Starting Out Karting in the UK

[Brushpusher]

At a recent car meeting, my 9 year old boy was told that he can start Kart racing.

Firstly, is this the case and secondly how do I go about this?

Most importantly, to me, how much does it all cost then?

Any advice gratefully received.

Tony

[Warwick]

Find your nearest track where they run junior classes and go and check it out,go to at least 2-3 meetings and talk to other parents running children the same age before you make any decisions,they can give you an idea of cost.

Don't just rush out and buy the best gear,as you may find after a few races he doesn't enjoy it and you're stuck with a lot of expensive gear.

Above all encourage and support him and make it a fun family day at the track.

[Brushpusher]

Thanks for that Warwick, I will give it a try.

Whilst looking for a trailer on Ebay, there is a Kart for sale complete with three engines, I can't afford it but if any one is interested in the UK I searched under "trailer" and it is on page 2 or 3.

[Mr Jinxx]

Be careful! My son Alex persuaded me to take him indoor karting when he was 8, and we bought him a shagged out old cadet kart for his 9th birthday. We used to go to 3 sisters (wigan) every month and race, me mechanicing, and the kart, a set of wets, a set of slicks and a less-than-comprehensive toolkit in the back of the Ford Escort.

Then he wanted to enter the Super One series and pit himself against the best kids in the country. But once a month isn't enough. These kids are out every single weekend throughout the year. So we did. Then it is frustrating when some other kid just powers past your boy on the straights because he has spent 4K on his Comer 60cc engine and her has 10 of them. So you need good engines and good carbs.

Then the motorhomes came. Parents were spending crazy money on their young karters, and mechanics were offering to "run" the drivers, as set-ups are a black art to beginners. So we followed suit. Martin Sheader ran Alex at first, and it was wonderful to watch him with his ear pressed to the Comer engine, like Tonto on the railway tracks, getting the carb settings just so!!

It isn't possible to compete at the top levels without money, and you really do need to set a budget and a realistic program that you want to do, or can afford to do.

Knowing what I know now, I don't know if I would have agreed to Alex starting karting, because we moved on a long way from those days in the back of the Escort, and it has cost me a fortune. I took on a mechanic and bought a truck and we ran other drivers to try and help with the costs, but the costs are phenomenal at the top level.

He is now 17 and in Formula Renault, and the karting experience has done him loads of good, and in truth, the weekends away when he was racing were really good socially for us. I miss the cameraderie now, although as they get older, it gets more serious.

I wouldn't have swapped the karting years ...I think it has done him so much good as a person .. and I enjoyed the experience and the weekend boozy sessions! But it turned out much more costly in time and money than I ever imagined. Be aware that you can get sucked in very easily, and many parents have literally bankrupted themselves in the pursuit of trophies for their offspring.

[Red Dog]

I took my son to an indoor kart track just after his eighth birthday with his older sister. They did a 15 minute intro session. She hated it - he loved it. A junior club was just starting up there so we joined and went along twice a month. They charged £15 for each meet which gave about 20 mins of hard practice but no official racing for the first year or so. Very good value and a good test of skill and temperament.
The club grew very fast and the kids got pretty good. So good that they wrecked the lap records even with the 5hp honda engined kadets. Lewis Hamilton and a couple of other hotshots came along but were unable to beat the locals. (very tight,low grip track) We moved away after 3 years and some of the parents had gone on to outdoor stuff buying their own karts but all got a shock at the money necessary. We have taken a break and are considering the situation. I race my own car and know how much time and money it takes. If took the plunge into getting my son his own machine I would have to give up racing. Also I would have his mother to answer to for any injuries!!! You have to ask yourself what you want to achieve. Are you hoping to make your son into the next F1 star? Even if he is brilliant there is absolutely no guarantee they will make it.Also, puberty does weird things to kids.... One thing is for certain, to compete at the higher levels (not even the top) it takes a huge commitment both in time and money.

[Brushpusher]

Thanks for the info guys,

Being realistic, I am not sure that we can afford to get him racing yet. He is under no pressure from us to race, it is his choice. Today he watched the junior minicross at the rallycross meeting at Lydden Hill and this is his latest ambition but he knows that he will have to wait until he is 14.

I am tempted to wait until he finally decides what he really wants to do.

Thanks again guys.

[Warwick]

Yes if you are going to compete at the highest level it will cost you a lot of money,but here's a interesting thought how about racing for fun and because you enjoy it,rather than you just beacuse you want a few trophys for the mantelpiece.

We have a few parents with children racing and they don't have the money to buy the best gear and the fastest engines but they're out at every club day doing their best and encouraging their children,at the end of the day that to me is more important than winning,because without all these guys there wouldn't be any racing!

[stevie.murray]

karting needs new blood but don't be pressurised brushpusher
your initial cost can be expensive,some classes more than others.go to your local track you'll get all the answers.

A little surmise here IF! all circuit operators put reasnable prices on practice days maybe more kids would take up karting.I mean some are quite reasnable,some just think cost is nothing.your club is NOTHING!without members paying thier fees,and if they think they're being riped off
they'll stay away. After 40yrs as a club,wskc only started charging practice fees,due to circumstances out of thier control sat.£10.10am-6pm sun.£10.10am-6pm.wed.£5.4pm-8pm.
and I'm still seeing kids coming in to karting.maybe karters
should start biting back. be safe...

[Nicholas]

Is that £10 per minute Stevie?

[rick vaux]

Took my son karting in Wales yesterday, on our way home from the family holls.He finally got me to have a go. Well, after much banter from my thirteen year old as to how he was going to whip me etc..,i finally put on the race suit, stuck my head the helmet, and somehow slithered my six foot four body into the kart.
" EVER DONE THIS " ? came the question from the marshal, "nope" came my reply.. well after being told thats the break, thats the go fast one and not to push them down at the same time it was off for the formation lap....
First 15 of the 30 laps.Took a couple of laps to get used to the steering breaks and my sons impetuous attempts to get past me.To cut along story short he beat me the first 15 laps, my second 15 i beat him all ends up with a best lap half a second quicker. I can honestly say i have never had so much fun, you have to concentrate to such a level that you begin to appreciate how F3 F ren etc drive the way they do, to get a kart round a bend smoothly yet quickly started to get easier, or my gonads are really made of titanium ! So sod taking the kids karting, i recommend you try it yourself ....
PS my son still thinks he is better than me !!! blah.

[stevie.murray]

been off line a while guys,it's good to be back.

no! nicholaswhite that's £10 per day. the only stipulation
is cadets run on thier own junior and senior class1
can run together. class4 run on thier own as well.
we usually give about 15min sessions.when its busy.
although non-members will have to pay £30 day membership.
but a annual membership is only £80 and the circuit is open
every sat-sun,all year,wedensday evenings will be stopping
soon,the nights are drawing in. be safe...

(www.wskc.co.uk)(www.askc.co.uk)

[yelodwg]

Tony, I live in the States and first started indoors. Have you taken your son to an indoor track yet?? That way you will find out, without spending too much money, how you both feel about karting and whether you both want to go further.

Even if you don't, you'll have a blast

One step at a time.

Tom Stephens
www.kartfinder.com