Getting my 7 y/o Started in Karting

So I will talk about how I got introduced to the sport :slight_smile:

Since very little I was interested in racing, F1, Rally, Superbike etc. I got lucky enough to have a big brother working at the local kart track, 10min away from home. So at 6, I was already lapping in a adult rental kart (Sodi GT2 with a 270cc 9hp engine) for free. My parents would drop me off at the track and I would drive for 2-3h while they were doing grocery shopping.

It lasted for a couple of years, then I got my own adult rental that we bought for 500euros or so. It was a very economic way to get a lot of laps done and to get experience.
At 11, my parents decided to give me a shot at regional level, on a Cadet.
cadet

My first couple of races were pretty rough, with a couple of crashes, but I was able to score a podium on my third race, behind the french champion. My father and people around me got pretty excited, and we decided to go directly to the international level, in KF3, the following year.

I think that 6 - 8yo is a good period to get a kid into karting. You might want to call the local track and ask for advices, as they will certainly know all the details. Also be aware that it is extremely costly extremely fast. They are ways to limit the cost but you will spend a lot.

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That’s awesome @IRQVET, get them learning car control on GTA :joy:

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but maybe not racing technique… are there any rules on rpg use in karting?

:joy::joy::joy:

No but seriously, last time I took princess to the track she was instinctively catching and controlling tail slides. It was only her second time in a kart, she had tons of confidence. When I asked where did she learn to steer into tail slides she laughed and said GTA dad.

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And fair dos I’ve played gta with her online she always kicks me out of the car ‘jeez let me drive dad’ :joy::joy::joy:

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It’s intuitive, I think. When my son was little I’d let him drive the golf kart and he instantly got it. Not just start stop, go straight. He did a really weird chicane with walls on either side well. No previous experience other than the little electric toy cars.

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Proud papa! Started my 7 year old out doing gas, brake drills while it was on the stand. Then we fired it up and did the same so she got used to the noise and vibration of the Lo206. After 10 minutes, put some cones out in the driveway, and off she goes. She is faster than me already. :rofl:

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Look at her go! Don’t forget about that helmet strap.

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She is going to burn out that clutch, but if thats the worst of it so be it.

Nice Job #7! :checkered_flag::racing_car::checkered_flag::racing_car::checkered_flag::racing_car::checkered_flag::racing_car:

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Better than I did when I started😂, first corner in a high performance kart I locked the brakes and spun. At that point I realized I wasn’t destined to be an f1 driver

In order to move, I’ve been telling her to give it a little gas- then give it alittle brake. As she has no throttle control that seemed like the safest way to get it moving (slowly) while providing repetition on what both peddles do and/or control.

RIP to that Hillard Flame clutch but it is what it is. She is picking up things much quicker than I expected.

I did have to jam a pillow behind her back for that run. So today I adjusted the pedals back as far as they would go.

My first run ever in a kart was a Yamaha rookie setup with the small carb and three hole can and I was afraid to go over the clutch engagement too much because I thought I was gonna blow the engine up when it got loud.

Had I been told it was just getting rolling, I might’ve gassed it.

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My little one is scared of the loudness of the engine. Its a Comer 50. I thought about springing for the Honda Kid engine…not quite as loud.

A buddy of mine, gave me his old 2-way radio gear to help with coaching. It has small headphone style speakers that velcro to the inside of the helmet ear cups and a throat mic setup. Given they are made for adults, we are having issues with hearing each other. The headphones are not close enough to her ears to hear me well over the engine and the throat mic does not sit properly on her tiny neck to contact the voicebox right. Its a work in progress.

Last time we were at the track, she spun out at almost every corner and got really frustrated. I think some abandoned parking lot time is needed to get her more comfortable. I found some small half-disc cones at walmart for $10. I think we can use those to do a few drills.

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GTA I’m telling you :joy:

My grandson is sensitive to loud noises as well. This is one of the reasons I’m building him an electric kid kart, and then two more so they can race with friends.

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Can anyone recommend a set of pedal extensions? I had her sit in the kart (sans pillow) and she was still 3 inches from reaching the pedals even with them extended as far back as they can go.

Kids are driven to imitate. The best way to get your kids into any sport is to participate yourself…and have them watch. Trying to imitate dad (or mom) is strange and powerful drive.

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when I was little I was terrified of our gas lawnmower. many years of that loud thing may have helped…? The noises are certainly intimidating, when I first tried rental karting at 10 the noises made me more anxious than I should’ve been. I think exposure helps, as my dad was around loud cars his entire life and said that helped him when he was little.
The real test is a top fuel dragster race

Greg,
Maybe some sort of motorcycle helmet has a more workable comms system? Not a biker but they do seem to advertise communications in helmets.