New to Karting: Choices to make?

[Brandon Dash]

So… I have rented and raced karts (usually the ones that go around 40MPH max) and have come to enjoy the sport and want to get more serious about it.  I wanted to get a kart of my own.  Is there a sticky or somewhere I can start?  I have looked for a while but cannot find one.  As for which kart to get.  Budget wise, I have none.  I really like shifter karts but know they are not the best for a first kart.  How is a rotax DD2 kart?  As for chassis, I was thinking something from CRG, TonyKart, or Intrepid but am open to options.

[David Cole]

Hi Brandon,

Welcome to the sport.

First off, what is your age? That has a lot to do with where and what you start with.

There is not much sprint karting that I know of in your area. Your best bet is either in North Carolina or New Jersey.

The Woodbridge Kart Club is in your area, and they do ‘Road Racing’ at larger facilities like Summit Point Raceway and Virginia International Raceway.

David Cole - EKN Managing Editor

[Brandon Dash]

Almost 17 years old now.

[David Cole]

My recommendation would be to start out in Briggs LO206.

You stated you had no budget, I am assuming, since you said the budget was ‘none’. Briggs LO206 is among the most affordable program in karting, and teaches you the basics to help you to progress to the faster, more technical categories.

GoPro Motorplex has a Briggs LO206 program at their track. Not sure if NJMP does.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

David Cole - EKN Managing Editor

[Brandon Dash]

Thank you.

[Brandon Dash]

I looked into it.  The only issue is it is a five hour drive.  With school and stuff,  it would be kinda hard to drive there.  Thanks for the insight though.  I will look into the closer programs available.

[Daniel Justice]

Hey Brandon,

I live in VA also, (Front Royal) your best option for local karting would be road racing with the Woodbridge Kart Club. I assume you’re Northern VA? As the GP Motorplex is also 5 hours from me too.

[Brandon Dash]

Yup, exactly.  I am from northern VA.

[Brandon Dash]

Just curious, is it really bad to start out in a shifter kart?  I understand the learning curve is higher but is it possible?

[Jim Derrig]

My Skip Barber instructor said the next step up from a shifter is an Indy Car.  So yes, starting in a shifter is a bad idea.  The only people I’ve seen do really well had substantial experience in some other form of racing, e.g., Moto-X or something similar.  The LO206 suggestion is great advice if you can race it in your area.

[TJ Koyen]

Figure out what the popular classes are before you start whittling down class options. Something slower will be better to start out in. Starting out with a high horsepower class will teach you a whole host of bad driving habits that you’ll never break. Learn how to maintain momentum and the intricacies of driving a kart on the limit before moving up.

Yamaha classes are a great place to start if they are supported in your area.

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[Daniel Justice]

I agree with Jim and TJ, you can watch just about any video of a shifter on a sprint track and see just how intense it is. With your only experience being rental karts, a 100cc will be plenty to get used to. Especially on a limited budget if that’s what you said.

Road racing can get you the speed thrill just like a shifter too. And in NoVA it’s local too. There’s a fairly strong KT100 crowd too, and with an enduro kart it’s a great way to get started.

[Jim Stine]

Brandon,

Get in contact with the Senior members at your local kart club, they will steer you in the right direction regarding the popular classes and what would suit your experience level best, as well as which chassis are fast, supported, and readily availalbe in your area.

http://www.woodbridgekartclub.com/index.php?option=com_contact&view=category&Itemid=3

[Dan Schlosser]

Hi Brandon,

Over the years we’ve probably brought 15-20 families in to Sprint karting from the indoor tracks around DC – primarily AllSports GP near Dulles. Pitt Race is the closest sprint track to your area (4 hours or so) and offers the most track time as well as storage options, instruction, a race series, etc. I could put you in touch with a number of families that we have worked with that’ll give you the high and low points to racing a program that requires a travel commitment.

For the life of me I can’t figure out why there isn’t a legitimate sprint track in your area – the demographics are fantastic and the weather mild enough to run 9 months plus.

I love the LO 206 program but at Pitt Race the Yamaha Senior Pipe for your age is a fast, fun, largely inexpensive class. It looks like we should see 15-20 kart fields in 2015.

Let me know if you have any questions or want to discuss some options and pricing.

Talk to you soon,

Dan

[David Cole]

Brandon, getting together with Dan is a great idea. He’s worked with a number of drivers over the last decade.

Yeah, why is there not a track in the DC area????

David Cole - EKN Managing Editor

[Daniel Justice]

Well, there is Sandy Hook Speedway and Nicholson nearby, not full blown sprint tracks but still. If someone approached me wanting to build a kart track in the D.C area, I’ll gladly throw some money at it. Make it happen someone!

[mike wu]

Unfortunately there is no track right in northern virginia, but I live there and race primarily at Sandy Hook Speedway which is 1.5-2 hours from nova depending on where you are.  The most popular adult (15+) classes are TAG, this past year between TAG and TAG legends (50+, wka masters weight) we’ve have around 8-16 entries each race, about evenly split between the two.  If you get a TAG and chassis with front brakes, you can easily race at Sandy Hook and Summit point with wkc, which several guys do.

I’ve also run at nicholson (1.5-2 hours away) and njmp (2.5-3 hours away).

If you have any questions let me know.

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