Every man, woman, and child has dreamed of becoming a racecar driver. But, how do we get started? Well, the single place to get started is in karting - one of the best family sports you can get involved in!
In this video we join Blayze pro karting coach, Ryan Norberg to discuss how families can get started with racing go-karts.
Getting Started: Acknolowdging The Obivous
Usually as we discuss the topic the very first thing we hear, "have tons of money!" Unfortunately, this is an expensive sport, so we wanted to tackle that right up-front.
But, there are lots of different levels of commitment you can get involved in to try and match your budget. If you are getting in this sport of trying to compete in National Championships or World Championships you may expect to spend over $5,000 a weekend.
If you are on a tighter budget, there are plenty of ways to keep costs down and just go out there and have fun learning.
One important note to know for all aspiring professional racecar drivers (or parents of kids with those dreams)... pro teams DON'T care how well you did in karting. As someone that has been lucky enough to race professionally (This is Dion von Moltke co-founder of Blayze typing) not a single professional team has ever asked me about my results in karting. It is a place to learn, grow, and have fun!
Step 1: Find Your Local Track
This sounds so simple, but the most common thing blocking people from getting involved is not even knowing they may have a track in their backyard.
There are hundreds of karting tracks all around the U.S. and if you aren't in the U.S. there is a high likelihood there is a track nearby. Search google for "go-kart tracks near me" or "karting tracks near me".
Step 2: Rent A Kart
Before you start looking too seriously into buying a go-kart, give it a try first by renting one. We aren't talking about your local indoor karting place or the low horsepower ones with the bumpers all around them.
Call the track, ask if there are any teams there that rent karts. A great place to start is by renting a TAG (touch and go) Go-Kart, Rotax is a great example as a good thing to ask about.
Step 3: Time To Buy
So, you got to drive that go-kart and immediately fell involve... congrats, welcome to our addiction!
We have a recommended "goldilocks" zone when buying a go-kart. To get started don't buy a brand new kart, you aren't ready to really enjoy it yet. But, you don't want a super old kart either that is beat up and too old to actually race!
The ideal price range will be between $2,000 - $3,500 and maybe anywhere from 1 - 2 years old. A great question to ask when purchasing a kart is, "are there any local racing series where I can race the kart as is?" if there are, then ask about how many drivers usually compete in that class.
If there are less than 5 drivers, then maybe look elsewhere (obviously depending on where you live).
Step 4: Buying The RIGHT Engine
A big part of being able to race anywhere is buying the right engine. To get started we recommend buying one of the two most popular engines:
A big part of being able to race in the right class is choosing the right engine!
Step 5: Getting The Gear
So, what do we need to get started? We need the following:
1) Helmet
2) Racing Suit
3) Rib Protector (your ribs are absolutely going to hurt when you get started)
4) Gloves
5) Racing shoes
You want to ensure you get the right karting gear. Here is a great website to find all the gear you need.
We also have a list of 10 great track day essentials to bring for your first track day here!
Step 6: Practice
Most of us spend almost an entire year just going out and doing practice laps before starting our first wheel to wheel race.
Give yourself time to get comfortable with the speed and technique before racing.
