Karting Cash: Are Costs Restricting Talent in Karting? ARCHIVE: April 2013
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2024
- Christian Hewgill investigates Kart Racing, the sport where all of Britain's current Formula 1 drivers started their career. It's widely seen as the first step on the motorsport ladder, but are the costs of Karting restricting talent, and stopping good drivers rising to the top?
Nottingham Trent University & ITN TV Documentary of the Year 2013 - Winner
"A beautifully-crafted piece of television. It had everything. This was a top-class piece of television journalism." Robin Elias. ITN
Follow Christian on Twitter @ChrisHewgill 
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I hope that kid appreciates what his parents are doing for him
Very selfless of the mother and father
Instablaster...
I'm 14 I'm stuck in hire karts it's just frustrating knowing where I could be if I had the budget. I think it's important for organisers to lower the costs of the sport becuase you see future world champions just stop doing the thing they love because they can't afford it which is just wrong.
+Dylan Cotton I understand your frustrating, but you have to understand that karts just don't appear out of thin air for people to by, karts are designed by people who then have to prepare and produce the karts. this is a job and like all people with jobs they need to get payed for their hard work and labor. you and all others must realize that these costs exist for a reason, track maintenance, the facilities for the track e.g toilets lighting, pit area the computers that monitor the drivers track position etc. all these costs exist for a reason, karting associations just cant go to kart manufacturers and ask for lower prices its just not possible or fair for any one, you gotta do your research and really know if you are good enough to actually race because passion is not talent.
+Dylan Cotton Hey mate, i know how you feel. money speaks louder than talent now. although it will always be expensive, it's ridiculous how a career can be ruined because of the background of the driver. there should be events which are funded by teams in karting or more, to allow drivers to be seen and given a chance at what they can do. But it appears teams are afraid to do this as they would rather a driver bring them thousands of pounds and finish 5th than pay a lot less and finish 1st.
What i have started to do is make youtube video's of me karting at my local track (redlodge). It may help if team owners or other people in motorsport see it, as then they can see my potential. I recently won my clubs championship and am fighting to win it again so with my channel broadcasting it, it may reach the right person to fund my racing career.
+Jack Mayor Racing Yeah hopefully it will. Good luck with it.
im in the same place save up for a test day i know in england junior subaru's a cheaper alternative
+nerfomatic18 Sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about. What you're saying is in a general sense true, but it doesn't apply to karting the way you might think. Some of the most expensive things in karting come from the constant change in regulations and having to buy new parts as a result and also the durability of parts. If these 2 things were fixed, even if you have to take a small hit in performance, it would be much more affordable.
The cost for spare parts is more than 10 times higher than all other costs combined. Training a single Saturday can cost you $2000, $1900 of that being from spare parts and maintenance. If you train all day you need to hone the cylinder, replace the piston, use 1-2 sets of tires and also be ready to replace parts due to general wear and tear.
Compare this to a starter class with very decent performance and you won't need to spend more than $100 in parts, wear and tear compared to the $1900 of the KF2.
You mentioned some specifics of how a track is run. Running a track is cheap. It's a money machine. We make around $50.000 a month after all expenses are paid and I as a member only spend $90 per local race, $120 per national(just 1) and $350 for the yearly membership. That comes to $1010 a year total. Part of the membership fee is for insurance and membership in the national database. International races cost around 750 dollars a piece, but it's still nothing compared to the training costs.
Competitive motorsports in general is a rich mans game. There are races out there that allow regular ppl to compete, but those races are mostly for fun, not for starting a career. It's similar to starting a business, 1000 ppl will have an idea, 100 will attempt it, 10 will survive, and only 1 will make it big.
As much as I want to get into racing, I cant. I used to ride motocross until I just started slowing down. Now I do nothing. I was watching tv one day and I saw Formula 1 on the television and said to myself "that looks awesome". I've been sitting on my ass almost everyday playing Grid: Autosport in admiration of what it would be like to do that in real life. There's a kid that goes to my highschool that drives in Formula 3. Yes. You heard me right. A 16 year old in F3. I can't even get into karting. The inability for me to be able to get into this sport has left a hole in my heart. I know that this is truly what I want to do, but I'm unable to do so. I would do anything just to get on the track.
Smittywarbenjagermanjansen BUT YOU ARE NUMBER ONEEE
Smittywerbenjagermanjensen i'd rather do rental karts by sodi, more cheaper and they still give you a chance
+Smittywerbenjagermanjensen I don't know if you're still looking into karting but here's what you should do. First is to explain to your parents that karting is just like any other sport, only more rewarding. You're going to need a moderate knowledge of how everything works and you're going to need basic tools such as sockets, wrenches, pliers, etc. and some specialty tools. After that, get a USED kart, nobody ever starts with a brand new one, and if you're in the US, look into honda clone racing That's what i'm racing and the engine was only $400. Good luck! Check the world karting association, the box stock project, rackingjunk, craigslist, etc.
It's all good. I saved up and bought a street bike lol
even if the karts used, it cost like 2-3k, just 1k less than the new ones, i dont have that kind of money
''Budget is very limited'' Gets arai helmet painted.
that costs like 500-1k, sometimes more expensive. some of my friends dont paint their helmets at all
if you are struggling to fund for racing. a good looking helmet is the last thing you would buy
I wait for spring sale and so far have lucked into a unique one each time! Have only bought one set of new tires in 3 years. Raid the garbage after race and get a set of tires use for maybe 4 sessions. Started a wee bit on the old side so was a wasted up never was by the the time I found I was ok at this! Sadly this my 1st missed start of season since 08.
David Olsson That helmet the kid was wearing comes in white when you buy it meaning the only way you can get it changed is by getting it painted
David Olsson I’m not saying anything about the helmet itself, he’s wearing an Arai CK-6 which is a really common helmet you see in karting in the UK, but the fact that his family is struggling for funding, then paying around £1000 for his helmet to be painted which provides nothing to his karting ability is pointless. At club level people spend around £3-5k in a year and blowing up to one third of your yearly budget on paint is frankfully fucking stupid when you could spend that on like 5 sets of new tyres or a shit load of spares or engine rebuilds, it’s common sense.
It has always been the same. I used to race against David Coulthard regularly and he was certainly not a stand out talent. But turning up at the meetings in a huge haulage truck with spare chasis, engines, tyres etc all over the country certainly gave him a step up. Me and my dad used to turn up at meetings with the kart back wheels hanging out the back of an escort mk3, a set of tyres would last a season and a single engine so when it seizes, it's gamer over for the wekend.
I remember battling against this one kid at Felton meets month after month, it was always between the 2 of us, they were loaded, the best of everything, we were barely able to afford a new sprocket should the weather be different from last time. My engine seized, they very kindly offered me one of his to use.... that was a hell of an eye opener to just how much extra power he had been sitting on with a newer, better tuned engine. Needles to say I took the final.
I'd love to get my daughter into it, alas, if you're not wealthy you're not getting anywhere.
Lok down that F1 grid, there is not one driver from humble beginnings.... and the likes of Hamilton being sponsored from the age of 13......... if he wasn't dominating there would be something seriously wrong, anyone with the leg up he's had would or should be doing as he is. It's an elite club where drivers skill is very much secondary to the teams behind them.
U were in same position I'm in now lol I have a 2013 arrow chassis that's super stiff etc I went out in a 2020 kart and it feels amazing and so responsive
Well, there's Esteban Ocon
You should do another documentary like this but an updated version like 2016
yea its evn worse now
I used to do MSA but packed karting in for a few. Years now I do IKR I only go once a month and we struggle with the costs of that for wet tyres and IKR tyres rise the cost so much and if someone bumps into you
Thanks for your comment. I'd absolutely love to but I now work full time for a local TV channel as their sport presenter. It's a topic I hope to revisit at some point though. Best wishes, Christian
I hope you revisit it soon
It's the same story. There's too much money to be made off the rich guys to change things up for everyone else.
i watched this with a smile on my face. no one has any IDEA at all, how mental motorsport is. It is a sport by wealthy people, for wealthy people. Even 'grass roots' motorsport, costs 10's of 1000's of £'s. I remember 10 years ago turning up to Kimbolton in my vauxhall corsa, a senior TKM on the back of a cheap trailer - confronted with kids coming out of motorhomes, team awnings, spare chassis and engines lined up, and a raft of mechanics. It doesn't matter how talented i could be - if you don't have equal machinery there isn't much point trying. ... Sponsorship, i hear you ask, get sponsorship! Right - because lots of businesses are willing to give you money for nothing, to pursue your own dream? To even get to a stage where you can be noticed by someone for sponsorship - you have to plough 000's in - think how much Hamiltons dad would have spent up till the point where he got picked up by Mclaren. Not many fathers are willing to re-mortgage houses or take those kinds of risks. It's a shame as well because i think the sport could be made very accessible with prize money, and could be hugely popular with media if they brought in a prize element.
Me too, I used to race at PF in Senior TKM's back in early 2000's. Certainly experiences i'll never forget.
Yeah they are it's really ridiculous how talent is being out preformed by budget like some people can keep up with people in karts 3 times as cheap it's amazing how talent is not shown, rental kart championships are definitely the fairest competition
How much did the custom painted Arai cost? Does that contribute to his improved lap times?
Neil Ritchie this old but that's how it comes when you buy it.
JMT Racing It doesn’t, my painting was more expensive than the helmet itself! An Arai helmet comes in stock white without any spoilers, and spoilers are also about 40 pounds. So yeah a helmet doesn’t make you any quicker, but as a driver it’s always nice to have a custom painted helmet
dont judge that, i painted my bell helmet by myself and most of the people i know knows a guy who knows a guy etcetera that paints staff cheaper that i would spect
there are another things to see in the video that are... strange. This is so expensive although i have a gps chip to the mychron 4 that costs around 250 euros, and i can tell you that you dont really need it. Sorry for my english i am from spain
the only guy that i can see that is really broken is the guy with the rotax junior and the giralld chasis
I love Simracing which is highly fortunate since it's atleast affordable for the majority. A few times a year I go to my local outdoor race track and race their stock karts, and although it's fun, the dedication and community of regular drivers around me is what pushes me forward. That's what I enjoy about motorsport, and simracing offers that. The staff at the track are always like 'Yeah,that's a quick lap time, ever thought about getting involved further' what else can I say than 'with what?'.
So many youngsters have sports they enjoy taking part in as a focus, and hopefully simracing opens up motorsport (of some form) to those with an interest in competing in racing. It certainly did for me. Sure, the buzz of being out on a real track is something else, but don't really need that all the time to enjoy developing as a driver. Nice on occasion though.
Sim racing WILL take over as the main feeder into top series of racing some day pretty soon, it's not a question of if it's a question of when.
Absolutely agreed. Motor racing has been my life for as long as I can remember, and I share a similar experience to you. Have always been poor and never had any support, so I haven't been able to be part of the world that I so desperately love... it really saps my will to continue living, honestly.
@101270322183122360061 Hard luck mate, we know there are many more out there as well as us suffering. BTW,Did my annual karting race (approx once a year anyway) last Monday. I was more familiar with the track than the rest of the field so it wasn't too competitive, but nice to know that some people out there recognize my passion for what I love to do. A few bumps and bruises, but hey, that's all part of the fun!
Pushing like crazy to make it into the road world championship series on iracing for 2015 (it's a long process to get there) but that will give me he chance to do what I want to do which is be challenged by the best drivers in the world,not the richest guys in the world.
***** KandyGamer2013 hey guys kindly please show ur support to my page facebook.com/joeyhajjracing
DJ Morris kindly please show ur support to my page facebook.com/joeyhajjracing thanks
Couple of things:
-Sim racing is not a complete surrogate for real racing solely because the driver doesn't have to contend with G forces and that can make a big difference. Lots of people that are OK sim racers suddenly can't drive when put in a real situation where G forces are pulling on them. It's a great training tool and very accessible without costing a lot of money and lets you experiment without physical harm potential, but it alone doesn't prove someone's driving capabilities. The other issue is cheating in sim racing at the top levels. I don't care what anyone says, the front runners in top split iRacing races are very obviously using either actual hacks/cheats or are exploiting the game engine's flaws. Even if fixed setup Miata people will be in a very tight pack within a tenth or two in qualifying, someone will magically be 1-2 seconds faster at the front. That just doesn't happen in real life with good drivers on perfectly equal equipment. The only way sim racing will work as serious competition is if they start having competitions at cyber cafes with equally prepared setups and the drivers don't know which computer they will be on until right before the race so there is no chance to install cheat programs, etc. and any weird things they do to cheat the physics engine will be seen by onlookers.
-When you go to the kart track, who are you racing against? Is this a league or just some random people that showed up? Furthermore, how much do you weigh compared to the other drivers? If you're 120 lbs going up against 200+ lb guys you have a huge advantage. I see a lot of light drivers thinking they're the best driver in the world and then they run a real race with ballast and get creamed and can't figure out why. I say this because to be truly great at something you have to be aware of your advantages and recognize if you are really where you need to be to be the best. I always had the opposite problem of being proportionately tall/large (and not fat, so it's not like a diet will fix it), so I always drove at a disadvantage and had to really fight for my times and it led to me winning season championships in my weight class at two different arrive and drive series. Basically, do the driving equivalent of running with ankle weights, if you can keep up with ankle weights on, imagine what you'll do when you take them off.
Even if karting become cheaper, drivers will be blocked by race car budget
jepuedukiki sponsors by then
MrGSA1310 yeah hopefully you get sponsorship by then
@@jeremym9140 yeah sure..because After you win a carting series it will be totaly easy to find a Sponsor...
@@sortaanonymouslaex9564 haha. Yeah. Thats the theory. I know that one. But the only real way to get rid of your money Problem would be winning a challenger from the teams. For example the Red Bull Racing acadamy but good look there.
@@sortaanonymouslaex9564 Yeah. Thats the Theorie. But unless you are Racing f3 or above or you know the owner of the company very good, you wont find somebody who will sponsor you. Or at least Not so much that it would Cover sonething.
I'll just vent a little bit here.
I can definitely relate to this. I've always loved racing, all types of racing, but my family doesn't have the money to bank it. When I was 9 I got invited to b-day party where we went karting, and after that moment I was hooked. I started asking my parents to take me there again but it was a bit expensive and far so for a few months I never got to go there again. Until one Saturday where I was told we were going "somewhere", and my parents ended up surprising me: they found another indoor track closer and cheaper to us. I loved it so much I'd ask them every week to go, and since they couldn't really do it I started going every other week. I absolutely loved it. I started getting more and more into it, the guys at that track already new me by name, they had a spot waiting for me every other week. I also knew another kid from my school that raced (like REALLY raced) and I wanted to do it too, so I looked for a school/trainer. My parents knew it was expensive so for weeks they just told me that there was no such thing as a karting school here in Portugal. Their attempts didn't last because 2 weeks later I found a school. They couldn't believe it. For my determination and drive, they accepted taking me there. I was 10 y-o. I loved it, A LOT! I was the youngest kid there, I was so young that for about 2 months I couldn't drive an adult's kart lol. But eventually my trainer saw the potential and let me drive the "adult's karts". I had 3 pillows on my back just so I could reach the pedals. My parents still couldn't afford my own kart, so I was going to the track every other week, using their karts. After a few months I was competing, 11 y-o me against 16/17 to 20 year olds, I'm not even exaggerating. And even though I was the youngest by 5 or more years, I'd still keep up with the rest. I'll never forget the time I qualified in the first half of the grid: we were 14 guys, I qualified 5th. I couldn't believe it, I was so excited! I looked over at my parents and I could see how happy they were for me, even the other parents were happy. It was such a good moment. Unfortunately, as this video showed, karting is super expensive. I got to a point at 12y-o that in order to progress in the sport I had to buy my own kart, and I couldn't. I couldn't even afford a racing suit to be honest. I was racing in jeans and a wind breaker. But the determination was so big that I couldn't let my dream die that easily. I was thinking of everything I could do to get the money to race, and I came up with the idea of getting sponsors. After all, everyone that makes it in racing has sponsors right? So I started reaching out to every company I could think of, asking them for help. Not everyone responded, some just said no, one (Vitalis, a water brand) said "I'm sorry Gabriel, we don't sponsor that type of activity, but we wish you all the best!" Lol. And one even said they could work with me, and asked what I was looking for and what i wanted from them. Well, that where everything went to shit. I was 11/12, emailing massive companies alone, and I didn't even know how to make an offer. I made them 3 "offers": 1) they'd get me a kart and I'd put a livery on it representing the company, 2) I'd get a sticker of their company and put it in my helmet, 3) I'd start using their services. This isn't a joke ahahah Needless to say, I never heard from them again.
So yeah, a few weeks later I told my parents I wanted to stop karting, and since then I've sat on a kart about 2 times. I'm now 18y-o, I still have the itch, I still get the butterflies in my stomach everytime I'm near a track. It's a shame that the sport is so expensive, and even more in a country that doesn't support motorsports.
Thank you if you read to this point, I appreciate it. Have a blessed day
Big respect for Jack Barber, doing most if not all the technical upkeep on 'old tech' and staying near the front!
It's not just carting. Look at the state of any form of motorsports. It's the kids with money who fill the grids in everything from moto gp to nascar.
Flow In The Dark Probably why Street Racing is so popular.
@@lukespencer6846 Yeah. You want to race. You dont have money for racing. And racing wont get you money until you get to the top level. And you cant get to the top level without having the money for lower tier racing.
Answer - street racing...
exactly
So true , 4 years down the line and I've never seen meetings so quiet compared to when I first started . Driven away because of the cost ...
I'm the same age as Jack, got the same struggle as well. Old chassis, old tires, an engine that has not been touched forever. And still up in the front! Story of my racing career right there! Money can be a mean thing!
This is not just the case in the UK or Europe. I have tested karts for racing teams in Europe and in India (where I am originally from), and the only reason it did not go beyond testing is because I simply lacked a budget. It's been so painful, simply because you are so passionate about the sport, about racing, and the only thing stopping you is the money. It makes it worse when people who have seen you drive come to you and say that you should be out on track.
I started testing back in 2010, when I had a test with a team in Estonia. They offered me a seat to race in the Baltic Championships; the price tag: 30,000 euros a year. A couple of years later, another test with an Indian team, but again, budget was the problem. I have been in the sport for over 5 years, and last week was when I purchased my first racing suit, boots and gloves (after much deliberation and worry). That is how expensive the sport is.
I have recently revived my career, by racing for the University of Nottingham in the British Universities Karting Championship. At 100 pound a round, it is still expensive, and as many have said in the video, I need to cut down on everything else (as I am on a student budget, I even had to cut down on food). But I could never let this opportunity go :)
This is the story of every kids sport everywhere... I was asked to be part of a traveling baseball team when I was 12.. but my parents couldn't afford it. Made Jr. College ball and that was it.... I have learned something though... I really needed to stop looking at what I could have become if everything went right in my life.. and instead say... What can I become in 1,2 or 5 years. It changes your entire outlook and becomes very motivating.
Fantastic video this needs to be featured on a local news channel!
I race rentals 2hrs from where I live. It's £50 for the whole day and is a lot of fun and all I can afford. I see so many outstanding drivers in that field who can't go any further than this. It's a real shame and must be changed. Good luck everyone!
Racing has to be the only sport that you can actually buy your way in. Sad really
This happened to me in moto cross back in the 80's. My second bike was a 1985 RM125 and being new old tock was £1299. The 86 model was already out and the 87 model was a few month off. It cost me my wage every week to run that bike and all of a sudden the bikes cost 3k. That was the end of it for me.
Just go back to the beginning of karting, the original formula worked because it was inexpensive:
> a 3 x 5' pit space, where ALL your stuff must fit (cost savings: $20K Trailer/Rig, tents, special tools, spares, etc..)
> industrial 2-stroke engines, recoil starters and/or direct drive push start, no expansion chambers (cost savings: $2K)
> HARD CHEAP Tires only, must last an ENTIRE Season, NO Rain Tires, kart width restriction 42" (cost savings: $4-15K ... kart fits in an SUV, van, mid size hatchback, and a 10yr old kart can be competitive)
BigCooter.com yeah i couldn’t agree more if it was like that i would have been in the sport
@@sixtenallingersandgren6674 Not sure if you have "Vintage Karting" near you .. it is exactly like that. I've been racing vintage karts for over 15 years now, by far the most FUN I ever had with karting .. its more about having fun, meeting people, searching for parts and not killing each other on the track .. and your equipment isn't outdated and worthless each season. vkakarting.com/
26k as a budget?? I'm running about 1.5k and just managing... You can relate to this video soo much and it is sad to see the sport becoming more and more difficult to continue with, but at the end of the day, when we started, we all knew it wasn't going to be cheap
10yrs later and its even more expensive than ever
Great vid. Well balanced and thought through.
I'd love to see how these guys are doing now and see how many made it into
Proper racing .
talent is not hard to find.... just review lap times... see how many times a driver duplicate his/her quickest lap time over and over again... you can even go as far as using telemetry to determine if a driver is improving and hitting their marks exact every lap... its a long winded explanation but alot of money is a way of masking a mediocre driver... consistency and equipment preservation separates the good from the great... not 1 fast lap time...there is a reason why people spend alot of money its because they lack what a great driver has...
Just look at Pastor Maldonado, he has tons of money but is a shit F1 driver.
@@gregorywolff3702 nah,Lord Maldonado is not bad,he just dont know what the fuck is clean racing,Maldonado can be good if he's in the zone
i wish i could even get an old used go kart
The message of this video is analogous to many things in life.
how to level the playing field and reduce costs in karting:
1. classes with engine pooling w/hire fees & randomized allocation on race weekends.
2. a mandatory 4 meeting minimum on tyres (i.e. each set has to be used for at least 4 meetings).
3. go karting for the sake of karting & don't see it as a stepping stone; It's the purest form of motorsport there is.
it's MOTOR SPORT. There will always be chequebook racing.
This video predicted the inevitable lo206 craze
right here is a comment on the cost of karting, im now 70,but i started karting in1965 with no support from my family as they didnt have any money to spare, i had just finished my apprenticeship as a truck mechanic, i had to learn everything about my first kart , the chassis ,the motor etc there was no one to help,i struggled for years just to finish a race without destroying a piston, if i wanted a new part i had to save for it or make it myself,it is at this point, you learn though your own mistakes what works and what doesnt, it also prepares you for life . the young guy doing all his own work will get there , because he will analyze his chassis and modify it to work, no chassis works without mods to it ,he will know the motor inside out cause he needs to keep it running , to win you first have to finish, i retired from kart in 1990, why because it was to dear ,it was now possible to race a car cheaper and as that was what i always wanted , i left but i had more fun in those years than since, i raced against one f1 world champ and he never finished in front of me,and i have raced against guys that could have been world champs,you need a lot of luck and to be in the right place at the right time, as for the kids with there parents support good luck,but you need more drive to get to the top.
i still race today in formula ford and historic sportsrace cars , i still enjoy every minute
There are things that can be done at the national level to keep costs down. Set up classes with better engines that require less rebuilds. Harder tyres that do more races. Class structures that let you use the same engine as you get older and move up. Find a better insurance deal to keep license, entry and track fees down.
But at the end of the day how can you put a price cap on how much practice people will go out and do, how much fuel they will burn, how many sets of tyres they will wear out and how many miles they are prepared to travel to go to more race meetings.
Like any sport, someone will always be prepared to put in more practice. And when practice costs money, more money will be an advantage.
So you need to fight for the right changes. Changes that will keep costs down, not the ones that will mean people need to throw out good equipment to replace it with the latest rule change requirement.
my veiw is that wet weather is a great leveler. drivers/riders who excel in wet conditions on less competitive machinery need backing and support. their dry weather ability with competitive machinery should be apparent, as they have total consentration, are able to handle pressure and have the ability to "feel" their tyres . if a driver has inferior machinery and is good in wet conditions, the key would be to pray for rain and turn out on new tyres . if a driver can't reduce lap times on fresh tyres, he needs to ask his self the question ! . . a less competitive machine will always benifit on new tyres, every time
What is said at 04:49 is true..!! Why should it be a sport only for the rich.. I'm not rich and my son's got talent, so why should he be excluded just because it's all about how big your bank balance is..
How much real natural talent is being lost through this mentality..?
Because the parts , karts, tires, fuel etc cost money?
excellent video man!!, costs of karting are definitely too high, lets hope something can be done to make something like super 1 more affordable!
What's the name at the song appearing at the start and end?
Elliot Harvey - 42nd in X30 Senior 2019
Albert Carter - Last raced 2014 in IAME was 20th
Jack Barber - Now a driver coach at laser racing
Elliot Harvey was 42nd in the British champs that year because he only did the first round at PFi lol
Costs are out of hand everywhere. But we still race because we love it
Money is defiantly a factor when it comes to racing, I started when i was 8 in cadets, I've race cadets, junior max, tkm, snr Max, formula blue, 100 national and up to the age of 19 and it's been an uphill task to get their, I never had the latest chassis or the latest engine but I've managed to win club championship and national I've beaten guys with the latest kit. That lad who mechanics himself is doing the right thing he is understanding his karts pros and cons witch will make him a better driver.
That is in part the plan of the EKL, Teesside Autodrome and Whilton mill (with the Teesside and Northampton teams help) have already made a start on running local rental championships.
Whilton's one is called the NKL (Northampton Karting League) and is only £45 per round, next year it is looking possible to have it as a scholarship into the Northampton EKL team.
@Christian Hewgill What was that song you used in the video about 00:58
Bought a go kart for my kids couldn't afford to race it that broke my heart more than you'll ever know.
See I totally agree with this that money is restricting talent but there is one thing I notice about all those drivers they interviewed, they didn't mention anything about sponsorships. I'm a kart driver myself and currently trying to get sponsors to help with funding, sponsors can help tremendously. Look at all the guys racing on the world stage, they all have sponsors helping them fund their racing.
Its sad. Im in the same boat
I used to race karts a little over 9 years ago. I was 8 and had already moved up to the rotax mini max class and thats where it ended. It became too expensive and about the only sponsor you can get is an actual team. I was offered a ride on a team but unfortunately it was not a free ride. My parents couldn't afford it. I was invited one year to go to Grand Nats in Florida where they would cover track fees but once again we couldn't afford the money to get down there or be there for the time required. I saw big teams with drivers who had money still lose out because even they couldn't afford it. By far this sport is expensive and there is much wasted talent due to the costs.
Thanks guys!
Australia is worse, only the guys with the best engines win, sometimes these guys spend 10 thousand pounds alone on the engine, so lets say a basic engine has 15hp, a national winning engine in the same class might have 18hp. But only the rich drivers get those engines
This is why the WOSR kicked out those god awful boat anchor Yamahas & Comers. CNC barrels ensure that the only 'fast motors' are well jetted & fresh. Apart from that, they're all the same.
@@neilr4867 that is slowly happening here in Australia too, but again you drop those engines and introduce the mini rok which is $3,000AUD and who are the people that can afford it? The ones that were already at the front. Then the kids without the funding are further behind than ever and loose interest in it.
Unfortunatly it will never be a level playing field because it is a business. I have raced for 6 years on top level Rotax Max championships in the Benelux and Europe. Some teams charge beteren 50.000 and 100.000 euro's for a top tier championship. Thats insane.
This is so true. I've had a Kart sitting in the garage for a year because i have no money. These kids actually have it good. I get no money from my parents towards karting !!
All motor racing has always been expensive & has always been the domain of the wealthy,at any level….why this seems to be news to some is the strange thing.
In America karting was very affordable in the 60's and 70's. Then money and greed ruined it, just like all the other amateur racing.
But karts were supposed to be the affordable version: smaller chassis, smaller tires, smaller motors, smaller tracks. But thanks to karts almost being designed to fail, it's absurdly expensive. There's no reason we can't get a durable 20 hp engine and a chassis that isn't trash after 1 bump, but too many people line their pockets from the rich to care to appeal to the every-man. Rental karts are durable, but no high level series runs them.
That's when I started karting. 1967. There was a much bigger middle class back then. And the average middle class family could afford karting. We sprint raced 'every" Saturday night. Did a couple street races a month. And ran Enduros at IRP 4 or 5 times a year. When I started we would have at least 15 to 20 in the Junior Class every Saturday Night. At the IKF Enduro Grand Nationals at IRP in the late 60's they would have 115 entries in American Reed Senior alone. You're right. Racing has always been some what expensive. But in no way shape or form as expensive as it is today. A fucking rolling chassis go kart is not worth $6k. I don't care what you say. I knew karting was doomed for the average guy when I saw a Semi Trailer pull in to the pits at Grattan Raceway with "ONE" kart in it. As a matter of fact. I think it was Joey Hand as a kid. Greed and money ruined karting. Same thing happened to SCCA. My brother races a Formula Vee. Maybe 3 to 5 cars at Nationals. Sometimes less. A SCCA National race weekend will cost you $1500 or more, easy. The ever growing gap between the haves and have nots has ruined amateur racing. And it will never recover.
The answer to this problem is the LO206 engine. It's a spec engine and the most cost efficient way of entering and staying in racing.
I'm a 23 years old, I really loved the karting, but didn't have the chance to even drive in a real karting track until recently, so obviously I won't go anywhere within karting world.
Amateur to end xd.
Wish best of luck for those who really love and live in the karting passion.
this is the reason why I'm still not racing. Maybe I don't have massive talent, but I want to race. I'm 15 years old and in Poland there is no way of me cheaply getting into this sport. It's always about the money. Right now I'm just training on my steering wheel (Logitech driving force gt) on assetto corsa and other stuff in hope of someday getting into professional racing.
I remember when I went with my father to the track with the go kart on the roof of the old fiat 500 ... sleeping in the car and the day after participating in a race ...
Pilots now get on track with a suitcase full of money ...
Unlikely to go ahead without money but the pilot remains however for me the most beautiful sport in the world that has left me beautiful memories.
Good Work Chris!
Here in Canada the costs of karting keep going up as all of the major tracks and importers of engines and tires keep raising the costs while in europe the prices on basically everything from engines, karts, tires are 30-40% cheaper even with the price exchange. A lot of new drivers soon find out the cost to be successful and quit after a short time spent in karting which is a shame.
So what happened to Elliot from 2013? It's been a while now. Curious.
karting needs an unsealed air cooled direct drive 2 stroke class with a low grip tire that can be competitive for 3 race weekends.
Same thing happened to me, I had to stop karting at the end of cadets, going up to junior classes was just too expensive and I had to stay in cadets for an extensive year when I was 14 (cadets were aged 8-13) and it’s been over 3 years now since I stopped at the end of 2017
Edit: I think I commented sometime before but can’t find my old comment.
travel lodge? its called a tent :D
In the part of Austria where I live, there isn't even a place where you can run a proper race kart. It's such a shame because like in the movie a lot of talent is just wasted here. There is a series like the EKL in the movie here but that's it really. Such a shame.
There are ways of levelling the playing field but people want nothing to do with it, I was always at the front in Honda clubman when everyone had the same engine but was struggling at the top end when racing in the normal series at big tracks, but I was fortunate enough to be at the front at smaller tracks, and now I am in minimal and I am at the front even with a 6 year old kart
Yessssssssss, I totally agree! I have not been karting for very long but already the costs are piling up. I am only 14 so I can't get a job to support my karting by myself, and my dad is a pastor so I can't hardly go out and race on the weekends and he makes very little money, plus my mom is a teacher at a private school so she does not make a lot of money. I am stuck with a 2002 tony kart chassis and a kt100 that has never been mapped. Us drivers that can't afford this need help!
Race LO206 and you have almost no costs.
Yes...here in Brazil costs are making impossible race in kart.
i think one of the things which limit the sport is health and safety (not being aloud to use chassis over a certain age ) . i would love to do professional karting but its also the prices and as my family is extreamly poor i cant do what i love doing . currently i race in an unproffesional indoor track .
its one of my biggest dream to start karting or formula career. but i guess its never going to happen.
It's a shame money get's in the way of talent, It's stupid for someone to win races just because of there kart. Unfortunately it is expensive but I think they could at least create classes which restrict spending so e.g kart chassis made after lets 2012 are not allowed and same sort of thing for engines, tires have to be used for a few round before new ones are allowed etc. Something like this would be realistic but obviously the down side being using older equipment can be unreliable. Other than that I think people like the FIA and big names in Motorsport could at least provide more scholarships for drivers who deserve to be at the top and not just for money. What I would hate to see is rich kids in F1 and doing shit all because they never has much talent in the first place compared to someone who is talented and isn't in F1. Money talks rather than voices.
Rather than old chassis, etc., they just need to make a new style of kart halfway between a rental kart and a CIK chassis. Something that is durable and can be driven for several races without major servicing and isn't totaled with a light impact. All of this stuff could be overbuilt and understressed like the rental karts, but they make too much money off the rich people to care. IMO we should be running rental karts with revv-limited ATV motors or similar that can be run for dozens of hours without issue and rules that prohibit leaning out the motor so it needs rebuilding after a couple of hours (maybe have some sort of cylinder temp monitor with a maximum allowable temp).
Really, IMO, Club 100 is the best way to go: equally prepared, you don't have to service your kart, and fast enough to require real skill to drive.
Almost ten years ago... and nothing has changed
The cost problem is not so much about the drivers, if you are talented and move up to larger classes you will always be constrained by costs simply by nature of the sport.
Its the clubs that need to be helped.
The real cost issue is survival of clubs that own tracks, if they lack memberships then its all over if you don't have tracks to race on.
The sporting bodies are doing their best to kill off clubs by forcing them to contracts to only run control classes under that organisation, still running the the same game they were up to 30+ years ago however numbers have been gutted since then and they are still playing the same game of control and power to force any competing racing out of tracks.
Track owners need to be free to run whatever classes they choose and not be prohibited under threat of exclusion from running sanctioned meetings.
If they want to run open classes, non sanctioned races and even pocket bike racing as well they should be free to, whatever pays the bills to keep the club a going concern commercially and ensure tracks survive and facilities maintained.
Sanctioning bodies put themselves before the Tracks and that is the Tail wagging the Dog and not sustainable.
If the OP is a journalist how about putting the blow torch and Karting controlling bodies and expose their activities and the threats they make.
Handing out 5 to 10 year bans to long time members for daring to even criticise them.
Making rulings against members in absentia of hearings they have become fiefdoms lined with people who have conflicts of interest commercially, the fox is running the hen house and that should be exposed when lamenting the slow death of Karting not doing fluff pieces on a few poor sods that cant afford motor racing anyway.
There are kids who cant afford a ball to kick in the local park.
Control classes are not the answer and don't stop people with more money winning who can afford new tyres, engines every race and new chassis every 6 months and 2 spare karts if one breaks.
Track owners need to get on top of sanctioning bodies and teach them who really owns the farm.
Theres a new 4 cycle class here in canada, Briggs and Stratton which is really starting to grow because the engines are very limited and very equal unlike the honda's.... We just need more classes like that!!
Dirt Karting and Speedway Karting is where it's at now. Their has been a major surge of people leaving black track Karting here in Australia, mainly due to the increasing cost to stay competitive and the constant barrage of rules that people must comply with, ultimately costing them more money to conform with the new "Required" components inline with the new rules.
Get down to your local dirt track and have a ball. I race speedway karts, on dirt. 300 metre and 400 metre tracks. It's the best fun and competitive racing you will experience, and all at full throttle. Myself and my son run Yamaha KT100s engines....pocket rockets. So old gear is welcomed and predominant, because they are cheap now, thanks to the expense of black track karting.
Well I’m watching in 2020 and I had to stop karting in 2017 as I was going to move up to Junior TKM from Honda Cadet which is a massive budget difference as obviously higher classes are more expensive, it sucks so much that talent is hidden because of money.
this is true for all the sports. best gear.. best coaches.. able to compete abroad... you name it.
there is a world championship of indoor karting. still costs money but not as much as professional race karts. I have done rental kart racing for 10 years. in local as national championships. i also had some race karts for hobby doing trackdays. i can tell you that one season of rental kart racing is cheaper than maintaining and doing some trackdays with a rotax-max for example.
There are a lot of ways to cut costs. Here in the USA we have a class, stock moto, that basically uses a 125cc Honda motorcycle engine that has to comply to certain specs. There is even a class where people use an engine from the hardware store that only costs $150usd, and is actually pretty reliable. I think stock and spec classes keep things relatively cheap. It's in less restrictive classes, where you can build the engine, where things get crazy. 5-10k for a kart engine is moronic.
Stock Honda still requires a new set of tires every race to be competitive and there is a large initial investment because shifter chassis are the most expensive ones and the engines are amongst the most expensive as well. A top spec new shifter is $12k and even a used one that isn't junk is about $4k. So, $4k+$250/set tires every race plus $75 entry fee every race and we haven't even talked about gas or repairs. Not cheap.
I Half agree I starting to kart and I'm going to local tracks but I can only go once a month and have to use same tires
Fantastic Video
Currently racing on exactly the same kit as the junior max kid with the Gillard, although 4 welds on top and I can only drive to a certain extent where the kit just lets me down and I submit to the wealthier drivers. I think that Club 100 really has got the sport sorted because there is a definite driver progression into better fields. Although some people are luck enough to be picked up by race teams 9/10 times it's their Dad running it, MSA FIND US A SOLUTION
- 16, NatSKA JMAX
plus you can salvage tyres from the tyre dump you dont need new slicks for practice and testing theyre good until the tread indicators dissapear theyre making it expensive for themselves club level could easily be done at 6 grand
As I kid my parents didn't had the funds to get me into karting but that didn't hold me back as I got older. Now I can afford a 125cc shifter kart and maintain it. Pure for the love for the sport and I know that autosport is a dream and stays a dream. But that doesn't matter I can drive a kart as a hobby and compete in recreational kart competitions. And besides that I have a trackday car that I occasionally drive on the ring.
Money defenitely is a big factor in Go Karting.
Im now buying my first kart to try to enter in the competitive scene and its defenetiley have on my wallet.
But like carnay57 mostly its all about kart setup...how comfortable you are in the machine and what you extract from it. I know this from a fact...i once drove a 125cc and the owner informed it was as fast as some 250cc out there.
It had an old engine and chassis but i was still able to get in pass whit the other guys that were at track even if it was my first time driving non rental go karts.
Why not just use a claimer rule? It would help keep the costs down.
I don't think people realize Benjy Russell is George Russell's brother lol. This video is hilarious to me I'd never actually seen him before only knew the name.
Prices are still the same. Roughly 2.5k for a brand new X30/rotax max evo package. That’s excluding the rolling chassis. This form of motorsport needs to act fast
*bangs head on desk* I can't even get started in it!!!!!!!!!!!!! How am I suppose to do this?!
How are things now?
I went from really bad public karts to a really good indoor track. Then did outdoor arrive and drive. Worked 2 jobs to race in 2 series. One track hired me as a track marshall. Got to be the lucky guy who worked turn 1 for club races. Also did that for A+D. Work Sunday morning and the afternoon race was my pay! This should have been 4th year as a kart owner. The downside found out was a ok racer in mid 30's and as a kart owner I really suck as my own mechanic! A medical issue ruined this year . May not be able to afford a new motor for 2020 so may do a year of A+D which is still fun and less expensive!
just attend a racing academy and you'll get a smol experience of what does karting feels like
Karting is like every other sport, Its money, time, talent, commitment, I have seen very good kart drivers reach a point where their talent falls off, if everyone had the same amount of money to spend its not going to make any difference, its like any sport, only three reach the podium, only 1 takes the championship, race for Fun its more fulfilling and you have more fun.
This is one of the cheapest forms of motorsport...
and It still expensive
Does anyone know where he is now?
whats the song called at the begging and at the end??
Moby lift me up
If I wanted to get into karting, should I build or buy a kart?
These are what we call great parents.
EasyKart series?
That has serious restrictions, and maybe Club100 series which has only a few test days per year.
I'm trying to get into Club100 myself and I love the fact there are only a few test days per year
watching this in 2021 knowing nothing has changed and my natural talent can't even be used :(
I was 5 Times World Champion in 3 classes (FA FSA and ICC), and I had to quit because of money. You had to have the money from the beginning. Otherwise it takes A LOT of luck to get further.....
It seems very strange that you have won the world championship 5 times in 3 different classes ... I do not remember a German drider who won all these titles in that period ...
I advise you not to write things that are not true, you can find people who are informed ...
Change your palmares ...
I am not from Germany ;)
GhostriderPL23 Do you think anything will change if you are German or Dutch ... is that what you write is not good.
I repeat change your palmares...do not be ridiculous
rrrmo well he could be lying BUT it is not impossible to do that
And it was not 5 times in all classes. 1 Time FSA, 2 Times in FA and 2 Times in FC (later called Super ICC)....And I think it changes much from where I am. ;) But it's NOT Germany or Netherlands.....
karting isn't the main problem, formula 4 cost 300k per year and formula 3 over 600k
thats not necessarily true about needing tyres for every new race meeting you could easily get at least 2 meetings at club level before they start to drop off
I was lucky to be sold a very great Honda engine and I used it for three years. Last year, I moved up to Rotax Jr and the season was terrible. It was a used chassis and engine, and I finished my worst of 7th in the points (I never finished worse than 3rd in Honda). It wasn't that great of a kart, and it was pretty sad and frustrating to see some of the higher-funded teams whose drivers were absolute garbage on the top, especially when they were mid-pack on clubday and first place in regionals.
karting is stupid expensive and it shouldn't be. parts in australia are double what you pay at mondokart. we buy as much as we can from there but obviously with freight times that is not always feasable. also there are stitched up deals here when engines etc which does not allow you to buy from abroad if (and usually does) works out cheaper.
I think all sports are this way! My son has raced mx since the age of five, now he is 13 ! well sad to say about a year ago we just couldnt fund him anymore even with the help of some sponsors. oh and yes theres kids with the best equipment but i think the talent shows when you can race just as fast on your ride that may not be as fresh haha We be back marcus!!! lets show them whose faster! Thanks for this vid it rocks!