Hey guys new to the fourm and new to karting just trying to figure out how to get started do y’all have any tips? Are there any arrive and drive race teams ? I am 27 years old does that matter on what group I can run in, if so what group do I need to run in?
And I live in Alabama so is there any tracks around Alabama that y’all usually race at?
Most of us that are 15 or older are grouped into “senior” classes. Then somewhere around 30+ there are so called “Masters” classes.
Since you’re in AL, are you thinking of dirt karting or paved sprint?
Paved road course like barbers
Welcome @Anthony_rauccio ! Glad to have you here.
Whereabouts in Alabama? That’ll help narrow-down any track/club recommendations.
Once you find a good track/club, the best advice is to contact the club and figure out how to get out there for a practice or race day. If they have a website, emailing works well, or even a Facebook message for clubs that are active on there.
Getting out to the track and meeting members of the club will give you insight into the different types of classes they run, so you know what type of kart and engine package to start looking for. You’ll probably even get a beat on some used karts. Your best bet is to find a brand of kart that a lot of folks in your area run, so you have help with getting parts, and with setup and tuning.
Engine-wise, many newbies start with the LO206 engine package by Briggs & Stratton. It’s a 4-stroke, so it has lower maintenance and a gradual learning curve compared to the more powerful 2-strokes. The Iame KA100 engine is considerably faster, with considerably more cost and maintenance, but some folks have started there and have really taken to it. The learning curve is much more steep. Again, get to know members of your club and ask what they recommend. Also, if you plan to race, bear in mind how many people race in each class - going with the more popular class usually lends itself to more competitive racing and more people to learn from.
1 Like
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s much if anything in AL right now. The kart tracks to you are GKSA\Lamar and AMP, both about 170miles away in GA.
The good news is that they are both pretty awesome
Thank you shadi means a lot. I am from alabaster Alabama which is like 15 miles south of Birmingham alabama. Anyone else from around here in this forum
1 Like
Well that’s perfect not very far and they have a championship race coming up Oct 28 Imma try to go to
2 Likes
Hey consider oval stuff if it’s around there, which it might. I personally haven’t had the opportunity but it’s a way bigger scene than “sprint” karting.
It’s also more wallet friendly (unless you are doing money races).
Oval is a blast and it’s own thing. There’s a reason it’s hugely popular, sim and real life. Most people think “well they are just turning left…” but it’s actually really subtle, interesting driving. It also makes for amazing racing.
Just my 2c. I’d hate to see someone not get in a kart because there’s no sprint racing near them.
Since you are interested in amp… Nov 3rd and 4th is the 6hrs of Atlanta. Friday has practice times. Saturday is race. You could still sign up if you can find 3 friends. However, it might also be a cool trip to go do practice sessions on Friday. You could reach out to Chris and see if you could sign up for Friday practice. He might also have some sort of karting intro lesson thing.
I’ll definitely look more into it too I think it’s bigger down here too
1 Like
Edited post above to include amp info
Not a whole lot in Alabama unfortunately. But your not too far away from Nola and several tracks in north Florida and AMP in the ATL. Not super close, but if your only traveling once a month for a club race, its not terrible.
Can’t do these days cause I’m headed to road atl for the scca race with my dad unfortunately but I will make an appearance to these track
1 Like
Yeah there some around me just alittle drive but not bad
Glad to have you! I was in the same boat as you back in March/April. I ended up buying a kart and dove right in the deep end, racing with a club in Ohio; the OVKA. Like the others have already said, go to a track and check things out.
Also, you should take a few minutes and read through this:
They do a good job of summarizing all the different classes, kart brands, rough estimates on how much everything costs, etc.
1 Like
With you about 3 hrs away you can definitely try to come up and Race at TKA (Tennessee Karting Association) it’s a smaller club but everyone is great and if you get in contact with Jamie or Jody and they might have a kart. This season ended about two weeks ago, but we’ll start back up next March. Other than that as others have said AMP is also very nice and they have the rentals so could be a weekend trip.
Most definitely will read this
If you could get me in touch with one of them even if I don’t race up there I’m in search of a kart too
Jamie runs everything and Jody is tech but both are close with a ton of connections.
1 Like
Welcome to the forum!
Are you guys running the SRRC? I just got back from the RunOffs at VIR crewing for my dad. It was an okay week. Broke some stuff, fixed some stuff, but managed to bring it home in one piece with a decent showing for the 77 yo guy. I try to support him when I can at those bigger events. What class and car are you guys running?
Although I have never been, AMP looks amazing and has a ton of support based at the track. For Sprint racing, they will likely be your best option. Cost can always be a factor, but money can buy a lot when it comes to exposure and experience. You gain a lot from someone with more experience than you. I sort of floundered my first couple of years going it alone. I was good with the mechanics of it, but lacked the knowledge of how to drive a kart versus a car and how to tune a kart versus a car. In some ways its less expensive to hire help.
1 Like