Want to Start Karting? Harry Thompson – MSA British Cadet Kart Champion Here’s How! Karting is an awesome yet affordable form of motorsport. Kids can Buy the Start Karting pack from the MSA or ARKS School. This costs £61 start at age 6 and there are classes to suit all ages and abilities. Kart and contains your novice driver licence application form and for under-18’s Racing is a family friendly sport, so don’t delay, join in the fun! the Parent/Guardian Entrant licence form. The price includes the cost of the Don’t rush out and buy the first kart you see! first licences. Study the regulations and the DVD. (If you are exempted from buying the pack, or a Bambino, download a licence form from the www. Do go to your local circuits and look at the classes that are racing. msauk.org website. Exemptions include having previously held a licence, Look to see which karts the local traders support. Take your age, size holding a foreign licence or a NATSKA licence. You may just need to take and experience into account, ask questions and find a buddy to help. the written part of the test.) Karters and club officials young and old are always happy to help out newcomers. Choose a well-supported class. After you have had enough practice, and have learnt the regulations, book Do take an introductory course at an ARKS School. (See back page). the ARKS novice driver test. Certain clubs can carry out the test, as well as This will offer you the chance to try a race kart without too much the ARKS Schools. If you are going to race in long circuit or cannot answer expenditure. The ARKS Schools offer professional tuition and many all the questions in the licence form you need to have a medical. This run their own race teams. usually costs about £100. If under 16 you can have a low cost taster session through the Take the ARKS test, this costs £98. It is in two parts, a driving test and a ‘Lets Go Karting’ scheme, visit www.gomotorsport.net multiple choice questionnaire covering the flag signals and regulations. If you fail either part, you can re-take it later for an additional fee. If you Bambino caters for children between age 6 and 8. need to hire a kart for the test, there will be an additional fee. Kart Clubman Tyro may suit you? It is a low powered class where an ARKS Test and medical are not required. Join a kart club, making sure it is a member of the ABkC. Send for your competition licence, (£36 but included in pack fee). Enter your first race. Unless you need a medical you can race immediately. 1 Kart Classes Explained Karting really does have classes for almost every age, size and ability from age 6 upwards, but sometimes the sheer number of options can be somewhat confusing. This pictorial display should help to explain. There are basically five different categories – Bambinos, Cadets, Juniors, Seniors and Gearbox for karts with gears. The non-gearbox ‘direct-drive’ karts only need to have a brake on the rear axle (although some top classes have a front brake too) whereas gearbox karts must have brakes operating on all four wheels. Most of the modern direct-drive karts have a centrifugal clutch so the engine can tick-over. Many are TAG – meaning they have an electric start button. Bambino Age 6-8 Cadet Age 8-13 Juniors Age 11-17 Boys and girls can start at the age of 6 in a Bambino karts. The only competition allowed There is no doubt that the 125cc water-cooled Rotax Max TAG categories have taken over is time trials, and only after an ARKS Instructor or Examiner has certified that the from Formula TKM as the most popular classes in the UK. Drivers can start racing in youngster is safe to take part. The only engine permitted is a Comer C50 and the only Rotax MiniMax or Junior TKM at age 11, then move into the more powerful Junior Max tyres are Le Cont MSA 04 all-weather. There is an MSA Championship. or X30 from age 13. All Rotax and X30 classes are TAG, whereas for TKM it is an option. Rotax are more expensive initially but the engine runs longer between rebuilds, so the Cadet Age 8-13 running costs can be less. The TKM’s are at the economy end for initial purchase with strict price controls. Top speeds in the junior classes vary from 55mph to 75mph. Boys and girls can start racing karts at the age of 8 in one of the Cadet classes. The best advice here, as in all classes, is to visit your local circuit to see what is popular They can continue until the end of the year of their 13th birthday, although they in your area. may be getting too heavy by then and so can move into certain Junior classes from the age of 11. The two Cadet classes are described below and are permitted to race MINI MAX 11-15 & JUNIOR MAX 13-17 together. All have a centrifugal clutch and a recoil starting cord. The special MiniMax is the lowest powered class of the Rotax family and uses a very restricted 125cc minikarts used are registered with prices controlled to an agreed maximum. 2-stroke TAG engine. All Rotax engines are sealed and have a log-book showing the Top speed is about 50mph. service history. By taking the restrictor out of a MiniMax it is converted to a Junior Max The Super One Series holds the MSA British Championship for IAME Cadet, and the which is one of the most powerful junior classes, with top speed about 70mph. ABkC National Championship for Honda Cadet. JUNIOR TKM 11-17 Is a popular traditional kart class using a BT-82 100cc engine to a strict non-tuning IAME 60cc 2-stroke Parilla Gazelle UK regime. The junior engines have a restrictor between the carburettor and the engine to This is the MSA Championship class, the engine is a bespoke kart racing engine limit the power with options for different driver weights. and is un-sealed. JUNIOR X30 13-17 & X30 Mini 12th year-17 HONDA CADET 160cc 4-stroke Relatively new TAG classes, may not be raced at all clubs. Uses a 4-stroke long life low cost GX160. This is the most popular class in the UK. CLUBMAN & LIBRE There are several 4-stroke classes for Junior and Seniors These are often used at the arrive and drive indoor circuits where people often get a first taste for driving karts. They only run at a few MSA clubs e.g.the Honda Junior/Senior or World Formula classes. Along with restricted TKM and certain other 2-strokes they may be eligible for the Clubman Tyro class in either Junior (10bhp limit) or Senior (15bhp limit). What’s Extra Transponders Crash Helmet Standards ABkC clubs will require the driver to have a transponder. These are either the Mylaps The ECE EN22 standard, as sold in motorcycle shops, is NOT acceptable for kart racing. or TAG-Heuer type. The use of transponders allows for computer timing and lap The helmet must also carry a blue MSA sticker (green for the K types, yellow scoring. Clubs may also be able to hire out transponders per event. The kart for CMR/CMS) which can be purchased from a scrutineer and cost £2.00 or so. regulations specify the fitting requirements. SA2005, SA2010, SAH2010, SA2015 Protective Clothing Snell K2005 K2010, K2015 (Kart racing only). To race a kart you must wear approved protective clothing, see MSA Yearbook for full lists. Gloves and Boots Snell-FIA CMS or CMR2007 for all under 15’s. Strong gloves are needed and boots that cover the ankles. Come and join us 2 The ABkC congratulates all our drivers who competed at our member clubs and championships and to those who were so successful in international competition. We congratulate Lewis Hamilton on his triple F1 World Championship. Like many of our professional drivers he raced at our clubs. But karting really is a sport in its own right, with success at all ages up to Superkarts racing in front of tens of thousands of spectators. We in the U.K. are the envy of the karting world, producing many professional drivers and engineers. Everyone can enjoy kart racing, from affordable local club racing to national championships and beyond. Seniors Gearbox Age 16 upwards Age 16 upwards The junior classes all have more powerful senior Gearbox karts offer the highest powers and speeds. equivalents. The most popular senior class in the They can have either 2 pedals brake and accelerator - country is Rotax Max, but there are other options worth like the direct drive classes, or 3 pedals, one of which is a exploring at your local circuit. The TKM Extreme class is foot clutch, like a car. Most 125’s use karts very similar to popular in certain areas, eg in the Midlands, and if you the direct drive karts except for the four wheel brakes. live in such an area it should be investigated. There are They have a hand clutch mounted next to the steering other TAG engines as well, including the new for 2014 wheel, which is only needed to move off from a standstill. At most circuits a standing IAME X30. Rotax, TKM and X30 are raced in the start is used, as opposed to the rolling formation start that direct drive karts have.