Here is a great karting clip which shows just what go karting is all about.

Go kart Racing is the world’s most affordable form of motorsport.

Many people associate it with young drivers, but adults are also very active in karting.

Karting is considered the first step in any serious racer's career. It can prepare the driver for high-speed wheel-to-wheel racing by developing quick reflexes, precision, car control, set-up, mechanical and decision-making skills.

People of all ages can enjoy the sport with children as young as seven competing behind the wheel. Karting teaches these children, both boys and girls, basic driving skills well before they are able to obtaintheir road licence.

Karting is competitive, but it is also fun and family orientated, with involvement in the sport both on and off the track giving it a strong feeling of community. It teaches driving skills and offers people an opportunity to gain a career in motorsport, all in a safe and organised environment.

Kart meetings take place at circuits across Australia every weekend and are either a club,regional, state or national level meeting.

Getting into karting is relatively simple. First you need to become a member of your local kart club and start out on a provisional licence. Buying a kart has also been made a lot simpler thanks to a professional trade industry that serves the karters of Australia.

How to Go Karting- 5 Steps

STEP 1 - JOIN AN AKA CLUB
There are over 90 clubs affiliated with the Australian Karting Association. Clubs are located right across Australia in both metropolitan and regional centres.  Joining an AKA club will give you access to that club’s circuit for practice, as well as allowing you to participate in any club championship, social events, working bees and other club activities.

STEP 2 - GET AN AKA LICENCE
Once you are a member of an AKA club you will need an AKA licence. The licence comes with an AKA Karting Manual, which outlines all the rules, regulations and operations of the AKA.  An AKA Licence also deals with insurance while racing.  Cooloola Coast Kart Club will help you with all these details.

STEP 3 - GET A KART
The karting industry in Australia is always keen to assist newcomers in entering and enjoying the sport. The many kart shops around Australia will be able to assist you with not only purchasing a kart, but also helping you maintain it and acquire the necessary tools and equipment.  Ask your local club or state association for the location of your nearest kart shop or look in your Whitepages or Yellow Pages. Cooloola Coast Kart Club has a number of second hand karts on the website.

STEP 4 - GET YOUR SAFETY GEAR
Most kart shops will also offer a range of safety gear – that is, full face helmets, race suits, racing boots, gloves and other optional safety gear such as padded rib vests and neck braces.  As well as kart shops, motorsport race gear shops carry ranges of karting gear and even motorcycle shops can be good for things like helmets and wet weather driving gear.

STEP 5 - GET A BUDDY
Karting is a friendly, family-orientated sport and karters young and old are always happy to help out newcomers.  Make sure you ask lots of questions of members of your kart club, state association and local kart shop. It is often a good idea to plan your first trip to the kart track with your kart with someone you know so that they can help you with any questions you may have.  Also, while at the circuit feel free to ask other competitors any questions. So often friends you make in karting will be friends for life.

KARTING CLASSES

Midgets (7 – 11 years)
The purpose of this class is to teach young people to drive karts of restricted performance at a limited cost. Competitors use a Comer S80 engine with a clutch or a Yamaha KT100J fitted with a restrictor plate.
Approx. Power – 6hp

Rookies (10 – 12 years)
Using the same principal of the Midgets class the Rookies use a Yamaha KT100J engine fitted with a restrictor plate.
Approx. Power – 8hp

Junior National (12 – 16 years)
With two weight divisions this class allows close competitive racing in karts with reliable engines (Yamaha KT100J) still fast enough to teach the basics of racecraft at a low cost.
Approx. Power – 11hp

Junior Clubman (12 – 16 years)
This class is for juniors making the step up from the National class, for more experienced drivers using faster engines (Yamaha KT100S and ARC Spec 100).
Approx. Power – 16hp

Formula JMA (13 – 16 years)
This is the newest class for the more experienced junior karters in Australia with all drivers using a 125cc water-cooled motor with clutch and electric starter.

Senior National (16+ years)
This class is very popular throughout Australia as a competitive club level class. The engine used is the reliable Yamaha KT100J which is the same as used in the Junior National class.
Approx. Power – 11hp

Senior Clubman (16+ years)
Senior Clubman is the most popular class in Australia. Utilising the Yamaha KT100S, this class offers relatively low cost, yet fast and competitive racing. The Clubman class, as with all ‘controlled’ classes, uses a single brand and compound tyre, with wet weather tyres also an option for inclement conditions.
Approx. Power – 16hp

125cc TAG (Touch And Go - Formula Rotax, Leopard, Fireball etc) (16+ years)
A number of senior classes with an engine capacity of 125cc have recently been introduced to the Australian karting scene. The TAG classes cater for push button or key start engines such as the Rotax MAX, Leopard and Fireball engines. The engines used in these classes are water-cooled and are fitted with a clutch. These classes represent the step between Clubman racing and  international competition.
Approx. Power – 24 - 28hp

Formula 100 (16+ years)
This class is Australia's version of the 100cc international classes that are sanctioned by the world governing body, the CIK-FIA, for championships on an international level. The technical requirements for engines are the same as the international CIK classes that are raced throughout the world.
Approx. Power – 32hp

Intercontinental C (16+ years)
125cc Intercontinental C is an International category of racing. The karts use European 125cc engines with a six-speed gearbox. They are the only karts in Australia permitted to run gears and front brakes. With acceleration of 0-100km/h in four seconds the category is a very fast and spectacular class of racing.
Approx. Power – 38hp

Endurance Karting (16+ years)
Endurance karting involves long distance races that range between four and 24 hours in length. Pit stops, driver changes, refuelling stops, race strategy and kart preparation are all vital to a team¹s performance. Karts are powered by two 6.5 horsepower four-stroke engines. The Endurance Karting Association (TEKA) was established in Australia in 2000 and is affiliated with the AKA in running endurance karting events. Visit http://www.teka.com.au for further information on endurance karting in Australia.
Approx. Power – 13hp

A LITTLE MORE INFO
Go Kart Racing is a sport that is worldwide and has a large following in Australia.  Karting is a sport that appeals toMale andfemales from our Junior members Midgets and Rookies who start competitive racing from 7 years of age through to Seniors,with the oldest Karter in Australia being 82 years young, at this point in time we have no cover to provide protection from thesun, wind and rain. By obtaining a grant to cover the areas where our Karters wait for their race and work on their Kartswe feel we would have the best facilities in Queensland.
Our Karting numbers in the last 12 months have risen from approx 55 races per month to now having on average of 100 racersper month, the biggest increase being our Junior races.
Karting offers Juniors encouragement, discipline, self esteem and most importantly although an individual sport they all have agreat respect for each other and team spirit. The sport also teaches them defensive driving skills that they can use all through life. I is also a very affordable motor sport that all can enjoy. Most of the great motor sport personalitieswe have today started out in a Go Kart.  We have worked very hard in the last 12 months by obtaining sponsorship in our community and have been able tobuild a new canteen and put in a secure area for children to play.  Gympie is home to the newest racing facility in Australia.  Our 890 metre Gympie Gold Kart Track is 5 minutes  south of Gympie City.  Drivers, support crew, officials and visitors come from all over Queensland and interstate racing each month at the track.

The Cooloola Coast Kart Club has hosted the Queensland Closed State Championships in September 2008, last years Closed Titles here at Cooloola was the largest ever with official entries being 244 drivers fromaround Queensland, plus support crew visiting Gympie and its surrounds.  In 2009, the club hosts the Queensland Open State Championships, with an estimated more than 350-400 driversand support crew from around Australia making Gympie their destination. This means an influx of well over 1,500 visitors for this event alone that will be using Gympie facilities.  There is a number of events that the Cooloola Coast Kart Club hosts throughout the year including,Queensland Rotax and Leopard series we also have Pro Kart Endurance Karts using the facilities of our track this year.  The club has finished stage one of the anticipated three stages towards building a top class racing facility in Gympie and is seeking further grants, sponsorship and advertising to complete stages two and three.

Source: http://www.cckc.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=10

Name   Comment Verification Code

More posts, Page # :