Hey guys, I am trying to get started in karting. I have zero racing experience and I am gathering as much information as I can about the sport to decide how to start. I am not very familiar with the classes and how to go about selecting a class. I am 29 yrs old live in Sanford, NC. I am mechanically inclined and have experience with cars and motorcycles however karting fits my budget a little better than auto cross/ track days at the moment. I have read a few other online blogs and have found a few indoor tracks that I plan to visit, but I have not been able to find a local karting club in my area. I am looking to start off in a basic kart. I’d prefer something turn key that I can take to the track and just have fun with. I am also trying to find Kart shops in my area to shop/ talk with other kart enthusiasts to gain knowledge on the sport. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!
You’re about 2 hours away from one of the nicest facilities in the country at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville. They have one of the best tracks and the kart shop and guys there are top-notch. The club seems good there as well. Worth checking out. I’m sure there are plenty of used packages around.
The KA100 engine package which is growing in popularity is a super simple package and GoPro has a decent grid there for their club racing as far as I know.
Paging @Honeybagel …
Like TJ said… Gopro in Mooresville is an awesome place to start. I’d recommend doing an arrive and drive on a weekday when the track isn’t busy. Try the LO206 and KA100 before buying. message me if you need info on arrive and drive…
Also consider going to gopro on the 25th or 26th since there’s a local race both days. Watching the different classes race and talking to people will give you a good idea of what’s involved.
GoPro is your only option there in that area. And it is a great place to race. Your choices are LO206, KA100, or X30. They get more expensive in that order too.
Hey guys names James Huffman I’m from the north east where I grew up on small clay oval tracks where racing was sliding through the turns while you was passing at the same time. Now I live in Vanceboro, NC where there is a few clay tracks but the tracks are so big your just driving around them. Which is no fun to me. So I went to the GoPro Motorsports park and had a chance to try lo206. But the problem is the ride it’s 3hrs away from where I live here at now. That’s the only problem I got but it’s not a big problem because I also travel racing Pro-Mods in dragracing. So money is not a problem. My girl friends son wanted to get into it. I told him of his daddy gets him one I’ll get one and we can do it together. I said this because I did not think his dad would get him one and I would not have to buy one. But that bit me in the but lol.
My question is
- The best kart for the LO206 for the money.
- What kind of engine program does Briggs and Stratton have. The reason I ask this is in my Pro-Mod I have an engine program. I don’t see nothing on the BS web page about a program if I’m buy a engine and I can’t fix it if something does go wrong. That means I got to buy a new one each time.
- Also what’s the fees of GoPro.
- Can you just join and go racing or do you got a license you go to buy and train for. Every time I have tried calling them it must not be a good time. I never get an answer.
Welcome James.
- The best kart is the one you can get parts and setup help for, so looking at what your local shops and tracks support is the best place to start. Most karts are really similar in design and construction, so there aren’t really huge performance differences between them, especially in an entry-level class like 206.
- Definitely no need to buy a new engine if something goes wrong. Most karting engines are maintained by independent engine builders around the country who rebuild and maintain karting engines. Again, checking what’s available locally is a good place to start, though shipping engines to builders not local isn’t a big deal either.
- Not sure specifically, I’m sure someone who races at GoPro can chime in.
- Most clubs just require a paid membership to race, though practice days are usually open for anyone as long as you meet the necessary safety equipment regulations and pay for a pit pass.
I can imagine lots of places aren’t answering phones or have amended hours due to the virus. Also, many big teams/staff are still coming home from the SKUSA race in NOLA this past weekend.
GoPro is real easy. No license or membership required. I tune out most kart spending to maintain sanity, but I think it is something like $60 per day for practice, and maybe $70 for a race day. They have a great store there too to get last minute things. And have some of the best 206 racing around for their club races.
Is there even a good kart shop in eastern NC so I don’t have to drive 2hrs away to go shopping for what I’m looking for.