Any great ideas for a karting track in town?

One of the challenges faced by karting promoters is bringing in the crowd of spectators. Getting the average joe to go all the way to places like Sepang and Elite (Shah Alam stadium is not too bad) is a difficult task unless you get a significant bunch of petrol heads.

So, why don't we bring the races to where the crowd is... ie, right smack in town... KL, PJ, Shah Alam, Klang etc. Create an atmosphere like Monaco and the likes. If any of you watched the A1GP race at Durban South Africa, you'd see the crowds were pretty packed... and the Durban race is a street race (with a beach, no less).

So anyway, I'd like to start a discussion of some good track suggestions in the heart of town. Some features:

The "lap" should be around 0.8 to 1.5km long
must have sufficient spectator space (and perhaps space to put some temporary stands)
sufficient turns for a kart race
sufficient space for advertising boards

All this is on the assumption that we can get the likes of DBKL etc to close some roads for one day.

So please post your ideas.
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Submitted by TheFazz on Tue, 14/03/2006 - 8:22pm.

Tags:

Karting, go-karts

Comments

alfagta:

good idea!
places like bukit jalil,one utama,dataran merdeka!
will be good!

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14 Mar 2006 - 8:55pm

ed:

how about the pasar rakyat? it requires minimal road closure but still right smack in town.

but for sheer exposure the carpark next to klcc (opposite avenue k) I reckon is best.

14 Mar 2006 - 9:47pm

alfagta:

also must remember the first thing to do is to check the cost from citykarting or kartquest & the venue for having such event.
We also must have a sponsorship letter proposal on this event for the sponsorship parties,so that we can cover all the expenses....

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15 Mar 2006 - 2:23am

alfagta:

anyway,i still remember those days when I was kid,my dad always take me to MPPJ parking to watch go-kart race where they have race day sometimes!

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15 Mar 2006 - 2:26am

TheFazz:

alfagta wrote:

also must remember the first thing to do is to check the cost from citykarting or kartquest & the venue for having such event.
We also must have a sponsorship letter proposal on this event for the sponsorship parties,so that we can cover all the expenses....

of course, the cost, license and the rest of the promotions matters will have to be worked out... but I just want to get your ideas on a specific route in town... I am thinking of somewhere within the Golden Triangle, something like:

Start-finish along Jalan Bukit Bintang along the landmarks like the Marriot, StarHill, Regent. Then there is a right turn at the traffic light after the Regent into Jln Sultan Ismail. Followed by another right turn at the traffic light opposite Genting into Kia Peng(?). On Kia Peng, we can do a bit more configuration (for a some mixture of left and right turns) as this part is fairly wide. After this complex, we then turn right again into Jln Bukit Bintang and onto the start-finish.

This is a fairly simple layout. I am sure there are someparts of town that has some interesting layouts. Remember we can re-configure some wide parts of the streets for hairpins, esses, chicanes etc.

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15 Mar 2006 - 8:09am

Jules:

in 2002 ( not exactly sure ), the Astro held a challenge along the Bintang Walk. ( simple course, but I never saw it myself )

U want exotic? - there was a full 125cc race along the undulating streets of GENTING HIGHLAND....yes, the normal road around the casino. Bent shafts from kerb crashes - common. I chicken out on that event.

Heard it was damp, cold but exciting! Monaco style.

15 Mar 2006 - 10:34am

OSFlanker:

I reckon those main roads like Jln Sultan Ismail & Jln Bukit Bintang will be too straight & long for a go kart. How about a lap round the Lake Gardens or the roads near Bukit Aman/National Mosque area? Or in front of Dataran Merdeka where a decent layout can be achieved, although the surface is quite bumpy.

The carpark next to KLCC is quite bumpy & sandy - did an autocross there before, and it's not that big either.

15 Mar 2006 - 10:56am

sabelt:

Suggestions

-Central Market ( Jalan Silang, Landmark Bangkok Bank, HSBC Hq )
-KL Sentral
-Lake Garden
-Taman Jaya LRT Station pickup point area (taxi stand act as pitstop (Opposite Amcorp Mall)

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15 Mar 2006 - 1:23pm

Jules:

where ever u want it, please choose a place with NO KERBS.....car parks around KLCC have them so they wun be safe. ( good for demo but not racing )

just my 2 cents.

15 Mar 2006 - 3:22pm

alfagta:

Jules wrote:

in 2002 ( not exactly sure ), the Astro held a challenge along the Bintang Walk. ( simple course, but I never saw it myself )

U want exotic? - there was a full 125cc race along the undulating streets of GENTING HIGHLAND....yes, the normal road around the casino. Bent shafts from kerb crashes - common. I chicken out on that event.

Heard it was damp, cold but exciting! Monaco style.

That was only in front of star hill & kl plaza shooping main road area that time.....

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15 Mar 2006 - 8:21pm

TheFazz:

Jules wrote:

in 2002 ( not exactly sure ), the Astro held a challenge along the Bintang Walk. ( simple course, but I never saw it myself )

U want exotic? - there was a full 125cc race along the undulating streets of GENTING HIGHLAND....yes, the normal road around the casino. Bent shafts from kerb crashes - common. I chicken out on that event.

Heard it was damp, cold but exciting! Monaco style.

The Genting Highlands route sounds interesting. You mean, they actually raced there? When, who organised it? What was the outcome?

As for Astro's bintang walk, I saw that... and it was a simple tight course - more suitable for funkarts or less.

Agree with OSF on the straight streets of sultan ismail etc. Lake Garden is nice, but not sure what routes exactly. Around PJ state would be good starting from the front of the old JPJ office, down to the roundabout, and u-turn back towards the same road.

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15 Mar 2006 - 9:53pm

Jules:

The Genting Race was organised by City Karting......it was of course sponsored by Genting and Mr Alex Yoong was to have graced the opening ceremony.....he could not make it as I recall.

Mikko Nassi raced there, so maybe he can share his experience. Driving a 125 there was not easy.

A few years back, a full competition race along the beachfront road at Johor Baru was also held......

I know we can all dream but this ( street course ) requires far more logistic and connections to pull off.....

16 Mar 2006 - 9:58am

sabelt:

Wow, I am looking forward to race in this kinda street circuit plus the environment. Hopefully we can include them in my-kartbahn championship rounds..Btw, dealing with the authorities wouldn't be an easy task.

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16 Mar 2006 - 4:29pm

TheFazz:

Jules wrote:

Mikko Nassi raced there, so maybe he can share his experience. Driving a 125 there was not easy.

A few years back, a full competition race along the beachfront road at Johor Baru was also held......

I know we can all dream but this ( street course ) requires far more logistic and connections to pull off.....

The Genting race sounds cool as does the beachfront in JB. I know this is but a dream now... but not totally impossible.

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16 Mar 2006 - 6:25pm

NiZeR:

Shah alam-DataraN shah ALAm - Mosque roundbout-up to dataran-down to MBSA building-up to dataran again..or somewhere around there,got many road there fr track

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17 Mar 2006 - 1:21am

siewweng:

go around Universiti Malaya?.... remembered the roads were quite curvy ,undulating and went in a loop too.

*dangs....just remembered its full of speed bumps...

17 Mar 2006 - 9:02pm

Tarmizi:

ITS GONNA BE A SERIOUS FUN!!! AND SERIOUSLY MORE DANGEROUS.... BUT I LIKE..SOMEWHERE LIKE..AT KL...NEAR DATANRAN MERDEKA MAYBE....TALKING ABOUT MEGA CROWD!!!

18 Mar 2006 - 1:44am

sabelt:

Aman Suria, PJ

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18 Mar 2006 - 2:03am

siewweng:

aman suria... is it the new place near dataran prima?

18 Mar 2006 - 9:29am

TheFazz:

sabelt wrote:

Aman Suria, PJ

pls give a bit more info & specific layout.

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18 Mar 2006 - 4:08pm

NiZeR:

NOw we got few potential places for RoAD CHampionsHip round..Sound interesting meh.
Going to be good heat fr competitors/crowd/sponsor

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18 Mar 2006 - 4:40pm

Tarmizi:

"saya rasa lagi baik datuk jangan naik kereta F1" from da petronas ad.

19 Mar 2006 - 11:45pm

mikko:

actually the genting event was held at the theme park kart track. 125's did only time trial as it was pointless to have a race. 85cc's had an endurance race complete with driver changes iirc.

The best public street kart race imo held in recent years in Malaysia was the Johor Kart Prix in 2002. Roads were closed for use by the karters, a short ~30sec course in 125's with tyre chicanes. During the weekend I damaged two axles, two tie-rods, steering shaft, a radiator, and cracked my seat. The track was a bit dangerous.. with a fair bit of improvements that could've been made, but there was a crowd!

To see a bit on how a street kart race really should be organised try a google search on "rock island grand prix."

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21 Mar 2006 - 3:51pm

TheFazz:

mikko wrote:

actually the genting event was held at the theme park kart track. 125's did only time trial as it was pointless to have a race. 85cc's had an endurance race complete with driver changes iirc.

The best public street kart race imo held in recent years in Malaysia was the Johor Kart Prix in 2002. Roads were closed for use by the karters, a short ~30sec course in 125's with tyre chicanes. During the weekend I damaged two axles, two tie-rods, steering shaft, a radiator, and cracked my seat. The track was a bit dangerous.. with a fair bit of improvements that could've been made, but there was a crowd!

To see a bit on how a street kart race really should be organised try a google search on "rock island grand prix."

thanks for the input mikko. a 30sec track for 125cc karts is probably a bad recipe for costly repairs. 60sec is about right for any form of kart track.

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21 Mar 2006 - 4:27pm

TheFazz:

Rock Island GP looks cool. racing used to be done on street circuits & public roads before custom built tracks came into the picture. Street races creates a lot of buzz and brings in the curious onlookers. Some oohs and aahs as the event goes by. Awesome. Rock Island Photos.

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21 Mar 2006 - 4:33pm

siewweng:

wat kinda kart is that? that front nose/bumper design looks funny.. like that 6 wheel tyrell f1 racer ... tot was those superkarts..but i remember superkarts has full bodykit rite? got rear wing etc...

*ooh.. after reading the rules, its actually their mandatory nose cone. i see...

21 Mar 2006 - 10:05pm

Tarmizi:

A GIGANTIC WAY TO PROMOTE MY-KART FAZZ....ITS A FUN FACTOR!!!

22 Mar 2006 - 12:12am

Mad Marcy:

Tarmizi wrote:

ITS GONNA BE A SERIOUS FUN!!! AND SERIOUSLY MORE DANGEROUS.... BUT I LIKE..SOMEWHERE LIKE..AT KL...NEAR DATANRAN MERDEKA MAYBE....TALKING ABOUT MEGA CROWD!!!

Dataran is a good place coz it is a crowd puller.

23 Mar 2006 - 8:31am

TheFazz:

the subject of street races re-surfaced in the recent thread on racing in sepang. Rather than bring the other thread off topic, why don't we continue the discussion here.

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12 Mar 2008 - 5:52pm

edwynlow:

I have check out some places for the street circuit. Not sure if it is possible, but what the heck..

Technology Park Malaysia
http://club.my-kart.org/node/2844

Lake Garden - Only guessing the layout because of the trees
http://club.my-kart.org/node/2843

Kota Raya
http://club.my-kart.org/node/2842

Jln Alor
http://club.my-kart.org/node/2841

Berjaya Times Square
http://club.my-kart.org/node/2840

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12 Mar 2008 - 7:30pm