CALGARY KART RACING CLUB (CKRC)
The Calgary Kart Racing Club was established in the early
1960's. It has survived many generations of karters and
raced at many different venues through the years. The one
constant has been the great people that have enjoyed the camaraderie
of kart racing. It began as a small, dedicated group of individuals
racing in Calgary area parking lots, and evolved to what is today
a well organized, thriving non-profit organization with its own
purpose built track, Calgary Speed Park, located in SE Calgary,
adjacent to Race City Motorsport Park. The CKRC organizes approximately
ten regular season sprint race events and one Endurance ("Enduro")
event from April through October as well as regularly scheduled
practice sessions throughout the summer. The CKRC is a member
group of the FIA though its Canadian affiliate ASN Canada
An ambitious expansion of the CKRC will include introduction
of corporate entertainment events, racing schools and a more structured
learning process to ensure successful introduction of new participants
in a cost effective, safe and competitive manner.
One of the main benefits of membership include unlimited use
of the facility for practice whenever the track is unused for
race events or third party rentals.
CLASSES
Kart classes are determined by driver age, weight, engine size
and type. There are classes for children, starting at 8 years
of age, to those for adults from 16 and older.
The 4-cycle classes are the most cost effective form of kart
racing and are where the majority of new drivers begin racing.
They require low maintenance and are generally less powerful than
the other classes, thus requiring a smooth driving technique,
which prepares a driver for the higher performance classes.
The 2-cycle engines can propel karts to over 130 km/h, are more
physically demanding to drive, and provide more intense racing.
2-cycle karts generally require more maintenance than their 4-cycle
counterparts.
The “Shifter Kart” category is the highest performance
level of karting with performance characteristics similar to that
of a Formula Atlantic racecar. They have four wheel disc brakes,
powerful 125cc engines coupled to 6-speed sequential gearboxes,
body fairings and wider, stickier tires for maximum traction and
acceleration.
Below are a list of our classes as well as the approximate straightaway
speed on the Calgary kart track.
The following is a list of current CKRC classes:
Class |
Age |
Engine |
Max Speed (approx) |
Notes |
| Junior 1 |
8-11 |
LO206 |
75-80 Km/h |
|
| Junior 2 (4-stroke) |
12-12 |
LO206 |
85 Km/h |
|
| Rotax MiniMax |
10-13 |
Rotax MiniMax |
100 Km/h |
|
| Rotax Junior Max |
13-16 |
Rotax Junior Max |
110 Km/h |
|
| Rotax Senior |
16+ |
Rotax Max |
115 Km/h |
|
| Rotax Masters |
30+ |
Rotax Max |
110 Km/h |
390 lbs min weight |
| Senior 4-Stroke |
16+ |
LO206 |
90 Km/h |
Light and heavy classes |
| Senior Open |
16+ |
Open |
Varies |
|
| Shifter |
16+ |
Varies |
125-135 Km/h |
6-speed gearbox. Standing Starts |
The speed of karts will vary, depending on the size of the track
and the length of the straightaway(s).
The speed figures shown above are what we achieve every day,
on our track.
While many of these karts are capable of speeds considerably
faster than shown above, these speeds are realistic for a typical
kart track.
As a point of reference, a Rotax Senior Max has a similar power-to-weight
ratio as a typical 300 Hp sports car with driver and fuel on board.
VARSITY SPEED PARK - CKRC’S WORLD-CLASS TRACK
Varsity Chrysler Speed Park is located at 12740 68th Street SE
(southwest corner of Race City Motorsports Park). The circuit
measures 1.1 kms in length and 9 meters wide. There are a variety
of configurations to provide continued challenge to competitors
through the season. Recent additions include repaving the track
surface, an upgraded timing system, improved safety barriers,
redesigned paddock layout, upgraded tower and meeting rooms, on
site medical facilities and improved bleachers and viewing area
for spectators.
RACES
Races are held approximately every 3 weeks from April to October.
Races are typically one day events, held on Sundays, with practice
commencing at 9:00 AM, races starting at 10:00 AM and continuing
until 4:00 PM. For better competition, some classes are combined
to create larger racing fields. Sprint races typically last 10-15
minutes each, with each class holding 1 practice session, 1 qualifying
session and 2 to 4 races at each race day event. Races are usually
run rain or shine. In the event of rain, karts are fitted with
wet weather treaded race tires and drivers outfitted with durable
rain gear.
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