Displaying items by tag: go kart

Displaying items by tag: go kart The Philippines’ first and longest running on-line automotive magazine. http://kotse.com Tue, 21 May 2013 07:07:13 +0000 Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management en-gb TRS opens Champions of the Future program for 2013 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/motorsports/item/1237-trs-champions-of-the-future-2013 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/motorsports/item/1237-trs-champions-of-the-future-2013

Here we go again boys and girls. Tuason Racing School (TRS) is on the lookout for the next batch of Champions of the Future (COF). This grassroots training program will take aspiring kids aged 7 to 13 years old and turn them into real race car drives. Learn how to race go karts in a well-organized, cost-effective, safe, and fun environment that's created to bring out the driving talent in every child.

The Karting Clinics will be held at none other than the country's premier international go-kart track in Carmona, Cavite. There, students will be taught the basics of racing, racing discipline, and other techniques under the tutelage of multi-titled racing champion JP Tuason.

There are, however, some physical qualifications to join. Aside from the age requirement, kids must not be more than 5 feet tall and have a waistline that's no more than 30 inches. Of course, physical fitness is a big plus as motorsport is after all, a sport.

Registration is only P4,500 for kids aged 7 to 13, and P8,000 for 14 years old and above. The fee is inclusive of (1) racing gear, (2) racing kart use, (3) consumables, (4) instruction, and (5) meals. But early birds will get a 30% discount if you register on or before February 15, 2013.

TRS' Champions of the Future 2013 will hold classes on February 23, March 16, and April (TBA). Only 25 driver slots are available per clinic.

Karting Clinic Schedule:

7:30AM - 8:00AM	Practice
8:00AM - 8:30AM	QTT (Rotax/COF)
8:30AM - 9:30AM	Pre Final (Rotax/COF)
10:00AM	Clinic
12:30PM	Lunch
1:00PM - 2:00PM	Final (Rotax/COF)
2:00PM - 4:30PM	Clinic
5:00PM	Finish

Unlike in the past two years, this year's enrollees will get the chance to watch real go kart racing action right after each clinic. Previous COF graduates will battle on track in a special Cadet Race. Also new for this year is the 125 Open Race that's open to any experienced karter who wants to play around the track.

For details and other inquiries, please visit www.tuasonracing.com or e-mail info@tuasonracing.com. You may also visit the Tuason Racing School Facebook page or call the TRS Secretariat c/o Aileen Urgelles at 820-4203 loc. 205 / 09175967580.

]]> Motorsports Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:21:07 +0000 City Kart Racing Makati to say its final farewell on Dec 31 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/item/1162-city-kart-racing-makati-closes-dec-2012 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/item/1162-city-kart-racing-makati-closes-dec-2012

According to Managing Director Jean-Marc “Jeff” Freihuber, City Kart Racing's go-kart track located at the 7th level car park of Park Square 1, Makati City will be no more come 2013. No, they haven't gone out of business. Instead, Ayala Malls have finally decided to demolish the historic mall in January which forces City Kart Racing, and all of its tenants, to find a new home.

While Jeff is tight-lipped over the matter, he did tell us that they're now busy working on opening two new tracks in the near future. They will re-open in a new location that's also within Makati by the 1st quarter of 2013. Meanwhile, City Kart Racing's second track will be situated in Alabang and should be up and operational in one or two months time. There are still no details on where exactly these two new go-kart tracks will be put up, but Jeff did say that at least one, if not both tracks will have awesome features such as a bridge, giant LED screen, and new engines.

City Kart Racing's current track in Makati first opened in 2010. It has been host to countless parties, races, enduros, and events in its colorful three-year history. So lets give it one last hurrah to bid it a final farewell. They will be open for the very last time on December 31, 2012 until 4:00PM.

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also join the official Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates.

]]> News Thu, 27 Dec 2012 02:57:16 +0000 TRS puts up own kart track, Global Karting Westgate now open! http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/motorsports/item/739-global-karting-westgate http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/motorsports/item/739-global-karting-westgate

Tuason Racing School (TRS), the longest-running and only professional racing school in the country, is making the grassroots of racing even more accessible by setting up their very own go kart track in the south. Welcome to Global Karting Westgate (GKW), the first and only race track to feature a bridge and tunnel in the country.

GKW is an outdoor recreational kart racing facility situated within the Westgate Center Compound in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Built on what used to be an asphalt parking lot, the 16-turn course has a good mix of high-speed sweepers, hairpins, and chicanes that's sure to give an adrenaline rush to first-timers and pros alike. And with the high G-forces sustained through the track, it also proved to be a good upper body workout. But GKW's best facet by far its bridge-tunnel combo that lets go-karts pass right on top of each other.

In its current layout, anything below a 40 second lap time is considered quick.

While we noticed that the track is hardly big enough to fit two go karts side-by-side, TRS President JP Tuason explains that it's not designed for wheel-to-wheel racing. Instead, it's tailor-made to give newbies and aspiring racers an introduction to motorsports. And when they want to see more action behind the wheel then can they enroll in any of TRS' racing lessons in Carmona. JP also revealed that the current track is merely temporary and GKW is expected to transfer to a permanent facility nearby in six months.

TRS' newly-opened karting facility is membership-based where the starter package includes a GKW racing license, head sock, and invitations to special events and promos. Kart rental is P550 for a 12 minute session, complete with the use of a helmet and race suit. There's a short driver's briefing given to newbies and first-timers before they head out on track, but drivers below 18 years old will need to have a parent or guardian's consent to ride.

Open from 2:00 to 10:00 PM, Tuesdays to Sundays, Global Karting Westgate (GKW) is now open to serve you.

For reservation and inquiries, call 0939-9375744 or e-mail globalkarting@yahoo.com.ph for more details. ‘Like’ the official Global Karting Westgate Facebook page for updates and promos.

Powered by Bridgestone, Tuason Racing School, OMP, Congo Grill, and Westgate, Global Karting Westgate is also an excellent venue for kart racing events, corporate affairs, parties, and team building activities. GKW will also offer karting camps and kart immersion programs in the near future.

]]> Motorsports Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:23:19 +0000 Kart Clinic 2012: City Kart Racing's perfect cure for racing fever http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/602-city-kart-racing-kart-clinic-2012 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/602-city-kart-racing-kart-clinic-2012

Before you talk trash to your friends about your mad driving skills, you might just want to sign up first at City Kart Racing Makati's Kart Clinic 2012 to make sure you can put your foot where your mouth is. So suit up and learn to race the right way from former European Karting Champion, Jean-Marc “Jeff” Freihuber on February 25, 2012 (Saturday).

The half-day Kart Clinic includes a classroom lecture on the basics and fundamentals of go kart racing such as proper seating position, racing line, and braking points. Then go hands on with track sessions to get a grip on how to shed seconds from your lap time. Finally, at the day's end, put the things you've learned into practice as you line-up on the grid for a mini-race to the chequered flag and climb up the top spot of the podium.

Kart Clinic 2012 Schedule

8:30	Registration
9:00	1st lecture
9:30	Hands on (warm up)
10:00	2nd lecture
10:30	Hands on
11:00	3rd lecture
11:30	Hands on
12:00	Race briefing
12:30	Mini race / Awarding

Learn to drive like a true karting champion in just one day at City Kart Racing Makati's Kart Clinic 2012 this February 25, 2012. Classes will also be held on March 24, 2012. Registration is only P3,500 per driver.

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also log on to www.citykartracing.com or join the official Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates. See you at the starting line!

City Kart Racing Makati is located at the 7th level of the Park Square 1 building, Ayala Center, Makati City and is open everyday except on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

]]> Upcoming Events Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:38:46 +0000 City Kart Racing's giving away FREE crash helmets for Christmas http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/contest-and-promos/item/518-ckr-free-helmets-for-christmas http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/contest-and-promos/item/518-ckr-free-helmets-for-christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, the Metro's streets are jam-packed with holiday shoppers. So instead of getting yourself stuck in traffic, keep your head cool during the hectic Christmas rush by flooding to City Kart Racing Makati (CKR) and get your adrenaline pumping with their special yuletide season promo.

City Kart Racing is in the gift-giving spirit as they give away cool brand new crash helmets FREE to their regular clients. Seasoned racers can grab five (5) Races plus one (1) FREE Balaclava for only P3,000 on FunKarts and P4,000 on ProKarts*. Then, race with your new helmet from Index painted in the official racing colors of the City Kart Racing team, complete with driver names.

Line-up on the grid this Christmas and take home your very own crash helmet. Don't get left behind by the Christmas rush because this promo is only valid until January 15, 2012 or until supplies last.

*This promo is only valid for existing registered City Kart Racing clients. Other promos are also available for first time drivers.

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also log on to www.citykartracing.com or join the official Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates. See you at the starting line!

City Kart Racing Makati is located at the 7th level of the Park Square 1 building, Ayala Center, Makati City and is open everyday except on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

]]> Contest and Promos Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:09:44 +0000 City Kart Racing goes go-kart crazy this July http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/contest-and-promos/item/292-city-kart-racing-goes-go-kart-crazy-this-july http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/contest-and-promos/item/292-city-kart-racing-goes-go-kart-crazy-this-july

City Kart Racing (CKR) Makati is pulling out all the stops to make this month go-kart crazy. The madness begins as they offer speed junkies two special promos for the entire month of July. For only P1,500, satisfy your need for speed (and save P460) with three (3) race heats and get a racing license and balaclava for FREE. Seasoned drivers also get a shot of adrenaline on the house, because whenever they bring three first time karters to CKR, he or she gets to race on the ProKarts for FREE. Finally, wacky racers unite on July 16 at the first ever “2 Hours Clock & Counter” endurance race.

The “2 Hours Clock & Counter” race puts a new spin on go-kart racing. 15 teams comprised of 2 to 4 drivers each will race wheel-to-wheel for 2 hours non-stop around the CKR circuit, but here's the twist: The race gets the green flag as drivers pull some quick laps in the clockwise direction. But after a full hour racing, they're flipping the race 180 degrees by resuming the race in the counter-clockwise direction. Moreover, teams are required to return to the pits for a mandatory driver change every 30 minutes. Test skill and stamina as CKR quite literally puts a new twist on endurance racing.

Teams register with an entry fee of P9,000, which includes FREE practice on Thursday (July 14) 6 to 9pm and Qualifying on Saturday (July 15). Get to the starting line first and receive an extra P1,500 discount when you confirm your entry on or before July 9, 2011.

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also log on to the Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates. See you at the starting line!

City Kart Racing Makati is located at the 7th level of the Park Square 1 building, Ayala Center, Makati City.

]]> Contest and Promos Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:57:50 +0000 Lights turn green at City Kart Racing's 1st Indoor Karting GP this June 19 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/266-lights-turn-green-at-city-kart-racings-1st-indoor-karting-gp http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/266-lights-turn-green-at-city-kart-racings-1st-indoor-karting-gp

Karting Maniacs unite for City Kart Racing's 1st Indoor Karting GP. Test skill, strength, and stamina in this full 90 minute Grand Prix that emulates the challenges Formula One and GT Racing. Hurry! With only 20 limited spots on the grid to be filled up, now's your chance to become a true GP driver as lights turn green on June 19, 2011.

Race Schedule

June 17, 2011 (Friday) - 15 minute Free Practice for all participating drivers from 6 to 9 PM

June 18, 2011 (Saturday) - Lucky draw of Kart numbers at 10 PM

June 19, 2011 (Sunday) - Race Day; Qualifying begins at 9 AM

On race day, the City Kart Racing Indoor Karting GP will adopt a Formula One-style knockout Qualifying. Q1 will be an open 20 minute Free Practice and Qualifying session for all drivers, where only the Top 12 will advance into Q2. Then, in the following Qualifying round, the Top 12 drivers will be given a 10 minute session to vie for the Top 5 spot. Finally in Q3, the Top 5 drivers battle it for for the pole position in the 5 minute sprint.

The Indoor Karting GP will begin behind the Pace Kart and when lights turn green, the entire 20 Kart grid will have to go wheel-to-wheel for 90 minutes non-stop for the top spot on the podium. With no driver changes, this will be a tough fight to the finish with trophies awaiting the Top 5 finishers and a P5,000 cash prize for the race winner.

Entry fee is only P5,000 per driver, but you'll have to sprint to City Kart Racing Makati before June 15th to secure your entry with a P2,000 downpayment.

On June 19, 2011, suit up and sit behind the wheel for the race to become a true GP driver in City Kart Racing's 1st Indoor Karting GP. As an added bonus, they'll be extending the track with three new curves to up the ante for the race only.

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also log on to the Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates. See you at the starting line!

City Kart Racing Makati is located at the 7th level of the Park Square 1 building, Ayala Center, Makati City.

]]> Upcoming Events Fri, 10 Jun 2011 01:59:52 +0000 City Kart Racing invites all racers to its 4 Hour Enduro on April 24 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/176-city-kart-racing-invites-all-racers-to-its-4-hour-enduro-on-april-24 http://kotse.com/home/index.php/news/upcoming-events/item/176-city-kart-racing-invites-all-racers-to-its-4-hour-enduro-on-april-24

The Karting Maniacs at City Kart Racing are at their antics once again with another exhilarating 4 Hour Endurance race on April 24, 2011. Form a team of 2 to 6 drivers and race against time, skill, and stamina.

Unlike sprint races, the secret to success in endurance races is planning your race strategy, driver changes, and fuel stops before the lights turn green. Take on City Kart Racing's grueling challenge and race non-stop for 4 hours where the team who completes the most number of laps takes the top step of the podium. You can also read Kotse.com's own City Kart Racing 4 Hour Endurance Race experience with our story “Four Hours or Bust.”

Registration starts at 8:30 am. Each team will be given 20 minutes to practice on race day followed by a quick 10 minute qualifier to determine the starting grid. Then, at 9:45 am sharp, the 4 Hour Race Endurance race is go!

240 minutes and a couple hundred laps later, the awarding ceremony will be held at 2:00 pm celebrated with a “le verre de l'amitié (friendship drink)” on top of the podium.

Race schedule:

8:30 am Registration

9:00 am Practice

9:30 am Qualifying

9:45 am Race Start

2:00 pm Awarding

Registration fee for the City Kart Racing 4 Hour Endurance Race is only P12,500 per team. Join and see who's the fastest!

For more details, contact City Kart Racing at 856-9155 or 0917-5859155. You may also log on to the Karting Maniac Facebook Page for updates. See you at the starting line!

City Kart Racing Makati is located at the 7th level of the Park Square 1 building, Ayala Center, Makati City.

]]> Upcoming Events Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:50:24 +0000 Four Hours or Bust: City Kart Racing 4hr Endurance Race http://kotse.com/home/index.php/motorsports/karting/item/113-four-hours-or-bust-city-kart-racing-4hr-endurance-race http://kotse.com/home/index.php/motorsports/karting/item/113-four-hours-or-bust-city-kart-racing-4hr-endurance-race

Words by Julius Yparraguirre | Photos by Christopher Kho

Every racer dreams of the moment when, out of the blue, a racing team will call upon his services to race. And well before his brain has time to analyze the situation, he hails a big fat YES! That’s exactly what happened to me when my good racing buddy Chris Kho, summoned me to drive for Kotse.com in the City Kart Racing 4 Hour Kart Enduro, sponsored by Vector GPS, last January 30, 2011.

Bring on the Battle

Endurance racing offers a different type of excitement and thrill compared to sprint races. Sprint races feel like a fierce duel; the race is decided in an instant. Endurance racing, on the other hand, requires a different driving discipline where the balance of speed and reliability is key. Nothing is certain in an endurance race except that ANYTHING can happen.

The venue for this race is City Kart Racing, a karting facility built in the middle of Makati’s central business district making it very accessible to the public. They've converted the entire 7th level of the Park Square car park into a highly technical track sure to challenge racers of all shapes and sizes. With corners barely fitting two karts side by side, words alone can’t describe the adrenaline rush you get racing wheel to wheel.

The weapon of choice for the enduro were Pro Class karts employing the latest generation Sodikart chassis. Power comes from a whopping 200cc 4-stroke Honda engine, and its close ratio wet clutch transmission, makes it is perfect for the highly technical course. Equipped with hydraulic brakes, you're ensured that you'll have all that power under control.

Race Day

Team-mate Chris and I started the day by checking-in early at City Kart Racing where we were greeted with pan de sal, fruits, and coffee for breakfast. As the other racers started to pour in, I was delighted that our team will be joined by C! Magazine Editor-in-Chief, James Deakin. Leaving it up to his wit and humor, he christened our trio-team as Kot-C!. Aside from us, we were joined by fellow media team from Top Gear consisting of Mikko David, Aeus Reyes, and Raynard Olarte. After some chit chat, we decided to walk the track and planned out our strategy.

All the drivers from the 16 teams started to get serious once briefing began. City Kart Racing Manager, Jean-Marc “Jeff” Freihuber gave us an overview of the event that consisted of a 30 min practice session, followed by a qualifying session, before we got down to the business of racing. In the all-important safety briefing, Jeff “assertively” reminded us on the importance of driving safe and obeying the flags.

As I’ve mentioned, endurance races offer a different kind of excitement by being unpredictable. Jeff managed to pull the first surprise of the day by making a last minute course change, rendering our earlier track walk practically useless.

Green Means Go

A few laps into practice, I realized how the new track layout feels a lot bumpier. This shouldn’t be a problem on a sprint race, but the bone jarring ride will suck out all your strength before you know it on a long 4 hour enduro. It also got us worried that with a track this rough, we really needed to take good care of our tires or run the risk of getting a puncture.

Although we qualified middle of the pack in 10th, starting position was irrelevant in this 4 hour race. It also helps that despite being a highly technical circuit, there are plenty of places to overtake such as hairpins, bumpy tuns, and high-speed sweeping corners - all of which present good overtaking opportunities.

Having the honor of driving first, the opening laps were a pandemonium with karts were overtaking here and there before everybody settled into their respective paces. As the laps went by, my pace started to drop. In the twisty and bumpy track, I had to fight the wheel so much all the time just to maintain a smooth pace. Consequently, my palms started to sweat, my grip got weaker, and the burning pain in my forearms became more intense, so much that I couldn’t turn the wheel properly anymore. Realizing that there's no need to suffer in both time and pain, I signalled the pit that it was time for a driver change.

Squeezing Blood from Stones

Even more surprises were in store when I got off the kart and handed it over to Chris. I was given the bad news that our ace driver James Deakin had an emergency to attend to, leaving the entire 4 hour race to a two-man team. Confidently, I thought that I drove a good 40 minutes in my stint. But to my surprise, I lasted just over 20mins before I gave in. With one man down and my weakened state, an infamous quote rang my mind. “HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM”!!!

Chris started his stint with gusto, as if he'd never heard the bad news that fell in the way of our team. He also clocked the team’s fastest lap, as he tailed some of the front runners. After a while, Chris began to have a little bit of fun as he exhibited a particular way of pressuring (more like harassing) his rivals when attempting to overtake. He lasted 30 minutes before signalling for a driver change, 15 minutes shy of the maximum a driver can stay on track. Barely recovered from the strain my forearms suffered, it was time for me to drive again. My 2nd stint came off worse, seeing that my race pace started to drop again in just 17 minutes. With no other choice left but to pit in, I hand the kart back to Chris.

As the race went on, drivers start to suffer from both physical and mental fatigue. It was even more magnified in our team since we're down to just two drivers. Mental fatigue proved too much for Chris that he had to pit three times to figure out where the refuelling station was. The karts too were not immune to fatigue as several karts suffered mechanical problems ranging from tire punctures to wheel failure. The punishment was proving to be too much for our 2-man team. Finally, we swallowed our pride and went over to our rival team Top Gear to suggest joining forces to finish the race.

Closing Up the Garage

Despite all the trials and tribulations that happened to the team, we were delighted that by finishing in 11th, we only lost one position when the checkered flag was waived. It was such an overwhelming feeling of relief that we were able to conquer the four gruelling hours. As if we've won the race, the feeling of triumph from pushing beyond your perceived limits is a drug one can easily get addicted to.

Retiring in the lounge, we were greeted by a scrumptious lunch buffet and a couple of cold beers, the perfect way to numb out the pain. It was a very welcoming gesture given that all the participants were tired and thirsty, and our bodies aching all over.

“It was a good race and the winner did over 300 laps,” said Jean-Marc “Jeff” Freihuber, City Kart Racing Managing Director. “I think that it's the first time in the Philippines to have 16 teams on the grid. We had very different kinds of drivers, from a team of 10 year old kids to a team where the average age of the drivers was 50 years old. There were also very experienced drivers who have been racing here at City Kart Racing for over 5 years and people who are just beginners”.

Although we didn't finish first, we already considered ourselves winners and felt triumphant for finishing the race. Come the awarding ceremony, it was revealed that the race was run Le Mans style where there were winners for different classes. To our surprise, team Kot-C! was called up the top step of the podium as the winners for the Media category.

]]> Karting Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:57:19 +0000