Endurance Karting - anyone here do it?
Discussion
I fancy taking this up, having dipped my toe in some arrive and drive endurance racing a few years back, but can't find whether there is a series that uses more than one circuit.
I couldn't find the info on the Karting website(maybe my navigation skills are poor, so ready to be put right. There only seemed to be some single-venue series.
Interested in northern England/southern Scotland.
Any info/help appreciated!
I couldn't find the info on the Karting website(maybe my navigation skills are poor, so ready to be put right. There only seemed to be some single-venue series.
Interested in northern England/southern Scotland.
Any info/help appreciated!
Its just not as popular as it once was.
When I started 10 yrs ago my circuit held regular endurance events but people started going to the sprints more and the endurance thing faltered.
With the recession started it may become popular again as it is a way to share costs.
However I once shared a kart , never again. Your mates bend it then don't pay or deny they did it.
When I started 10 yrs ago my circuit held regular endurance events but people started going to the sprints more and the endurance thing faltered.
With the recession started it may become popular again as it is a way to share costs.
However I once shared a kart , never again. Your mates bend it then don't pay or deny they did it.
This is around that ten years ago time that mark69sheer was talking about. I was part of a casual endurance karting team that had moved up from dominating our tiny tiny pond (the indoor Spitfire Karting in Feltham) to try our hand at prokarts in the endurance series at Tilbury.
Having not been there for years, I don't know what Tilbury looks like now; but back then the circuit was situated in sight of the docks, among fields out behind a housing estate.
This particular race was at night; the lighting was hilariously inadequate, on this race as at others we had the organiser's Lexus parked on the infield to illuminate the first hairpin with its headlights. The final corner, a flat out 90 degree right-hander with the pit entrance on the outside, was particularly dark.
It happened during my stint about an hour and a half into the three hour event. My teammate, a great friend but somewhat accident prone, was sat in my car against the cold when he noticed a large shadow moving up alongside him. It took him a moment to realise that it was one of the horses from the field behind the car park, which adjoined the pits and unlike the circuit was not fenced off. He said afterward that it seemed "interested" in the circuit at that point. Quickly recognising the danger inherent in this, Lee leapt from the car waving his arms which naturally caused the beast to bolt straight forward, followed by the herd which had quietly gathered behind this equine Martin Brundle for a pit walk.
So I'm barreling down the back straight, at best speed this poor kart can manage with me on board, when to my astonishment the already murky turn-in to the final corner is further obscured by horses emerging at a trot from the pit entrance and coming my way. With no chance to turn at all, I miss the lead horse by a couple of feet and go straight into the tyres at close to full speed. It was that or take the horse's legs from under it. My armwaving muppet-friend emerges behind the horses and rushes over to assist with the words, "Godareyoualrightmate oh it's just you".
Having not been there for years, I don't know what Tilbury looks like now; but back then the circuit was situated in sight of the docks, among fields out behind a housing estate.
This particular race was at night; the lighting was hilariously inadequate, on this race as at others we had the organiser's Lexus parked on the infield to illuminate the first hairpin with its headlights. The final corner, a flat out 90 degree right-hander with the pit entrance on the outside, was particularly dark.
It happened during my stint about an hour and a half into the three hour event. My teammate, a great friend but somewhat accident prone, was sat in my car against the cold when he noticed a large shadow moving up alongside him. It took him a moment to realise that it was one of the horses from the field behind the car park, which adjoined the pits and unlike the circuit was not fenced off. He said afterward that it seemed "interested" in the circuit at that point. Quickly recognising the danger inherent in this, Lee leapt from the car waving his arms which naturally caused the beast to bolt straight forward, followed by the herd which had quietly gathered behind this equine Martin Brundle for a pit walk.
So I'm barreling down the back straight, at best speed this poor kart can manage with me on board, when to my astonishment the already murky turn-in to the final corner is further obscured by horses emerging at a trot from the pit entrance and coming my way. With no chance to turn at all, I miss the lead horse by a couple of feet and go straight into the tyres at close to full speed. It was that or take the horse's legs from under it. My armwaving muppet-friend emerges behind the horses and rushes over to assist with the words, "Godareyoualrightmate oh it's just you".
The race was red flagged but we got underway again in about 20 minutes. Our kart hadn't suffered too badly from my accident but this was early in the series and we definitely weren't up to speed. Probably finished about 6th of the 15-odd runners.
We ran that series for two seasons, and eventually clawed our way up to race winning. Then there was that time I was in second and someone rejoined after an off (at that sameful fateful corner I crashed to avoid the horse) and decided that rather than stay on the outside they would drive right across the fastest point of the circuit at walking pace. I hit them so hard my left front wheel broke off and flew thirty feet in the air, it went so cleanly I didn't notice it was gone until I tried to turn in at the next hairpin.
Tilbury was a good competitive series, with a solid core of returning teams. Unfortunately the following year they decided to take the series on the road, and the costs got too high for our team as a whole.
We ran that series for two seasons, and eventually clawed our way up to race winning. Then there was that time I was in second and someone rejoined after an off (at that sameful fateful corner I crashed to avoid the horse) and decided that rather than stay on the outside they would drive right across the fastest point of the circuit at walking pace. I hit them so hard my left front wheel broke off and flew thirty feet in the air, it went so cleanly I didn't notice it was gone until I tried to turn in at the next hairpin.
Tilbury was a good competitive series, with a solid core of returning teams. Unfortunately the following year they decided to take the series on the road, and the costs got too high for our team as a whole.
Get Karter said:
Highly bizarre. How did you fare in the final rankings, or was the race stopped?
So, I take it endurance karting isn't alive and well.
Some of the guys I used to compete against said they did some 24 event in Dubai.
Is this dead now too?
The only regular international feature is an event at Le mans each year not sure if Dubai is still going.So, I take it endurance karting isn't alive and well.
Some of the guys I used to compete against said they did some 24 event in Dubai.
Is this dead now too?
Well in August I am competing in the UK24Hr at Teesside, but I don't have any prior knowledge to edurance karting, so I can't really help you too much with that. Here's the link to the site if your intersted: http://www.teessidekarting.co.uk/index.php?mod=24h...
Edit: Also I found this, another enduro series: http://www.openendurancechampionship.co.uk/
Edit: Also I found this, another enduro series: http://www.openendurancechampionship.co.uk/
Edited by intrepid44 on Thursday 26th June 16:34
intrepid44 said:
Edit: Also I found this, another enduro series: http://www.openendurancechampionship.co.uk/
I race in this! Edited by intrepid44 on Thursday 26th June 16:34
In general though, endurance karting is struggling compared to a few years ago. It's hard to see why really as the seat time per pound spent is, I imagine, much higher than sprint racing. It's also sociable as you race with some mates and, as you don't need to win a race in 10 laps, damage is much less common as well. There is a maintenance and preparation challenge in getting a Rotax Max to last 4.5 or 6 hours but that's part of the learning curve and satisfying when you achieve it.
We've also been racing in France and Belgium this year in the Euro Endurance (http://www.euro-endurance.com) where the grids can be up in the 40s. The standard of competition is much higher than in the UK as well. As Mark says, the pinnacle of the season is the 24hr race at Le Mans towards the end of August.
Ah happy days... 
We used to do this, starting in the 1990's where we competed in the Race Pro British Endurance
Championship, originally in Pro Karts, but in later years, in a Thunder Kart.
We actually raced all over and took a very hard fought third at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
We were winners of the British 24 Hour Challange Series (4 races), winning outright at Birmigham,
while we also came second in the British Championship and were double winners of the Daytona
Endurance Summer Championship.
Along the way I also won the British Travel Agents Endurance Championship and my team were runners
up in the Global event in Dubai (only held off the 1st by some dodgy pit dealings...)
Had a lot of fun over the years, but ironically the interest faded for me when we took a win every
race, taking one of the Daytona Championships with three rounds to go.
I must shed some weight and get back out one of these days....
We used to do this, starting in the 1990's where we competed in the Race Pro British Endurance
Championship, originally in Pro Karts, but in later years, in a Thunder Kart.
We actually raced all over and took a very hard fought third at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
We were winners of the British 24 Hour Challange Series (4 races), winning outright at Birmigham,
while we also came second in the British Championship and were double winners of the Daytona
Endurance Summer Championship.
Along the way I also won the British Travel Agents Endurance Championship and my team were runners
up in the Global event in Dubai (only held off the 1st by some dodgy pit dealings...)
Had a lot of fun over the years, but ironically the interest faded for me when we took a win every
race, taking one of the Daytona Championships with three rounds to go.
I must shed some weight and get back out one of these days....
I'd try to make sure that the karts are equal in an endurance race.
Haven't done one myself, but have done a few short sessions at the local arrive and drive track. Some of the karts are noticeably faster than the others, tyre condition varies, and once I had one which cut out on every corner due to there being not enough petrol in the tank.
Wasn't very happy, but I'd be quite pissed off with those kind of things in an endurance race.
Haven't done one myself, but have done a few short sessions at the local arrive and drive track. Some of the karts are noticeably faster than the others, tyre condition varies, and once I had one which cut out on every corner due to there being not enough petrol in the tank.
Wasn't very happy, but I'd be quite pissed off with those kind of things in an endurance race.
I do a bit of endurance karting, infact the team I race with are off to do the le mans 24 hour kart race on monday though I couldn't afford it so arn't going.
Series I can think of off the top of my head are:
Open endurance chamnpionship (already mentioned) http://www.openendurancechampionship.co.uk/oekc02....
Southern Endurance kart championship http://www.ekcendurance.co.uk/ (for prokarts but very competitive!!)
Club 100 www.club100.co.uk (a range of endurance arrive and drive champs visiting different circuits) again done a few of these great fun, a range of abilities and well organised, worth doing if you don't want to run your own kart
Also I know some clubs and tracks run endurance races as well, my local track, llandow run monthly endurance races, either 2.5 hours or 6 hours.
Have yo already got a kart or are you planning on buying one or are you looking to rent??
Series I can think of off the top of my head are:
Open endurance chamnpionship (already mentioned) http://www.openendurancechampionship.co.uk/oekc02....
Southern Endurance kart championship http://www.ekcendurance.co.uk/ (for prokarts but very competitive!!)
Club 100 www.club100.co.uk (a range of endurance arrive and drive champs visiting different circuits) again done a few of these great fun, a range of abilities and well organised, worth doing if you don't want to run your own kart
Also I know some clubs and tracks run endurance races as well, my local track, llandow run monthly endurance races, either 2.5 hours or 6 hours.
Have yo already got a kart or are you planning on buying one or are you looking to rent??
Sorry didn't notice you were in the North of England, not really sure about up that way but I know a few people who race down south who are from your neck of the woods which suggests there may not be much up there so you may have to travel. Depends how serious/what level of competition you want really I suppose.
Get Karter said:
I fancy taking this up, having dipped my toe in some arrive and drive endurance racing a few years back, but can't find whether there is a series that uses more than one circuit.
team underdog said:
Have you looked at Club100? Well run and bloody good fun!
Club100 is arrive and drive in 100cc TKM karts. They take their own karts to the tracks, you just turn up, suit up and race. I did 3 1/2 years with them, great fun (see profile pic)
From their website http://www.club100.co.uk/
“The highest level of ‘arrive & drive’ championship kart racing in the UK and Europe.”
They use:
Clay Pigeon
Buckmore Park
Ellough Park
Lydd
Wilton Mill
Rye House
Bayford Meadows
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