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I was at Oulton today, and although I didn't pick up any time sheets the faster of the karts were doing 1:24 second laps, or thereabouts on the Island Bend circuit. The meeting was a little under subscribed and they let some single cylinder 250 karts run amid the 125's. It was one of those that I clocked, and that won. I myself have raced Special GT, Special Saloon and National F3, and currently have an F3000, but I came from a kart background, many many years ago. I decided whilst still racing in F3 to buy a current 125 Open gearbox kart. I can honestly say the racing was closer, the driving more demanding, and the thrill greater in the short circuit kart. It actually made me quicker in F3, due to the sheer pressure of staying on top of a short circuit gearbox kart amid big grids. DO NOT understimate how quick even a 125 gearbox kart is, and 250 Superkarts are just plain *awesome*. I have had two very handy racer friends have a go in the kart, and both came out of it a little shaken. The only reason I stopped was because driving standards on short circuits were becoming, in my opinion and experience, poor to dangerous, with lots of unnecessary and costly damage. Speaking to some of the participants today it seems as if the short circuit situation has worsened, not improved, since "my day", which is saddening. I think you will find it an eye opener, and you may well find that if you do get a Superkart you will need to be looking at very expensive "proper" race cars to get a similar excitement, if you choose to migrate to full size race machinery. Good luck, let us know what you think please.
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