Have you ever been struck by bad luck in qualifying, or just didn’t have that desirable lap and it left you starting mid-pack?  We all know this is usually the start to a not so great race weekend.  You’re likely to have some close racing, but shelve any dreams of spraying the champagne on the podium!  Don’t worry though, you’ll still be able to show your friends, family, engine builder and Facebook buddies that you had the fastest lap during your run to 8th place!

A lot of times you get stuck in mid-pack, and you are just as fast as the front runners.  You should be with them.  You’d be beating them if you had just qualified better!!! Right!?? Instead, you’re banging-up that new nose piece you just bought and watching the leaders drive off into the sunset as the race zooms by faster than it ever has.

Well, one way to remedy this is what I call “The 1st Lap Hustle”!!! The first lap is your time to make BIG things happen!!  Watch what everyone else does and do something different. This is the time to take advantage of the conservative approach most racers adopt in the early part of the race. Trying your best to stay out of the first corner mayhem or that dreadful first lap crash is an unspoken collective agreement among all racers. So at this time, there is a lot of pussy-foot-n’ going on.  Since you already have enough friends, look at this as the time to ATTACK and take full advantage of the “free passes” that are there for the taking. On race starts, there are a lot of momentum differences (stacking effect) until things sort out.  Timed properly, you can play these “momentums” to your advantage. This is a skill that will come in time if it’s not yet part of your racing skillset. You’ll just have to “fake it til you make it”.

It takes the experience of going through the drill a few times or having the sight to see these available “holes” that you will take as “free passes”. You will see holes that are opening, holes that are gonna open, as well as the holes that will close up. It’s like driving in rush hour traffic when you can flow through the traffic as its moving along, kinda like water follows in the least path of resistance. I personally see it as moving road blocks, weaving my way forward through traffic as far as possible with a steadfast approach until you are no longer moving up. You may only get one opportunity to take full advantage of these situations, so if you see the opening… take it.  Just please remember that your rear tires stick out more than your fronts!

I’m not saying be stupid or reckless about it! A calculated risk, on the other hand, is the way to make up valuable ground during the time of the race many racers are still remembering they have to be at work on Monday. If you think you can make a move stick, then do it! Don’t hesitate though. If you hesitate even a split second you may miss it, and/or cause a crash because of your hesitation. Keep your eyes open for more of those “momentum” differences though…  The bold move you just made might just launch you up to another group of drivers struggling to find their pace early on in the race.

Now you can also get yourself in just as much trouble, so don’t drive over your head and be aware of things happening way in front of you. Be calm, steady, calculated, and smooth so you can slow things down and give yourself time to process that next move. Terms like smooth and hustle might not seem to work well together, but the first time you find yourself operating at this heightened level, you’ll “get” what I mean.  If you can master the art of this first lap hustle then you can take easy opportunities that will allow you to make passes on other competitors that you may not be able to pass at full race speed, or it will just take longer to do so and that is just waisting time. This will give you track position on a faster guys that you may not be able to beat otherwise. This will also propel you into the real racing (up front).  You can’t win if you’re not up at the pointy end of the fiel!.

This might seem like I’m saying take a deep breath, close your eyes and dive into turn 1. What I’m really saying is you need to have an aggressive mindset early in the race, when many of the drivers around you have a more conservative mindset.  Beyond that, there’s also a mechanical aspect…  How are your tire pressures set?  If they’re gonna take 5 laps to “come in”, then your aggressive mindset could end in disaster.  If you set your pressures too high, they might be ready to set the track record on lap 1, but you might not be smooth enough to keep them within a good operating range for the whole race.  How good are you at warming up your tires and brakes during the warmup/pace laps?  I’m not talking about zig-zagging around the track like an idiot, but instead binding your kart down in the corners and dragging your foot on the brake to really build heat for the start!  There’s more to your agressive mid-pack approach that just bravado.  You also need to have your sh** together (mechanically speaking).

These types of tactics are a big part of making ground when it is most efficient, effective, and readily available for the taking. So practice this aggressive approach to allow things happen when easy picks are available.  Sometimes it could just be a matter of not following the exact line of the kart in front of you.  Sometimes it will take much more than that. This is not something that will come easy, it could be dangerous if you don’t know what your doing, but results of this type racing tactic can make you or break you.  You might have to get few crashes under your belt to before this art becomes natural, but what it is worth is huge! Besides, what would racing be if you didn’t take chances?

So drive fast, live dangerous, always wear your helmet, stay in school and always do everything you can to qualify well, or you’ll have to do things in the race that might cost you a few Facebook buddies!!

Trevor McAlister