTS
www.vroomkart.com
APRIL 2015 - N. 16
info@vroom.it www.facebook.com/vroomkart twitter.com/vroomkart
news
12 MONDOKART - News & Previews 20 YOUR TKM GUIDE The starter in TKM menu 22 ROTAX MAX BEGINNERS’ TIPS More on “second hand” equipment 24 ABKC STEERING GROUP MEETING A look into the future 30 PREVIEW Waiting the Super One
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34 CLOSE UP A look into KZ 40 PRODUCT OF THE MONTH ALTO Angled steering wheel instrument support 76 VINTAGE Race Retro Show
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78 2015 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL CALENDARS
race
42 BNL KICK-OFF 46 CLUB100 SPRINT SERIES RD.2 50 SHENINGTON KRC WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP RD.3 52 BUCKMORE PARK KC WINTER SERIES RD.3
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54 CUMBRIA KRC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.2 56 CLAY PIGEON KC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.1 58 TRENT VALLEY KC WINTER SERIES RD.4 60 SOUTH YORKSHIRE KC WINTER SERIES RD.3 62 HODDESDON KC CHAMPIONSHIP RD.2 64 WHILTON MILL KART CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP RD.2
tech
66 TECHNICAL SIDE Tillotson maintenance FOCUS 28 RK S7 HITS THE BRITISH SHORES
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72 2016 ENGINES - FINAL TEST IN LONATO
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P R E V I E W WA I T I N G T H E S U P E R O N E
YEARNING FOR THE NATIONAL SEASON TO GET STARTED? WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAIN NOVELTIES AND THE FIRST FOUR VENUES HOSTING THE 2015 SUPER ONE SERIES. REPORT S.MURTAS / PHOTOS C.WALKER (KARTPIX.NET)
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SUPER SEASON AHEAD
The 2015 Super One Series is ready to go! With most classes already fully booked – particularly encouraging Iame Cadet, well past the 50-entry mark – the series awarding national and British titles kicks off at Rowrah on 25-26th April. The most evident novelty introduced with the 2015 edition is the championship structure. A total of 10 rounds, 7 for each class with the exception of KZ (contested over 6 rounds), 9 different venues, and 2 returning circuits - Llandow and Whilton Mill. In short, the traditional two-tier program for MSA and Rotax categories put on a shelf in favour of a more innovative format, which sees classes mixed up in the course of the series. The declared aim is to create a better outlook for the championship, allowing drivers to have first-hand experience of classes that they have probably never seen racing. Also, with the increasing popularity of Iame single-make series X30 throughout the country, the Super One will host four X30 qualifiers for Junior and Senior, awarding tickets to the International Final. Besides series structure and new class availability, the Super One organizer arranged a series of unique initiatives, raising the profile of the series to unprecedented standards. In collaboration with iZone, Super1 registered driver will have the opportunity to join an introductory complimentary session to sample iZone’s simulator and training technology. iZone, the UK’s leading simulator and driver training facility developed by triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, uses advanced training tools, coaching techniques and simulation technology to help drivers optimise their on-track performance and become ‘the best that they can be’.
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CLOSE UP A LOOK INTO K Z
SHEER POWER REPORT S.MURTAS / PHOTOS D.PASTANELLA, C.WALKER
We continue our voyage in one of the most exciting categories for senior kart racing. Gearbox class - KZ UK over here, KZ in continental Europe, and Shifter across the pond – is a mix of power, reactivity and sheer speed. With engines producing as many as 45bhp, and top speed of over 90mph, these karts are real engineering beasts that thrust power at each and every corner thanks to the 6-speed gearbox operated by a sequential gear lever next to the steering wheel. Its purpose: keeping the engine revved up to unleash optimal power output at all times. KZ machines have quickly become the category of choice for top senior drivers, also due to the lack of appeal of international direct drive classes at professional/senior level. As for the other specs, the engine is 125cc, with reed-box inlet, single-make carburettor by Dell’Orto, and homologated exhaust (not in the UK). Maybe not the simplest kit of machinery - although karting seems to have lost its simplicity trademark a long time ago when 100cc engines were forced onto a shelf - but certainly one that has every little bit exactly where it should, with no excess equipment to put up with. Also the international sporting authority, the CIKFIA, recognises the relentless surge to success of gearbox racing in the international panorama, and finds the reasons in the consistency of regulations that have been pretty much unchanged since the ‘90s. In its website, the CIK presents KZ racing as follows: “The use of gearbox karts has considerably
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increased over the last decade, thanks notably to very stable technical rules. The foundations of engine homologation were implemented in 1998 and have practically not changed since.” But besides the technical aspects, what seems to have made it an international success is the superb, unparalleled racing experience drivers get out of it. The sheer power and speed of these machines are bound to leave every driver breathless! And when we say every driver, we do mean everyone, including hardened Formula 1 World Champions like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, young up and coming F1 stars like Max Verstappen, and true Karting legends like Danilo Rossi, Davide Foré, Jonathan Thonon, and Marco Ardigò just to mention few.
BUT WHAT ABOUT COSTS?
And the same alluring power has struck What at first might seem a all those who race the category in the UK, more expensive class to race including the 2014 S1 MSA KZ1 British in compared to direct drive Champion Henry Easthope. mainly due to the initial cost of “Nothing compares to what this class purchasing a complete KZ kart is, and nothing puts as big a smile on and engine which is in the range my face as this class does. It is the of £8,000 – in actual fact it’s not premier class, I’ve always wanted to necessarily the case, as it requires do it since I was younger. Doing nearly less frequent engine overhauling 100mph down the straight, nothing and maintenance. And with the can describe the buzz! Everyone that’s adrenaline-pumping racing tried it will say the exact same thing. experience that you get out This class shows that Karting is a sport of it, the initial investment in its own right, and not only a steppingwill be definitely stone to F1.” worth it.
COST OF THE CLASS At club meetings Race entry, tyres, fuel: roughly £300 (inc VAT) - Cost per meeting At Super One Race entry, race and test tyres, wet tyres, fuel: roughly £450 (inc VAT) Cost per meeting
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BNL KARTING SERIES
RACE
BNL KICK OFF, GENK (B) 15th MARCH 2015
Junior Max winner Jordan Brown-Nutley (17) claimed both final races in commanding fashion, as only Eric Stahl proved able to put up a challenge.
BNL JOY FOR THE BRITS Just like last year, the English drivers performed very well with a victory in Junior Max for BrownNutley and one in DD2 Masters for Pierce. REPORT BNL PO / PHOTOS A.VERNARDIS (THERACEBOX)
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Again, many drivers from across Europe participated in the high-level racing event in Belgium, and many of those were from the UK. Despite the cloudy, rainy and cold weather, the races at Karting Genk were truly hot. And yet, not a single driver crashed in the first corner, everyone showing great sportsmanship on the track. Was it because of the 12 cameras on track or the 7 officials who controlled the race or because of the high level of sportsmanship of all drivers? We will never know it but
one thing is sure. It was an incredible and promising start of the new season to the BNL Karting Series.
MICRO MAX A little shower during the night and in the early morning made the track wet, the guys who went for rain tires had without a doubt the upper hand in qualifying. The guy who dealt with the treacherous conditions best was Vince van Limbergen. The young Belgian at his debut in Micro
LUKE IDE (99) IMPRESSED FOR HIS CONSISTENCY IN JUNIOR MAX, ALSO GRABBING THE LAST PODIUM SPOT IN RACE TWO WORTH 4TH OVERALL.
Max took pole over Ralph by a mere 0.002 seconds, with Bjarne van der Linden third fastest. The track dried up before race one and Van Limbergen lost his lead to van der Linden and Kai Rillaerts. Also Thomas Martens, starting from the third row made a good start, advancing to P3 already in the first lap and then disposing of Van Der
Linden and Winkel on the home straight. Winkel tried to retake the lead but braked too forcing also Van Der Linden to go wide. Martens now had a small lead which he kept all the way to the finish taking the win ahead of Van Der Linden and Zak O’Sullivan. At the start of race two, Martens lost the lead to Van Der Linden
and Rillaerts. But he managed to build up speed soon after and placed a successful attack on the leaders. While Rillaerts could not keep up with the pace, Van Der Linden showed a strong performance by finishing closely in second place behind Martens, with Rillaerts completing the podium. Zak O’Sullivan was the only English driver
ON FRONT ROW, MAX TIMMERMANS (223) AND VIKTOR OBERG (330), TWO MAJOR PROTAGONISTS OF SENIOR MAX CLASS.
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CLUB 100
RACE
SPRINT SERIES RND.2, ELLOUGH PARK RACEWAY, 15th MARCH
ANWAR B-S & JONNY E. SHINE AT ELLOUGH PARK Even if the sun did not. No rain on round 2 of Club100 Racing’s 2015 Sprint Series at Ellough Park Raceway and everyone was happy about that. REPORT C.SIMPSON (COOL THINKING MEDIA) / PHOTOS A.ROACHE
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PREMIER
“I dunno what to say I’m surprised as you are… It won’t last… There’s some tracks coming up I’m not so good at…” Anwar BeroualSmith after another trophy Final win and Pre-Final 2nd to extend his Premier Class championship lead over reigning champion Ian Blake, who left Ellough like
everyone else wondering “So what are Anwar’s weak circuits?” And will they come quick enough? Chris Hanson won Heat 1. Freddie Gallagher won Heat 2 on the reverse grid. Blake was on pole for the points paying Pre Final ahead of Matt Brooks. A few laps in Matt used the draft to cruise up into the braking
zone for turn 1. Ian didn’t fight while Parmveer Nijjar and Darren Teal hung on. Anwar picked off the top 6 behind Brooks on his way to his first win, “But where’s my trophy?” Anwar lined up pole for the trophy Final Stuart Martin tried to crowd him on the run up to the start, Chris Hanson and Stephen Hicks both rubbed noses on the back of his kart in turn 1. Hanson led into turn 2. Hicks and Martin sandwiched and swallowed Anwar. Chris hopped and skipped deep into turn 7, Stephen took
it as an invitation to lead inside of turn 9. Anwar dived inside turn 1 for 2nd towing Stuart through on the exit. Sat under the Clubhouse viewing platform a loud thump on the ceiling could only be a frustrated father’s boot. Chris’s win was gone. Dad knew it. Anwar moved for the lead, Hicks shot and missed trying to regain it and with Stuart onto his bumper he could ill afford to shoot and miss again. Anwar edged clear. 4 laps later after waiting for Hicks to make a move or get off the pot Stuart forced one
into the turn 9 hairpin. He was 3 kart lengths off Anwar onto the last lap, but the Baby Prem never looked like losing.
CLUBMAN Heat 1 was won by Miguel Hall despite a sleepless night in the local Premier Inn due to a noisy boiler (the heating variety) ahead of Ed Barrs. Justin Buck ran down Paul Crawford for the Heat 2 win. Paul caught on the last lap by Keith Mizen executing a classic Ellough 1-2 - a faint inside of turn 1 to get a better exit and pass inside of turn 2. Paul left puzzling “Is it me or is that kart slow?” Hall converted Pre Final
pole and the race was half over before the pack settled down. Justin worked his way back through the top 6 to Miguel’s bumper but mistook a driving standards warning flashing on RoboMick for the chequered flag. Oscar Cooke and Russell Endean powered passed. Hall took the win from Endean and Harry Landy promoted by penalties to 3rd. Sam Fisher dominated the Final lights to electronic chequered flag, he was anonymous for both heats and the Pre Final while going for a lap time he broke his new Clubman lap record as he drove away to win
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TRENT VALLEY KC
RACE
WINTER SERIES RND.4, 1st MARCH
ALIVE AND KICKING! The fourth and final round of the Winter Club
Championship provided some very close and exciting racing, with entries in excess of 250 drivers, showing that MSA ‘club’ karting is alive and kicking!
REPORT TVKC P.O. / PHOTOS C.WALKER (KARTPIX.NET)
IAME CADET – Requirements for a ‘B’ Final indicated the numbers participating, and as always it was a ‘who’s who’ of drivers in this class. Joseph Taylor and Taylor Barnard shared the front row for the start of the final, both though would drop down the order 58
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leaving Dexter Patterson to lead briefly. It was however a brilliant charge by Harry Thompson that caught the eye as he took just 5 laps to hit the front from Grid 19! He held the advantage to the flag dragging Brandon Martland with him who also had a great
race from down the grid. Thompson was a proud winner followed by Martland and then Patterson. HONDA CADET– What a great sight a full grid of these ‘racers’ made, never an inch given and some brilliant racing. It was always tight at the front but despite a Grid 3 start Oliver Clarke drove consistently to lead all the laps and take the flag, and in Honda terms by a healthy margin. Dragan Pinsent was the best of the rest and took an excellent second. A great battle for third ended in the favour of Nicholas Reeve who just held
of Oliver Bearman at the flag.
JUNIOR MAX – a strong grid of competitive drivers but one man head and shoulders above the rest – Tom Gamble – led from start to finish. Rory Smith stole the show with a great drive up the grid to claim second, and likewise Jonathan Hoggard pushed forward to claim an excellent third place. MINI MAX – Another ‘full grid’ – and some exciting track action throughout the 13 lap final. Kiern Jewiss is fast becoming and established competitor, despite claiming pole he didn’t have things all his own way as Alexander McDade and Zach Robertson kept him honest and both took turns in leading
Above, Dexter Patterson (7) settled for 3rd in Iame Cadet final to claim the Winter Series trophy. Right, Euan Wilson standing on the top of the podium X30 Junior. Bottom, Oliver Clarke (62) closed the Winter Series with a win to bag the Honda Cadet title. Opposite page, Kiern Jewiss (24) does likewise in Mini Max, grabbing final win and series title.
the race. But it was Jewiss who lead at the flag, chased by an ‘on form’ Mark Kimber - and excellent race into 2nd - and Robertson completing the Top 3. SENIOR ROTAX – Domination! Fastest in TQ, Pre Final Winner and Finals Winner – Bret Ward. Luke Knott did his utmost to upstage Ward but finished a very close second, and Gary Donnelly drove hard to make up 4 grid slots and finish third. IAME X30 JUNIOR – 42 entries requiring a ‘B’ Final – the class has come a long way in just over a year! The Final was a real ‘up & down’ affair – Ross Martin excluded for not respecting flag signals, Pole man Alfie Brown out early in the race along with front runner Jay Mabin, Elliot Harvey up an incredible 23 places from his grid start to finish second. So amongst
all the action it was a calm Lucas Vaus who serenely went about his work, in tricky conditions and claimed the win. Harvey as said was second while Ethan Hawkey was always there or there about – third being his reward. IAME X30 SENIOR – Another Full grid – numbers growing rapidly in the Senior class. Another very ‘up & down’ race, Oliver Hodgson leading then out after 7 laps, Daniel McAuley takes over the lead and wins the race. Ollie Varney strong race up the grid to finish second, and an equally great performance by Shea Pearce gaining 16 places from his Grid start to finish third. Josh Hatton finished a solid 4th while great drive by Jordan Banes (from 21st to 5th) and Andrew ReesReynolds (from 14th to 6th) showed how good the racing can be.
CHAMPIONSHIP IAME Cadet 1) 7 Patterson (Zip) 235; 2) 26 Martland (Zip) 211; 3) 59 Bunce (Zip) 208; 4) O Edgar (Synergy) 206; 5) 15 Barnard (Zip) 204 HONDA CADET 1) 62 Clarke (BRK) 235; 2) 12 Reeve (Zip) 220; 3) 9 Lloyd (BRK) 210; 4) 5 Thompson (Project One) 204; 5) 90 Blake (Project One) 203 MINI MAX 1) 24 Jewiss (Tony Kart) 235; 2) 23 Wood (Tony Kart) 218; 3) 29 Mcdade (Tony Kart) 208; 4) 30 Kenneally (Kosmic) 207; 5) 38 Byatt (Kosmic) 195 JUNIOR MAX 1) 6 Skelton (Tony Kart) 227; 2) 26 Thomas (Tony Kart) 206; 3) 47 York (Kosmic) 200; 4) 3
Gamble (FA Kart) 196; 5) 99 Ide (Kosmic) 194 JUNIOR X30 1) 16 Wilson (FA Kart) 218; 2) 28 Douglas (Birel ART) 207; 3) 25 Bradshaw (Tony Kart) 190; 4) 37 Harvey (ART Grand Prix) 184; 5) 59 Greetham (FA Kart) 180 SENIOR MAX 1) 35 Johnson (Kosmic) 215; 2) 96 Hirst (Tony Kart) 207; 3) 24 Chafer (LH) 180; 4) 18 McPolin (Tony Kart) 179; 5) 55 Currithers (Intrepid) 176 SENIOR X30 1) 17 Varney (Mach1) 214; 2) 56 Lawrence (Tony Kart) 212; 3) 37 Stocks (Tony Kart) 202; 4) 41 Mcauley (Tony Kart) 190; 4) 38 Kent (Mach1) 190
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on the technical side TILLOTSON MAINTENANCE
LOOKING AFTER YOUR CARB Many consider carburetion to be a ‘black art’, as finding the optimum jet setting can be tricky due to the many factors that have an effect - temperature, humidity, air density, engine setup, gearing, driving style, etc. While it sounds very complex, when you strip it back to basics it can become quite simple. Andrew Fallon, Tillotson Racing Product Engineer, shares some tips and general guidelines with Vroom readers.
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Tillotson supply carburetors for many engine types in karting (including Comer/Iame 60cc, Iame X30, KF, KFJ, Rotax Open, Easykart, etc.) and the following tips are applicable to all. First off, it is very important to maintain the carburetor in order to maximize engine performance.
Check the pop-off pressure of the carburettor to see if it requires a DG Kit (Half) or RK Kit (Full including inlet needle and seat). If it is sealing well, it is necessary to fit a DG kit only; however if it is leaking or not sealing, it is advised to fit an RK kit.
How to maintain your Tillotson carb
Remove the carb top and fuel filter gauze – below there are some dirt particles present, which must be blown out with compressed air or carb cleaner.
Remove the 6 Torx screws to dismantle the metering and fuel pump covers from the main body. Inspect the condition of the metering diaphragm to see if the convolution has lost shape and become flat – this results in incorrect metering of fuel and inconsistent carburetion. Inspect the fuel pump diaphragm to see if the area around the fuel pump is ‘sagging’, in which case it means it has become weak and as a result will not have the same pumping capacity as when fitted as new.
THE ARROW ABOVE SHOWS SOME SAGGING IN THE PUMP AREA OF THE PUMP DIAPHRAGM, WHICH IS ADVISABLE TO REPLACE IN THIS CONDITION. THE METERING DIAPHRAGM ON THE RIGHT IS STILL IN GOOD CONDITION AS THE CONVOLUTION HAS NOT LOST ITS SHAPE. VROOM UK
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