Rain (Snow) or Shine

Although the ProKart Challenge is run in California, sometimes the improbable occurs and it rains.  PKC events are run rain or shine. Running in the rain with the proper set up and tires can be a BLAST! So be sure to have a set of rain tires/wheels in your truck or trailer so you don’t miss out on the fun. And to reward those hearty souls that have to get their racing “fix” regardless of the weather, we award a “Tough Guy” wet event bonus. This is a bonus of 100 points offered to any and all drivers that complete at least one full lap of competition after the race has been declared a rain race by the Race Director. 
 

Rain Tires

The official rain tires for current PKC NorCal and SoCal events will be Bridgestone YJPs, YKPs or YLPs; no other rain tire may be used.  These tires were chosen due to wide use and availability.  If such tires are used during a competition session they will be marked by the technical officials at the end of the session and will be the only set of rain tires the competitor may use.  Note that either new or previously used rain tires may be utilized.  PKC will NOT have rain tires for sale at the track, so please get them before you go. IMPORTANT: Front rims work with rain tires, but rears don’t (regular rims are 7″ wide, rains require 6″ wide).
 

Wet Setup

Here are some quick and dirty tips for setting up your kart for the rain.

• Move the front wheels out as far as possible.
• Rear track should be moved in as far as possible (center of rear tires aligned with inside edge of the front tires).
• Increase caster.
• Increase camber.
• Set toe to 1/4″ to 1/2″ out.
• Run front bumper and nerf bars loose.
• Run rear bumper tight.
• Increase tire pressure (experiment up to 20+psi)
• Remove seat strut bolts at the seat.
• Use short hubs.
• Move the rear of the seat up around 1″ to 1 1/4″ above normal.
• Run maximum rear ride height.
• Use a hotter sparkplug.
• Spray the ignition with a water repellent, such as WD40.