How do you get involved in karting?

"BREADwagon" (BREADwagon)
11/12/2015 at 16:59 • Filed to: None

After I tallied up the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , @ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! pointed me to a couple of his write ups on the overall cost per minute of driving. While outdoor Karting seems to be on par with HPDE in terms of $/min, it looks like it offers a lot of benefits above and beyond what you can get out of HPDE1 & 2,

I’ve never really put any thought into karting, but it’s starting to make a lot of sense. My goal is to get to wheel-2-wheel level racing (like SCCA Improved Touring), and karting seems to be a way to both hone driving skill, and (possibly) take part in w2w racing without paying big bucks for competition license school. Englishtown Raceway Park is only a half hour away, and the past couple of times I’ve been there I’ve seen the karts going at it.

Anyone here have any experience karting? Are there any ‘arrive and drive’ events near NYC that you can recommend? I’ve been to pole position in NJ (which was very fun) but they’re electric karts and IMHO too pricey per race...I’m looking for something where I can grow as a driver.

What’s a good way to get involved in karting? Do you recommend getting a kart, what size, etc? What’s the average event cost? How do you transport the kart to/from events?

Are there any indoor events during the winter? (with gas karts)

DISCUSSION (11)

BeaterGT > BREADwagon
11/12/2015 at 17:03

I’m here for some information too! I know there are karting tracks at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) pretty far south in NJ. Like you, I want to upgrade from pricey electric karts where I can’t even warm the tires up by the time the “race” is finished.

Justin Hughes > BREADwagon
11/12/2015 at 17:12

Glad I could help! My first kart experience ever was at an Endurance Karting 6 hour event at Lime Rock. Talk about trial by fire! But it was fun and a great chance to see what it was all about.

As far as indoor karting, I did a bit at F1 Boston when they first opened. I found it far more cost effective to join a league than to arrive-and-drive. Plus I was racing the same people each time, all of whom I got to know and could trust to race closely and clean.

We have F1 Outdoors near the Boston area, but that’s a bit far for you coming from NYC. I’d see who runs kart events at Lime Rock and check them out. We ran on the “autocross” course, not the main track.

Future next gen S2000 owner > BREADwagon
11/12/2015 at 17:34

Step one: Steal a shopping kart.

Kailand09 > BREADwagon
11/12/2015 at 17:48

So I’ve been looking into this as my financial situation has changed recently and my original racing plans no longer work; finding a more economical way to race was now my goal.

I’m not expert, though I frequently discuss with a coworker whose kids race karts, and he is a semi-professional racer himself. So that and research is the extent of my knowledge as follows:

Karting seems to be the cheapest wheel-wheel racing. In SCCA road racing, I’d say the cheapest racing is likely FV, if you discount buying a POS neon or something (which still might be more expensive than FV).

Cheapest way to go karting? The LO206 class, which is a 4 stroke class on a sealed (see: no mods! = cheap) Briggs and Stratton LO206 motor. Basically any kart can fit an LO206, so buy a very cheap used roller or even a full on LO206 kart, you’ll find it is pretty economical racing.

Because the LO206 is a pretty tamely tuned 4 stroke, it doesn’t rev super high and wear the clutch (cheap maintenance), and a brand new motor is only around $550. If you need a rebuild, you can likely just buy a whole new short block for less than a rebuild and bolt it yourself.

Brakes don’t require much either, given it’s a kart.

Tires in that class vary by area, but are generally harder tires than the 2 stroke classes like TAG, and thus last longer. Likely you’ll do fine for a whole season, depending on if you really care how fresh they are. Replacement them is pretty cheap too.

Generally, local kart tracks are probably $35-50 for the race day around me. Probably varies in your area, but SCCA track days will cost significantly more due to their being at larger tracks.

So truly, you have very few recurring costs, and the LO206 class specifically will last you a while before major expensive maintenance is needed.

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > Future next gen S2000 owner
11/12/2015 at 18:26

Step two: find hill

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BREADwagon
11/12/2015 at 19:27

I was just looking into this the other day myself, it looks awesome. I want in some how.

iSureWilll > Kailand09
11/12/2015 at 20:35

This is great info. I wasn't even aware of anything lower than the TaG class but I knew there had to be one. I'm closer to NJMP in south Jersey so just doing local ones would be good for me. This is something you could get into for around $2k it seems.

Kailand09 > iSureWilll
11/12/2015 at 21:51

If you tried hard you could certainly get in for that including race gear.

An acceptable roller could come in under 1k.

Make sure to check your local tracks to ensure they do in fact have the lo206 class, though. I’m in the Midwest so Briggs is right here promoting it.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > BREADwagon
11/13/2015 at 10:24

Kinja'd!!!

Ayrton in a kart is always WONDERFUL to watch.

BREADwagon > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR
11/15/2015 at 12:36

This is insane, even on the straights, his kart’s dancing around!

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > BREADwagon
11/16/2015 at 11:19

This is the essence of the statement, “it take true skill to drive a slow car fast.”