Watch and learn. Here’s an on-board video that demonstrates the essentials of driving a kart on slicks in the wet (well, with the exception of the very last bit :p ).
It’s Victorian Glenn Riddell qualifying at the recent South Australian State Championship at Bolivar in TaG Restricted Medium.
He’d just flown in to Adelaide, missed official practice, had not been on the circuit in 20 years and therefore never experienced the new layout.
Then… “It started to rain as we left the grid” Riddell commented.
Despite the challenges, he recorded second fastest time.
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The video below is (1) entertaining, and (2) demonstrates the unusual race line required for slicks in the wet – get the kart rotated (often initialised with the brake) on asphalt that offers some mechanical grip, then drive it off the turn as straight as possible (to keep the rear axle evenly weighted, reducing wheelspin), usually narrow of the race line where there is better tyre-to-road bite.
“(The rain) made for a fun session until I ran out of talent and put it in the gravel trap! Still ended up in P2 so happy with that haha!!” he added.
To be fair, local driver (and eventual Blue Plate winner) Paul Pittam qualified fastest, almost three seconds quicker, setting his time on the second lap.
Results and photos from this event were published on Monday HERE.
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