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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Giving this a nudge after finding this video on YT today… He does a comparison of various classes. What do people think?
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Directionally, good reference point.
The takeaway for shifters is, tires aside, all shifters cost pretty much the same. The cost per lap difference with restricted comes down to tires (not sure why) and fuel (you can run KZ and ROK on pump fuel too). So if you normalize the restricted for those 2 factors, it comes down to the impact of rebuilds which is not that much (and it goes away in competitive use). Hence, KZ is not that expensive as people make it out to be compared to the other shifters.
I wish he had X30 or OK too, probably much closer in cost vs the 100cc
Take what ever you calculate, and double it.
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Year 1 - LO206 - $12k - Included used kart, safety gear, tools, 2nd motor, some replacement parts. Also included all costs associated with travel and meals and entries for 15 race total: 13 local club races, 1 trip to Garnett KS for a big night race, and our first regional race.
Averaged $800 per race weekend all-in. Cost would be much lower, but our “home” club track is 180 miles away.
Year 2 - LO206 - $25k - Included new LN kart, replacement frame after totaled wreck, lots of replacement parts, another backup motor after head bolt stripped, addition of MXC wheels, and replacement gloves and suit. Also included travel and meals and entries for 23 race weekends: 6 regional races, 1 national(ish) race (IKF), and 16 club races.
Averaged just over $1000 per weekend. Longer travel, higher cost regional events, and lots of parts damage. But finished 7th in regional points out of 55… 
Halfway through Year 3 - KA100 - About $12k so far - Fuel, tires, chains add a bunch to operating cost, plus some races under team tent. Includes purchase and maintenance of 1 KA motor. Much slower race schedule this year due to higher cost of running. Have run 6 races total so far: 4 regional races, 2 club races. Dropped our “home” club track from schedule due to distance. Practicing at track 110 miles away now.
Averaging $2000 per weekend. Fewer parts damaged, more fuel cost, more tire cost, and team cost.
Biggest changes for this year:
$750-1000 adder for team fees
Fuel cost going from $8-10 for a weekend to $100-150 for a weekend
Tire cost going from $250 per regional weekend to $500 per regional weekend (club just run used)
Engine maintenance going from almost nil to $750-1000 every 3-4 race weekends (with practices between included)
Total add has been right around $1000-1250 from a clean LO206 weekend.
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Chuck that seems reasonably expensive if that is possible. If I recall your son is the racer? Can you help me understand what is your end game? Is this a step to bigger forms of racing?
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My total bill for this USPKS weekend was around $2k which includes entry, pit space, two sets of race tires, a set of rain tires, 10 gal of fuel (of which I used about 3 gal, the rest for practice/testing), and then odds and ends spare parts and stuff.
Total bill for CKNA SummerNationals was $1100. Entry, Friday practice, one set of tires, data/tent space. Couple sprockets and spares.
Avg club race weekend without crashing is like $100