Karting with your kids

DamoNorthStand

After I spent my childhood karting, my 8 year old has just got into it. He is racing in the National Inkart Championship with Daytona Motorsport (arrive and drive) but the aim has always been for proper owner / driver racing which is what I did growing up. He has now got his own Honda Cadet kart - and will be racing at various tracks round the country in that once we have had a summer of practicing.

Saw my Dad at the weekend and showed him the mothballs in my wallet - "Now you know how much I spent!" was his response.

Would love to hear if anyone on this board has experience of karting at a pretty serious level over recent times - and any advice on how best to tackle this crazy sport!

Since January when he has started, I must have burnt through £5-6k minimum. New Honda Cadet kart purchased from the leading UK team 2 weeks ago, and the flywheel on the engine now needs replacing along with a broken fan, which will be another £100. Racewear £500, track fees £50 a time, £150 for every set of tyres......... Never mind the time investment. Lucky CAFC is such a shower as I wont be near the Valley any time in the next few years. Go down a karting track and it is full of divorced men who gave up their relationship with their wife for the sport. They all think their son is going to be the next Lewis Hamilton, and you seriously turn up at Buckmore Park to a sea of motorhomes now. It is flipping nuts.

My boy loves driving at speed and the grin on his face when he takes his crash helmet off is priceless. His friends from school came to see him at the weekend, and seeing their jaws drop when their 8 year old mate tore past at 60mph 2 inches off the ground did make him feel ten feet tall when he got out the kart afterwards.

But be good to hear from anyone who has gone through this sport. How you kept the enjoyment levels up, and maintained a balanced life in particular.

SuedeAdidas

I had a blue Raleigh Burner with yellow Skyway wheels.

Our childhood experiences appear to be slightly different

jonseventyfive

I packed in about 15 years ago, so a bit out of touch, a pretty quick formula I liked was rotax 125 might be senior now, loads of competition and 5k would go a long way, gearbox karts are really serious but I finished in pro karts(twin engine) expenses low and can be seriously tuned, quick and last forever.

i_b_b_o_r_g

SuedeAdidas said:

I had a blue Raleigh Burner with yellow Skyway wheels.

Our childhood experiences appear to be slightly different

I had a Striker in silver, coz that was the fastest colour

SuedeAdidas

i_b_b_o_r_g said:

SuedeAdidas said:

I had a blue Raleigh Burner with yellow Skyway wheels.

Our childhood experiences appear to be slightly different

I had a Striker in silver, coz that was the fastest colour

Did you upgrade to the Boxer with lethal pedal back brake?

i_b_b_o_r_g

I had the Striker right upto getting me first motor at 17, apart from thd odd pinched motorbike

JohnBoyUK

blimey, thank god my daughter hasn't mention go carting... or buying a bloody pony!

Wow, one lucky son you've got there my friend.

Done carting a few times over the years. Best time was last year when I done it in France. Think we paid something like €50 for a 10 min practice, a A and a B race of 10 laps for qualifying and then one mass 60 min race on a 1.5 mile circuit with 20 of us from the wedding party. Came off the track bloody exhausted in the 90 degree heat but was grinning like a cheshire cat for a good few hours afterwards. So much fun.

DamoNorthStand

JohnBoyUK said:

blimey, thank god my daughter hasn't mention go carting... or buying a bloody pony!

Wow, one lucky son you've got there my friend.

Done carting a few times over the years. Best time was last year when I done it in France. Think we paid something like €50 for a 10 min practice, a A and a B race of 10 laps for qualifying and then one mass 60 min race on a 1.5 mile circuit with 20 of us from the wedding party. Came off the track bloody exhausted in the 90 degree heat but was grinning like a cheshire cat for a good few hours afterwards. So much fun.

I was about to say buying a pony is the girls equivalent, but that would be doing a disservice to the numbers of girls Jacob races against which is increasing all the time and well above what it was like when I was a kid. I am convinced there will be a female F1 driver on merit in the next 15 years.

MuttleyCAFC

Took my lad to Rye House and he was a natural, but he needs to stick to football. It isn't cheap but it is cheaper!

MuttleyCAFC

DamoNorthStand said:

JohnBoyUK said:

blimey, thank god my daughter hasn't mention go carting... or buying a bloody pony!

Wow, one lucky son you've got there my friend.

Done carting a few times over the years. Best time was last year when I done it in France. Think we paid something like €50 for a 10 min practice, a A and a B race of 10 laps for qualifying and then one mass 60 min race on a 1.5 mile circuit with 20 of us from the wedding party. Came off the track bloody exhausted in the 90 degree heat but was grinning like a cheshire cat for a good few hours afterwards. So much fun.

I was about to say buying a pony is the girls equivalent, but that would be doing a disservice to the numbers of girls Jacob races against which is increasing all the time and well above what it was like when I was a kid. I am convinced there will be a female F1 driver on merit in the next 15 years.

I'd like there to be but not so sure. There are very quick women drivers, but do enough girls do it? I think those that do could probably get themselves to the strength levels required (neck etc....) but there are only 20+ odd seats in F1 and it is all about percentages at the end of the day. What is interesting is the number of children of ex drivers who make it in the sport, which defies the odds, so maybe if there is going to be a female F1 driver, they will be the daughter of an ex driver!

DamoNorthStand

MuttleyCAFC said:

Took my lad to Rye House and he was a natural, but he needs to stick to football. It isn't cheap but it is cheaper!

If he enjoyed it, I can recommend some of the Arrive and Drive options at places like Daytona Sandown Park. Lots of tracks do it. You can get the chance to race without the expense of owning a kart. Brentwood do something similar in Essex as well. Not to mention Bayford Meadows and Buckmore Park but even for non - owner driver they get a bit more serious and involved.

Boom

DamoNorthStand said:

JohnBoyUK said:

blimey, thank god my daughter hasn't mention go carting... or buying a bloody pony!

Wow, one lucky son you've got there my friend.

Done carting a few times over the years. Best time was last year when I done it in France. Think we paid something like €50 for a 10 min practice, a A and a B race of 10 laps for qualifying and then one mass 60 min race on a 1.5 mile circuit with 20 of us from the wedding party. Came off the track bloody exhausted in the 90 degree heat but was grinning like a cheshire cat for a good few hours afterwards. So much fun.

I was about to say buying a pony is the girls equivalent, but that would be doing a disservice to the numbers of girls Jacob races against which is increasing all the time and well above what it was like when I was a kid. I am convinced there will be a female F1 driver on merit in the next 15 years.

No chance. Can't get away with taking half an hour to park up in the pits in F1.

Robbo on the wing

i_b_b_o_r_g said:

SuedeAdidas said:

I had a blue Raleigh Burner with yellow Skyway wheels.

Our childhood experiences appear to be slightly different

I had a Striker in silver, coz that was the fastest colour

Started out on the Tomahawk. Pretty much a kids version of the infamous Chopper. The only difference being no gears, therefore no chance of crushing your bollocks on that corkscrew shaped gear stick end.

Then moved to Charlton where you got to practice in nicked/dumped cars down the muddies.

Getting back to the original topic, no never done carting with my kids. The missus worries far too much to allow it, and as I am scared of her, it was a non starter.

DamoNorthStand

Robbo on the wing said:

i_b_b_o_r_g said:

SuedeAdidas said:

I had a blue Raleigh Burner with yellow Skyway wheels.

Our childhood experiences appear to be slightly different

I had a Striker in silver, coz that was the fastest colour

Started out on the Tomahawk. Pretty much a kids version of the infamous Chopper. The only difference being no gears, therefore no chance of crushing your bollocks on that corkscrew shaped gear stick end.

Then moved to Charlton where you got to practice in nicked/dumped cars down the muddies.

Getting back to the original topic, no never done carting with my kids. The missus worries far too much to allow it, and as I am scared of her, it was a non starter.

Karting dads have the d3t2 rule for dealing with the boss at home. Take any cost, divide by 3, times by 2. That's the cost you give her.

I also try and take her away from standing at the fastest part of the track as well. Seeing her 8 year old baby hare in to turn one at Buckmore at over 60mph will probably shit her up a bit.

Robbo on the wing

Ironically just been discussing this years holiday. I fancied something a bit action/adventure for a week, then beach type second week.
At this present moment in time, we are not going on holiday.

Boom

Sounds like thailand's got everything you need there. Especially the ping pong.

eaststandmike

Sounds like your boy needs a sponsor DNS. Put some feelers out locally and see what you get. There are lots of small companies out there that would love to see their name flying round a track.

We used to sponsor a couple of guys who were semi pro bikers. £10k per year i.e. £5k per bike, the tires only lasted qualifying and the race.