I'm a little disappointed that he didn't buy a Kart and proceed to spend the next 3 years ignoring all his other projects while he tried to become a competitive racer.... The projects won't go anywhere. Literally.
The problem is that, as Matt explained, karting rules are so restrictive that there isn't much room for the usual Superfast Matt craziness. And he's already done it.
A work buddy does this, and he flies around the track likes he's merely suggesting the direction the kart should travel. Every turn is a flirtation with control. It's truly amazing.
got a guy at work that does this too - was surprised when he wanted to stop by the kart shop after lunch one day and I was like "karts" and he's like "yeah shifter karts are the step before actual race car racing". When we got there the surprising part was that first it was far more expensive than any Sears go kart I ever seen but also with that bro told me you could tweak them to stupid speeds no problem if you wanted to and that statement meant I was probably not going to spend that money because if I did I would 110% wrap it around something, somewhere, and likely die lol
@@russellzaunereven some of the drivers from Aqours like Chika Takami, Kanan Matsuura and You Watanabe also spent their times on racing go karts during offseason.
The Superkart record lap at Laguna Seca is a full second faster than a Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo (and almost 2 seconds faster than a 911 GT3 RSR).
@@raginroadrunnerWell when you throw the green shell it doesn't track the racer in front of you, it just bounces around down the track. Red shells follow the person in front of you and can only really be countered by holding an item behind you. Blue shells fly down the track and explode when they reach the 1st place, but they're super rare.
Did 5 years of karts before I moved up to full size race cars. Best thing about karting is most of your mistakes are only $50 mistakes. With a full size race car, _all_ of your mistakes are _at least_ $500 mistakes, and making $5000 mistakes happens all the time, as well.
Had an engineering professor that only talked about gokarts when describing all things mechanical and related to power transmission. It was very effective. His name was Mike! CHEERS Mike, something tells me you are watching!
in europe, there's a tiny class called speeddown karts which drive downhill without any engines built in. that of course removes quite a bit of thrill while getting to speed, but as most tracks go through tiny mountain towns and countryside backroads with tons of curves, theres usually not a lot of space to drive extremely fast anyways. the benefits of this class are the very low cost, the supporting yet competitive scene around it and that it focuses a lot more on braking and finding the absolute best racing line, which often differs from those of motor racing. with speeds upwards of 50 mph or 85 kmh on narrow streets, its really fun and you dont really miss the engine, especially when drivers all across europe drive against each other. check it out if u can :)
all karts are only allowed to use FIA approved parts, so its actual karts with just the engine missing. also there are other, faster classes, which dont look like karts but rathers small racecars, and these can get up to 80 mph, once again on tight, mountain roads
in Brazil we have the poor people version. you take a plank, some bearings and create a car that will go scary fast on downhills. Search for "Carrinho de rolimã"
@@irfuel basically all around center europe, there are guys from spain to latvia driving in the series, but its so small that you basically just need to sign up for the events to be able to drive there, pretty cool, its called speeddown, and there are 10 different classes, karts being one of them
@@unitepunx just watched it, looks quite similar, but the european version is more like time attack in that only one kart drives on the track at once. Also, there are more different types of vehicles and in most classes more regulations. however, we also have the drift trike category at some races
I'm 75 now and I started karting when I was 11. Back then there were very few rules, mainly don't kill yourself, other drivers and most importantly the spectators. For the first few years there were no limitations on the size, number or types of engines. I ran two of the biggest chainsaw engines built at the time, around 20 hp each. They could propel the kart to well over 100 mph which was insane for the size of the tracks we raced on. Nothing could touch it on the straights. My Dad who built it was afraid to drive it because it was so fast, but not me. Only flipped it once, not sure how fast I was going but I covered a lot of air before I finally landed with a few bruises and was back out on the track for the next race, abet a bit slower. A few years ago I started designing a kart for the Salt Flats land speed record but the rules they put on karts were outrageous and they limited the top speed so drastically I decided not to build it.
@@dopey_duck_944 First it couldn’t be raced on a track because of its speed and gearing it down just wouldn’t make any sense. The design spec is a 200 mph kart, with suspension, purpose manufactured rims, tires and brakes. Aluminum, composite and carbon fiber frame and body. It would have a purpose built 250 cc engine, approximately 80 hp using fuel injection and ECM with a six speed transmission. Built for straight line driving only, not a track. Estimated cost to build 15-20,000 usd not counting labor. Then convincing myself to drive it.
Karting absolutely *can* be, relatively, inexpensive. However, other than their access to funds, there's nothing stopping someone from buying a new kart and professionally tuned engine every race for an entire season. Nor are there any rules stopping someone from hiring an entire team of mechanics and engineers to squeeze out every thousandth of a second they can. My point is, karting is a lot of fun if you can find a group of people to race who are on a similar level as you. I went karting last weekend as a slightly older, heavier driver on a budget racing against, mostly, a bunch of well-funded teenagers. After being well off the pace, taking a shot in the dark on setup changes, and getting wrecked and having to rebuild the kart between sessions, I realized I didn't have much fun at all and that's not the place or the group of drivers I should be racing against. There are other places I've raced where I've had a lot more fun against a more budget-minded group of racers and those are the places where I need to go race next year.
When I was a kid, I raced RC cars. Spec racing was similar to what Matt said, buy sealed 10 motors, dyno them, use the fastest sealed motor, ebay the rest, a process that circumvents the cost control and spirit of spec racing. Some people make the racing their identity however. You'd have fervent racers who would cover their car with a towel or something and verbally (sometimes threaten physical) attack anyone within 50 yards who had their camera or phone up, recording, lest the racers' super secret chassis or shock setting be revealed to the masses. It was petty and ridiculous. Kart racing sounds like it has the propensity to be equally petty and ridiculous.
When we say "cheap" it still costs a lot of money... Some kids (or their parents, rather) spend easy $150K a year on racing go karts. The pack is so dense that the tiniest advantage makes a huge difference.
I did electric karting for the first time recently and had SO MUCH MORE FUN than I expected! You're never going very fast, but man does it feel like it. And you pull some surprisingly hard Gs going through the tight corners
Yeah i did some electric too about 3 or 4 years ago. Definitely didn't miss the smell of choking exhaust while being strapped in around 20 other idling carts waiting to race.
I've only ever driven gokarts at a fast kart. I don't know the economics or feasibility of it but imagine torque vectored electric gokarts. Things Ive heard about the Rimac Nevera and Lucid Sapphire has me interested in the future of low cost racing.
@@grantlauzon5237the K1 speed OTK karts have a differential of sorts, with the way the race karts lift a wheel, you almost don’t even need a differential
I've been known to make a car find its way around the track but burned out years ago. In a later life there was a daughter who found out that dad actually had a former life and wanted a kart. Easy peasy. No springs, shocks, sway bars, diff, front brakes, oiling, etc. Just adjust the toe and tire pressure and sit back in the shade and watch her go around. I had no clue. None.
the way that crazy amounts of very technical info that i will never need are structured to feel like i understand everything is just amazing, your videos are now my adhd brain's most favourite procrastination content on the internet, it feels like christmas every time there's a new video notification
Cool ! Made my true karting debut at age of 39 ! A few weeks away from 55 . For my time as a kart owner I learned a few things . I suck as my own mechanic and running Briggs Masters I had to put a ton of lead on kart as I weigh about 135 pounds ! Definately a better rental racer and track marshal ! A non racing injury ruined the fun but still do a few races and work some events . Most of time race and flag on the same day ! Have over 200 laps of track inspection walks and who knows how many laps ! For 10 of the years I raced / worked at Mosport . Without question the best " job" I ever had ! Met lots of great people . Have seen kids become teenagers and teenagers become adults ! My 1st season flagging we had a teen rookie . He finished off the 2023 season racing at Petit LeMans ! 🤯😀🇨🇦🏁
Ultrafast Kyle was always very dominant vs all the other FSAE drivers in the same car. I rode as passenger in his car in SCCA several time 20 years ago, a very smooth and natural driver.
I'd be scared to come near it, let alone drive the thing. Where did the engine come from? I was under the impression that you wouldn't generally have access to small jet/rocket engines so far back, although if anyone would have a way to get a jet engine on the side, it'd be Mr. Arfons
@@Look_What_You_Did I'm serious. It was tested on a runway at what is now O'Hare Airport in Chicago. All I remember him telling me was that it was scary fast. Something like 90 miles per hour.
@13:37 aaaaand breath. No but seriously, your storytelling is awesome slightly fast Matt! I learned more about Karting now in 13 minutes and 37 seconds than I've done in almost 33 years alive! And I was very into Karting for a while! Just didn't put the time into it apparently!
I raced a lot karts, both indoor and out. Was top 3 many times at my local track, but most important, above everything was I HAD FUN! I would practice and race sometimes for hours. Go home completely spent, muscles cooked, and loved every second of it while recovering over the next few days with a BIG smile on my face. Awaiting the next time I'd out think, brake, and line read better than the rest of the field. The occasional side-rail bangin' always reminded me I was racing and it just doesn't get any better! I HIGHLY recommend karting for fathers, sons, daughters and even mom. Don't forget, to tap that brake at just the right time!
I teach engineering at a High school in Australia, one of the projects is building a kart. I will be showing the students your video. Thanks SuperfastMatt . They also enjoy your video of the oil tank build, you know the one with the avantages of slots and holes and how you decided to combine them. great stuff!
@@gniawd pretty sure it's power, style, power, fun, redneck shenanigans, power, vroom vroom sounds, and then maybe some safety. So at best, safety 8th
*IVE GOT TO THAT POINT IN MY LIFE* where I look to remove things, not add them. Remove complexity, remove possessions, remove cars, remove people who don't have my best interests at heart, remove luxuries, my LIFE is a 28Hp cart...
Art Ingels may have created the Go Kart (he worked for race car manufacturer Kurtis Kraft, hence the K in kart), but gokart racing was started by his friend Duffy Livingstone who organized those first events at the Rose Bowl.
Used to race dirt karts as a teen. Absolutely super fun. My Teamate was a neighbor and friend of my Dad's who also dabbled in SCCA. I spent many days and nights in his garage learning that car projects take way more time than and money than you think they will.
Hi matt, as someone that raced karts for 35 years here in australia and abroad,, I have to commend you on a truly outstanding video summarising the technicality purity and excitement of the sport. Truly a great video, good onya mate!
As a guy who did a few years of motorcycle track days, starting on an 05 Yamaha R1 and ending with an 08 Honda 600RR (edit: like 5 sec/lap faster at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS with the 600.), this video really illustrated the differences in thinking between a car and motorcycle track enthusiast, as well as just being interesting. Thanks Matt! 👍
There is similar thing in the sky. Karting is to racing what gliding is to planes. From the "this is so much cheaper to have fun with" down to "its terrifying what these things can do" Great vid!
I am a retired master automotive technician and I raced GP motorcycles years ago. Now I was not much interested in Karts as a sport, but you have corrected my misconception of what you guys do and continue to achieve in the science and art and of this (now for me) fascinating sport. The veracity of you who dare to race these small but powerful machines is amazing.
I'm more of an motocross guy myself but this was very eye opening video and kind of got me excited. I also have a kart chassis laying around in the garage and a 125cc 2 smoker motor as well. 🤪
My friend worked for a go kart place and would have me come over to help him kill the tires that needed changing. I never felt any machine give you so much feedback and information as a 2 stroke go kart flat in a corner burning the tires without the care of speed. Just holding it in a constant no traction slip with the the engine ringing its neck out until nothing was left of the tire!
Having karted for a few years myself, "not expensive" gets pretty expensive pretty quickly depending on how competitive you want to be. Admittedly still way cheaper than running a full size car, but you still go through tires like crazy on a kart and they aren't exactly cheap for all the less time you get on them while still being competitive. Add to that 3+ versions of what feels like every single part on the car (hubs, axles, wheels, bars, etc), plus tools and a trailer to hold all of that stuff and it quickly turns from "this is a cheap way to have fun" to "this is a really fast way to spend money". It was still a lot of fun and something I wish I did when I was younger, but also something I don't mind having stopped doing. Might be different if I had more tracks near me, but running on the same track every time, even in a different config, got a little stale.
Agree - depends what the definition of 'not expensive' is! A season of 2-stroke racing at just club level is going to cost minimum $4000 (everything included). Worth it though!
I'm so glad you said stay at the end. In the UK most people think karting is a stepping stone to other motor racing and it's very sad. We have massive junior grids but not so many in the senior grids. Karting is a great sport I just wish more people did it here in the UK.
Here in Canada (and presumably in the US) it appears to be largely the way for young people to race, and for their parents to be involved with racing without actually driving.
Karting is so incredibly human i feel. its more like seeing how fast a human can go with the assistance of a piston rather than how fast a piston can go with a human driving. Its like skateboarding or snowboarding in way that u have to articulate ur body to do the right tricks. competition is so cool too, we'd never know the limits of any car or any chasis if karting didnt exist, rlly opens ur eyes to every single element innthe world.
I raced karts in the late 70s in Goodwood, Ontario. I started in 4 stroke Hondas where the entire package was $750 for kart and engine. It was an ungoverned Honda G200 that made about 6.5 HP and got you to about 45 mph. The racing was intensely competitive with over 150 junior and senior drivers showing up some weekends. I eventually made it to 100CC national which was the direct drive air cooled 100CC class. I think it was about $1500 all in for that. We didn't carry a lot of spare parts, maybe some tires, a chain, a few sprockets etc. Those are the best memories of my childhood, my brother and my Dad, the three of us together every weekend.
Great video Race mechanic for many years with many different race series undery belt like USPKS, Rotax, SKUSA, Rok, CKNA, WKA. I would consider this a great beginners guide to karting! Missed SKUSA 2023 at Las Vegas motorspeedway due to car racing but this video just gave me motivation to get back into karts for the winter "off season". Was great to see some of my friends in this! Love the channel, please keep it up!!!
So which would you guys recommend as a beginner adult class? Which engine class is more popular? Rotax seems to have longer life and there is no competition between engine tuners, but you can't service it yourself, unlike iame stuff.
@@kirya312 For any beginner I'd recommend Briggs 206. Many local kart tracks and clubs run them. Price point is the cheapest, it's a sealed engine keeping everyone pretty much the same and skill is the determining factor for the most part excluding chassis choice. If you want more speed and don't mind a few more dollars go the KA100 route. You can't go wrong anyway, just get out and race!
As a former kart racer, this was a very good explanation of karting. While Matt covered the Sprint world in this video, I opted for the Road Race arena where we raced at VIR, Summit Point, and Mid Ohio to name a few. They say it's the best kept secret in Motorsports. I had a blast and hard to beat the $ per fun ratio.
I had a CR 125 powered shifter card for a brief bit that I bought on a whim. I would take it out and drive it around my neighborhood at night in the industrial district. Every bump on the road felt like I was being physically assaulted. I also took it out to Roach lake outside of Las Vegas and drove it out there on the flat dirt and it was an amazing blast, despite it not having a Kickstarter or electric start so you had to bump start it every time.
Great video!! I raced karts when I was a kid, shifter karts in my 20’s and now have my 5yo and 10yo boys karting too. Such a fun and accessible form of racing. Thank you for a great representation of the sport.
Pretty awesome to see someone hit the nail so perfectly on the head with a video on Karting! Been racing karts for 15 years all the way from small 4 strokes to now shifter karts. I've raced cars as well and nothing compares to the thrill of hauling ass less than an inch off the ground!
Working toward an SCCA Timing and Scoring license, I worked a cart race with my mentor at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, GA. There was some really good racing going on! And definitely more of a "family feel" to it than club racing.
Dual engine go karts and 1 wheel drive go karts are still go karts. Both have been used in racing. The definition of a go kart is much wider than you have implied, there's cross karts, yard karts, drag karts, etc. Cross karts, although they might seem pretty far separated, really just started when somebody put suspension on a yard kart.
Matt--- I'm a relatively new subscriber (4 or so months). I enjoy your content for your dry sense of humor and the knowledge you have in the areas I don't, the engineering aspect, with cars. I'm an electrical contractor with 35 years in commercial industrial construction (high rises, hospitals, stadiums, high tech) with a high degree of service and troubleshooting background as well. I also started out after high school building emergency vehicles, police, ambulance, fire chief vehicles, and all electrical and A/C on cars. I've always tinkered with my own cars, I've had mostly muscle cars, some trucks, but was never a fabricator, never learned to weld, but I can bend pipe ½- 4 inch, build racks, and brackets. I'm watching your videos to learn new things and to get soke laughs at the same time. Thanks for your videos
Man, this will definitely inspire people to at least to go a race. It's always fun for someone like me to hear an engineer casually talk passions. The ease in which art and tech intersects in racing I can understand where the problem solvers come from
This is a really good overall review/walk through of karting. All the options are listed to gain a little, and nothing feels slimy or hidden. This is a very good video to introduce someone to owner karts who's just been curious for a long time. Well done.
My previous boss is owner of the 2 Wild Kart shop down here in Orange County. Got to go out and help out at a few of their races, They're pretty cool to watch and as Matt touched on, there's tons of things you can do to tailor them to you and the track.
What a great video! Videos like this are exactly what the sport needs to make it more accesible and easy to understand to people who mare unfamiliar with it. I am actually working on a video similar to this too, but you beat me to it... dang it! Anyways, love from the biggest kart/only youtuber 🙌
I had no differential in my R32 Skyline years ago. I made it a fast 3 wheeler with a big rear sway bar. No one told me to. Just figured it out. Was comparable to 4 wheels since low power and light rear so so inside rears not overheated while working alone.
I learned the hard way that no one cares how fast you are in a kart. I even beat professional racecar drivers in a 6-hour race and still had no one calling to sponsor me. I was young and dumb but at least I learned that I could easily be (or beat) a pro if just given the chance. This kind of killed watching professional motorsport for me because I feel like we are just watching the rich drive fast and not the best of the best compete. I wish there was a way to find the truly best drivers and put them in those seats. Unfortunately, we will never know who the truly best driver in the world is because the barrier to entry isn't as low as something like basketball, football, or soccer.
1. That’s literally any sport. The rich can hire the best trainers and spend more time training per day. 2. If you did a 6 hour race that was a 4 stroke rental race. NO ONE takes those seriously. And no sponsor cares if you win/lose a race that no one watches. Sponsors exist to make the company money. Not to pay for you to go racing. If you aren’t bringing value to the company you aren’t going to be looked at for sponsorship.
Very good video. I started karting in 1967. Still race today. It really is the best bang for your buck in racing. Although, like everything, it's gotten much more expensive than it used to be.
Great video. This past year I discovered karting offers MORE fun for a lower price than anything with my road car. AND it never leaves my road car inoperable. Good summary, particularly the end.
I started racing Karts in 1962, the next year I stepped up to a better chassis and a McCullogh mac8 motor. Today’s karts are a world more sophisticated, but even back then top speed was around 60mph. Big thrills for a 14yo.
Fantastic overview of karting. It is a very fun and exciting sport that can be done with a reasonable budget at the local level. When you start attending events like Super Nats the budget goes out the window. Sounds like Kyle had a good run until he got punted, it happens. Thanks for the karting content.
I was Sort of Fast Fred. ;) Shifters, 206 and 6 hour endurance on a methanol 206. Not last, some times 2nd or 3rd, once 1st. I miss it but I'm on road course bikes now. Yes bikes are more expensive. MIght get a kart again. I recommend karting to everyone who wants to or does any other kind of motorsports.
My first Kart in 1959 was a Caretta kart which was built by Art Ingels. It was a dead axle kart with a scrub brake which rubbed on the sprocket. I wish I still had it today.
Great Video. I had a shifter kart just for fun recreationally. I never spend so much money on anyting and spend so many time tinkering and fixing things compared to actual drive time. It was about 6 hours of tinkering for evry 1 hour of driving. Everytime I took it to the traxk I would loose like half a day fixing things. I onlt once had a day at Kerpen where nothing went wrong and I drove all day and just had fun.
I got into this sport about a decade ago. It was way harder and scarier than I realized. After a year racing and never near a podium finish I was over it and sold everything. I heard soon after I stopped a racer lost control and slid into a fence giving her some good brusing and whiplash. All said that's not too bad an outcome. I still follow the sport loosely and admire the top drivers for their skill and cojones. God bless.
That’s wild. I’ve been to a few kart races and I always leaned aggressively into the corner, thinking it’d be best to keep the weight on the tires as balanced as possible. I knew about the need to lift the inside rear tire but somehow never connected those in my mind. Next time I’ll play around with my posture some more and see if I can get faster!
Great explanation about mecanical grip and how the drivers should move their body the opposite side of the corner. Maby thats why eaven some F1 pilots call karting the most physical motorsport activity.
This is fantastic description of the physics involved. It's obvious that kart racers would find all the tiny variables for improvement, but I had just assumed that the fixed chassis of all karts meant that power was the only real difference between them all.
Brings back memories of visiting Cal Karts in San Jose as a kid. Could never afford a real kart, bought a frame once at a garage sale and the tubes had been just tack welded then covered with bondo. That was my only venture with owning a kart since I just threw that frame away.
When I was a kid we used to regularly go to a kart track with my dad, these karts were even more barebones as they had no clutch (push start). Good times.
I do this exact sport and know a lot of the guys in this video. Super spot on video and something I’ll definitely be recommending to beginners. Thank you for bringing attention to our little community!
I had raced a go-kart since I was nearly 4 years old, and in Australia for the first few years it was fine. It was cheap, affordable, and fun. Then a certain Mick Doohan came along and made the engines cost 5x the price as one from the US, inflated all the licence pricing, cost of tires, and everything else he could take control of. Now it's close to $10,000 just to get into racing one (~$6,000 USD). I really hope it can become more affordable, because in my small hometown when I first started "club days" usually had around 60-70 people racing across all ages and backgrounds. Now they are lucky to even get a dozen people.
I'm a little disappointed that he didn't buy a Kart and proceed to spend the next 3 years ignoring all his other projects while he tried to become a competitive racer.... The projects won't go anywhere. Literally.
That is why they are called projects and not cars
That's next week's video.
The problem is that, as Matt explained, karting rules are so restrictive that there isn't much room for the usual Superfast Matt craziness. And he's already done it.
I think part 2 is still coming
Dereliction of duty. A cart will be in that garage. It may be a year from now but I believe in him. He can do it.
A work buddy does this, and he flies around the track likes he's merely suggesting the direction the kart should travel. Every turn is a flirtation with control. It's truly amazing.
got a guy at work that does this too - was surprised when he wanted to stop by the kart shop after lunch one day and I was like "karts" and he's like "yeah shifter karts are the step before actual race car racing". When we got there the surprising part was that first it was far more expensive than any Sears go kart I ever seen but also with that bro told me you could tweak them to stupid speeds no problem if you wanted to and that statement meant I was probably not going to spend that money because if I did I would 110% wrap it around something, somewhere, and likely die lol
Im absolutely stealing the line every turn is a flirtation with control thats gold
@@russellzaunereven some of the drivers from Aqours like Chika Takami, Kanan Matsuura and You Watanabe also spent their times on racing go karts during offseason.
That was very impressive.
The Superkart record lap at Laguna Seca is a full second faster than a Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo (and almost 2 seconds faster than a 911 GT3 RSR).
That is an insane fact
1:18:19 for a Kart at willow springs. I could be wrong but I don't think there is a production car that is within 3 or 4 seconds of that time.
This is absolutely the best explanation of karting I've ever seen. ModeratelyfastDoug says thank you.
BuiltforcomfortnotforspeedGreg agrees
Totally agree, I spent about 6 year karting (mainly in Open class in a 250 National (NZ) kart) but I learnt more from this video.
@@philnolan7193New Zealand Karting Championship?
@@purwantiallan5089 thats my guess
I'm surprised he didn't explain the difference between the green shell, red shell and spiky blue shell. It's very important to know the difference.
Wish Gran Turismo 125cc Shifter Karts also has Spiked Blue shell though.
what is the difference?
@@raginroadrunnerWell when you throw the green shell it doesn't track the racer in front of you, it just bounces around down the track. Red shells follow the person in front of you and can only really be countered by holding an item behind you. Blue shells fly down the track and explode when they reach the 1st place, but they're super rare.
Did 5 years of karts before I moved up to full size race cars. Best thing about karting is most of your mistakes are only $50 mistakes. With a full size race car, _all_ of your mistakes are _at least_ $500 mistakes, and making $5000 mistakes happens all the time, as well.
Had an engineering professor that only talked about gokarts when describing all things mechanical and related to power transmission. It was very effective. His name was Mike! CHEERS Mike, something tells me you are watching!
These karts still looked cool even today.
in europe, there's a tiny class called speeddown karts which drive downhill without any engines built in. that of course removes quite a bit of thrill while getting to speed, but as most tracks go through tiny mountain towns and countryside backroads with tons of curves, theres usually not a lot of space to drive extremely fast anyways. the benefits of this class are the very low cost, the supporting yet competitive scene around it and that it focuses a lot more on braking and finding the absolute best racing line, which often differs from those of motor racing. with speeds upwards of 50 mph or 85 kmh on narrow streets, its really fun and you dont really miss the engine, especially when drivers all across europe drive against each other. check it out if u can :)
all karts are only allowed to use FIA approved parts, so its actual karts with just the engine missing. also there are other, faster classes, which dont look like karts but rathers small racecars, and these can get up to 80 mph, once again on tight, mountain roads
Mike Rowe (dirty jobs guy)'s YT channel did a video on the american rendition of this a bit ago. 3IXjn0RlfEM
in Brazil we have the poor people version. you take a plank, some bearings and create a car that will go scary fast on downhills.
Search for "Carrinho de rolimã"
@@irfuel basically all around center europe, there are guys from spain to latvia driving in the series, but its so small that you basically just need to sign up for the events to be able to drive there, pretty cool, its called speeddown, and there are 10 different classes, karts being one of them
@@unitepunx just watched it, looks quite similar, but the european version is more like time attack in that only one kart drives on the track at once. Also, there are more different types of vehicles and in most classes more regulations. however, we also have the drift trike category at some races
I'm 75 now and I started karting when I was 11. Back then there were very few rules, mainly don't kill yourself, other drivers and most importantly the spectators. For the first few years there were no limitations on the size, number or types of engines. I ran two of the biggest chainsaw engines built at the time, around 20 hp each. They could propel the kart to well over 100 mph which was insane for the size of the tracks we raced on. Nothing could touch it on the straights. My Dad who built it was afraid to drive it because it was so fast, but not me. Only flipped it once, not sure how fast I was going but I covered a lot of air before I finally landed with a few bruises and was back out on the track for the next race, abet a bit slower. A few years ago I started designing a kart for the Salt Flats land speed record but the rules they put on karts were outrageous and they limited the top speed so drastically I decided not to build it.
Whos stopping you building the kart and running it without all the fuss of rules?
@@dopey_duck_944
First it couldn’t be raced on a track because of its speed and gearing it down just wouldn’t make any sense. The design spec is a 200 mph kart, with suspension, purpose manufactured rims, tires and brakes. Aluminum, composite and carbon fiber frame and body. It would have a purpose built 250 cc engine, approximately 80 hp using fuel injection and ECM with a six speed transmission. Built for straight line driving only, not a track. Estimated cost to build 15-20,000 usd not counting labor. Then convincing myself to drive it.
@@joereedmusic9853 you sound like you have it sussed. Why not approach some companies?
I think you're fudging the numbers a bit here lmao
@@mattbrown5120 200 mph should be possible with 80hp is your kart is fully faired.
"karting a good place to start and a good place to stay" i feel this a lot.
So refreshing to see a video that promotes karting in such a good light. Great work Matt! Let us know if you'll be at any future races!
Yooooo, kart chaser! You guys are awesome!
Karting absolutely *can* be, relatively, inexpensive. However, other than their access to funds, there's nothing stopping someone from buying a new kart and professionally tuned engine every race for an entire season. Nor are there any rules stopping someone from hiring an entire team of mechanics and engineers to squeeze out every thousandth of a second they can. My point is, karting is a lot of fun if you can find a group of people to race who are on a similar level as you. I went karting last weekend as a slightly older, heavier driver on a budget racing against, mostly, a bunch of well-funded teenagers. After being well off the pace, taking a shot in the dark on setup changes, and getting wrecked and having to rebuild the kart between sessions, I realized I didn't have much fun at all and that's not the place or the group of drivers I should be racing against. There are other places I've raced where I've had a lot more fun against a more budget-minded group of racers and those are the places where I need to go race next year.
When I was a kid, I raced RC cars. Spec racing was similar to what Matt said, buy sealed 10 motors, dyno them, use the fastest sealed motor, ebay the rest, a process that circumvents the cost control and spirit of spec racing. Some people make the racing their identity however. You'd have fervent racers who would cover their car with a towel or something and verbally (sometimes threaten physical) attack anyone within 50 yards who had their camera or phone up, recording, lest the racers' super secret chassis or shock setting be revealed to the masses. It was petty and ridiculous. Kart racing sounds like it has the propensity to be equally petty and ridiculous.
It is, it was, even back in the 60s. But it’s still racing, with everything that means.
Worry more about how to have fun yourself, and less about what others are doing.
When we say "cheap" it still costs a lot of money... Some kids (or their parents, rather) spend easy $150K a year on racing go karts. The pack is so dense that the tiniest advantage makes a huge difference.
The karting community needs more content like your's. Thank you. :)
I did electric karting for the first time recently and had SO MUCH MORE FUN than I expected! You're never going very fast, but man does it feel like it. And you pull some surprisingly hard Gs going through the tight corners
the instant torque from a electric motor makes it so much fun in a kart
Yeah i did some electric too about 3 or 4 years ago. Definitely didn't miss the smell of choking exhaust while being strapped in around 20 other idling carts waiting to race.
I've only ever driven gokarts at a fast kart.
I don't know the economics or feasibility of it but imagine torque vectored electric gokarts. Things Ive heard about the Rimac Nevera and Lucid Sapphire has me interested in the future of low cost racing.
@@grantlauzon5237the K1 speed OTK karts have a differential of sorts, with the way the race karts lift a wheel, you almost don’t even need a differential
I've been known to make a car find its way around the track but burned out years ago. In a later life there was a daughter who found out that dad actually had a former life and wanted a kart. Easy peasy. No springs, shocks, sway bars, diff, front brakes, oiling, etc. Just adjust the toe and tire pressure and sit back in the shade and watch her go around. I had no clue. None.
This video is fantastic and provides an excellent explanation. I think this is the best karting video I've seen.
Happy you liked it!
Video summary: "Make it more rigid" is not always the solution
@@Look_What_You_Did Yes
That's what I said yes
Usually it’s not
Rarely is.
More rigid with soft tires. With spec/hard tires you need that chassis flex.
the way that crazy amounts of very technical info that i will never need are structured to feel like i understand everything is just amazing, your videos are now my adhd brain's most favourite procrastination content on the internet, it feels like christmas every time there's a new video notification
Cool ! Made my true karting debut at age of 39 ! A few weeks away from 55 . For my time as a kart owner I learned a few things . I suck as my own mechanic and running Briggs Masters I had to put a ton of lead on kart as I weigh about 135 pounds ! Definately a better rental racer and track marshal ! A non racing injury ruined the fun but still do a few races and work some events . Most of time race and flag on the same day ! Have over 200 laps of track inspection walks and who knows how many laps ! For 10 of the years I raced / worked at Mosport . Without question the best " job" I ever had ! Met lots of great people . Have seen kids become teenagers and teenagers become adults ! My 1st season flagging we had a teen rookie . He finished off the 2023 season racing at Petit LeMans ! 🤯😀🇨🇦🏁
Ultrafast Kyle was always very dominant vs all the other FSAE drivers in the same car. I rode as passenger in his car in SCCA several time 20 years ago, a very smooth and natural driver.
"it felt natural" - Squirrely Dan
Around 1960 my father built a kart with a small rocket motor. He had help from Art Arfons.
I'd be scared to come near it, let alone drive the thing. Where did the engine come from? I was under the impression that you wouldn't generally have access to small jet/rocket engines so far back, although if anyone would have a way to get a jet engine on the side, it'd be Mr. Arfons
@@Look_What_You_Did I'm serious. It was tested on a runway at what is now O'Hare Airport in Chicago. All I remember him telling me was that it was scary fast. Something like 90 miles per hour.
@@theleva7 That's why I dropped Art's name. It would not have been possible without his help in getting the motor.
@@Look_What_You_Did Prove it?
@@Look_What_You_Didrocket karts were popular in the 60s
@13:37 aaaaand breath.
No but seriously, your storytelling is awesome slightly fast Matt!
I learned more about Karting now in 13 minutes and 37 seconds than I've done in almost 33 years alive! And I was very into Karting for a while! Just didn't put the time into it apparently!
I raced a lot karts, both indoor and out. Was top 3 many times at my local track, but most important, above everything was I HAD FUN! I would practice and race sometimes for hours. Go home completely spent, muscles cooked, and loved every second of it while recovering over the next few days with a BIG smile on my face. Awaiting the next time I'd out think, brake, and line read better than the rest of the field. The occasional side-rail bangin' always reminded me I was racing and it just doesn't get any better! I HIGHLY recommend karting for fathers, sons, daughters and even mom. Don't forget, to tap that brake at just the right time!
Was half way expecting the last sentence of the video to be; "so this is my brand new Kart!"
this is my favourite kind of video, the kind where you have to pause and wind back to make sure you didnt miss any of the details.
I teach engineering at a High school in Australia, one of the projects is building a kart. I will be showing the students your video. Thanks SuperfastMatt . They also enjoy your video of the oil tank build, you know the one with the avantages of slots and holes and how you decided to combine them. great stuff!
GHPC callout! I love how their shopping cart kart was finished for the video and then *immediately* set in the "don't drive this" pile.
I was thinking the same thing lol they are def a safety 3rd TY channel
@@gniawd pretty sure it's power, style, power, fun, redneck shenanigans, power, vroom vroom sounds, and then maybe some safety. So at best, safety 8th
this was incredibly interesting, and really densely packed, no filler.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to put it together and share it.
*IVE GOT TO THAT POINT IN MY LIFE* where I look to remove things, not add them.
Remove complexity, remove possessions, remove cars, remove people who don't have my best interests at heart, remove luxuries, my LIFE is a 28Hp cart...
I like it when you do videos about other things than your projects! You do you!
Art Ingels may have created the Go Kart (he worked for race car manufacturer Kurtis Kraft, hence the K in kart), but gokart racing was started by his friend Duffy Livingstone who organized those first events at the Rose Bowl.
Used to race dirt karts as a teen. Absolutely super fun. My Teamate was a neighbor and friend of my Dad's who also dabbled in SCCA. I spent many days and nights in his garage learning that car projects take way more time than and money than you think they will.
Hi matt, as someone that raced karts for 35 years here in australia and abroad,, I have to commend you on a truly outstanding video summarising the technicality purity and excitement of the sport. Truly a great video, good onya mate!
As a guy who did a few years of motorcycle track days, starting on an 05 Yamaha R1 and ending with an 08 Honda 600RR (edit: like 5 sec/lap faster at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS with the 600.), this video really illustrated the differences in thinking between a car and motorcycle track enthusiast, as well as just being interesting. Thanks Matt! 👍
There is similar thing in the sky. Karting is to racing what gliding is to planes. From the "this is so much cheaper to have fun with" down to "its terrifying what these things can do"
Great vid!
I am a retired master automotive technician and I raced GP motorcycles years ago. Now I was not much interested in Karts as a sport, but you have corrected my misconception of what you guys do and continue to achieve in the science and art and of this (now for me) fascinating sport. The veracity of you who dare to race these small but powerful machines is amazing.
I'm more of an motocross guy myself but this was very eye opening video and kind of got me excited. I also have a kart chassis laying around in the garage and a 125cc 2 smoker motor as well. 🤪
My friend worked for a go kart place and would have me come over to help him kill the tires that needed changing. I never felt any machine give you so much feedback and information as a 2 stroke go kart flat in a corner burning the tires without the care of speed. Just holding it in a constant no traction slip with the the engine ringing its neck out until nothing was left of the tire!
Having karted for a few years myself, "not expensive" gets pretty expensive pretty quickly depending on how competitive you want to be. Admittedly still way cheaper than running a full size car, but you still go through tires like crazy on a kart and they aren't exactly cheap for all the less time you get on them while still being competitive. Add to that 3+ versions of what feels like every single part on the car (hubs, axles, wheels, bars, etc), plus tools and a trailer to hold all of that stuff and it quickly turns from "this is a cheap way to have fun" to "this is a really fast way to spend money". It was still a lot of fun and something I wish I did when I was younger, but also something I don't mind having stopped doing. Might be different if I had more tracks near me, but running on the same track every time, even in a different config, got a little stale.
Agree - depends what the definition of 'not expensive' is!
A season of 2-stroke racing at just club level is going to cost minimum $4000 (everything included).
Worth it though!
I'm so glad you said stay at the end.
In the UK most people think karting is a stepping stone to other motor racing and it's very sad. We have massive junior grids but not so many in the senior grids.
Karting is a great sport I just wish more people did it here in the UK.
Here in Canada (and presumably in the US) it appears to be largely the way for young people to race, and for their parents to be involved with racing without actually driving.
"the next max verstappen and the only obstacle is you" i LOL'd so true.
Karting is so incredibly human i feel. its more like seeing how fast a human can go with the assistance of a piston rather than how fast a piston can go with a human driving.
Its like skateboarding or snowboarding in way that u have to articulate ur body to do the right tricks.
competition is so cool too, we'd never know the limits of any car or any chasis if karting didnt exist, rlly opens ur eyes to every single element innthe world.
I raced karts in the late 70s in Goodwood, Ontario. I started in 4 stroke Hondas where the entire package was $750 for kart and engine. It was an ungoverned Honda G200 that made about 6.5 HP and got you to about 45 mph. The racing was intensely competitive with over 150 junior and senior drivers showing up some weekends. I eventually made it to 100CC national which was the direct drive air cooled 100CC class. I think it was about $1500 all in for that. We didn't carry a lot of spare parts, maybe some tires, a chain, a few sprockets etc. Those are the best memories of my childhood, my brother and my Dad, the three of us together every weekend.
As a kart racer, this is the best 13 minute video explaining kart racing that I have ever seen. Great video!
Great video
Race mechanic for many years with many different race series undery belt like USPKS, Rotax, SKUSA, Rok, CKNA, WKA. I would consider this a great beginners guide to karting! Missed SKUSA 2023 at Las Vegas motorspeedway due to car racing but this video just gave me motivation to get back into karts for the winter "off season". Was great to see some of my friends in this!
Love the channel, please keep it up!!!
A former Rotax 125CC 2-speed mechanic here. I agree! Very good introduction video!
So which would you guys recommend as a beginner adult class? Which engine class is more popular? Rotax seems to have longer life and there is no competition between engine tuners, but you can't service it yourself, unlike iame stuff.
@@kirya312 For any beginner I'd recommend Briggs 206. Many local kart tracks and clubs run them. Price point is the cheapest, it's a sealed engine keeping everyone pretty much the same and skill is the determining factor for the most part excluding chassis choice. If you want more speed and don't mind a few more dollars go the KA100 route.
You can't go wrong anyway, just get out and race!
@@Wholebakedcooky Thanks for the answer!
@@kirya312ka100. LO206 reminds me too much of mowing the lawn as a kid, while I would be dreaming of riding my YZ85. A used KA is fairly affordable
As a former kart racer, this was a very good explanation of karting. While Matt covered the Sprint world in this video, I opted for the Road Race arena where we raced at VIR, Summit Point, and Mid Ohio to name a few. They say it's the best kept secret in Motorsports. I had a blast and hard to beat the $ per fun ratio.
I had a CR 125 powered shifter card for a brief bit that I bought on a whim. I would take it out and drive it around my neighborhood at night in the industrial district. Every bump on the road felt like I was being physically assaulted. I also took it out to Roach lake outside of Las Vegas and drove it out there on the flat dirt and it was an amazing blast, despite it not having a Kickstarter or electric start so you had to bump start it every time.
Great video!! I raced karts when I was a kid, shifter karts in my 20’s and now have my 5yo and 10yo boys karting too. Such a fun and accessible form of racing. Thank you for a great representation of the sport.
I was racing karts for 2 years, and working as a mechanic in a team. This is the best video about karting I've ever seen. Keep it up 😊
I think you have a great presentation style and could present almost any topics without it being boring.
Solid assessment of what kart racing is all about. Briggs is a great class to start in, and Rotax senior with 30 hp is the sweet spot for me.
Pretty awesome to see someone hit the nail so perfectly on the head with a video on Karting! Been racing karts for 15 years all the way from small 4 strokes to now shifter karts. I've raced cars as well and nothing compares to the thrill of hauling ass less than an inch off the ground!
I never saw such an unique explenation of karting itself. “Karting is dynamic” is a good one, there is no theoretical explenation of how to be fast.
Working toward an SCCA Timing and Scoring license, I worked a cart race with my mentor at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, GA. There was some really good racing going on! And definitely more of a "family feel" to it than club racing.
Dual engine go karts and 1 wheel drive go karts are still go karts. Both have been used in racing. The definition of a go kart is much wider than you have implied, there's cross karts, yard karts, drag karts, etc. Cross karts, although they might seem pretty far separated, really just started when somebody put suspension on a yard kart.
Matt--- I'm a relatively new subscriber (4 or so months).
I enjoy your content for your dry sense of humor and the knowledge you have in the areas I don't, the engineering aspect, with cars.
I'm an electrical contractor with 35 years in commercial industrial construction (high rises, hospitals, stadiums, high tech) with a high degree of service and troubleshooting background as well. I also started out after high school building emergency vehicles, police, ambulance, fire chief vehicles, and all electrical and A/C on cars. I've always tinkered with my own cars, I've had mostly muscle cars, some trucks, but was never a fabricator, never learned to weld, but I can bend pipe ½- 4 inch, build racks, and brackets.
I'm watching your videos to learn new things and to get soke laughs at the same time.
Thanks for your videos
Making the simple complex. Welcome to SuperFastMatt
Don't you have some cars to be working on...
SuperprocrastinatingMatt
This is his way of telling us he's about to start another one because the others are taking too long 😉😂
@@heiner71 like a true engineer
🤫
Stop it, we don’t do complete projects here
Raced karts as a kid, I really miss it. I love how they drive, you kinda just upset the kart before entry and steer with the throttle, it's awesome
Man, this will definitely inspire people to at least to go a race. It's always fun for someone like me to hear an engineer casually talk passions. The ease in which art and tech intersects in racing I can understand where the problem solvers come from
This is a really good overall review/walk through of karting. All the options are listed to gain a little, and nothing feels slimy or hidden. This is a very good video to introduce someone to owner karts who's just been curious for a long time. Well done.
I find small limited vehicles so much more fun to watch. I truly don't care how fast a multi million dollar machine can go.
My previous boss is owner of the 2 Wild Kart shop down here in Orange County. Got to go out and help out at a few of their races, They're pretty cool to watch and as Matt touched on, there's tons of things you can do to tailor them to you and the track.
Ryon or his dad?
@@KosmicHRTRacingTeam Rhod was in process of handing out over to Ryon when I left.
Always been excited whenever YT showed a notification with SuperFastMatt on it
that was an excellent karting explanation video. Especially your closing statement !!! Good Job
What a great video! Videos like this are exactly what the sport needs to make it more accesible and easy to understand to people who mare unfamiliar with it. I am actually working on a video similar to this too, but you beat me to it... dang it! Anyways, love from the biggest kart/only youtuber 🙌
As a karter, thanks for this. It's a great endorsement, but I'd like to think it's a well deserved one.
This is the best karting video RUclips. I never knew karting was this involved.
I had no differential in my R32 Skyline years ago. I made it a fast 3 wheeler with a big rear sway bar. No one told me to. Just figured it out. Was comparable to 4 wheels since low power and light rear so so inside rears not overheated while working alone.
Your content has great depth, clarity, and style.
As a former karter I'm so glad you said kart Matt. As Niki Lauda once said "the difference between a go-kart and a kart is 100mph"
I learned the hard way that no one cares how fast you are in a kart. I even beat professional racecar drivers in a 6-hour race and still had no one calling to sponsor me. I was young and dumb but at least I learned that I could easily be (or beat) a pro if just given the chance. This kind of killed watching professional motorsport for me because I feel like we are just watching the rich drive fast and not the best of the best compete. I wish there was a way to find the truly best drivers and put them in those seats. Unfortunately, we will never know who the truly best driver in the world is because the barrier to entry isn't as low as something like basketball, football, or soccer.
1. That’s literally any sport. The rich can hire the best trainers and spend more time training per day.
2. If you did a 6 hour race that was a 4 stroke rental race. NO ONE takes those seriously. And no sponsor cares if you win/lose a race that no one watches.
Sponsors exist to make the company money. Not to pay for you to go racing. If you aren’t bringing value to the company you aren’t going to be looked at for sponsorship.
Very good video. I started karting in 1967. Still race today. It really is the best bang for your buck in racing. Although, like everything, it's gotten much more expensive than it used to be.
Great video. This past year I discovered karting offers MORE fun for a lower price than anything with my road car. AND it never leaves my road car inoperable. Good summary, particularly the end.
I started racing Karts in 1962, the next year I stepped up to a better chassis and a McCullogh mac8 motor. Today’s karts are a world more sophisticated, but even back then top speed was around 60mph. Big thrills for a 14yo.
I’ve been racing for a few years now and you explain the chassis tuning MUCH better than most people I race with can.
Fun segment, thank you Matt!
One of my very favorite channels. Inspirational to we builders.. thanks Matt
Fantastic overview of karting. It is a very fun and exciting sport that can be done with a reasonable budget at the local level. When you start attending events like Super Nats the budget goes out the window. Sounds like Kyle had a good run until he got punted, it happens. Thanks for the karting content.
Hearing Matt pronounce "Max Verstappen" makes me a happy Dutch person
I was Sort of Fast Fred. ;) Shifters, 206 and 6 hour endurance on a methanol 206. Not last, some times 2nd or 3rd, once 1st.
I miss it but I'm on road course bikes now.
Yes bikes are more expensive. MIght get a kart again.
I recommend karting to everyone who wants to or does any other kind of motorsports.
My first Kart in 1959 was a Caretta kart which was built by Art Ingels. It was a dead axle kart with a scrub brake which rubbed on the sprocket. I wish I still had it today.
Thanks Matt, what a channel you have in here ❤
Karting is relatively inexpensive motorsport. However it shouldn’t be confused with cheap.
Great Video. I had a shifter kart just for fun recreationally. I never spend so much money on anyting and spend so many time tinkering and fixing things compared to actual drive time. It was about 6 hours of tinkering for evry 1 hour of driving. Everytime I took it to the traxk I would loose like half a day fixing things. I onlt once had a day at Kerpen where nothing went wrong and I drove all day and just had fun.
I got into this sport about a decade ago. It was way harder and scarier than I realized. After a year racing and never near a podium finish I was over it and sold everything. I heard soon after I stopped a racer lost control and slid into a fence giving her some good brusing and whiplash. All said that's not too bad an outcome. I still follow the sport loosely and admire the top drivers for their skill and cojones. God bless.
Karts are fast... you vid is a very good summary. the 125 heats are intense.
I roasted many centrifugal clutches in KT100.
That’s wild. I’ve been to a few kart races and I always leaned aggressively into the corner, thinking it’d be best to keep the weight on the tires as balanced as possible. I knew about the need to lift the inside rear tire but somehow never connected those in my mind. Next time I’ll play around with my posture some more and see if I can get faster!
Great explanation about mecanical grip and how the drivers should move their body the opposite side of the corner. Maby thats why eaven some F1 pilots call karting the most physical motorsport activity.
This is fantastic description of the physics involved. It's obvious that kart racers would find all the tiny variables for improvement, but I had just assumed that the fixed chassis of all karts meant that power was the only real difference between them all.
Glad to hear someone else reference Formula SAE, I'm working on a FSAE team right now, focusing on suspension geometry, and it's a great challenge!
Brings back memories of visiting Cal Karts in San Jose as a kid. Could never afford a real kart, bought a frame once at a garage sale and the tubes had been just tack welded then covered with bondo. That was my only venture with owning a kart since I just threw that frame away.
When I was a kid we used to regularly go to a kart track with my dad, these karts were even more barebones as they had no clutch (push start). Good times.
I do this exact sport and know a lot of the guys in this video. Super spot on video and something I’ll definitely be recommending to beginners. Thank you for bringing attention to our little community!
It's Speedy Nuts Kyle from the book! I thought he was just an urban legend.
Great video!!! I love the writing, VO, and all the footage. Very well done!
Karting is where F1 pros start out, i find this title puzzling
I had raced a go-kart since I was nearly 4 years old, and in Australia for the first few years it was fine. It was cheap, affordable, and fun. Then a certain Mick Doohan came along and made the engines cost 5x the price as one from the US, inflated all the licence pricing, cost of tires, and everything else he could take control of. Now it's close to $10,000 just to get into racing one (~$6,000 USD). I really hope it can become more affordable, because in my small hometown when I first started "club days" usually had around 60-70 people racing across all ages and backgrounds. Now they are lucky to even get a dozen people.