Kart Racing class types

Interested in Karting? I have been a karter for 25 years.
A bit old for the big stuff anymore. I raced SKUSA for many years. Ran with one of the big teams all over North America. Michael Valiante was our team leader. Best time of my life. Raced with Michael Shumacher, Jamie McMurry, Piquet, Barricello, Tagliani. They all came to the Super Nationals at one point. Plus a bunch of kids Rahal, Daly, Karam, that are now in Indy. Miss it terribly. The Super Nationals is the biggest and baddest race of the year. Guy come from all over the world.
Shifter kart will definitely get your fix for racing. Faster than any of these Ferraris the boy talk about here. Just not for a long time . Run out of gear and H.P. but will do 0-60 in 3 seconds. Tops out at about 100mph. Nothing like do a 60 MPH chicane 2 inches off the ground.
The 175 IAME is a very spec class for SKUSA, not run a lot of other places, KZ it the place to be. Great package, lots of places to run. The 250 karts are wild. As you have noted not a lot of places to run. They are the Ultimate in speed. Kind of scary even. They will out run most race cars. Not a of of room error. You have no protection.
Best thing is to find a track near you. See what is commonly run and what the local kart shop carries. You can start out as a club racer, then regional. The best competition is at the national level. It's not cheap. I usually spent about $30K a year. Plus the Super Nationals in Vegas was around $10k just itself. But if you want to race it's THE place to start.
Take care
Mike

 

Like most toys, Being a boat, race car or horse ,buying it is the cheap part. A new KZ shifter kart will cost about$15K. Then it all consumables after that. Tires $250.00, fuel at $10.00gl, oil $40, entry fees, engine rebuilds after 3 weekends of racing $1200.00, special tools, data acquisition stuff, etc, etc. Then the inevitable repair bills after you crash! it will happen , no doubt. Bent axle $300, broken rim$150, new chain $75, Part are all very, very expensive. a connecting rod is $500.00, piston $300. I personally know of a race family who spent over a Million $ trying to get their boy into the big leagues and it didn't work out! There is an old saying, " how fast do you want to go?" answer " how much money do you have?"
Try karting you will love it
Mike

 

I run a Kart ( lo206 ) at Atlanta Motorsports Park. It's addictive ( sadly I've not been as regular since COVID - for a variety of issues ) but I do love it. Many people don't understand karting - but it's FAR better raw driving than almost anything out there.

If you have never driven a Kart before - be prepared. my advice is to start slow. L0206 then to 125 TAG then Shifter. if you jump right into a Shifter ... God be with you! a 250 is insane and likely to lead to a bad accident without building up to it. We are talking 4-5 G's on regular basis. in a 125 TAG I can do about 10 - 15 laps ( I'm 55, 260LBS, not in great shape but strong upper _) and I'm spent. my neck is totally done. A TAG kart and any shifter is an invite to broker ribs at a minimum... not if, but when. at leased bruised almost immediately. any difficulty breathing in a turn - means stop now.

I can manage 3 - 4 laps in a shifter and none of them at a semi-competitive pace. at our track shifters are sub 50 Sec... over .5 mile track. with severe elevation changes... it's a WILD ride. A shifter is about as close as you can get to the physical demands that you get in an F-1 car. I mean that quite literally. if you have ever raced an open-wheel car the sensations are similar, but the speed at which it comes to you in a shifter is astonishing. To me the biggest differentiator between Cars ( open wheels cars or closed ) and Karts is Belts. in a car you are strapped in rigid as possible. In Karts - its just you, so as you drive - you are always fighting to stay in the kart... which leads to an entire different experience. MANY people look at Karts and say - pfff easy.. .until you get out there. There is a reason why ALL of F-1 's drivers were Kart Champions - and they all note the competitive nature and where they learned racing.

I encourage you to do it, but go in with real expectations. And if you do a 250 shifter... get the best protection you can afford. you will likely use it. I do not know one karter who is not a very good driver. it makes you a much better driver on the road or track.

Best luck. PS I know the Praga dealer for the USA - they will happily sell you a 125 TAG tomorrow. $12K.

 

How old are you? - younger is always better!

 

Do you live anywhere near Rosamond? The Willow Springs track is there. One of the businesses at the track rents Karts.

I bought a Pro Formula Mazda to play with there. I raced Karts when I was much younger.


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Cool any time. I just hear a lot of "talk" about I want to get into a Shifter - I love speed etc... the one thing to be aware of in Karting .. is it will show up what level of driver you are immediately. The good news is ... you can always improve. Karting is about momentum, and smoothness... combined with out of this world physical demands. when you are going really fast its never comfortable.

Pic of me & one of my LO206... super stock. has about 13 HP. I wear my chest protector under my driving suit - the velcro catches on the neck protector ... more comfortable that way. buy a very good helmet, chest protector and neck - anti dive device... most kart suits are nylon, so if you get out of the kart - you slide... you don't want to stick. mine is cotton nylon - obviously with all the Ferrari crap on it... its semi breathable... on hot days its terrible.

 

Listen to Tom, A shifter kart, though an absolute blast, will just kill you. People have broken their ribs just trying to stay in the kart. I had a 125 shifter and 6-7 laps would pretty much do me in. Start with a slower kart, master that (which will not be easy!) and then, when you are top 3 in your class and can't go any faster-then start thinking up a kart upgrade.

 

How tall are you, leg length, arm length, torso size, waist size, shoulder size and weight.. Pleaase supply so we can give some feedback on your size vs kart size.

 

I would not worry about how tall, they can get the seat modified to make you fit, and also move the pedals a bit. What you will have to worry about though is staying in the kart - the taller - the more force exerted laterally... sometimes that helps with cornering - but also you actually have to stay in the kart - and drive the thing. Steering angle may be an issue if you are thick waisted... you end up having a truck wheel stance - which I hate. Tony Kart and Praga should have one that fits your size. I see guys 6.5 fit well - and are quick. obviously the heavier you are ... the slower you go ... in all karts - but when you get to 125 TAG or Shifters... is smaller amounts. if you are on a flat track heavier weight can help with COP and balance.... ideally you want all your weight to be in the center of the kart - the bigger the engine the more forward you want counter weight...but there are just physical limits. if you end up with rearward bias, then you want to go as wide track as possible, and slight toe.

 

My last Shifter outing - I had trouble on my left side - did not break anything but bruised the muscle over my diaphragm... hurt so bad I went to the doc... no more shifter for me. - that was with rib protector tight as possible while still able to breath.

 

Great thread. I am surprised about the bruised ribs. I didn't know that was an issue. I know there is a lot of core flexing because you are just hanging out there, but breaking ribs due to flexing is crazy.

I remember couple years ago, Tony Kanaan, who resides in Florida when asked in an interview what weight training and conditioning he was doing to stay in shape since the Indy season was about to start and his response blew me away. He said he hadn't lifted weights for a very long time and doesn't like conditioning. He said he just goes and does his Karting at the track near his house and that the workout and mental response needed for that well exceeds what racing in Indy delivers so he is always in shape. You all have just verified what he was saying.

 

Rib injuries are common in all kart classes; including Briggs, and they are due primarily to g-forces while cornering. Even a good rib vest won't necessarily prevent it from happening.

Lo 206 isn't a beginner class, but it is more beginner (and budget) friendly. I raced TAG and Yamaha Pipe for years and find Briggs racing to be every bit as fun.

There's a reason (if not several) Briggs racing is growing the way it is. We have 30+ entries every race at Pitt Race, whereas we'd be lucky to see 15 in TAG or Yamaha.

 

When you run a TAG, its fun for sure, but also way more demanding - and you have to always fiddle with the engine and carbs etc.. and then you are always rebuilding an engine. so you end up with 2-3 engines in rotation, at a race you are always working on the Kart.. for me that is not fun. Briggs - LO206 - is show up & drive and minimal repair down time. Its also a bit more affordable but you can spend a lot on them as well. Mine is a high compression motor - so it will rev up to 8500 RPM, and its quick, lots of grunt ... At AMP we have several hills that you need some pull, as well as top end.... me being a bigger guy... i like the help!

 

It will definitely get your heart going... when you are going for it. after 10 laps in a TAG - you will feel it all over. After 20 - 30 min in a LO you will feel it. I used to run my kart all day with breaks every 15 - 20 min.. and the next day was sore. doing a Shifter - for one 5-10 min session makes you feel like you have been doing an Lo 206 for the past 3 days.

one time we did a 10 hour race - and in the middle of the night we needed to pull 2 hour stints... that was a work out. I remember at 4 AM being passed by Jordan Taylor ( imsa driver ) and I was able to keep up with him for 2-3 laps, and he just was so quick smooth and fast.

 

I enjoyed TAG, but it was a major hassle. Even at the club level I was spending 10k a year to be competitive. Throw in a couple of WKA events and it's not hard to double that amount.

We're running sealed motors as per Brigg rules, so our club is very budget friendly - no need for a blue printed engine and 8 hr. engine rebuilds.

I do wish we were running a KA class, as it's probably somewhere between Briggs and TAG racing from a hassle/affordability perspective. Unfortunately, our race program has to facilitate rental kart revenue, so we have to be off track by 1 pm every race event and there just isn't enough time for multiple senior classes. We don't even have a masters class, so I race against the young guys.

I'll be gunning for my 4th championship next season, but I'm getting old and the kids are getting fast!

 

I totally get where you are coming from. At Atlanta Motorsports Park its a pretty demanding track in the first place, so there is that, then put it that I'm 54 - and 250 ish... strike 2&3... but there was a time -5-6 years ago I could run with the kids, and do fairly well... I've had a couple of wins and placed 3rd in the championship... ( Masters ) but that was more consistent showing up vs. outright wins. Its hard to beat weight and topography. I do take pride that people still ask me for driving advice & I've taught a couple of AMP Race Schools ... but since 2019 - the need to care for my elderly parents ( subsequently gone ) and demands on worked and COVID .. i Have not been at the track that much. the drive from my home to the track is now 1hr 45... and getting worse... so its a full commitment. but when I'm there I have a good time... i keep saying I'll get back to the races, but there is always something else! all that being said, about a month ago on my last outing - I did set my all time personal best time at AMP... so very happy about that. I was spending probably 2-3K a year but have cut back.... but its still the best track time you can get... the car guys just have way more money or time to wrench.. .i have neither.

 

50+ is a real barrier - even the average master driver is younger than you, and even more so than me - I'm turning 57 before the beginning of the next season.

Weight is the real handicap. I'm about 185, so I normally add couple of pounds to the kart to ensure I make weight. My son weighed about 150 when he started racing and was able to beat national drivers on a fairly regular basis in the TAG class. He stopped racing about ten years ago and put on about 90 lbs. and decided to try Briggs racing. It killed him to run in the back, but a sixty lbs. weight disadvantage is almost impossible to overcome. It would be like me driving with a bag of cement in my lap. He sold his stuff and is back to wrenching for me - he's very good at set-up - I'm not.

I really like your kart; I raced Praga's for a few seasons, but have been a J3/compkart guy for the last few seasons. I bought a Red Speed this year because I love the way it looks, (very Ferrari like) and it's hard to do better than OTK. One of these days I'll get around to updating my avatar.

Good luck this coming season, I hope you get all seat time you want.

 

The weight thing is just what I have to deal with ... yes, running at the back is not fun... but it beats not running at all. once in a while I get to use age and skill over youth and enthusiasm...

 

Not have visited this index before, cool thread. About 17 years ago, I got into karting. Started (and stayed with) a 125cc TAG karts. Having interest to get into racing, I went to a couple of races. After the second one, I realized the field was full of (these were an armature level) yahoo drivers who were all out to kill you. Never seen so much disrespect in my life (Stockton, CA). I decided to keep it recreational and had an absolute blast. I had 3 125cc TAG karts and a small handful of FCHATTERS would come out for a day. Great crowd, all handsomely chipped in to help offset maintenance as I'd go through a clutch, a chain and a set of tires a day. That was a LOT of fun just keeping it recreational. Even ART C came out on several trips with his shifter. He was a maniac on the track. He also paid my young daughter at the time a dollar for every F-BOMB he dropped around her. She would make north of $25 on an average day!