where to start with getting into karting?!!!

[d.kenny]

hi all

firstly im new here so forgive me for asking probably what seems like stupid questions to you all...but here gos haha

iv been toying with the idea of buying a kart for a while now and have done some research and i feel its prob best to ask a few of you all for a bit of advice before i buy a nail of a kart....which it probably will be haha

firstly i think iv decided on what kart id like to get, more so just to start off in and because they are cheap but im thinking a honda pro kart with the twin gx160's?

im 25 so i think this will be ok

id like to progress onto something a bit quicker but id like to see how it gos first and also the sort of cost involved

also how or where do i start practising or racing?

i know my local track is whilton mill that allows owner drivers on track...but if you can suggest any others in the local area (im from coventry) it would be a good start

how far and wide do i have to expect to travel to compete if this is a route i go down and whats the typical entry costs?

what do i nedd to start aswell other than a kart helmet gloves and suit

it would probably be easier if i had a mate who already does it but none of us do and im sure a few of my other pals will invest in a kart to once i lead the way haha

im sure il have plenty more questions and that a few of you will be able to help so i think this will be a good start

cheers in advance!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Club 100 is what you need. its an arrive and drive series using 125cc 2-stroke karts (a little bit quicker than your pro-kart, but not frighteningly so). they run 2 series, sprint racing and an endurance series. the latter I competed in for 3 years.....you do a 45 min practice which runs into qually, followed by a 2h10min race. you'll need a mate (or two) to share the driving and push start you. the races are also split into categories where the rookies and intermediates race in the same together, and the top 5 finishers in each season are automatically bumped up to the next category for the following year. consequently you're always racing against folks of a similar ability. JV, who runs the club, is a great guy and really runs it as a club.....i.e. its nice kit, nice people, behave like a dick and you wont get invited back. the racing is also very close, even at the rookie level the top 10 teams will be split by less than a second in qualifying. oh, and a season (10 rounds) can be done on a couple of grand

[midgetman]

I'll PM you. I run a kart team called Attaq Motorsport and we specialise in taking drivers from A&D racing on into 2-stroke stuff. We run Rotax and TKM karts, race prepped as opposed to all the health and safety bumpers. Whilton is on our visit list although we specialise in the more southern circuits like Forest Edge and Clay Pigeon with the odd foray into Wales at Llandow.

I happen to run a kart clothing web site as well...

Max Tyler

[masonx117]

Hi,

Check out www.rhpk.co.uk its the website for the Rye House Pro Kart championship, or look them up on facebook. They run a 4 hour endurance race on the second Saturday of every month.

Rye house is about an hour and a half from Whilton Mill and there are teams that travel from all over the country as it's probably the best championship for that type of racing.

If you can find a couple of mates so you've got 3 drivers, expect to put in about £150 each and that should cover: Tyres, fuel, entry fee, testing and a little spare for travelling/food/kart-costs/upgrades.

You will get 2 hours testing, 30 minutes qualifying and 4 hours of close racing. There is literally all types of competitor, from big teams spending lots of money to young guys turning up with a £500 kart and no experience.

There have been races won by 4 tenths of a second and at the last race I crossed the line fifth, 0.008 seconds ahead of our rival in the championship, after 4 hours of racing and 2 driver changes!

You won't want to go 2-stroke when you're having fantastic racing!