Santa Cruz Drivers Club: Karting Session at Sears Point

Words and pictures by Warren Madsen
March 2008

Once the rush from Thunderhill had worn off, we got back to the racing action- err, actually practice, at Infineon Raceway's impressive Go-Kart track in Sonoma.

Perched above the world famous road course, the karting track is a gem and satisfied the racing itch. Bryan and I ventured north over the Golden Gate and mixed it up with a few regulars as well as several newbies...and we were reminded quickly that this was only practice!
Our kart was on loan to us from Bryan's cousin. We were confined to a simple track consisting of only 4 turns, but the back straight allowed for near 70 mph top speeds heading into the final turn; a well cambered right hander just before the short front straight.

Bryan crosses the start/finish line at Infineon Kart Track

Karting is the most pure form of racing in terms of communication between car and driver, and usually the place to start if you want to become a serious driver. There is no power steering or power brakes, and you sit inches off the road. The seat is made of Kevlar and it's unbelievably tight. There are no seat belts- it's safer to get thrown from a wreck than trapped under one. They stop on a dime, and corner like nothing else; the flex of the steel frame and axles is their only form of suspension. Acceleration is insane and the typical kart will easily do more than 60 mph; shifter and superkarts can push 150. One held the track record at Laguna Seca for some time until Toyota brought it's F1 car over and bettered it. That's a multi-million dollar car with over 800 horse power; a superkart has somewhere around 90.

I thought I'd give pegged jeans another try.
Obviously pleased with the look.

Since it was an open track session, we could come and go as we wanted; racing for a while and coming in after completing a few laps, swapping the kart between us. On the track were a number of locals- guys who had trick $5,000 racing karts gearing up for an upcoming race- as well as 16 year old novices attending the Jim Russel karting school- who's only notions of karting came from Mario...Nintendo, not Andretti.

This made it tricky. You'd come up on a few really quick drivers, using the whole track and smoothly entering and exiting turns. You'd get in a groove and reel them in slowly. It was a challenge to catch them and a real success to pull off a pass. Just as you'd celebrate the moment, an equally tough challenge would present itself: a group of novice drivers feeling their way around the track blocked the way. Still stuck firmly in "race mode," Bryan and I stayed on the limit, passing often, until...

...well, until Bryan was running hard on the back stretch and was entangled in a lose/lose situation with a young driver. At the fastest section of track, Bryan accelerated behind another driver and positioned to pass. At that point the young driver lost control and spun in the center of the pavement. Bryan braked quickly and dodged to avoid the kart in his path, which he did until the driver let his foot off the brake and rolled back onto the track and the racing line. Bryan slammed the brakes, spun quickly and crashed hard with the tail of his kart directly into the other. I'd say he was going about 30 mph in reverse.
It looked bad from my vantage point nearly 50 yards away, but both drivers got out and were walking around unfazed. I think their neck rolls saved them. The kart was towed back; smashed. The rear bumper bar was bent inward and the muffler crushed. The kart and our session was done for the day. We were given a quick talk from the track marshal about our aggressive practice techniques even though he admitted the accident wasn't Bryan's fault.

Bryan (left) and the track marshal sort things out after impact.

As an unexpected bonus, we finished the day by cruising around the rest of the track for a minute, stopping by the Audi Driving Experience and checking out the new S5. It was my first sighting in the US of the new sports coupe and it looked just as good in person as it had in print. Also, an S8 stood by, sporting the Lamborghini Gallardo sourced V10, ready to roll. Very cool.