Racing Go Karts

Racing go karts have evolved over the past 50 years to become one of the most competitive forms of motor racing in the United States. Kart racing has been a "stepping stone" for many drivers working their way up the professional ladder in NASCAR, Formula 1 and the Indy Racing League. Drivers like Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Michael Schumacher and Sarah Fisher each got his or her start in this less expensive but adrenaline pumping form of motorsports racing. As a recreational activity, karting can appeal to just about anyone. From age 5 to 75, racing go karts have become popular all over the world with people looking for an exciting way of having fun. In fact, many amusement parks have added rental racing go karts (called concession karts) that use detuned 4-stroke go-cart engines for a milder experience.

History of the Go Carts

Most karting historians give credit to Californian Art Ingels as the first person to build a racing go kart, originally called a go-cart. It did not take long for this fad to catch on and go-cart tracks started to pop up all across America. By the late 1950s, an American company modified a 2-stroke chainsaw motor and the McCulloch MC-10 became the first motor manufactured specifically for go-cart racing. Today, engines used in kart racing are generally split into two classifications: 2-stroke or 4-stroke motors. The majority of 2-stroke kart racing engines is now manufactured in Italy, the European home to large karting companies like IAME, Birel, Tony Kart & CRG. Racing engines have become very sophisticated with some capable of 20,000 rpm. On the other hand, the 4-stroke motors used in kart racing and recreational karting have mostly been adapted from the standard lawnmower engine. The 4-stroke kart racing engine provides an affordable alternative to the more powerful 2-stroke motor.

IKF & WKA Karting Regulations

As an International motorsport, kart racing is regulated by the FIA/CIK. Many European and Asian countries have National race teams competing in designated classes for an overall World Championship of Karting. In the United States, the World Karting Association (WKA founded in 1971) and the International Karting Federation (IKF founded in 1957) are top American sanctioning bodies and both conduct events for sprint kart racing, road racing, dirt track racing and speedway kart racing (on pavement or dirt tracks). The United States also has national racing go kart drivers who earn their way to the Rotax Max World Finals. Egypt will host this year's World Kart Racing final for the Rotax Max Challenge. Racing classes in the United States start as young as age five for the Kid Karts class. By age 16, you have reached senior status. Karters in Europe must wait until they are 13 years old before competing in National kart racing events.

Racing Go Karts Chassis

The actual design of a kart chassis depends upon the type of recreational karting or kart racing event. Racing Go Kart chassis for sprint tracks (a scaled-down road course with left and right corners) are built square like the Road Rat Racer from GatorMoto. On the other hand, drivers that prefer oval-track kart racing have the option of running an offset racing go kart chassis like the 200cc Road Rat Racer LTO for an on-track performance advantage when you only have to turn left. Karters who participate in "Enduro" racing in the United States can opt for sprint-kart chassis or the more popular class of laydown kart chassis with an overall height that is much lower to the ground. Some speedway kart racing and oval track events offer classes for a caged racing go kart with a full rollover bar providing the racing go kart driver with additional protection, seat belts and fire extinguisher. Concession karts and bumper karts, like the Road Rat Racer XB, have a protective bumper surrounding the entire racing go kart.

Indoor Kart Racing

In many cities across the United States, a want-to-be racing driver can rent a go kart for a 10 to 20-minute sessions on an indoor racing go karts track. Indoor karting facilities have introduced kart racing to the mainstream of America by catering to everything from corporate outings to kids' birthday parties. Usually built in a converted warehouse or factory building, indoor tracks feature shorter straight-aways and tighter corners with electronic scoreboards posting everyone's lap time. Indoor karting tracks can be a lot of fun for friends and family. Most indoor kart tracks use a concession kart chassis like GatorMoto's Kid Road Rat Racer XK and Adult Road Rat Racer XB. Electric kart racing motors are also very popular with indoor karters. For more serious minded kart racers, the Indoor Karting World Championship conducts sanctioned events at indoor racing go kart tracks like Pole Position Raceway and F1 Race Factory.

New Multi-Class Racing Go Kart Engine the "Clone"

The most recent addition to kart racing in the United States is affectionately called the "Clone" class. Clone refers to any replica 6.5 h.p. Honda 4-stroke kart-racing engine (manufactured in China) that can be adapted to a sprint kart chassis, oval track racing go kart chassis, road racing go kart chassis or a speedway kart chassis. This low-horsepower karting class provides an under $1500 option to the more expensive $3000 to $9000 racing go karts. One of the latest Clone additions to kart racing is GatorMoto's Road Rat Racer TAG go kart. TAG is an acronym for "Touch and Go". GatorMoto has made recreational karting and kart racing simpler by adding an electric start so the driver never has to leave the seat to start the motor. These are race ready karts and all the driver needs to do is add gas and oil.

Looking for kart tracks in your hometown? So are we.

Racing go kart tracks are located near most major cities across the United States. Some kart racing circuits were built decades ago and have not been used for years. If you and your fellow karters would like to have a karting circuit in your hometown, contact GatorMoto at our corporate headquarters in Gainesville, Florida. We are currently setting up kart racing tracks in all fifty states and would like to hear from you. If you are unfamiliar with your local karting scene, then give us a call or drop us an email. Our staff will gladly assist you in finding the closest racing go kart track to where you live. Whether you are interested in dirt or pavement, GatorMoto has an affordable alternative to recreational karting and kart racing.