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A tenth of a second can sometimes be considered a permanent barrier. |
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insignificant 0.1 liter engine, quick but unforgiving
steering added to a frame and tires. That, in a nutshell,
is a complete kart. It's the very basic equipment needed
to race and compete for the tenth of a second. There is
no room for compromise and that is why the kart is so
straight forward. The gift presented by the frame and
body is the wind enveloping the whole body, and the 4cm
ground clearance compensates for the strong lateral G
force when cornering. Here can be found the feel of a
motor sport that is hugs the earth. Karting goes for the minimum and maximum limits. To win, the overall best balance of the best performance is needed. Technique must be improved and the setting of engine and frame reduced to perfection. When all this is ready, what's left is the tires gripping the road surface. This is a delicate balance but kart regulations are strict so that the ratio held by the tires is very large. |
Half
the victory comes in the moment when you make your
decision; "We're going with dry tires." or
"We're going with wet tires." The tenth of a
second barrier you couldn't crash with your machine and
technique can be taken with tires. It goes without saying
that the summit of kart racing is the world kart
championship. The Le Mans Circuit (France) is a spectacle and high speed course that can't be found in the United States. On this circuit, stress is put on tire grip rather than on response. On the other hand, on slow, tricky courses, good response is a condition for a "fast tire". Performance demanded of a tire varies greatly according to the course layout. There are countless other problems kart tires must handle such as weather, track temperature, track condition as well as the match between technique and frame. |
Dunlop confronts each of these and in response has been working hard to develop a faster, more stable tire. Naturally, that stage can be in United States or abroad. The whole is seen from the individual parts. Its the result of rich experience. We want to emphasize uniformity as the condition for marketing an outstanding tire. In other words, we are talking of a high performance tire with a wide range of response. It is hardly influenced by temperature variations and course layout and can deliver stable performance. For example, the initial grip is ideal and does not become sluggish even in the later half when tire temperature rises. Grip and response are important dimensions and balance each other. With that kind of tire we'd like to get the true feeling of a formula race. |
Russell Karting Specialties, Inc. is the exclusive U.S. agent for Dunlop Kart Racing Tires!
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