Getting in to go-karting?

[warcalf]

I have been go karting once or twice now and find endless fun and enjoyment from it, I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

I want to make it a proper hobby, get in to it on a competitive level and just enjoy it more than anything.

Where is best to start? I read about a place called club100 where you can do arrive and drive tournaments I think they are, where you needn't own your own equipment etc, which is ideal for me! However it is in Kent and I'm in Preston (North-West England).

Anyone any experience or pointers with this?

[Truckosaurus]

I believe the Club100 events are all around the country, they just have an office in Kent.

Still not much good if you don't want to travel huge distances at first.

I'd suggest finding your nearest 'proper' karting track (ie. not the Mickey Mouse indoor arrive'n'drive place) and seeing what more serious events they put on and then give that a try.

[alfie2244]

warcalf said:

I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

Most people do.......Truckosaurus makes sense.........good luck...........bookmarked.

[HustleRussell]

Be prepared, even if you excel at corporate karting casually, to get absolutely trounced at first when you go karting at club level.

When I go karting with work, friends etc I expect a win and fastest lap (and lot of fun on the way!). When I had a go in prokarts I totally embarrassed myself. I was nowhere near as good as 90% of the grid. Children and elderly people alike put me in their dust

Edited by HustleRussell on Sunday 28th May 16:06

[98elise]

HustleRussell said:

Be prepared, even if you excel at corporate karting casually, to get absolutely trounced at first when you go karting at club level.

When I go karting with work, friends etc I expect a win and fastest lap (and lot of fun on the way!). When I had a go in prokarts I totally embarrassed myself. I was nowhere near as good as 90% of the grid. Children and elderly people alike put me in their dust

Edited by HustleRussell on Sunday 28th May 16:06

Agreed. My son and I do arrive and drive at buckmore park (proper track), and we are almost always top two. I have no illusions that we would do well against experienced drivers.

[Motorrad]

warcalf said:

I I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

Funny 'cos I've done a bit of karting and I was far worse than I expected to be. The other fkers should have to stick a 30 kilo weight penalty in their vehicles and have movement restricting padding to even up the playing field. 6ft 4 and 100 kilos does not equal a winning size, despite passing some of the fkers under braking and in corners, it's disheartening when the same 11 yr old lines you up on the straight for an overtake.

[Byker28i]

Motorrad said:

warcalf said:

I I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

Funny 'cos I've done a bit of karting and I was far worse than I expected to be. The other fkers should have to stick a 30 kilo weight penalty in their vehicles and have movement restricting padding to even up the playing field. 6ft 4 and 100 kilos does not equal a winning size, despite passing some of the fkers under braking and in corners, it's disheartening when the same 11 yr old lines you up on the straight for an overtake.

LOL, us lightweight ones get in front, block the line, slow you into corners then accelerate away

[Motorrad]

Byker28i said:

LOL, us lightweight ones get in front, block the line, slow you into corners then accelerate away

Tell me about it. If the lightweights are particularly impolite I often forget to brake until too late and sadly send them into the tyresl.

[alfie2244]

Byker28i said:

Motorrad said:

warcalf said:

I I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

Funny 'cos I've done a bit of karting and I was far worse than I expected to be. The other fkers should have to stick a 30 kilo weight penalty in their vehicles and have movement restricting padding to even up the playing field. 6ft 4 and 100 kilos does not equal a winning size, despite passing some of the fkers under braking and in corners, it's disheartening when the same 11 yr old lines you up on the straight for an overtake.

LOL, us lightweight ones get in front, block the line, slow you into corners then accelerate away

lol and jumping up and down in the seat makes little difference

[warcalf]

Thanks for all the pointers so far, I'd just like to clarify though...

I don't think I'm the next Senna or something, not like some people seem to have decided I think haha. I just thought I dealt with the movement, car control and following the racing line better than I expected. I also crashed in the first lap of the championship race I did with my mates and drove to the point where I managed to finish first come the final lap haha.

I just want to take something I enjoy to a competitive level!

[morgrp]

warcalf said:

Thanks for all the pointers so far, I'd just like to clarify though...

I don't think I'm the next Senna or something, not like some people seem to have decided I think haha. I just thought I dealt with the movement, car control and following the racing line better than I expected. I also crashed in the first lap of the championship race I did with my mates and drove to the point where I managed to finish first come the final lap haha.

I just want to take something I enjoy to a competitive level!

Absolutely - and even if you are ste compared to most of the grid you have to start somewhere and hey, someone has to come last in each race right? give it a go. If you want to go serious then start reading up on the homologation rules etc of the class of kart you want to be racing in and look at costs of buying one that meets requirement - It can be expensive - so much so that some grass roots starter motor sport series might be cheaper and have more lasting appeal to get into - certainly for years the MR2 classic series has been a great door into fun motorsport:

https://www.trackattackraceclub.com/pages/season-o...

[Andyjc86]

I've always been fairly handy when racing with mates etc, it wasn't until we did a race with pro's that's I saw how bad I was! At the start of the race, I was 3 seconds off fastest lap, by the end (after 4 hours driving on/off) I was still a second off the fastest lap.

Great fun watching and keeping up with the quick guys though

[alfie2244]

Go for it but just be realistic about your ability / expectations and the cost (which was far more than I admitted to my now Ex 30yrs ago).

It is great fun and will leave you with many memories for years to come............my excuse to post my only pic from my 1st race about 30yrs ago

[ChemicalChaos]

I race club100 at the minute as part of the British Universities Championship.

I would definitely recommend making up a team (or joining a current team 1 person short) and having a go at some of their events first - it gives you a taste of proper karting on proper tracks, without the outlay for a kart and helmet/overalls of your own before you're certain you'd enjoy it.

[slipstream 1985]

Drop the "go" it's just karting.

Amazing memmories driving up and down the country with my dad competing at national level and the super 1 british championship. I'm sure there are a few ex karters on here. TKM for me 96-2002

[warcalf]

ChemicalChaos said:

I race club100 at the minute as part of the British Universities Championship.

I would definitely recommend making up a team (or joining a current team 1 person short) and having a go at some of their events first - it gives you a taste of proper karting on proper tracks, without the outlay for a kart and helmet/overalls of your own before you're certain you'd enjoy it.

Does club100 work as someone else previously mentioned, in the sense that it is run nationwide?

Can you give me any pointers on who to talk to there or should I just call and ask about it/express my interest?

[warcalf]

Truckosaurus said:

I believe the Club100 events are all around the country, they just have an office in Kent.

Still not much good if you don't want to travel huge distances at first.

I'd suggest finding your nearest 'proper' karting track (ie. not the Mickey Mouse indoor arrive'n'drive place) and seeing what more serious events they put on and then give that a try.

I assume from what you've said that the events are literally nationwide? Is there no series to a localised region, for say?

[alfie2244]

been out for a while but this was always a handy place for research and buying.

http://www.karting.co.uk/

[So]

warcalf said:

I have been go karting once or twice now and find endless fun and enjoyment from it, I also personally think I'm better than I expected to be!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ7ed_ODHNk

[ChemicalChaos]

warcalf said:

I assume from what you've said that the events are literally nationwide? Is there no series to a localised region, for say?

I can't think of any local kart series, unless it's a series hosted by the track itself. They tend to cover nationwide because there are only a handful of top level outdoor tracks and they are all over the place