I'm wondering what it would take to get my kid into cart racing. He's 11. He is a complete noob to the whole thing so I would not be jumping in.

He's not even tall enough to ride in the big-kid gokarts at Adventure Landing.

Rental league would be best, but I don't know if he's tall enough.

I suppose investment in our own kart would be several thousand dollars and a lot of time and effort.

Like anything depends on how competitive you want to be? A $1000 kart has little chance of beating a $3000 kart. I would start him off in a Chonda class and see how it takes hold, could get all set up with safety equipment and kart (used) for $2K or so. If it takes hold you can move him up to a shifter kart as he gets more competitive. If planned correctly you could buy a chassis capable of performing in either class and would just need to swap out motors, brakes, gears, etc. You'll see anything from the guy that just throws the kart in the back of a pickup truck and borrows safety equipment from others while at the track, to a guy with a 30 foot double-decker enclosed trailer with 6 karts and enough spare parts to build 3 more with state of the art tuning equipment. We ultimately got out of it because of a lack of track access. We are located in BCS, the closest track is in Waco, which makes it hard to get any real practice time in. There are less expensive sports for sure, you can spend a $1000 chasing a .25 second lap speed savings (different tracks require different tires, etc).

Ok. Finally a thread I can speak into.

First things first, where do you live? There are a few club tracks around Texas, but they are all far apart. Our home track is Waco H.O.T. Kartway. I HIGHLY reccommend this place if you are just starting out because it is very family freindly and helpful.

The LO206 classes is where you'll want to start. It's the easiest and cheapest and they still feel like you are going 100mph. Someone else mentioned Chonda. That's not a thing anymore at any of the tracks around here. LO206 basically is the same thing, but using a spec Briggs and Stratton engine. Chonda (Clone-Honda) used the predator engines from harbor freight. They were too inconsistent to be considered a "spec" class.

An LO206 motor brand new in the box is around 700. With the exhaust and few other parts you'll need to actually go racing you are looking at 900-1000 depending on which clutch you get. Don't worry. The clutches on this level pretty much just work. Buy one and install it. Ask the guys at the track you are looking at what gearing you should buy. Then buy a few teeth up and down to be able to adjust your gearing at the track. Use the split (two piece) sprockets.

You'll want to buy a "Jr" or "Cadet" chassis for an 11 year old unless he's really small. That will last him for a few years most likely. At least enough time to figure out if he wants to continue or quit. If he get's good he can move up to the Senior class at 15 iirc. That's when you would want a full size chassis if he's big enough for it. You can keep using a cadet chassis in Senior LO206, but you'll change the rear wheels out for the larger size and you'll have to weigh 360 pounds kart and driver. Some little kids in kadet karts have trouble making weight without using a bigger chassis.

The number one thing I would suggest is just go to the track. Buy a pit pass. Talk to folks. There's a chance they'll let him drive a kart after the race. That will of course get him hooked so be prepared.

If you do get in to it. Be careful of being a little league dad. It happens pretty easy, and I've been guilty of it myself. You watch from the sidelines and just wonder why he's going so slow, braking too early, not on the race line, etc. It's all new to them. They have no experience. Not only that, but I would suggest you get into a kart yourself and see just how incredibly fast the world starts flying at you while you are 1 inch off the ground. It's a lot tougher than it looks. It's also very physically demanding. Get into a kart youself before trying to offer any advice or criticism.

If you guys want to try it out, I can not tell you how good of a place the Waco track is. Years ago when we started it was a bit rougher, people cheating, too much drinking, etc. Today, none of that exists. It is a super family freindly place. Lots of kids, and the other classes are growing. In fact they are going to run a vintage class this year and I'm thinking about getting myself a vintage kart just for that!

This is my Son #96. He started when he was 6 and is 19 now. We've had to take this last season off because he started at A&M and the homework is kicking his butt! lol

Shiftyandquick….

Sounds like you need a shifter kart!

As the previous poster said, the first thing is to go see where the nearest track is. And are you interested in oval track or road course style?

Once you've found the nearest track go see what classes they have and which ones have big fields. Most likely it will be an lo206, but not always.

Also be realistic. Are karts a cheap way to go racing? Yes, absolutely. Is it a cheap way to win races? No not at all.

Realize that the top people will be getting a brand new kart and engine for every race. They will show up full semis full of support people and have real time data acquisition there coaches are analyzing during the race and coaching the kids on between heats.

I had a blast racing, we had three generations out on the track, but it is incredibly physically demanding. Put on sticky tires and you will pull 2-3 gs in corners. Your neck will turn into a limp noodle by the end of a 29 minute heat from trying to hold your head up.

Also they are pretty maintenance intensive. We were shocked at how you had to CONSTANTLY tighten every single thing back down or you'd shake it loose.

You can start with a diet cheap kart and learn. The temptation to upgrade is very real. It's much easier on the ego to say he's 3 seconds a lap faster because of the brand new kart not because of skill. (2.5 seconds is skill, .5 is the equipment)

Where are you located? We probably have some contacts with your local track

When I was growing up, a kid in my neighborhood was into carting and I could not have been more jealous. My son is 2 now, but I am totally prepared to spend every dollar I have to support him in carting IF HE'S INTERESTED when he gets older. I imagine it being a huge bonding opportunity.

Also I'd highly highly encourage you to get a kart and race. The times I was out on the track in practice sessions with my dad and son were the absolute best times We had on the track.

I live in Richardson (Dallas)

shiftyandquick said:

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I live in Richardson (Dallas)

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NTK is also a good track. It's north of Denton, so not too far from you. They seem to be quite family friendly as well, although I find the competition is higher so it's a little harder to climb the ranks. There's just a lot of money up there and people aren't shy about spending it.

Go out and watch. Talk to the folks. It's great fun!


You won't see semi's and new karts on a regular weekend. That stuff happens for the TSRS (Texas Sprint Racing Series) where there is a cash prize and it's a regional championship thing. Those teams will come to those big races, but the rest of the year it's normal folks like you and I. Plenty of people just load everything up in the back of a truck, but if you can outfit a small trailer it's a huge help. That way you can have tool boxes, tire mounting stuff, spares, etc, all in the trailer.

You can buy a chassis, stick a new LO206 on it, fresh tires, etc and use that rig until he grows out of it. In fact you won't even need to change the tires for the whole season most likely. The fastest Senior 206 guy at NTK last time we were there was using a pretty beat up old chassis and had old, dirty gear. He was absolutely dominating the class though.

Dallas karting complex is east of Richardson. Mark French who runs it was insanely helpful in getting us up and going at our track (different location).

https://dallaskartingcomplex.com/

Also for your first experience stick with a kart with a starter. My dad and I jumped straight into 125cc shifters which have to be pushed started and honestly were way way faster than what we could handle at first. Having to push start yourself and jump into a rolling kart after you spin out is not fun and can kill your enjoyment early on.

I picked up my Go-Kart for $6K putting $16K into it.

It's a 986.





https://www.google.com/search?q=986+or+987&rlz=1C1CHWL_enUS826US826&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi07Ly2t-P0AhVGGDQIHcHiBBgQ_AUoA3oECAEQBQ&biw=1366&bih=663&dpr=1

It's also glacially slow compared to a kart.

Weak thread derail

I went out to Dallas Karting Complex a little over a month ago, cam confirm it's a blast.

tony said:

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Dallas karting complex is east of Richardson. Mark French who runs it was insanely helpful in getting us up and going at our track (different location).

https://dallaskartingcomplex.com/

Also for your first experience stick with a kart with a starter. My dad and I jumped straight into 125cc shifters which have to be pushed started and honestly were way way faster than what we could handle at first. Having to push start yourself and jump into a rolling kart after you spin out is not fun and can kill your enjoyment early on.

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Agree on this. My first run was in a 125cc shifter kart. While it was a blast, I was in no way up to the skill level needed.

I could do the rental league.

But I wish my son had the same option. A way to just dip his feet in and see if he loves it or not. I don't want to make a big investment for something he is going to instantly quit.

I think dkc does arrive and drive a couple nights a week

Please for the love of all that is Holy, don't "jump into" a shifter kart. Or any 2 stroke for that matter. It's akin to getting into a group B rally car to get your learner's permit. Seriously. Shifter karts are no joke.

I know the 4 stroke karts look slow when you are standong trackside, but when you get into one the tunnel vision happens fast. You literally can not think fast enough to handle even a "slow" kart. I can't. And I've been riding relatively high powered motorcycles my whole life, and I can't step into a "slow" kart and even pretend to know what I'm doing. It takes years of practice to move up to those faster 2-stroke karts.

Not only that, but you'll be the rolling speed bump for those guys that have the experience, and the closing speeds will be lethal. And there are no airbags.

Go anywhere that runs a shifter class and stand at the braking zone at the end of the longest straight. That should be enough to tell you what you need to know. The fast guys are barely in control at that point on the track.

I like to stay away from "lethal" options, generally.

That's all very true. At my local track I'd be at 88 at the end of the straight. The fast guys were 92-94. Then slam on the brakes.

Shifter karts at least have 4 wheel brakes. The two stroke touch and go (single speed but with a starter). Only have front brakes and they can spin on you so quick if you over brake.

And I had the lower hp 125 at around 35 hp. I think this year the top guys are going to 175 that's doing 55 hp

Wow. That sounds insane. I like the idea of slower.

Around our local 1 mile track that is a 1/3 replica of an f1 track shifters are doing 60 second laps. The single speeds are 64-65 seconds. The owners 600 hp Nissan GT-R is 67 seconds.

Never knew this was a big thing until I went to a dirt track that a buddy's family owned in GA for their big Turkey Day race. Rarely have a chance to talk about it, but this is as good of place as any. His family would all come in and work the race for their "Thanksgiving". They made enough that weekend that they all got a little $$ and enough to keep the track going another year

There were guys that had tire warmer / rotisserie machines cobbled together with random gears and motors using an old tool box as the body. They were working in a pop up tent with tarps for the side. This guy was good, but his hands were dirty and he made what he had work to do it.

About 4 spots down was a newer Prevost with a full racing trailer that was painted to match. This thing looked like it was straight out of NASCAR or NHRA. Lift for their 2-3 carts, work bench, lighting and tool that I still dream of having. They had a commercial tire warmer that looked clean enough to cook chickens or a small pig on.

My buddy raced for fun, but was not even close to being a regular winner and would not race in that one because it was too big. People from all over the southeast would travel up spend Thanksgiving weekend racing. He did it to spin wrenches and as a hobby. He said that in racing you will either have to be very best driver, lucky or spend a ton of money to win. The atmosphere was awesome and everyone was friendly and I was amazed to see what they could do with a hopped up lawn mower engine. They can make those things fly, tear them down, put them back together like it was nothing.

If you get into this enjoy it. I think it is a great way to spend time with your kiddos and teach them about winning, losing and the importance of making some money to support hobbies.

shiftyandquick said:

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Wow. That sounds insane. I like the idea of slower.

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It's why we have so many classes. Kids kart is about the coolest thing you could ever watch. Kids from 5-8 years old in tiny karts with a 50cc two stroke. They get out there and have a blast. Even at that level the karts can slide and drift around corners and the little kids just have an instinct that tells them how to correct for it.

Starting in Kid Kart is the absolute best way, but your son is just a touch too old for it. However, LO206 Junior is just the first step above Kid Kart. He would do fine, and I'm sure someone there will mentor both him and you. There is a lot for you to do between heats. Karts have no suspension and only one brake on the solid rear axle, yet have tons and tons of adjustable parameters that seemingly don't make a lot of sense! You'll need some help and some books to help you learn the ropes of kart tuning. The boy will need to put in many laps, but he will especially need to put in laps with other people. You don't really get faster until there is traffic out there to deal with.