★ = INDICATES CLARIFICATIONS OR A NEW RULE 2018 RULES & TECHNICAL GUIDE . CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION TO KART. 1 6 ROAD RACING ......................................19 2 SPIRIT AND INTENT ...................................1 7 TECHNICAL SECTION INTRODUCTION ....................26 3 RULES AND REGULATIONS ..............................3 8 2-CYCLE TECHNICAL GUIDE ............................ 27 4 SPRINT RACING ..................................... 9 9 4-CYCLE TECHNICAL GUIDE ............................39 5 SPEEDWAY RACING ..................................15 10 TOUCH AND GO (TAG) TECHNICAL GUIDE ..................45 . 1 INTRODUCTION TO KART sport into a means of making a living and/or in some cases, becoming KART was formed as a governing body to promote the sport of go a professional, it does not alter the fact that karting is not a profes- kart racing. The following rules and regulations are for the purpose sional sport. It is an amateur sport for the enjoyment of participant of providing an environment of fair competition among the various and non-participants. classes; to provide stability and consistency to the rules; and to try We must not let a micrometer have the final decision in each and and reduce the hazards associated with motorsports racing. every case. All members, drivers, pit crew, and members in general are required We as competitors must make every effort to see that the parts we use to be fully versed with these rules and regulations. and the way we use them is in accordance with the rule book. By becoming a member of KART you are agreeing to abide by KART’s Race officials and tech inspectors must use the rule book to enforce fair rules and regulations. and equal competition. When it is apparent that a competitor is trying to abuse the rules for an unfair advantage, he/she should be thrown out. It is the responsibility of every driver, owner, or crew member to pre- But when a part is questionable, it should be looked at through the eyes pare and operate their racing kart in a safe manner. of fairness, and spirit and intent should rule. I know this is a tremendous It is the responsibility of the track owner or operator to provide a track burden on race officials and tech inspectors, but I also know that the as safe as reasonably possible for the competition events to be run. best of them govern themselves with fairness in mind. ROAD RACING KART I am going to give you some examples: A racing kart that is driven in a lay-down (on your back) or semi-lay- EXAMPLE # 1: You have a wrist pin that shows no sign of being altered down position. Generally raced on tracks of 1 to 4 miles in length. or modified in any way. When measuring it, it is found that all mea- SPRINT RACING KART surements are fine with one exception. One end of the inside hole is A racing kart that is driven in a sit-up position. Generally raced on irreg- one or two thousands too large for approximately 1/8 inch of depth. ular tracks with both left and right turns and lengths of 1/4 to 1 mile. You look at the area and can find no evidence that this part was tam- SPEEDWAY RACING KART pered with. Tough call? I don’t think so; it would seem obvious to me A sprint-type kart. Generally raced on dirt oval tracks of 1/5 mile or that the spirit and intent of both the competitor and manufacturer was less. Many racers use a standard sprint chassis, but there are numer- to market and use a legal part. ous manufacturers of special speedway chassis. EXAMPLE # 2: You have a part that shows machining in an area where the manufacturer does no machine work. All comparable 2 SPIRIT AND INTENT BY MIKE BALDUS models show an as-cast appearance. The book has no dimension in SPIRIT: Real meaning; true intention (to follow the spirit if not the letter this area, but says all parts must be stock appearing. Tough call? I of the law). don’t think so. Someone, and it may not be the competitor, but someone, has obviously tried to gain an unfair advantage. Again, INTENT: An act or instance of intending; law; one’s mental attitude of spirit and intent should be the guiding light. If the competitor took doing an act. this part back to the person that worked on it and said “I want my The sport of go kart racing cut it’s teeth on these two words. SPIRIT money back and I don’t want any more parts like this, or I won’t be and INTENT. Through the years, these words seem to have slid from back.” the problem will go away. the front of our rule books to the rear of some books, and have com- Remember, it is your right to have a KART official tech inspector make pletely disappeared in others. the final call on any engine tech item. If you feel you have not been This is, and I hope always will be, a fun, family-involved motorsport. treated fairly at a KART sanctioned event, ask that the part or parts be We have a format that allows a future Indy-driver a place to start. We sent to an official KART tech inspector. have a format that allows the average Michael or Michelle to learn I know I am going to take some flack about this, but I also know there good driving skills, mechanical skills, sportsmanship, and experience are many that feel the same as I do. a great hobby. If we all attached these words to any item of question, there would be Even though some karters have been able to convert their favorite no questions. SPIRIT AND INTENT. KART 2018 1 3 RULES AND REGULATIONS is 12. In the Sprint division, any 7 year old that will be turning 8 during the competition year and has at least 6 races in the Kid ★ Except for emergency and/or safety, the rules will not be changed Kart class may send a petition to the Administrative Office for before the 2019 competition year begins. Competition year is defined permission to compete in the Jr. 1 class listing those 6 races. as January 1 through December 31 of the current year. This petition must be approved by a KART Director before the A. MEMBERSHIP, ELIGIBILITY, AND TRACK competitor will be allowed to participate in Jr. 1. All other Junior INFORMATION rules such as not moving up and back, apply. National Regular members of KART must be 18 years of age or older. A b) In the Speedway Division only, attained age of 15 allows minor can only join under the family membership section of the 15-year-old drivers to compete in the Senior (16-year-old) application. A minor cannot be the primary national member of KART. Briggs and Stock Yamaha classes only, in the months before It is required that all entrants or participants in a KART sanctioned their option year. All other Junior rules, such as not moving up event be a current member in good standing with all necessary docu- and back, apply. mentation on file at the KART office or in the hands of a KART official c) In the Enduro/Road Race Division, 15 year old drivers who in the process of being sent to the office. All KART memberships will have competed in at least 8 road races, may send a petition list- expire on December 31st of the current year. ing those races to the Administrative Office for permission to Participants must be able to furnish proof of membership at event reg- compete in the Senior (16+ year old) stock piston port classes, istration, or they will be required to join at that time. The KART office 125cc TaG, and 80cc Shifter. This petition must be approved by will refund upon verification of a pre-existing current membership. the KART Directors before the competitor will be allowed to No member and kart can go onto the track surface without being participate in the senior classes. All other Junior rules, such as entered in the event. It is KART’s policy that there be no refunds after not moving up and back, apply. the kart has gone through pre-technical inspection or been put onto 5. OPTION YEAR: If, during the season, the driver has a birthday the racing surface. that would make him/her old enough to move to an “older” class, No promoter may exclude a member in good-standing from partici- he/she has the option to do so, BUT if he/she elects to do so, he/she pating at a KART-sanctioned event without showing JUST CAUSE. cannot return to the “younger” class, and when he/she moves up in All bids for the KART National Championships must be in the KART one division of racing, he/she must move up in all other divisions Administrative Office by October 1st. also. Example: If a person becomes 16 years of age and wants to B. SPECIAL DRIVER REQUIREMENTS move up to a seniors class in the Enduro division, he/she must also 1. LIABILITY WAIVER: All drivers shall sign a waiver of liability move up in the sprint and speedway divisions. “Option Year” is the before being allowed to participate in any event at a KART member year you attain an age that moves you up to the next age group:12 track. All participants, by signing the entry form and/or liability years old for Jr.1 to Jr. 2,16 years old for Jr. to Sr.