Wife equalling wallet drain...

[mattman]

Thought a wife was expensive?

If your son/daughter ever turns round as says... "dad I'd like to start karting..." - make sure you have very deep pockets!!! so much for grass roots motorsport

Heres a pic of my 10yr old at Camberley Kart Club this saturday - was a good and bad day cut short by an accident - good news he's OK and for a change no damage to the kart!

Any other karters in the area?

[bmwdrivernigel]

Is Ted Taylor still involved down there?

[John D.]

Good on you. My Dad just said "no"

I could have been F1 World Champion by now

[mattman]

Not heard of Ted Taylor, but not been members long.

Had to make a call of doom to the missus on Saturday, shortly after this photo was taken - to say he was on a spinal board being taken to the hospital as another kart had launched over him - luckily it was just bruising and whiplash - phew! broken karts is painful but fixable - not sure how many more of those I can take though - on the plus side he wants to be out again next Sat

[Frimley111R]

I know what you mean about the cost. A friend was going to take up adult karting but realised he could take up 'full' motor racing in an old BMW for a fraction of the cost! The car, all kitted out was under £1000!

[stevieb]

I have 2 sons, but niether of them are interested in Karting. In some ways i wish one of them was interested as it would save some cash being spent on other no essential things!

[mattman]

He's already got his eye on racing pilots (or similar) but not sure you can race these until 12, and I need to find a local club/track that does it.

[M3]

Looking to get my 7 year old into it, whats age limit etc....

[SGirl]

Our 8 year old loves karting - he's been going to Absolute Karting in Slough since he was old enough to drive a Bambino kart. Now he's upgraded to Cadet karts, he can go on the big track so the three of us can drive together. Which is quite good fun.

He'd like nothing more than to own his own kart and to start competing, but so far we've managed to put him off with the excuse that we don't have a towbar on my Volvo.

M3, if you're anywhere near Slough I think Absolute's starting age is 6. Might be 5 though? It's a while since we started.

[mattman]

You can drive bambino's from 6 I think - but you have to check with the track if they run it. Camberley Kart club run practice sessions for under 8's so you should be OK.

Would also recommend the cadet training course at Thruxton - 4 sessions over 8 weeks, £40/session which lasts about 3.5hrs each - teaches them the basics, kart control, overtaking, cornering, etc
http://www.thruxtonkarting.co.uk/Juniors.aspx?even...

You can get a cadet kart in a volvo (assuming its the estate) - just take the wheels off first!

If anyone wants to come down to the track on a practice day to have a look you are more than welcome - we'll be there for another practice on sat 19th Feb - next race is 26th feb

[touching cloth]

Ooh I might pop down and see what's what, son (9 in April) has been pestering me a bit of late (well about a year tbh) about going karting. Is it at Blackbushe then I take it from the website?

[mattman]

yes - right at the back of the airport past the sunday market car park as far as you can go and turn left

come and say hi - theres always a few cadets around you can have a chat with

[touching cloth]

Will do, well assuming me and the boy are allowed to escape for a few hours. If so I shall come with a pile of cash and chuck it behind me as I walk, just to get myself mentally acclimatised

[SGirl]

mattman said:

You can get a cadet kart in a volvo (assuming its the estate) - just take the wheels off first!

If my son reads this, you're going to be in real trouble.

I was thinking of trading in the Volvo later this year, if he works out that a cadet kart will fit in the back I'll end up having to buy another Volvo!

[mattman]

we've got a little trailer for it as the amount of other crap you have to take is ridiculous - there are quite a few that turn up with karts in the back of merc estates, bmw estates etc. Even seen a guy with a kart on a roof rack on top of his e39 - but its a bit of a job to get it on and off due to the weight

[identti]

I've just started racing in the BUKC (British Universities Karting Championship). They use the Club 100 karts - 115cc TKM Extreme's with Birel chassis. 5-60mph in 4.5seconds and a top speed of 70mph.

It's surprisingly competitive with people racing who've done Super One and similar (European Karting Championship!). Managed to come 8/36 in the Endurance race, although only 27/36 in the solo race due to a black flag, although I did start in 35th!