11th March - CP Club Championship Round 2
Riley's first ever competitive race!!
Honda Cadets on the grid 23 including 8 novices
Finished 3rd novice
Overall 17th

a really nerve racking weekend for all! 3rd Novice, really pleased.

You can spend as much as you like, but we decided that for the first year at  least we would be on a fairly tight budget and buy second-hand equipment where possible.

Used equipment - see adverts in Karting magazines, through your local club, or on-line at UK Karting's Market Place. Purchase of 2nd hand equipment - between £1200 - £2,000. This cost would cover everything to get you started and on the track - that is: 

• 2nd hand Kart chassis and engine
• Boots, helmet (try to buy the best you can afford)
• Race suit, gloves etc.

It is possible to get a 2nd-hand kart and engine for £700-£800, but this would not be as competitive, except maybe for the Cadet classes.

Alternately you can hire a kart if you do not want to go to the expense of purchasing until you know if Karting is for you.

A rough guide is practice day would be in the region of £200 to £250 including Racewear, use of mechanic and expert advice. To hire a Kart for a race day - from approx £250 including Racewear, use of mechanic and advice on track lines etc.

To go club racing with your own equipment is a very economic form of motor sport. Apart from the equipment needed (listed below) there are entry fees of about £50, tyres will last several meetings, although at championship level most drivers will use a new set per meeting.

You need to buy fuel and racing 2-stroke oil for your kart, and have the engine rebuilt every so often. Other costs include the occasional new chain and spark plug, different sprockets for different tracks, cleaning fluids and chain lubrication spray and some basic tools including a tyre pressure gauge and pump. So what are you waiting for, come race with us!

Kart
trailer and tow bar
tools
spares
helmet
race suit
boots
gloves
wet racing suit cover
neck brace

Time in the kart is key. After getting to know the track you will be racing on, it is debatable whether practice should be time spent honing your lines at the same track or learning new skills at another track.

For us, we can only practice at Clay on Saturdays (during school term-time) when it is quite busy. It is also a 90 minute drive there and back. So, we have decided to practice at Thruxton which is open Saturday, Sundays and Bank Holidays and only 30 mins from home. Riley has more time in the kart this way and although a different track can practice overtaking and get confident with his kart.

Look at set-ups