Torq Racing: The Beginning

TORQ RACING: THE BEGINNING

PART ONE

GENESIS

              The journey began in October 2015. I happened to meet the organizer of a national level competition of Go Karts. (For those of you who don't know, Go Karts are mini sports cars used for recreational purposes.) Since we had mutual interests, he briefed me about the competition. Though the project seemed ambitious at that point, I decided to pursue it without having expectations. The very next day at college I approached my like minded junior friends and fortunately they all showed keen interest. Thus our team was formed, comprising of two final years students (including me) and nine pre final year students. We decided to call ourselves "Torq Racing".

PART TWO

THE VIRTUALS 

              

              We attended a workshop organized by "Vayuputra Motorsports", who were to conduct the event. Over the next two days, the workshop covered the basic systems of an automobile and defined the prerequisites for the next round of the competition, 'The Virtuals'. Here we were required to present a detailed report of our kart, containing specific design related values. If all the rulebook criteria and the safety norms were met, we would be given a validation certificate in order to proceed to fabrication. At this point, we were all pretty overwhelmed! How were we going to design and select the required components within 30 days when we hardly knew where to start? We had to take a close look at 'real' Go Karts so we hit the nearest race track. We drove a few laps and then it became obvious that Rishabh possessed the best driving skills among us. Therefore, he was unanimously elected as our race driver. All the fun aside, we sneaked in a few close snaps of the karts from different angles as reference for design. After persuading the track official for further information, he gave us the address of  the city's Go Kart manufacturer.

So here began our market research.

           The very same evening we visited the go kart workshop and tried to grasp whatever we could so that we could proceed to designing. Feeling a little more confident now, we assigned ourselves different tasks such as chassis design, braking, steering and so on. Based on personal preference, we divided ourselves into groups of two and starting working on our assignments. We conducted a brief research and performed the necessary calculations required for our respective tasks. Shree Harsha and Vishwas proceeded with the design and load analysis with the aid of their external software teacher. Likewise, we all reached out for outside help as and when required to complete each of our tasks.

The chassis design

              After a span of 15 days, we reviewed each other's work and made changes wherever necessary. Compiling all the reports to the final presentation took another week. The challenge here was to balance this project work and our academics. So with our monthly internals done, we scratched our heads over a few minor details and were finally ready for the virtual round. As a rehearsal and in an attempt to show our faculty what we were up to, we approached our HOD. He convened all the faculty members to witness and review our presentation. In what was supposed to be a 30 minute presentation, it eventually turned into two hours wherein we explained the different aspects of our project. Happy with our endeavour, our faculty members offered us support and wished us luck.

             Sanjay (our captain),Shree Harsha, Vishwas and Vasanth opted to be the members to present our reports to the event judges from 'Vayuputra'. As the preparation was meticulous, the boys passed the presentation in flying colours, receiving positive comments from the judges. However they advised us to make a few changes. We received the validation certificate and thus we had progressed to the next round. With semester exams approaching, it was time to hit the pause button and turn our attention to academics.

PART THREE

CRUNCH TIME

             The estimated cost of this project was pretty hefty. We could not afford to pitch in the entire amount ourselves. So, starting from the 2nd week of Jan 2016, the hunt for our sponsors began. We started by approaching the college management from whom we didn't get a very positive response. Therefore without wasting time we started reaching out to companies through both personal and general contacts. Two weeks flew by and everyone turned us down. While it was disappointing it was also understandable because this was our very first project and had nothing other than our words of confidence and assurance. We were now losing precious time! An urgent team meet was called for!We decided to pitch in cash so that fabrication work could commence. This was a hard decision as the amount we had to contribute was high. Each one of us had a serious sit down with our parents to convince them that the spent money would be put to good use. From here on, we maintained an accurate account of the expenses, counting every last buck!

           Things started to move now. As time was of the essence, we submitted the welding order for our chassis design. Since the chassis was the vital component, we took no chances and got it fabricated professionally in an industrial workshop. We also needed a place to work on the kart once the chassis was complete. Therefore, we reached an agreement with the same workshop owner to utilize his space and tools for the week. Meanwhile, we started placing orders for the rest of the components viz. tyres, rims, steering system, brakes etc. All of a sudden we hit a wall! Our cash account ran out. With no positive response from the potential sponsors, the situation now was grim. In another desperate attempt, we approached the management and explained our situation. We were in dire need of financial support and time was running out. After a lot of persistence, our principal , Dr. Aswatha Kumar  finally agreed to set up a meet with the Dean, Mr Manoj GD. Two days later, we got the chance to talk to the management and presented our progress report. Fortunately, Mr. Manoj was rather impressed with what we have achieved so far. The very next day, we were called to his office and much to our delight, he gave us a very adequate lump sum! Our spirits jumped up from 'little hopeful' to 'highly excited'! Work now continued in full swing. The chassis was ready and the parts were arriving one by one. We pretty much set up camp in the workshop that week, working from morning to well past dinner time, with some fooling around of course! Working passionately with a bunch of like minded buddies makes time fly by really fast. We took shifts and with some much required assistance of the workshop mechanic, we assembled the components one by one. A few of us paid visits to the hardware market time and again to procure the required items, a few were out in the factories getting components machined while the rest were at the workshop, working on the kart. It was a memorable experience,yes, but make no mistake it took a toll on all of us. Skipping college, sacrificing sleep and even skipping meals at times! At a certain point, I was working even in my dreams at night! Such was the dedication and intensity of the team especially when the deadline was so close. 

          By the end of the week, the basic assembly of our kart was complete albeit without the finishing touches. After running some preliminary tests such as ignition, throttle and braking, we transported the kart to my basement where the rest of the work was done. Wasting no time, we worked throughout the night, disassembling the kart and spray painting the chassis. At the break of dawn, we finished painting and let it dry.

The painted chassis

During assembly work

          All the boys then crashed out at my place to get a few hours of much needed rest. The next morning, we started assembly again and completed it the very same evening. Our job was almost done!Of so we thought! It was now time to transport it to college and we did so the next morning. The kart was about to get the real on-road tests now. After a brief demonstration of the kart to our faculty amidst curious and awed students, we all ran a lap around the college campus burning some rubber! We soaked in all the attention and adulation and were feeling pretty smug! We deserved to. Didn't we?

Our HOD, Dr Manjunath SH seated on the kart

From left: Mr. Ram Kumar, Sharan, Sumanth, Vasanth, Mayur, Shree Harsha, Rishabh and Mr. Vinay Kumar MJ

        All the fun aside, we still had work to do. At this stage the kart was pretty much naked. We had to work on the safety norms and also on the aesthetics to score crucial points in the competition. So after borrowing the machine laboratory as our makeshift workshop, we again worked up to 2:00am and fooled around for an hour after in campus. After a few more test runs the next day, some of us got a few more ideas to add and make changes to the kart. After another visit to the hardware market, we were back at the lab and applied the final touches on what turned out to be another late night. We caused quite a stir, running from one lab to the next, utilizing tools and machines, shouting out commands to each other.

Applying final touches in our makeshift workshop

            On the morning of Feb 25th 2016, the kart was 100% complete. It was now time to take it to the race track. Mecokartopia, the race track was about an hour's drive from college. We loaded the kart into a Tata Ace, got on our bikes and the Torq Racing parade made its way to the race track. We reported late afternoon and were impressed by the quality of the track. Racing there would, for sure, be fun. Although the quality of the pit area allotted to the teams were threadbare. We set up the kart and our tools at one of the so called pit areas and had a look at the other competitors' karts. Some were quite impressive and some just weren't. Teams from all over India had come to participate. It was a full fledged national level competition. Comparing our kart to our competitors' we started to believe that ours was quite good enough to win the race. All the karts were left behind in the pit areas for the night and the dynamic events were scheduled to begin the following morning.

PART FOUR
 THE RACE 

             At the crack of dawn on the 26th of Feb 2016, we were the first ones to arrive at the track. Made sure everything was untouched at our pit stop and waited for the technical inspection. It was well past noon when we got our turn to get the kart inspected. Until then we just fooled around in the sun, pulling each other's legs while the other teams were still working on their karts. Race officials had come over for inspection. One of them had a close look at our kart seemed quite pleased with our work. After a few enquiries about the kart, he gave a big thumbs up and sealed his approval.

             

             We stayed a few more hours for the rest of the formalities to be completed and hit the road back home, looking forward for the next day, Judgement Day! What a day it turned out to be! All 25 teams gathered at the track and were briefed by the race officials from FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India) about the proceedings. Finally, a professional feel of a race was instilled among us. After final inspection of the kart, our work was done. Everything was in Rishabh's hands now. He seemed pretty cool about it. Well that's just the kind of team we had become. 

Finally it was time to race!

Rishabh on the driver's seat

From left: Prashanth, Mayur, Sharan, Vasanth, Pratheek, Vivek, Sumanth, Sanjay, Shree Harsha, Vishwas

            The first qualifying race was worrying to say the least! The kart broke down at every sharp right turn it made. Why? None of us had a clue! Luckily enough, this happened to many other karts. So Rishabh completed the laps somehow and just, only just, made it to the next round. Phew! It turned out that a safety sensor attached to the oil reservoir was causing the problem. Easy solution. Simply cut the wire off. 

           The next race was a breeze. Rishabh took an early lead an never let the advantage slip. The 208cc engine powered kart ripped through the track! Through to the next round! There was a slight cause for concern though. Rishabh wasn't happy with the throttle response. So we 'meddled' with the throttle idling a little before the next race. 

         The third race was a nightmare! We had made a blunder changing the idling. Rishabh was not able to reach the maximum potential. The kart pretty much strolled through the laps and was lagging way behind. Being in the pit crew, it was terrible to watch! Fortunately for us, two of the karts crashed and were therefore disqualified. As a result of that, we qualified for the finals. What a lucky break! 

            After all that, we were in the finals! It felt surreal! The karts lined up and engines started roaring! This was it! And off they went. Team Octane's kart took an early lead and was cruising. After a lap and a half, one of their front wheels rolled off the kart. Therefore he was waved off and disqualified. That was quite a sight! Tough luck for them. Rishabh now took the lead and held on to it for the next three laps but the Supersonics racers' kart was closing in. Just at the end of the penultimate lap, he gained ground and overtook Rishabh at the straight stretch! This was nerve-wracking! Were we losing it in the final lap? But Rishabh was not done. He expertly manoeuvered the kart through the sharp turns and gained quickly. Thereafter it was sheer drama! He overtook Supersonic on one of the turns and this time held on to the lead. Victory in sight, we cheered him on at the top of our voices from the pits and eventually he took the chequered flag! Oh the euphoria! We did it! Champions! What a feeling! I don't have the words to describe it!

 Victory lap!

       What a journey it was! All the hardship, the arguments and grim situations that we fought and came through was worth it. Looking back, there were obstacles in every step of the way. We just didn't stop. The passion, the desire and the will was always there. And how much we learnt from those experiences. Of course, we had a truckload of fun! When you work with guys so dedicated and awesome, you make amazing memories! Torq Racing isn't just a team anymore. Its a brotherhood! To my junior Torq boys, like the title says this is just the beginning! With your energy, I'm sure you will scale greater heights in the future. That is just how we MECHANICAL boys roll! So until the next race, keep pumping the fuel!