Karting Nation Blog

Our kids can drive us all mad, but thanks to the facilities available through Karting Nation, they can also drive a range of super-fast, super-fun go karts. Did you know that Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and many other top Formula 1 drivers got their first taste of motor racing in karts? And despite what many people think, this activity isn’t reserved for the mega-rich.

If your little devil is a speed demon, you’re bound to find an exciting karting package to suit your family and your budget.

Kid’s party packages are a great way to introduce your young ones to racing in a safe and fun environment, and celebrate their birthday while they do it! These events, available in many karting venues nationwide, include exclusive use of the track, marshalled races between your kids and their mates, plus complimentary gifts like medals for the racers or a special prize for the birthday boy or girl. Many locations even throw in party food and drink, so all of the little drivers can refuel throughout the day.

While several venues do not offer these fantastic activities, they still allow junior drivers to take a kart for a spin around the track. Some venues let children take part in their GP Experience sessions, which are opportunities to take a kart onto the circuit for a designated period of time, usually between 15 minutes and 1 hour.

This is a chance for mini-Hamiltons to gain experience and develop their racing technique in a non-competitive environment, before they go head to head with their peers. With computer timing equipment, they will be able to examine their exact lap times and chart their improvement.

Other sites may offer Kid’s Practice sessions, which follow the same format as the GP Experience sessions but afford younger drivers exclusive use of the track.

Look out for peak and off peak pricings which apply at some venues. Off peak bookings give your kids the opportunity to drive at reduced prices provided you are available for an afternoon session.  Please be aware the vast majority of providers require adult supervision of young drivers to be maintained at all times.

Cadet Karts are another option offered by selected venues. These schemes, designed to promote junior karting and develop new talent in the sport, take the form of karting lessons or competitive races against other young hopefuls. This might be your little ones chance race full-throttle toward a lucrative career in motor sport. And if that doesn’t happen they’re still bound to have a fantastic time!

Each of our karting locations has its own minimum age and height requirements. The most common age range for junior karting activity would seem to be 8 years to 15 years however some facilities sport electric karts which may be driven by children as young as 3 years.

Many venues impose a height restriction of a minimum 4’4’’ but this is also different depending on the site in question.

Most junior karts are usually run on 120cc to 200cc engines. Electric karts are also a new option that is growing in popularity, as a safer and quieter alternative to the traditional petrol kart.

The guys at Karting Nation are on hand to help you in planning an exciting karting trip for your kids. They will be able to offer specific information regarding the features and requirements of each venue, and our happy to discuss your options. With their help you’re sure to plan a thrilling experience for your potential racing champs, and an affordable experience at that!

Call us now on 0844 745 5006

Go karting is just about the most hair-raising, heart-pounding, blood-pumping, thrill ride that you’ll ever experience, but if you’re not doing it right you’ll never know just how amazing it can be!

And bad news people… most of you aren’t doing it right!

But don’t hang up that helmet just yet, because I’m here to turn you from a karting klutz into a karting king!

This isn’t exactly Formula 1, but just because you’re not borrowing Jenson Button’s car keys doesn’t mean this is easy. Karting, like most sports, is simple to pick up but challenging to master. I’m going to tell you how to do it.

I’ll also be going over some important safety information because you’ll have a hard time winning a race if your kart’s upside down at the edge of the track!

BASICS

Let’s start with the basics…sitting in the kart! We all know how to sit down. I’ve sat down pretty much every day of my life and so have you! Yet some kart racers aren’t doing it right. The key to a smooth and controlled ride is to sit back comfortably in your seat and resist the temptation to lean forward as this will affect your handling of the kart. These are small, sensitive machines and the slightest imbalance could be the difference between getting around the track and getting around it faster than everybody else.

STEERING

Maintaining stable control of the steering wheel is equally important. Keep those hands of yours at 10 and 2, or 9 and 3. And remember the secret to a great kart drive is keeping that wheel straight as often as possible.

Ok, so we can’t keep the wheel straight all the time (you’re bound to find a wall before too long) but by mastering an efficient cornering technique, you’ll find your lap times coming down and your excitement levels heading up and up.

CORNERING

The key is not to get things too muddled up in your brain-box, and we do this by breaking the turn into separate stages and conquering them one at a time.

Stage 1: Braking! We hit the brakes early and firmly, so that the rear wheels lock, and then we release the brake before we reach the apex of the turn.

Stage 2: Steering! We steer into the corner with an even and controlled turn…but we don’t do it too early! This is really important. Too many racers jump into the turn too quickly and then they’re forced to compensate in the other direction which makes the kart go a little crazy. We take an outside line around the corner and keep the wheel straight as long as possible before turning the wheel evenly into the bend and holding this position until the momentum of the kart has pulled it beyond the corner. At which point, we straighten as efficiently as we can.

Stage 3: Accelerating! Once the weight of the kart is evenly distributed across all four wheels again, and we’re straightened up with the next section of the course in front of us, we can hit the accelerator and power into the straight. If we hit the throttle while the weight of the vehicle is still leaning to one side we will unsettle it and make our exit slower and more awkward. We apply firm, even pressure to the pedal with our right foot and we build up as much momentum as we can until we reach the circuit’s next braking zone. Then we repeat stages 1 to 3…and before you know it, we’re hosing down the competition with our celebratory bottle of bubbly, while they feign excitement and wish deep down that they could have cornered as well as we did!

Go karting is such a challenge to perfect because raw speed isn’t enough to make you a great competitor. Flying into the turn will probably leave you flying off course! It’s not how fast you get around it but how fast you blast out on the other side.

Slow into the corner, fast out.

Practice makes perfect (if you’re practicing the right things) and while most karting venues require you to complete practice laps before your race, it is also possible to visit the track for a GP Experience session, in which you pay to hit the circuit for a designated period of time, in a non competitive format. These arrive and drive experiences give you the opportunity to experiment with different driving lines. Hitting the corners later and wider and then narrowing in the straights. You’ll learn how to optimise the effect of the stages and you’ll shave seconds off your time. If you’re interested in a GP Experience drive our helpful Karting Nation staff will be happy to make the necessary arrangement, so don’t hesitate to give them a call.

SAFETY

Now that we’re done with the fun stuff, let’s talk about safety. This is crucial, not only so that we can avoid accidents, but also because the safer and smoother we drive, the better we drive too!

Before we get down to business, it’s time to don our helmets and the rest of our karting gear! This includes a helmet which covers the whole of the face, a set of fireproof overalls, and a pair of gloves, all of which should be provided by the karting facility. Your job is to bring the right footwear. Sorry guys, there’s no room on the kart track for those killer heels! The preferred footwear for racing here is a comfortable training shoe, and it is recommended that the shoe have a thin sole, as this greatly improves the driver’s control over the pedals. Kart pedals are extremely sensitive and the best way to master them is to have total appreciation of this fact…which means no platforms either!

Every karting session is preceded by a short safety briefing, conducted by venue officials. There seems to be a very little known fact about this tutorial…it helps if you actually listen to it! Many of us are ignorant of race rules and procedures before we take the wheel and this information could well be the difference between a really fun and memorable experience and one that you remember for all the wrong reasons.

During your race, venue officials will communicate to drivers using a series of coloured flags, and you’re going to need to know what these flags mean. The flags colours and their meanings are as follows:

• Green – You guessed it! Green means go! This flag signals the start of the event, though has been replaced at some facilities by a green light.
• Yellow – Caution! In the event of an accident or a spin, marshals may wave a yellow flag instructing you to slow and approach the obstruction with caution.
• Blue – Allow a faster driver to overtake by yielding the racing line.
• Red – Stop! The race has been stopped and all racers must slow and leave the track or follow the instructions of the safety marshal.
• Black – Disqualification! This flag is used when a serious foul has been committed, usually involving dangerous driving, and results in your ejection from the race. You don’t want to see this one!
• Black with white circle – A mechanical fault within your kart means that you are required to leave the race.
• And finally…The Chequered Flag! The one you want to be the first to see! This flag signals the end of the race. Reach this one first and you’ll be stepping higher on the podium than anyone else.

So, that’s all you need to know to get you started. Karting really is the most fun you can have while zipping along a racetrack at up to 70mph with your butt-cheeks mere inches from the ground.

It’s an adrenaline fuelled activity that anyone can enjoy, but in the right hands, it can be an experience unmatched in speed and skill.

The karting buzzword is ‘smooth’: the smoother the ride the more successful. These nippy little vehicles won’t respond to being manhandled, they’ll skip and spin. If you’re braking too hard, slamming the throttle and wrestling the wheel you’ll never be in total control and you won’t be able to focus on the contours and intricacies of the track. But master a calm and efficient technique and you’ll be able to manage your opponents, and the twists and turns of the circuit.

Zooming around the track feels great, but zooming around first feels better. Enjoy!

Book your karting experience now or call us on 0844 745 5006

Karting is established as one of the most popular and successful corporate event experiences; perfect for entertaining clients and socialising with your team. It is such a recognised commercial event that the vast majority of karting venues available through Karting Nation offer comprehensive meeting and conference facilities; offering high levels of professionalism and care toward your organisation.

As forward-thinking businesses search for new and exciting ways to liaise with clients, we are on hand to offer thrilling karting packages nationwide. You’ll find an appropriate venue wherever your firm is based. Karting is a fun and inclusive pastime, which encourages team building and communication. What’s more, most sites have comfortable spectator areas so that even those who do not wish to compete, or are unable to do so, can still be involved in the experience and benefit from the other amenities on offer.

There are many options when selecting one of our fantastic circuits and this article will discuss these variables so that you can be confident that the facility of your choice will be perfect for your conference, meeting or team building event.

We offer a range of both indoor and outdoor facilities around the country and there are benefits to each. For an authentic motor racing experience, an outdoor circuit is unmatched. With typically bigger circuits, longer straights and more powerful twin-engine karts, your team have a greater opportunity to reach dizzying speeds of up to 65 or 70mph. Such an exhilarating experience as this could serve as a wonderful ice breaker before a difficult negotiation or team training exercise.

Take nothing away, however, from our selection of indoor circuits which provide intricate and challenging racing environments and also a safe haven from the elements. This makes planning your corporate activity less stressful as the success of the event cannot be affected by the unreliable British weather. Plus, the single engine indoor karts still pack a considerable punch, when driven around our slick, winding racetracks.

Each venue offers a fleet of go karts, built to their specification, but while the majority of these vehicles are gas powered, the ecologically conscious business may wish to try the fantastic new range of electric karts. These machines do not emit harmful petrol fumes, and noise pollution is also greatly reduced. The latter point could prove significant during a corporate hospitality event as a quieter environment allows for greater communication at trackside. At this time, there are a small number of facilities which use the electric kart. Our helpful Karting Nation staff will be happy to discuss these alternatives with you in greater depth, to ensure that every effort is made to provide the most successful package for your organisation.

There are several different racing formats for you and your associates to take part in, the most popular of which are the Grand Prix Events and the Team Endurance Races.

Grand Prix competitions are a series of races in which each of your colleagues will compete as an individual to progress through the various heats, claim a place in the grand final and then race for the trophy, and often a bottle of champagne. These tournaments are a great way of pitting yourself against your workmates and clients in a fun and safe environment. These adrenaline boosting events are a fantastic tonic to the serious business taking place between the various parties involved.

Alternatively, Team Endurance races are a very useful team-building exercise promoting strategy as well driving skill. During these activities, opposing teams compete to achieve the target number of laps, while also performing the required amount of pit-stops and driver changes. The way in which teams choose to alternate their racers and karts will affect the outcome of the race, making this a very useful experience and team building exercise.

Whichever selection is made, you can rest assured that your party will enjoy exclusive use of the circuit in question. We dedicate our time and effort to your event and the track will not be shared with another booking.

Regardless of the size of your organisation, or the nature of your event, do not hesitate to contact Karting Nation’s dedicated and informative staff. They will assist in the planning of your event and help you to make informed decisions so that your firm’s corporate karting experience is fun, memorable and ultimately beneficial to the company.

Find the ideal circuit for your Corporate Karting Event or call our knowledgeable team on 0844 745 5006