Evo8

iTrader: (24)

I'm looking to get involved with enduro karting. I checked out WKA and so on, but couldn't really find any big organizations to run with (like NASA or SCCA with cars). Maybe someone can share some light and point me into the right direction.
The whole karting world is new to me. I don't even know what kart to buy

lexat20

iTrader: (24)

I am just getting started with all of my research too. From what I have read and seen at my local track here are a few things to start with, someone correct me if I am wrong. Dont be afraid to buy a used cart to start. Preferably purchased from a shop or local track. I was told to look at the bottom of the kart for major dings from bottoming out. A TAG is the way to go, leopard makes a great motor or a Rotax makes a great motor too but requires a little more maintenance. If you aren't wanting to jump into a 125 right away, they are serious power, check out a 100cc kart.

apex electric

I see your from Ohio. The Beaverun race facility in western Pennsylvania (border with Ohio) has one of the country's best kart tracks. Shifter karts are about the meanest machine you can drive! also, check out grasspass.org for the growing back yard dirt kart series. Available at anyones backyard! I can highly recommend dirt karting which any bunch of drivers can create at a friends house...

UT_Evo

iTrader: (5)

Rotax looks to be the series to get into from what research I've done. 125 shifters aren't too much faster (from what I've been told) and don't have quite the level of competition as Rotax (fewer participants), plus the Rotax karts are a lot cheaper and still crazy fast. ~90 mph on the front straight at the main kart track here (part of Miller Motorsports Park). That's ~30 mph faster than the rentals can get.

The thing you want to do is to get into a series that looks like what you want to do (level of competition, type of karts, etc etc). Even the slower (lower hp) karts are fun to drive as long as you can't go full throttle through every corner... Then they become miniature miatas (momentum mobiles), which is a whole new experience if you're used to things like the Evo... with power.

SWOLN

iTrader: (6)

Go with the Rotax, the cost ratio is better because build dollars are comparitive low compared to the 125 Shifters. Karting will make driving your Evo a blast BTW. Yes, momentem UT Evo !

JEZZ I just read your post and it says the same info I was, hmmmm.

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

I have a Rotax DD2 kart. In Denver, there are only a few guys who race them, so the shifter 125 classes have larger fields. I haven't raced my kart, I just use it for getting in some practice.

The TAG or DD2 style karts reward smoothness, and really let you know when you've goofed up a corner. I drove a shifter for the first time last weekend, and I can say its a whole different experience. Kind of like a stock evo vs. a 35r evo.

Dave

Cory M

check out ekartingnews.com forum

I've got a stock honda shifter, very popular class in my region but not necessarily in yours. Unless you have past racing or karting experience you are better off starting in a non-shifter.

Evo8

iTrader: (24)

cool, I will look into those organizations. As for racing experience, I can say I have quite some. For some reason people told me not to start with shifter karts, instead I was told to start with popular Yamaha 100cc. Now with all the questions I have asked it leads me to believe that I have made an impression like it's my first time being at the track. I do have a good track experience and definately know how the car works.
So should I still aim for 100cc Yamaha or go with something else.
From what I understand I would rather like to run enduro karting (at the real life tracks) rather than sprint. Should I just get into enduro, or still start with sprint?

Thanks for all the input guys, I really don't know who to ask about that stuff.
I'm supposed to go to a dinner with the vice president of local sprint karting club this weekend, I'm looking to get more insight from him, but need your suggestions too

spdracerut

iTrader: (2)

I would say that car track driving is quite different than a kart.

Also, I would start off with a few sprint races before considering an enduro. Karts will beat your body up! You need a bit of a acclimation period to get use to it.

Cory M

In my area the TAG racing classes are more popular than the 100cc. The 100cc Yamaha's and HPV's are a cheaper buy-in though. Unless you have a very popular Rotax class in your area you may consider other TAG options like Parilla too. I have heard that the Rotax isn't competitive in open TAG classes, but I don't run one myself or know much about them. Like most forms of racing the driver is the biggest variable. Find out what is popular in your area, it's no fun to race against yourself..

You see alot of lightly used shifters for sale because people buy them since they are the fastest class, then they realize they are hard to drive and beat you up and sell them. Some people start in a shifter and do fine, others don't. Good idea to try some laps in one before dropping the cash on your own, wear rib pads...

UT_Evo

iTrader: (5)

This is very true, and (at least in my area) there are lots of people willing to let you try out their karts (if you seem like you'd be a decent driver) especially if they are selling them. Most people seem like they just want more and more competition, so the more people they let drive it and get hooked, the better.

Also, as you can tell, it sounds like the classes that are competitive vary greatly by area, so if competition is what you want (which is the whole point, IMO, otherwise just drive your street car on the track in HPDEs) I'd look into what is big in your area. Like I said, Rotax is huge here.

Combining those two points, I got to take a few laps in a Rotax one day after chatting to someone about the series. I ended up backing out of buying a kart because I went back to school, and right now 3-5k can be spent better elsewhere... But Rotax was what I was going to get in to. The support here is huge, there's even a local shop that's really reputable for parts and service etc. Not trying to push advertisment here for them (especially since I've only been in the shop once, and talked to a few of the employees a few times) but their website has a lot of great info: http://www.msquaredkarting.com/

lexat20

iTrader: (24)

I was not impressed with the Rotax that I drove. The track I was on was technical and the power band would hit at the worst time. I was faster on a leopard motor, much easier to control. Not to mention the rebuild comes up quicker on the Rotax compared to the Leopard.

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

Another great reason to get into karting is just how cheap the seat time is.

Evo
tires $800+/set
track fee $100+/day
+ time & effort to swap out to race pads
fuel - 3mpg while on track

Kart
tires $150/set
track fee $30/day
fuel - $10-12/day

That's why I got into karting...well, that and they closed a bunch of road race tracks in the area. If nothing else, its great practice, but I do have to agree with this poster that you'll want to find what's popular in your area if you're getting into it for the wheel to wheel aspect of racing. If you're doing it for fun or driver training, just find a kart in good condition.

Dave

talentsearch301

iTrader: (79)

Here's my sons CRG Kart being rebuilt for next year...didnt go with the Rotax package...too expensive when have have kid that love racing Karts one season then wants to do something else the next year!

UT_Evo

iTrader: (5)

Yep, but you're missing one GIANT problem, which I edited in in bold. If you already have an Evo, it's going to be cheaper for a pretty decent amount of time to HPDE it, then it is to buy a kart and race it. Plus you're leaving out all the other equipment you probably don't already have that is required for kart racing and not for HPDE. (suit, neck guard, gloves, shoes, for the most part...). The other problem is getting your kart to the tracks, and that's really the main one that held me back from the begining. (Plus 3 mpg and 800 for a set of tires, and making a deal about changing pads are all kind of outrageous points.)

But I still agree, for seat time, karting can't be beat.

In the end, even with the cost being higher, if I'm only doing it to learn how to drive (and not for competition, as I said earlier) I'd much rather pay extra and learn how to drive my car.