WHAT IS KART RACING?

Kart racing is a competitive and exciting form of motorsports that was born in the late 1950’s. While lawnmower engines and home-built frames got the job done in the early days, the sport has evolved to the point where the technology is on par with current open-wheeled racecars. Karting has evolved into an international sport that is recognized, sanctioned and regulated by the FIA (Federation International Automobile). Most of today’s racing stars started their careers in Karts, including Formula One drivers Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, as well as Canadian CART driver Paul Tracy. In fact, many world class professional drivers continue to practice in karting, to maintain their edge, when not in their regular racecars.

Its main attraction, however, is that it remains a cost effective, competitive yet fun family sport for all ages, in which almost anyone, male or female, can participate.

WHAT IS A KART?

Today’s karts are sophisticated performance machines, with fully adjustable chassis and powered by either purpose-built 2-cycle or 4-cycle engines. Engine capacity ranges from 80cc to 250 cc and the most powerful karts are capable of top speeds approaching 150 KPH at Calgary Speed Park. Kart chassis are constructed of chromoly steel, with a myriad of suspension and chassis adjustments integrated into the kart, to adapt handling characteristics and improve on track performance. Specialized racing “slick” tires, braking systems and on board data logging systems have been developed for kart racing to improve safety, reliability and performance.

THE SPORT OF KART RACING

All CKRC events are run under FIA safety, sporting and technical regulations, and are sanctioned by ASN Canada. At each race event karts are regularly inspected to ensure that they meet technical and safety specifications according to the sanctioning rules, to maintain a fair and safe racing environment. All drivers must be licensed by ASN Canada, which implements varying levels of competition licenses according to class and driver’s level of experience. The purpose of licensing is to qualify and grade drivers, and to maintain a high standard of competition driving to ensure safe competition.

The karts themselves are primarily owned and maintained by individual participants. Preparation is relatively simple to the point that with some basic support equipment and training, most members have the ability to prepare their own karts. However, for those without the time or facilities to maintain and store their own equipment, there are a number of local reputable kart preparation businesses which offer “turn key” services.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Kart racing attracts a wide range of participants as indicated by the demographics of CKRC membership as shown below.

Junior competitors ages 8 to 15 20%
Senior competitors ages 15 to 60: 80%
Father / son / daughter teams: 30%
Families with 2 or more racers: 10%
Female racers: 2%
Handicapped racers: 1%

COSTS

Karting is by far the most affordable form of motorsports and compares favorably with many of today’s other sports such as hockey or skiing.

A typical Kart racing budget is as follows:

New kart (starting at) $3,500 (Used karts are considerably less)
Driver apparel (helmet, suit, etc) $600
Club Annual Membership $400
Race Registration ($70 x 10 races) $700
Tires 2 sets per year x $250 / set) $500
Fuel & Lubricants ($15 x 10 races) $150
Engine Maintenance $500 (Range $200-$1000 based on class)
TOTAL $6,350

In karting more than in most other sports (where new equipment needs to be purchased regularly), once the initial investment is made, the annual expenses are very low.

Typical Annual expenses for Karting after capital purchases $2,500