John..... it's so the user remains in CONTROL of his hand movements and applies the choke at his discretion.... not simply because the 'suction has dragged his hand and clamped it to the carb. While racing, I wish to remain in COMPLETE control and not just to be at the mercy of yet another action caused by my physical surroundings.
I choose 1/2 a second as conventient number but.... in reality.... the same 'brain' is controlling my right hand as is controling my right foot. I thus 'issue' the 'lift-off' instruction at the SAME moment as the 'apply hand to carb'. I am pretty good at it but I do NOT claim to be able to time them identically, to be in 1/320th of a second accuracy.
Out of interest, although the 'gold-standard' would be to apply the brakes at EXACTLY the same instant that you 'lift off'..... how accurate do YOU claim to be in timing those at EXACTLY the same 1/320th of a second....? Assuming you don't claim to be THAT good... then....
Finally, applying the choke (by YOUR method) would require you timing the application of your hand at EXACTLY the same moment as applying the brakes or YOU will be decellerating (because you have choked) BEFORE you intended to 'de-throttle'. That leaves the PERFECT moment for your competitors to out-brake you.... something at which Roger Goff (to name just ONE!) was VERY adept...... looking for the driver who was about to choke and thus could be out-braked!
For precision.... my aproach allows the driver to RACE the kart exactly as normal. He can de-throttle at the EXACT moment he usually does, apply the brakes as he usuaully does..... but deal with the need to choke DURING the braking cycle when the postion of the throttle, the flooding and the misfiring will be COMPLETED during the braking cycle and thus have ZERO effect on his lap time. Choking CAN make you a hostage' to the more observant, high-quality driver who is following you. Your approach requires the driver to remember to HOLD the throttle 'at full' for LONGER than he intended but to mentally 'swap' the instant of de-throttling for the instant of Choking.
In my 50 years, I have been the recipient of HUNDREDS of 'seizes'. I cannot remember a S*I*N*G*L*E occasion when they have occurred DURING the braking-cycle (and thus during 'over-run'). Unless there has been a mechanical breakage (snapped con, seized bearings, etc.) they have ALWAYS occurred at almost PEAK speed..... if not, definitely at peak POWER..... but not ONCE during over-run, Others may have had other experiences.....
Ian
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