Looking for "Race Career Guide" for Karting at CKRC/in Canada

[Vandamme]

Hello,
New member and already avid fan of the sport. Have now attended two Try a Kart sessions and loved it both times and was told I was very close to a minute lap in the starter karts!

I've read through all of the information pages on the CKRC website, and would like to find out a bit more about the competitions within each league and what all my options are. Bit of background, I'm 26 (so my understanding is this is definitely Senior class and Open?), and want to either jump immediately into or work up in a short amount of time to the Shifter class - unless that's very unrealistic! Specifically, I want to understand the race league format, I know there's always entry fees for races etc (does that mean there's prize money in any of the competitions?) and just a general guide/best practices list if there's material like that already out there!

Any information would be appreciated! Thanks!

[kolsen]

HI JC,

Welcome to the club!

To answer your questions:

Based on your age, you would be eligible for the Senior Briggs (same type of kart you drove in TaK), Senior VLR or Rotax (2 stroke - much faster) or shifter (way faster).

Most new members will start with Briggs, simply from a cost perspective. It's the least costly to purchase and run, and generally the least amount of maintenance. From a used equipment perspective, these make up the bulk of the used karts for sale.

A benefit of starting with a Briggs, is with a lower HP engine, you really have to rely more on your driving skill to be competitive. Mistakes on the track (poor cornering) can be very costly and you can't make up for it with HP. You learn to drive.

Once you've developed some skill in the seat, and have an appetite to go faster, then moving to a 2 stroke (VLR or Rotax) is typically the next step. In these karts you can further develop, learning how to control the additional power thats available, while keeping the kart on the track. With the increased power comes a different driving style - where and when you brake changes, where and how much gas you give it, changes, so lots to learn. Keep in mind, these karts also cost more to purchase an operate. 2 strokes require oil (nominal cost), but also burn more fuel. With more HP, you're also going to wear tires faster....these costs all add up.

Once you've mastered the higher HP 2 stokes, then for those with the craving for more speed, is shifters. This adds a whole bunch more complexity to driving, as you now also have changing of gears to contend with. While this is the top of the hill from a performance perspective, it's also the most expensive to get started with.

As far as how quickly you get to shifter is dependant on your budget, and how quickly you can develop your driving skill. Driving skill is important, we want to make sure that people can handle the kart in a safe manner, not only for their own safety, but for that of fellow competitors.

While we don't have any official policy on what kart/class you run in, you maybe restricted from entering races if you are deemed to be unsafe.

Our club is racing for fun and glory - and trophies. There is no prize money.

Each race day there are trophies for the top 3 finishers in each class (based on the results in the final race of the day). Each race you participate in (qualifying, race 1, pre-final and final) you are awarded points which are accumulated over the season, leading to an ultimate club champion for that class...for that you get a bigger trophy


Regarding best practices, these can vary from kart and class - there is kart specific forums which usually include best practices shared about setting up and maintaining that type of kart. There's a wealth of knowledge that members are happy to share, so if you can't find an answer to a question you have already documented - throw it out there - somebody is likely to respond.

First thing I would recommend is to set out a budget, keeping in mind not only the initial purchase of the kart and equipment, but also the ongoing operational costs (fuel, oil, tires, etc.) That will give you a good idea where your entry point should be.

Hope this helps, and any other questions, let us know.

Keith

[Vandamme]

Really appreciate the detailed reply Keith. I think besides the due diligence into upfront cost & running costs of the different options, I should be all set to make a decision!

Do you know of many who started out with the ROK VLR (or the Rotax Max) over a Briggs? I for sure wouldn't go with a Shifter out the gates because like you said the fundamentals seem crucial, but I think my inner adrenaline junkie wants to get going with a 2 stroke right away...

One last question, so is it fair to say that most members of CKRC practice and race to compete against each other for the most part? (My trophy cabinet happens to be very empty so this still sounds like a blast haha). I was reading about various Racing Licenses etc. - would this only apply say if you were a young buck and wanted to make a serious career out of it and do some traveling abroad to compete in higher competitions or venture out of karting to the next step completely?

Thanks again appreciate the time.

[Jackmazury]

Lots of people start out with the two stroke engine packages. In your case being 26 this would be in the SR division of either Rotax or VLR. Starting with the two stroke is fine, but it will take you longer to get to a speed in which your are competitive in a race. The briggs will take less practice to be putting in semi competitive lap times.

Secondarily, the 4 stroke will require less tuning during a race day. This may not seem like a big deal, but for new racers it’s nice to have the simplicity where you can focus purely on improving your driving and not have to worry about optimizing an engine as well.

In summary if you are up for a challenge and are mechanically inclined I would say by all means you could start with a two stroke, but the typical guidance you will get is to start in the 4 stroke and save some headaches when your just beginning in the sport.

[phil]

The comments so far are very true. We have had people start out in shifter, but the percentage that stayed there after starting there is small. If you have already done Try A Kart, I assume the first two sessions behind the lead kart are starting to feel a little restrained. The four stroke kart allows a bit more time for thought from corner to corner, so you can try different things, and grow your karting knowledge a little quicker, as far as what inputs as a driver, affect the kart in different ways. The other part you tend to learn quicker in the four stroke, is racecraft, and the ability to pass, and be passed. You will still learn these in a two stroke, but it will likely take a bit longer, and consequences of a mistake are bigger.

I'll throw in a plug for Alan at Haggerty Autosport. He has karts from Kid Kart, through to shifter for rent, so, in your undecided situation, it may end up costing less to try the different types in either a practice, or race situation, before making a decision on which class you want to jump into.

Added info, for comparison-
Brigg's -roughly 10 HP
VLR - around 20-22 HP
Sr Rotax - around 30 HP
Shifter - 45-48 HP

The competition is very tight in whichever class you choose, with many national level drivers in each class, so don't be discouraged if you don't jump straight in at the front, as most of them didn't either.

As far as licensing, with your membership, you also get a license, which will allow you to race at any club races, as well as most national events.

Phil

[kolsen]

Really appreciate the detailed reply Keith. I think besides the due diligence into upfront cost & running costs of the different options, I should be all set to make a decision!

Do you know of many who started out with the ROK VLR (or the Rotax Max) over a Briggs? I for sure wouldn't go with a Shifter out the gates because like you said the fundamentals seem crucial, but I think my inner adrenaline junkie wants to get going with a 2 stroke right away...

One last question, so is it fair to say that most members of CKRC practice and race to compete against each other for the most part? (My trophy cabinet happens to be very empty so this still sounds like a blast haha). I was reading about various Racing Licenses etc. - would this only apply say if you were a young buck and wanted to make a serious career out of it and do some traveling abroad to compete in higher competitions or venture out of karting to the next step completely?

Thanks again appreciate the time.

Personally, most that I know of started with Briggs but there are some who jump right to 2 stroke. The VLR is a recent addition to the club, with the specific intent of offering a most cost effective, higher performance entry level package. The challenge with the VLR being relatively new to the club, there is vey limited used karts available.

While we don't require a license to race within out club, we can provide a license should one be required to participate in races elsewhere.

Jack sums it up well - Briggs is way less tuning on race day - I struggled pretty much the entire 1st weekend this season due to incorrect jetting settings...finally figured it out for last race on Sunday, but made for a very frustrating weekend.

Keith

[Vandamme]

Thank you very much Phil and Jack for the added comments. Definitely won't discount the ability to learn more on the Briggs before diving in to one of the hardcore classes. Is there by chance a Discord or Facebook group etc., to keep up with announcements and chat with members? Or are the forums here and the event calendar the best places to stay in the loop?

I did meet Alan at the Try a Kart session this past Saturday so might take your advice there in renting out a couple before diving in.

Thanks all.

[kolsen]

NOt aware of a Discord group, but we do have a facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/calgarykart.racingclub

I would say for conversation - the forums are probably the most effective - once the schedule is set at the beginning of the year - it's pretty static, unless rain or some other force of nature forces a change..

Keith

[Vandamme]

Thank you Keith I will get on the Facebook page!

One last question comes to mind - would you say the majority of folks around here purchase "turnkey" used/new karts from dealers where the chassis and engine and all necessary parts are pre built? Or are there a lot out there who have experience building their own? And as long as you purchase the correct engine, say the Rotax Max Senior engine, and ensure you're on the proper tire for race weekend, then there aren't many restrictions beyond that in terms of chassis build (other than min. weight)?

[Nathan B]

Just as a counterpoint to all the reasonable people above.


For sure start out in shifter. They are awesome to drive, and the shifter field is extremely spread out. So there are guys to race at every level, quick guys are turning 52's and the slow guys 56's. Compare that to rotax or briggs where the spread is in tenths. You will have guys to race at every step in your shifter progression.

I don't find the shifters any more difficult to drive than any other karts, its not like a shifter driver can just jump in a briggs and win a race cause they are easier to drive. Being fast in a briggs takes so much practice, same with rotax, same with shifter. No matter what you pick, the fast guys are gonna wipe the floor with you for a couple seasons.

So pick what is most awesome. Which is shifter. Its fine.