Impossible to get into karting

I'm 16, used to go karting 'school' at a place near me, but all it really was was an extended arrive and drive session really every week.
There's only one circuit relatively close to me that is a proper kart school, and it would probably take 45mins-1hr to get there by car...and my parents certainly wouldn't want to be making that journey every week.
People wonder why numbers are declining, costs are certainly one thing, but accessability is certainly another

If it's driving once or twice a week, it's not that bad. I do hope for you that you're as far from the US as possible

Well, I did fail to mention that it since closed down..but yes, I'm in the UK. People who live near the kart schools will have much more opportunities than the people who don't

And the people with a rich dad have more opportunities as well...

... or rich mom or grandparents .
If it's hard in the UK, imagine outside of it. Here in the US the only karting place I found, that is decent (and for fun but with good karts), costs 13 dollars for 2 minutes. A decent kart session would come out for $169 dollars! And it's those karts that go at about 20-30mp/h

And they complain about people not being interested due to Formula 1 being boring!
Sure, I suppose it would help, what with people pressurising for costs to be lowered and more tracks to be built. But it seems only people who are a) rich b) have a family who have been/are involved in motorsport c) live any where near a suitable track get the opportunities

kinda obvious but it isn't really hard to get into it if you have a car or other transport lol, i went saturday with mates and it's only 24 quid.

and i was fastest

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Yes but look at the kids starting today. If you're serious and want to stand any hcance of really progressing you need to start at 8/9/10. Starting at 17 hinders you a bit

There is a kart track nearby to me, uses an old abandoned airfield strip. Not sure what entry cost is, but I know local club races are held there. To be honest, there are good kart circuits around the country, you just have to look for them.

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Everyone knows that million-to-one chances happen 9 times out of 10; indeed, it's a common requirement in fairy tales. If the human didn't have to overcome huge odds, what would be the point? Terry Pratchett - The Science Of Discworld

GPGSL S5 Race driver for IED.

Gené and Tonic Wrote:
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> Yes but look at the kids starting today. If you're
> serious and want to stand any hcance of really
> progressing you need to start at 8/9/10. Starting
> at 17 hinders you a bit


depends what racing you wanna do and how much natural talent. Didnt Monteiro (spellings wrong i know!) only start at like 18? and people race in sportscars and stuff well past 40's and into the 50's

Sim

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All Hail The New York Giants - Winners of Superbowl XXI, XXV and XLII!

"I'd love to know what goes on in that crazy head of yours sometimes, Sim..." - Locke Cole

One thing i want to do is race in the leman 24hr.

probably the greatest race in the history of motorsport.

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Probably the highest fatality rate if you happen to do so . But if Yoong did it, why can't you

sasjag schreef:
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> Gené and Tonic Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes but look at the kids starting today. If
> you're
> > serious and want to stand any hcance of really
> > progressing you need to start at 8/9/10.
> Starting
> > at 17 hinders you a bit
>
>
> Didnt Monteiro (spellings wrong i
> know!) only start at like 18?

Yeah he did. He was allowed to drive his dads Porsche for some laps (his dad was in some series) and proved to be quick immdeatly. And the spelling is right btw

funnily enough his middle name means Slowpoke, haha :D

Gené and Tonic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm 16, used to go karting 'school' at a place
> near me, but all it really was was an extended
> arrive and drive session really every week.
> There's only one circuit relatively close to me
> that is a proper kart school, and it would
> probably take 45mins-1hr to get there by car...and
> my parents certainly wouldn't want to be making
> that journey every week.
> People wonder why numbers are declining, costs are
> certainly one thing, but accessability is
> certainly another

Juan-Pablo used to get his dad to fly him from home into the US for some of his early races, and they were scrabbling around for money too.

If you want to be in motorsport badly enough, then you and your family will make the sacrifices. It's that simple.

Senna himself had to leave Britain for a while because it was rough on his family, but he was too lost without racing and his dad went all out for him. Of course it's Senna I am talking about, a once in a lifetime talent but even he struggled.

There's a member of these forums who had some decent success in F-Renault, I believe, back in 2001. Fcarmoracing is the user name so do the search on him, his name is Fábio do Carmo. Unfortunately his main sponsor, a painting shop, decided it wasn't worth it.

Sennas dad or family didnt fully go along with it at the start tho did they.

they saw it as a dangerous sport in which they were pumping in alot of money. but then later when he realized it was what senna wanted to do, his dad let him...

and like senna promised he gave his dad everything back and more :D!

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Aye... if you look hard enough you'll find circuits, even if they aren't fantastic. It's still a way to get a start, and then your parents may see that your committed to it.

Personally, I live right out on the East Coast, it takes an hour (+) to get to any circuit at all. And we're not rich.

And on the accessibility note, whilst theres such a diminishing demand, there will be little rush to supply. Also, its extremely hard to get the planning permission for race circuits in this country, with many circuits living either in fear of closure for one reason or another (one of my closest circuits was in constant dispute with one houseowner nearby... its that easy to try and get a circuit shut down).

man this sounds inspiring for me. But im sure my parents would never let me do ANY motorsports ( especially my dad. he is the safety freak!) I wonder if there are any karting tracks near L.A. ( In California, for those of you who don't know). And i think i might have some talent, not sure yet but.... I pwn at this little crappy go-kart place ( not any REAL kart racing). Im serious, get me into a good kart, and im gone!

Hit me up pplz!

teh_$L!cerer

Want more inspiring stuff? Lewis Hamilton's father worked 3 jobs so he could provide his son with a chance. Now that was a 1 in a huge value chance, but it happened for him and his family is being rewarded for it.

And those go karts is basically you racing yourself, so what you must do is push 100% every lap and check your laptimes, see how you can improve your lines and even think of new ways to go about the track, like braking, lifting or just drifting.