I spend around 5-6K a season of racing and run pretty successfully in Lo206 Masters.
This is for some club races, regionals.
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On my discord we have a member “quotes” section for memorable statements. This would go there. 
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The unexpected costs have been the spares, mostly nuts and bolts that are kart specific and tools. I’m fairly safety consious so the cost of my helmet, rib/chest protector and neck brace quickly added up.
Just a tip, but if you go to any regional or national race, that’s where you’ll find sponsored teams. Then “Operation Dumpster Dive” begins for me. These guys will swap out a new set of tires after a single session. Last time CKNA came into town, I got like 7 sets of lightly scuffed tires that were still like new. Now I have practice tires for the entire year.
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Good advice. I know one design sailors who buy used sails at the big regatas
Similarly, it is common for big teams to sell the equipment they use for the race weekend. One can get a good deal on a new, blueprinted motor with just a few hours in it (if that). Chassis, too.
2021 CKT and Kart cost.pdf (85.7 KB)
Here is a season cost in Colorado.
It includes a new kart, some hotels, practice and racing. NO ENGINE… just a block
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I recall being pitched that it only costs $2000-$3000 to get into karting… I think there are allot of assumed costs that have already been appreciated. Removing all the cost of the kart/engine… there are the cost of tools which could be a big swing in $$$, there is also transport and/org storage. to you already have a trailer or is this a purchase. are you renting space at the track for your kart/trailer. Costs of general membership and race day fees, mylaps (or other fees) etc… specialty tools (snipers etc…) kart specific modification (axle, front bar, eccentrics, rims etc…)
There are pros/cons with buying used to start… don’t really want to get into that.
I budget around $5000/year which would primarily be consumables (tires/chains/sprockets/liquids/fees) a misc fund for repairs and year end engine rebuild (top-end usually).
When I talk to people who are interested in getting started in karting im very transparent, it can cost $2000-$15000 your first year depending where you want to take it (fun, competitive), but it should get cheaper after you have you base done.
The guy that won our Senior 206 championship last year raced out of the back of his pickup truck. I would be shocked if spent $2k on the year. Probably $1.5k. He also does national racing with USPKS running a KA100. He uses a trailer for that. I can only gues how much he spends there. So it can be cheap, and it can be expensive.
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I have seen others post something to this point, so I am curious and maybe this might even be a separate topic, but when you say budget do you live and die by that? In other words, if you have a tough season and go over the 5k are you done racing?
I’ve never been a budget guy for anything (home or pleasure) but I certainly keep track of what I am spending and will adjust accordingly.
Budget or maybe “plan for” is the better term… if I go over, then I go over… I generally put a set amount aside each paycheque all year, allows to build up a good pool over the winter as well stock up on consumables during the down time.
When it comes to budget, depending on your lifestyle, it’s not that hard to allocate money. I’m old, make decent money, so for me, I cut back on eating out for lunch everyday over a week or so, and eat dinner at home, and I have the funds for a race weekend. I did have to build up a fund to buy in at the beginning, but now I just buy shit as I need it, and cut back on other luxuries.
I know that’s not everyone’s situation, but if you’re pretty established with a career, etc., once you’re in, at least for LO206, it shouldn’t strap you that bad.
Kinda off topic. But that’s one of the main rules for my budgeting app (YNAB) is that you need to be able to “roll with the punches” going over a budget line is ok… but you need to know that the money has to come from somewhere so you need to pull out of one of the other budget lines to cover it. Hard budgets are only for the extremely dedicated.
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