Getting Started

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KARTING – FAST FAMILY FUN

Many people associate karting with young drivers, but adults are also very active in karting.

People of all ages can enjoy the sport with children as young as six getting behind the wheel. Karting teaches these children – both boys and girls – basic driving skills well before they are able to obtain their road licence.

Karting is competitive, but it is also fun and family orientated, with involvement in the sport both on and off the track giving it a strong feeling of community. For those aiming at a career in motorsport, almost everyone who races cars started racing in Karts – it’s the best fun you will have on four wheels.

Race meetings take place at tracks across Australia every weekend at four levels – Club, Zonal, State or National.

WHERE TO START?

Apply for a Licence
Joining a Karting Australia Affiliated Club will give you access to that club’s circuit for practice, as well as allowing you to participate in any Club championship, social events, working bees and other club activities.

Visit the Club Finder section to find the Karting Australia Club nearest to you.

You can then join your chosen Karting Australia Club online through the Licences and Entries section on www.karting.net.au.

Joining a Club and obtaining a Licence is all done in this one place on the website.

Purchase a Kart
There are kart shops and karting businesses right across Australia. Your new Club will be able to help you find the one that provides the best value for money advice and service for people who are entering the sport.

Most will have new and second-hand options for you.

We don’t recommend that you buy your first kart off websites such as Ebay, Gumtree or any other places on the internet. You need to be sure that the kart and engine that you are buying is in good condition, is suitable for your age group and Class that you will be looking to compete in.

Safety Gear
Most kart retailers will also offer a range of safety gear.

You will need a full face helmet, race suits, racing boots, gloves and other optional safety gear such as padded rib vests and neck braces.

As well as kart retailers, motorsport racegear shops carry ranges of karting gear.

Ask Questions, meet the people
Karting is a friendly, family-orientated sport and karters young and old are always happy to help out newcomers.

Make sure you ask lots of questions of members of your kart club, state association and local kart shop. It is often a good idea to plan your first trip to the kart track with your kart with someone you know so that they can help you with any questions you may have. Also, while at the circuit feel free to ask other competitors any questions. So often, the friends you make in karting will be friends for life.

GIRLS RACE TOO!

Motorsport has been long considered as a male-dominated sport, however, it is continually becoming the scene where more females are lining up on the grid.

Over the past two years there has been a Ladies Trophy contested within the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship with Gold Coaster Taylah Agius winning the title in 2018 and New South Wales driver Beck Connell in 2019.

For Agius, she believes motorsport is a great sport that provides equal opportunities to both males and females.

“In motorsport, it’s not just a boys or a girls sport – it’s one that everyone is equal in. Once you strap the helmet on everyone is the same. All I want to do is the best I can possibly do for myself personally and everyone who supports me.

“Dad used to race but as I got more competitive he took a step back so we could focus more on my racing. We now pretty much spend every weekend at a kart track somewhere – it’s a real family bond.”

2-STROKE OR 4-STROKE?

For a long time, karting has used almost exclusively 2-stroke racing engines that are specifically designed for kart racing in all age groups.

Made by Vortex, IAME, Rotax and PRD, they are the purest form of karting engines. They are also the most technical form of the sport. For the novice, 2-stroke racing can be a little daunting.

At the start of 2018, Karting Australia introduced the 4SS (4 Stroke Sprint) class.

4SS is specifically designed for the newcomer to karting. It is focused on low cost, low maintenance, simplicity and fun for the new person of all ages in the sport.

Using factory sealed 4-stroke Torini or Briggs & Stratton engines, the class is proving to be highly popular with newcomers to karting.

This class provides the opportunity for newcomers to ‘learn the ropes’ of the sport at a lower cost.

Numerous drivers have used this class as a steppingstone into the more powerful 2-stroke classes while others are simply enjoying having fun in the 4SS classes – particularly older drivers.

We recommend that you investigate what type of kart engine best suits you by discussing the options with your local kart retailer.

WHAT’S YOUR CLASS?

6-9 YEARS OLD

9-12 YEARS OLD

12-15 YEARS OLD

15 YEARS AND OVER