I’m an overweight 65 year old beginner with a new to me 2019 LO206 CompKart. I have raced one season of asphault oval karts where I always end up in last place. I would like to find a karting school to get me started and on the right path. Any suggestions on where to look?
There aren’t a whole ton of “schools” out there but there are lots of good online resources.
My YouTube has some beginner info videos: https://youtube.com/c/KorsasportKartingDevelopment
I think United Karting near Baltimore offers some sort of driver training program.
Yousef, is the track associated with a shop? Maybe he can ask there about coaching/classes. I got the impression that there was some sort of team/shop.
Yes, good idea. I’m not sure what the difference is between all these organizations, but they are affiliated with the track in some way: Competition Karting information – United Karting
I’ve not done any training or anything but everyone at the track is great.
1 Like
Thank you! 20 chars and emoji 
Short flight to Orlando but if you want a good school, try Italo at Urace. I have worked with him and he is top-notch. Here are the details on Urace’s driving school. Disclaimer- I helped build this website so I am kinda of biased.
There is also Alan Rudolph’s school in Houston which is very good and I believe there is a school at OVRP in Cuddebackville NY
Mid Atlantic? You need a sailing school 
3 Likes
Thanks everyone. I will check into these schools.
Dean,
When I first started out I wasn’t able to find any “schools” near me. Since I was doing this as an activity with my son we made a thing out of it and travelled to go to karting school ((Jim Hall in Oxnard, sadly now closed).
So, we started with their two day intro and then next time went for 3 days coaching and then another 4 day trip the next year.
It worked for us as a way to get staryed and then I eventually started to understand what the options in my neck of the woods were.
Anyways, the point is that there are programs around the country that you could look at or kinda go off menu and arrange something with a team/coach/school.
I scheduled 4 days at Urace in Orlando. Thanks everyone.
1 Like
That should be amazingly fun. I’ve heard good things about Urace.
Hey Dean, i’m considering a school as well…56 YO spend most of my time on motorcycles, several disiplines. Just curious how the school went and also how much practice you are able to do.
Just got home. 12 hour drive from Orlando.
I enjoyed myself. It was my first time driving a sprint style kart. I have one season of asphault oval experience where I have always come out last in every race.
It was more of a coaching session than a school. I am Italo’s first 4-stroke student and first adult beginner. He showed me a picture of Emerson Fittipaldi and Emerson’s son after the son’s first karting win. Italo was his coach.
4 exhausting days. 2 days of track time, a day of rest and then 2 more days. The day of rest was needed. I slept about 18 hours that day. I got between 3 and 5 sessions per day. They were of varying length dependent on weather and how much I could tolerate physically. The last day I had 1 hour of track time. Nice new kart and engine. I went from flailing around the track to feeling the flow of a series of corners. Tentative to holding WOT through some sections. Italo ran the kart around in 0:57 I managed a best lap of 1:02.04 in the last session. I weigh about 80 lbs more than him. After each session we reviewed the video and data then made a plan for the next session. The sessions were shared with other karts so sometimes I was the only one on track, other times there were a few karts out there with me. Everyone was very respectful, I saw no banzi moves. Just like a practice should be.
I now know how a well set up kart should feel and how to better analyze my driving. The cost was worth it to me though I will have to wait a bit before I do another session.
5 Likes
When I was with Italo at Orlando, Antonio Pizzonia, ex-F1 driver, stopped by with his data for Italo to review with him. Rubens Barrichello also gave a quick hello as he walked past.
I was waiting for Pele to come by to knock around a soccer ball.
3 Likes
That sounds amazing and a bit (a lot) tiring! It seems you went big and really pushed yourself. It sounds like you managed to not injure yourself, though, which is awesome. Breaking yourself and rebuilding seems to be how the start usually goes. Kart fitness soon follows.
No injuries to me. A bit sore in the rib area and neck. I burnt up a clutch and put a couple of holes in my nice new driving suite by bumping the exhaust pipe. I purchased a new HJC, FIM certified helmet but didn’t spring for the carbon fiber version. More fitness would certainly make me faster.
1 Like
Just keep at it and the fitness comes. It’s surprisingly aerobic stuff.
Was panting like an old cow
Soon you’ll be a young Bull. Not kidding. I went from 225 down to 165 thanks to karting.
I have knees again. I can run, dance, jump again (sort of). This too shall happen to you, most likely. I just am in way better shape as a karter than before.
I’m going to suggest that you be very conscious of hydration. It’s very easy to lose all your salts/electrolytes karting. Make sure to hydrate a lot using hydration supplements. Water alone is not enough. This is the other thing that’s common.
1 Like