Glan-y-Gors

Bite Size Track Guide

by Niki Richardson

Glan Y-Gors is a bit of an unknown quantity compared to other tracks we visit as we don’t race there as much as we do with Buckmore, Whilton and Rye etc. The first half of the lap is very quick and very similar to the Spa kart circuit and the second half of the lap is very twisty which is where the time can be won or lost. One thing I will say is though, I doubt you’ll get one single driver complain about this seriously awesome track even if overtaking can be slightly difficult!

Turn 1

So we’ll start the lap on the short start finish line as you head to the right handed and very fast, Turn 1. Now all you need to do is keep your right foot firmly flat and take a nice smooth line through the turn gently kissing the inside kerb before letting the kart effortlessly run wide on the exit. On the exit the track widens briefly as the pit lane exit joins the track but this soon runs out so try not to run too wide otherwise you could run out of road and thump a rather nasty kerb with your left rear tire which will lose you a little bit of momentum.

So as you exit Turn 1 you’ll be heading down an extremely long straight (Dragon Straight) where you could literally have a cup of tea because it’s that long! Like I said above, it’s imperative that you get a perfect exit from turn 1 otherwise any momentum lost could cost you a lot of places in a race and up to half a second in valuable lap time.

Now due to GYG being totally open to the elements, it’s often very windy which means slipstreaming can play a huge part so bare that in mind as you may wish to make yourself a small as possible as you run down to Turn 2.

Turn 2

So at the end of the long straight you’ll enter a flat out right hand kink (which I will call turn 2) and the only thing to do here is like turn 1, keep as much momentum up as possible which means very light, gentle use of the wheel but this time stay off the gigantic inside kerb as it will fire you into orbit.

Turn 3 (The Spoon)

Now as you exit the little right hand kink the track goes slightly uphill and this is where you need to get ready for the right handed Turn 3 (The Spoon) and you’ll want to exit the flat out right kink drifting over to the left hand side of the circuit. At this point you still won’t be able to see Turn 3 so you’ll need a marker which will help you know where to brake and the marshals post situated on the inside of the track usually works for me. Obviously braking points can change depending on conditions but if the marshal’s post is still there, brake quite hard alongside it before turning in, getting on the power and carrying as much momentum as possible. This is your first overtaking spot on the track. Note – This corner is really important because it leads on to a fast downhill straight so the exit really needs to be perfect.

Again the next part is very Spa like because as you exit Turn 3 the track kinks to the left slightly then drops down a hill which heads back towards the pits and a double left hander called The Carousel.

Like I said, this corner is double apexed but like turn 1 at Buckmore and the long double apexed right hander around the mound at Bayford it’s virtually one corner because it’s quite a high speed and the steering never straightens until you exit the corner.

Turn 4

So as you approach the corner you want a quick stab of brake before turning into the corner, aiming for the first inside kerb as you try keep as tight as possible in order to make the second apex. Now if you’re missing the second apex then you’re probably carrying too much speed on entry or getting on the power too early so maybe take a slightly slower entry into the corner which will give you a faster, more smoother exit. On the exit, try and leave about half a karts widths gap from you to the edge of the circuit because it’ll make the following flat out right hander slightly less sharper which will help keep momentum up. Turn 4 is your second overtaking opportunity.

As you exit Turn 4 you’ll pass through a right kink which is easy flat and all you need to do is be smooth though it, get close to the inside kerb and then let the kart run wide to the edge of the circuit before you’re almost immediately onto a very quick right hander (turn 5).

Turn 5

Now Turn 5 is a pretty simple corner but it’s not hard to carry a little too much speed through the corner and run off on the edge of the circuit so a little dab of brake on entry is a sensible idea because you also want hit the apex for the following right hander, Turn 6 as Turns 5 and 6 go hand in hand with one another. In fact you’re turning from the entry of Turn 5 all the way through until you exit Turn 6 so again, it’s almost a double apexed bend where hooking up both apexes is important.

Turn 7

Now as you pass through Turn 6, try and keep over to the right hand side of the track because you immediately fly into the braking zone of the of the tight left handed, Turn 7 (Compression Corner).

Turn 7 requires quite a late entry because you’ll want to cut across the apex and keep over to the left on the exit which means you can really attack the braking zone here but remember, you’re leaving the door wide open for attack! This corner is probably the sharpest corner on the track and is also very key because as you exit this corner, you’re flat out from here, all the way to Turn 3 which is about 20+ seconds on full throttle so the exit needs to be bang on! Now to get the perfect exit and in order for you to get the following section flat out, take a late apex and then exit Turn 7 right over to the left hand side of the track which open up the immediate entry to the following right hander, Turn 8 (Devils Elbow). Turn 7 is another overtaking opportunity.

Turn 8

Turn 8 is a very awkward, downhill, double apexed corner that comes instantly after Turn 7 and like I have mentioned above you should’ve exited Turn 7 over to the left which should give you a nice wide entry for Turn 8, if you don’t enter Turn 8 over to the left then when you turn in you’ll either have to slow the kart down mid corner to hit the second apex OR you’ll drop down the hill and then run wide mid corner which will therefore make you miss the second apex and intern affect the final 2 corners of the lap.

Turn 9

Now if you get the previous sequence of corners spot on then Turn 9 should be a formality because there’s no braking involved and all you need to remember is to not turn in too early because you’ll want a slightly later apex in order to exit as much over to the left as possible which will set you up perfectly for the final bend. If you don’t stay over to the left on the exit, you won’t get back over to the left in time for the final right hander of Turn 10 which means you’ll need to brake for the final bend and that will cost you momentum and lap time.

Turn 10

Now the final corner really reminds me of the final corner at Whilton Mill because it’s got a nasty inside kerb and you can JUST about get it flat out in good conditions!

Now I’m pretty sure if you follow my instructions for the previous 3 or 4 corners you should be perfectly set up to get the final corner flat. All you need to remember is to get a nice wide entry, give the kart a gentle flick of the steering on entry then you must get as close to the inside kerb as possible before letting the kart run to the edge of the circuit on the exit, keeping all that momentum going which you’ve built up through the previous section of corners before crossing the Start/Finish line. Like the final corner at Whilton, you can overtake here BUT make sure you’re full alongside by the time you get to the apex otherwise you could get a penalty coming your way!

Note – You CANNOT ride the rather awful and rather large exit kerb here as it damages the karts and you are liable to get a warning!