Karting - what's involved?

[dd74]

Just a general question: say I wanted to get into karting. A thread was started in the tech section about a go-kart's very intense abilities, and it started me thinking how I'd really like to sample some of that fun. For any guys out there who have karted before, what would you suggest to a newbie (such as me) who might want to get into karting?

Thanks all.

[Saintly]

Go and rent then first to make sure it's not a fad. then go to some local club events and chat with the people there and find out about classes, restrictions, rules and local knowledge.. you might find something like "this body will cost you about $1000 but if you talk to joe over there, he can make you one for $500.. or he might have an old one for sale".. no sence getting the best while your learning.

[Danskman]

If you're seriously interested, I'd reccommend going to a kart school and take a one day class. There are professional kart schools in many areas. In norcal, the best is Russell Karting at Infineon. They will familiarize you with a kart and give you basic instruction on driving technique - most likely in a non-shifter. If you end up having the time of your life, then take the next step and try a shifter. After you do that, go to a few local club races and get a feel for the sport and identify what you want to do - race, or just track days for fun. Not everyone ends up racing. Visit some local kart shops and get familiar with various chassis and engine packages.

I run an 80 shifter (CTS chassis) and a 125 Parilla Leopard (Energy chassis). They are both a blast, but I enjoy the shifter the most.

Firts pic is the shifter, without front nose panel, second is the Leopard. (with 911 and shifter in background!)







Should you decide to buy a kart, plan on $2500 - $4000 for a decent chassis and motor, and add another $800 - $1000 for safety gear and spares.

I've run a lot of SCCA racing, and karts are the most challenging and best racing bang for the buck I've ever experienced. It is a hoot!

[dd74]

Anyone know of any karting forums like this here Pelican forum?

[IROC]

How well does a "larger" person fit one of these things? For instance, I am 6'3" and weigh about 220. Is that a detriment? Would I fit?

I saw a video on the internet somewhere of a guy that mounted what looks like an old Mini engine on the back of a kart. He could break the wheels loose at ludicrous speeds...

Mike

[David]

I agree with trying them out first if possible. I chose road racing since it's less bumping and banging than sprint racing.

I bought a used 125 shifter kart for $4000 and spent almost that much getting it right. In hindsight I should have spent $8000 and been done. After 3 full seasons and a couple of races the last two seasons (my 930 rebuild is eating up my racing time and money) my kart is just about worn out and I really need to spend another $8000.

Figure another $1000 to $1500 for safety equipment. I use a SA helmet since they have a thicker face shield than a motorcycle helmet. Since your face is only 3 feet off the ground, you get hit with rocks and I've seen motorcycle face shields crack after an impact.

For a race weekend, I usually spend:
tires $200 (1 set, if it's really hot I've needed 2 sets in a weekend)
entry fees and gate fee $200
fuel and oil $50
hotel $70 (split cost with buddy)
fuel to track $50 (split cost)
misc. parts $200 (includes piston ring every weekend, piston every other weekend, worn out parts, wrecked parts, etc)
For a total weekend cost of about $800.

I still think it's been a great investment in my driving skills but I won't know for sure until I get my 930 on the track.

IROC, I'm 6' 3" and my legs are bent a bit to fit but I fit OK. I'm 175 lbs so I race in the light class, but if they have a heavy class in your area your weight would put you close to minimum weight which is usually about 420 lbs. Some tall drivers extend the front porch for more leg room, but I'd rather have my legs bent and keep my feet behind the thicker main frame tube. The front porch is smaller diameter and designed to fold back in a crash (I've replaced mine after a crash).

[Steve Carlton]

Danskman's advice is right on the money. A used kart is, as Forrest Gump would say, "like a box of chocolates." A friend of mine bought KLS Racing at Infineon, and he's making some great deals to get his business moving. Check out the Turn-Key Packages: http://www.klsracing.com/kartchassis.htm

[Danskman]

Probably the most popular karting forum;

www.ekartingnews.com

[Tim Hancock]

I raced one season after I had to quit motocross (1992). The local track in my area basically just had active classes of 4 strokes. In other words the only classes that you would actually have someone to race with was the Briggs 5hp (actually about 9hp) class. These classes allowed a small amount of tinkering and ran alcohol without the governors, so about 9hp. On the small local track, after getting over the shock of the cornering ability of these carts, you just ran flatout all the way around. It was kind of boring after 1 season.

If there are local tracks that run 2 strokes or shifter carts, it IMO, would be worth doing. If the only active classes are the Briggs, don't waste your time.

[motion]

Jim Hall school up near Oxnard. Try it out for a full day with instruction and thrash their karts. Great time and cheap. You'll be hooked!

http://www.jhrkartracing.com/

[Joeaksa]

Raced SCCA for years, and just about blew the budget every year. Sold the car and bought a kart and its more fun than the car anyday, and you can afford it! To boot you do not have to tow 4000 pounds of dead weight behind you, something that I hated.

I raced enduro, the lay down style of karts. 100cc fat, aka the heavy group of karts as I am 6'1" and 220 pounds. Just did not like the karts where you sit up but they can be fun. We would end up around 120 mph on some tracks but normally around 80-100 at most.

Lots of fun on a shoestring budget compared to a full blown race car. Try it!

JoeA

[dd74]

Originally posted by motion
Jim Hall school up near Oxnard. Try it out for a full day with instruction and thrash their karts. Great time and cheap. You'll be hooked!

http://www.jhrkartracing.com/

Richard - I think this would be the best bet, since I'm up near Oxnard quite a bit. Thanks.

[juanbenae]

i did it for 2 years and did not like the drama involved. i will preface by saying i raced motocross and enduros (motorcycles) for about 20 years. i saw more yelling and screaming, in your face, what are you gunna do about it stuff in 2 years of karting as i did in 20 on two wheels. i am not a "non-confrontational' type either, i will mix it up with the best of the, but this got to be over the top event after event.

my pops still is very into it, i just went another direction with the whole thing. it lacks the brotherhood you find at autocrosses and track events with cars. i found it to not be nearly as fun as my porsche experience.
could be the clubs i ran with though.

they were a blast to drive at open track days and work on, but the enviorment is not condusive to a relaxing weekend.

[David]

The other reason I road race is because of the people I race with. There's some occational heated moments, but they don't happen often. If you throw a punch you're kick out of the track immediately and possibly for the season or longer.

If you break and don't have the spare part, you can go ask your closest competitor and he'll probably let you use one.

At the end of a day of kart racing, we grill dinner, drink beer, and talk about the day's racing which is almost as much fun as the racing. Sometimes the people you race with is more important than what you race.

[Tim Hancock]

k911sc, it looks like you and I actually have something in common w/ the MX racing. After breaking my collarbone for the 3RD time, I had to quit MX and tried the carting. I found it much different (in the 4 stroke class like I mentioned earlier) than MX. In amatuer motocross racing, skill coupled with a large dose of big nads and aggressiveness determine the winner. In almost all amatuer classes (I raced 250B and won almost every local race entered and placed 8th out of 42 at the US amatuer nationals), the bike does not matter much.

The cart class that I raced in, was completely boring in comparison.

In the 4 STROKE cart racing, the winner on small tracks, was the guy who's cart was just a tiny bit faster (very similar to the local kid rental carts except twice the speed). I am sure the shifter carts are a
whole different animal and probably require a lot more skill and daring.

Are there STOCK ENGINE 80cc classes? If so, I would bet they would be fun to try to COMPETE in.

[TheMentat]

I'd recommend a spec TaG series (like Rotax or Leopards), but at the end of the day, what matters is the size of the grid in any given class in your area. You basically want as many people to race with as possible.

Definitely mre relaxed than MX... the other competitors won't use your body for added grip when you wipe out...

[Wrecked944]

Originally posted by Danskman
If you're seriously interested, I'd reccommend going to a kart school and take a one day class. There are professional kart schools in many areas.

I found this thread because a friend is trying to convince me to try karting with him...but neither of us knows how. Does anyone know of any schools in the north east? Like NJ -> Maine? I participate in PCA AutoX and I love it - but I'd like to find a way to expand my racing experiences without endangering the precious 911

[David]

I don't know of any kart schools in the Northeast. I'd suggest finding a local kart shop and/or race track and go talk to some folks. If there's not a school, you could test drive a kart you might want to buy or if you're thinking of buying a new one, the kart shop should be able to set up a drive in a spare kart.

[lendaddy]

So many MX brethren

I quit when I broke my foot in seven places during a heat race, spent a whole summer healing, then went back to the same track the spring and cracked 3 ribs in practice My brother nearly died in a horrible crash that cracked the chin bar clean off his helmet! He nearly had his leg amputated and spent weeks in the hospital.

Bottom line....way too friggen dangerous anymore. I need motorsports, but cannot afford to race the 911 right now. Karts seem like a good fit, but everones idea of cheap is relative

I would like to get into something my sons will be able to share later in life (currently 18mo. & unborn) so I have time.

In MX it was the jumps and the mechancal connection that got me hooked. I am not a top speed junkie, but more into the mental/technical side. Where does karting fit? Is it a speed rush or more about lines and tactics?

[David]

I can only speak for road racing, I'd say it's more about lines and tactics. The speeds are much higher than sprint racing, but there's more time to set someone up and to try different lines.

When I tell people I go over 100mph in a kart they think I'm crazy. After a few laps the speed doesn't seem very high and they stop very fast even if you're in a spin. Cartwheeling one is a whole different story. I've seen it happen once. You learn to hit wheel to side pod not wheel to wheel and when you're behind someone, you stay behind them not off to one side or the other so if you hit, you hit square.