beginner here looking to get started there(karting)

i reside in California........ did some searching still doing more i am trying to learn the leagues and different types of event karting has to offer...

skills for pro racing

 

Basically each kart track has its own series you can compete in.
I suggest going up to Infineon Raceway and talk to people up there.
Altamont Raceway (if that is closer) just opened up a kart track this season but I have yet to go there.

I'll be up at Infineon on Friday from 1-5 with my 125 shifter kart for open practice if you want to check things out then. The track is also open this weekend.

If you are new to karting, buy a used sprint kart (any non-shifter kart) and see how you like it.

http://www.nkn.com/linksList.asp?mod...id=3&status=ok
http://www.ekartingnews.com/
http://www.norcalkarters.com/contents.htm
http://www.gokart2000.com/
http://www.spydrweb.com/kartweb/manufact.html
http://www.infinitykarting.com/

 

I've raced KT100 and Rotax. I'll update this thread more later, but I'm actually selling my CRG Heron chassised Rotax kart. Motor is new.

 

I have competed in both road racing and sprint racing. Sprint racing is on a purpose built (smaller) road course for karts. Go the sprint track route, my experience at Portland International Raceway is, a kart on a full size road course is actually boring.

Get a Touch and Go (TAG) kart; it has an onboard starter. Starting out, you will have limited help, and constantly having to ask somewhat to start you with an external starter is not fun. Dont get me wrong, racers are some of the most giving people I have ever met. But initially until you develop a network of friends it is just a pain in the ***.

I run a Parilla, Leopard engine, very competative with a Rotax. You can not go wrong with either.

 

RX7-Heven and Chedstar have some good info.

I started in KT100 which is a Yamaha 100CC 2-stroke motor. It was underpowered but it made for a good learning platform. With an underpowered car or kart, you really have to concentrate on learning your lines and properly setting up a pass in order to win. What sucked is not having an onboard starter. If you spin on track, you essentially stall and have to push it all the way back to pits.

I then moved up to Rotax with a CRG chassis. That was awesome. Just enough power to make it interesting. It was more work racing that and being fast due to the power but more fun overall. Plus the onboard starter is great.

I tried shifter but that is way too much power and lots of lost time shifting. My times weren't too far off a shifter at my track when I was racing with lots less cost and maintenance.

The one caution I would offer you when buying a used kart is regarding hours on the motor. I had to rebuild my Rotax within a few months as it was seriously down on power with supposedly only 20 hours on it. Cost me another $2k to rebuild it.

I no longer have time to race competitively and am selling my kart. Its a top of the line CRG Heron Plus chassis with a freshly rebuilt Rotax motor package. Still has 0 hours on it. Looking to get $3,000 for it. PM if interested.


Ekartingnews.com has some good articles on getting into karting. Check that site out.

 

^^ I ran a Yamaha 100cc piston port stock, back in the 80's on a Margay. Great way to learn.

 

Chedstar's comment that "a kart on a full size road course is actually boring" is pretty interesting. You need to be in tip top shape to be competitive on most sprint tracks. A road race course is relaxing in comparison.

BTW - There is a rotary engine based cure for that "boring" condition.
Check out the German TAG engine from RENNSpeed .. the Aixro XR50 Rotary
One of the racers at our local sprint track has one of these and on the back straight it leaves the Parilla Leopard 125cc TAG's like they are standing still.

http://www.karting1.co.uk/wankel-kart-test.htm

 

^ Which tracks do you race at in the NB/SM area? Do you race in Austin at all? I really want to get into karting as well.

 

My son races at the Hill Country Kart Club track in New Braunfels.
http://www.hckc.org/

He races in the TAG Junior Rookie class (8-11 years old).
I have an 80 cc shifter that I play with at the track but have decided that I will never be in shape to race it on a sprint track (I'm 52 and too fat).

We have been out to the Iron Rock track a couple of times.
I personally don't like tracks setup with barriers on a flat surface very much.
In a kart it is like racing through a tunnel.

The HCKC is building a new IKF certified track.
Memberships are only $300 per year and you can access the track for practice/play any time there are not races going on.
There are also sprint tracks in Katy, Waco and Dallas as well that the more competitive racers travel to for regional races.

If you are interested in running a kart on a road course check out the SWRA -
http://www.swra.org/index.html

 

swilson, I guess I should not say boring, any racing is good racing. Road racing a kart is just not as challenging as running on a sprint track. I just got back from running and lifting weights, getting in shape for the upcoming kart season. It is amazing how karts will physically kick your butt.

 

I agree whole heartily with you on karts physically whipping you. I did a 40 lap enduro back in 2006 and the next day I felt like a school bus ran me over. Also the g force from them gave me a crazy headache for like 2 days straight. Like being drunk I did it all over again the next day and raced them again. Yes I am a total track junkie.

 

Good advice here. I've done a bunch of races in a 125 shifter. It's not boring on a roadcourse (maybe a 1.5-mile speedway), but it is definitely a beast on sprint tracks.

The point about lost time from shifting caught my eye. On the tightest track I ever ran (1/4-mile with 300-foot straights), I was faster with a high final drive that kept me in gears 2-4. And a lot fresher after 10 laps.

 

karting is fun. I have done some Kt100 out at adams in riverside and i did the driving school which you get a ton of track time. The only problem is the people who are in the school with you. I have done rotax out at california speedway as well. It was a blast. In SoCal there are a ton of local indoor karting places which is fun for late night racing, or rainy days.