If you are new to Karting, or know little or nothing about the sport this page should provide some insight and background

So what is a kart .... ?

Well a modern kart is a slimmed down version of an open wheel race car.  It has all of the basics, a tubular metal chassis to which a seat, floor tray, steering components, wheels, petrol engine, and plastic bodywork are attached.  The engine, is typically mounted towards the rear and next to the drivers seat and is attached via a drive chain and sprocket to the rear axle.

The engines vary in size, power and complexity, both 2 and 4 stroke engines are used, most are single gear, though there are some classes that use gearbox karts mostly at the higher national or international levels.

With a single gear kart you have to choose a rear sprocket size, that will suit your driver and the circuit taking into account the length, gradient and cornering needed.  

Setting up a kart for a circuit can be a complex art, with far more variables than you would initially think given the apparently simple design.  This should not be seen as a barrier to entry though as in the early years the driver and his or her learning rate will have by far the biggest impact giving Mums and Dads the time to learn how set up affects handling.

So what kart Classes are there ?

Broadly speaking "Classes" refer to driver age and engine type.  For example in the Cadet age group 8 - 12 yr there are three popular classes

Comer Cadet, WTP Cadet and Honda Cadet, where the prefix refers to the engine make.  
When you get older than Cadet, classes are often split into Junior, Intermediate and Senior and again there are classes for the various popular engines, examples being the RotaxMax, TKM or Biland to name but three.

How is karting governed ?

I bet this wasn't one of your first questions but believe me it does have an impact on decisions you will need to make prior to starting.  Here we are talking about "owner driver" karting not corporate or arrive and drive karting.

Potential Owner Driver's need an understanding of the differences between non-MSA and MSA karting prior to buying equipment to avoid costly backtracking later.

MSA karting is run under the regulations laid down by the Motor Sports Association, and below I give a very brief outline of what this means.

Well all that sounds quite daunting, but the aims are simple, driver and spectator safety and a level playing field for the drivers on race day.  It should also be noted that many MSA tracks are much more flexible on practice days allowing people, to come and learn without so much of the red tape and work their way towards taking the ARKS test (Association of Racing Kart Schools), that opens the door to MSA racing.

Non-MSA karting is generally advertised as running to the "Blue book" meaning that it follows "loosely" the concepts re-safety and technical specification of the karts, for example, karts will undergo a basic safety check prior to racing, you will always need a helmet, but they will most likely let you use a motorcycle helmet if you don't have an MSA approved kart or car helmet.  Better circuits may have a paramedic, but not an ambulance on standby, most often no formal test or license will be needed to race.

So what is needed to get started ?

Well leaving aside the nitty gritty of tools etc. for now, there are three key decisions needed and in fact these three really all overlap each other
1) Which track(s)
2) Under what governance MSA, non-MSA or both ?
3) Which class

If you are new, track time will be key, so at least one local track would be worth considering.  The class you run in is partly determined by age, but you should also consider if that class is well supported at your chosen track(s), go visit, see how many competitors there are in each class.  Finally, are your chosen circuit(s) non-MSA or MSA, and is it your intention to race at MSA level in the not too distant future ?  If your chosen circuit(s) are MSA or your intention is to complete at this level in the near future, pay special attention to the helmet, suit and boots you buy to ensure all are suitable for MSA karting.

 

Over the coming months I will add more information aimed primarily at the new entrant, though it is my intention to build a comprehensive reference site in time, so do come back to learn more about this exciting and challenging sport.

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