Types of Turns on a Race Track

Whether you’re a new racer or have been racing for years, knowing the anatomy of a race track is essential to improving your race. That’s why Tampa Bay Grand Prix put together this handy guide to help you cut down your race times. By knowing the types of corners in racing, you’ll be able to make minor adjustments to improve your racing strategy and start seeing winning results.

Types of Turns

Familiarizing yourself with the parts of a race track is crucial for improving your lap times. Each race track has a unique set of turns, barriers and signs, and by memorizing each turn, you can create a strategy for cutting down your racing time. Below are three common turns you may experience.

Sweeper

A sweeper turn is a long and gradual turn. Sweeper turns are often heavily banked and allow the karts behind many opportunities for passing.

To perform a sweeper turn, crank the wheel in the direction of the turn while stepping on the brake to make a long and gradual turn. Once you’ve made the turn, accelerate again and continue making your way to the finish line.

Hairpin

A hairpin turn is the opposite of a sweeper turn and is the tightest possible turn a kart can make. This type of turn is common and requires the driver to have immense control over their kart.

The trick to nailing a hairpin turn in one of our go-karts at Tampa Bay Grand Prix is to brake as late as possible, turn tightly and maintain your speed. This maneuver may sound tricky, but we offer the option for individual races so you can practice until you can execute a hairpin turn like a pro.

Chicane

Chicane turns are straightaways with a slight S shape. The purpose of this type of turn is to slow down cars before a sharp turn and challenge a driver’s ability to navigate with a tight flick of their wrists.

As you approach a chicane turn in your go-kart at Tampa Bay Grand Prix, you must hit the inside corner of the first bend to reduce the severity of the corner. Hitting the first turn in this way will allow you to move across the track in time to hit the second part of the bend. By practicing this turn, you’ll be able to cut down your racing time significantly to cruise your way towards victory.

Tackle Turns at the Tampa Bay Grand Prix

At Tampa Bay Grand Prix, we love seeing the passion in our customer’s eyes as they race against friends and family or themselves to improve their racing times. Contact us online today to schedule a group event or a solo session!