Looking for Rental Best Practices

Getting Started in Karting
1

Where are you located?

greater DC area

What age bracket are you in?

Masters (30+)

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your mechanical ability, or willingness to wrench on things?

10

Talk a little about your racing experience so far:

W2W sportbikes, autocross, rental go kart leagues and enduros

What’s the main thing you need help with to get you started?

I’m looking for advice on renting an arrive 'n drive kart for an Owner’s series. What questions should I ask? What’s important for A&D racing?

My life is too busy to buy a kart and develop the associated racing program. There’s already 5 vehicles in my household that get playtime on a regular basis. Weekends are also limited with other motorsport and life events.

However, I’ve been having an absolute blast at rental leagues and endurance races lately, so naturally I’d like to experience a “real” kart race. I’m 100% happy to rent a kart fielded by a team/shop that can maximize my on-track time. Closest track is United Karting in MD. I’m racing a league there this weekend. Having just moved into the area, it’ll be my first time visiting this particular facility, and will be asking around their paddock during practice.

Thanks for any input and experience y’all can share, it’ll be much appreciated!

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By arrive and drive I can see two avenues: a spec series of sorts at a club or availing yourself of a tent program. I don’t know of many arrive and drive rental series that qualify for what you are looking for. Maybe something like OKC and their speedy kart series, should you be so fortunate to have such a thing near you.

The easiest way to go racing would be the team option. Most expensive too. But, everything you need and all the help you need will be there.

If you are ok spending 500-750 a day, team makes sense. You’ll buy what they recommend. If it’s two stroke figure 5-6k for kart, used. Also, figure another 2 grand on rebuild costs.

I had my kart stored and transported and prepped by the tent program I was in. I would just show up to race.

Also, team can be fun since you are part of a gang of sorts. Got people to chat with and compare notes and stuff. Coaching, etc.

If you don’t want to buy you can rent but this will rapidly get pricey. But if only a couple times a year, that is an option though I’d imagine they would need 800-1000 for the day in 2-stroke.

Rental arrive and drive affordable programs like OKC are very rare. The margay ignites can be rented for 500 a day at ovrp I think and I don’t think that includes the race cost (another 125). A spec series could be rental arrive and drive in some cases.

All of this is of course dependent on what’s available in your neck of the woods.

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United is organizing a series that sounds similar, which can be found here. Does this look like OKC’s Speedy Kart series?

I can appreciate the simplicity and cost of this arrangement. Higher performance than regular, daily public karts, but not high-end equipment with the associated costs.

If I were to go the “tent” route, what kind of questions should I be asking that team, shop or facility to get the best experience for myself?

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Maybe like so?

Hello mr team manager, here’s what I am looking for: “describes wants/needs”… can you deliver something like this, do you have any insights as to what I am not taking into consideration?

Basically ask the GM to put together a program for you. If he/she is good, they should be able to suggest the package/program that they think would suit your needs.

Tenting is basically about having a deep bench on your side. The resources are mechanical as well as tactical/driving, ideally.

If you are trying to “git gud” I’d probably want to ask them if they are capable and willing to help develop you as a driver, even though you ain’t a kid with talent and a future. Money is money, though. If I’m gonna pay to tent, I’m gonna want to tent with someone that is committed to me as a driver and wants me to win. I am not tenting currently and miss it. I miss the dedication of Jerry and the fact that I was his fastest (and only) master driver (so my results sort of mattered to his brand).

Things are different in NJ than in FL than in CA. A team makes the rounds of certain series, generally. Given budget and local action, the answer might be ka100, might be LO, might be 125tag.

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This seems ideal. 125tag rentals. Undoubtedly they are restricting rpm for engine lomgetivity (I’d assume) but will be plenty quick.
I’d say try it. See how the race series is run. If it’s fun, do it and don’t look back. Eventually buy a kart if it’s what you really like.

Finally, given your substantial racing background, I suspect you would enjoy 2-stroke. Lo is great for newbies and very advanced drivers. It’s a beautiful form of racing when you see the best guys working together in a line, being ultra-efficient. But, it’s kind of a snooze-fest speed wise, if power is something you crave. But, I’m telling you to add another very expensive toy to your already considerable aresenal of vehicles you are dumping $ into. Lo is the best for budget, of the owner karts, and the least fiddly engine-wise, by a long shot.

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Greatly appreciate the insight, thanks Dom! FWIW, I grew up in NJ, first outdoor karting was at NJMP when they first opened up years ago.

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You are very welcome! Awesome. A fabulous track. I believe they still have exactly the same kart and tires you rented running today, most likely. :grimacing:
I will continue bad mouthing their rentals until they update the fleet to 1999 standards. Fun rental races though, if you don’t mind bits falling off mid race and the occasional total brake failure. I don’t get it. Their concession kart business seems to make money hand over fist, despite minimal effort attracting racers.

A different arrive and drive form of competition is Sodi World Series if you have a good sodi track near you. Worth looking into, if so. It’s a rental kart thing, though.

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ask what class gets the largest numbers, if they travel to all of the races of the series you are looking at, and what their tent options are. basically 3 levels of tent programs, 1, you own your kart, transport it to the track, and they just work on it, 2 you own your kart, they keep it and transport it, 3 you rent a kart for the year and literally arrive and drive.

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Also they do this by the weekend. Not all but some. For example, 47, the LMP team that bought Bonanno’s outfit runs day rate performance rentals.

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This is the scenario I had in mind. Thank you both for helping me articulate this.

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Welcome. It’s not that easy to find, I think. Logically, you can’t toss a newb into TAG, not if you dont want them to kill themselves or others in learning process.

It may be that a team could be convinced via discussion that you are a risk worth taking for the day.

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I’ll add experience to the list of things to ask about.

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UPDATE: Poked around United Karting (DC/BWI) but there don’t seem to be any large teams offering arrive & drive programs there. The owner/operator wasn’t familiar with any, and I asked around the pits on a couple owner’s race days without any luck.

I’ve seen good turnouts at Summit Point, GoPro and NJMP, but don’t live close enough to poke around so easily. Could anyone who frequents those facilities comment on arrive & drive programs there?

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NJMP is just a track. It doesn’t really have a shop or anything. They do rental races there but ive already described the state of the karts.

I went to United Karting recently for a race and boy, that place rocks! There’s basically no straight. If you want to experience neck pain, learn how to 2-stroke there. It’s one big long turn!

You could talk to Jerry White if Kartworkz (former team) if you want to try to arrange something. I like Jerry a lot and he’s honest! He could maybe look into doing some sort of test day for you and maybe you work out a program that works for you, owner kart wise.

There’s other teams too. I am pretty sure that United Karting hosts non-rental racing and has a shop of some sort (bought some minus 273 gloves there).

I’d be surprised if there were no teams servicing United Karting and area. Here’s from their site:

At Phoenix Racing, we’re a group of racers with a passion for motorsports and the drive to grow karting in our community. We offer the COMPKART brand of competition karts. With a progressive and strong approach, COMPKART has taken the world with numerous victories and it is recognized as the fastest growing chassis line in the world. COMPKART stands for Performance, Quality, and Reliability.

Our shop is located at the United Karting - BWI track, offering kart rentals and sales, service, and the opportunity to join the Phoenix Racing Team. We offer the Honda GX35cc & GX50cc, Comer, B&S LO206, IAME Mirco Swift 60cc & KA100, and the ROTAX engine platforms on our COMPKART chassis. As a ROTAX service center, we’re able to attend to your service needs. Come out and see us, we’re happy to help.

Maybe talk to Phoenix Racing?

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Thanks @Bimodal_Rocket , reaching out to Jerry!

Yeah, I was surprised to not hear of a tent program available from the teams frequenting United. Considering the last few years, perhaps it’s just a temporary sign of the times.