Getting Started
Karting is a thrilling and rewarding sport. It appeals to those with various personal objectives and whether you are looking to drive fast and have a good time or view karting as the first step in a racing career, the Calgary Kart Racing Club has a place for you.
The Calgary Kart Racing Club is the only organization in Southern Alberta which promotes and organizes kart racing at its own track, Strathmore Motorsports Park.
The CKRC is dedicated to introducing new participants to the sport, and operates under rigid safety and technical guidelines.
You feel the need for speed, how do you go about it ?
Try A Kart
The CKRC hosts a very successful Try a Kart program.
For a nominal fee, anyone 5 or older can try a full-on race kart - with all the safety equipment, instruction and coaching provided.
We use the same grade of equipment as we race on the weekend.
Select Your Class
Classes are determined by driver age, weight, and engine type.
Racing starts at age 8 and ends when you retire, the CKRC has at least 2 driving members 70+.
Karts and their drivers must meet a minimum weight for each class, ensuring a level playing field for all.
Except for the elite Shifter class, CKRC classes use the Rotax MAX (2-stroke), the ROK VLR 100 (2-stroke) or the Briggs & Stratton LO206 (4-stroke) engines. These types of engines are built to provide almost identical power from one to another, placing emphasis on driver ability and not driver wealth.
Become a Member
The club has a very simple membership structure.
Karters 5-7 have a Kid Kart membership and those 8 and older have a Racing Membership.
Parents of Junior racers are also members. Families receive a discounted rate for the 3rd or more family member with a racing membership.
A Refundable Volunteer Fee (post-dated cheque) encourages volunteering for club activities and improvements.
Members have unlimited access to Strathmore Motorsports Park for practice during operating hours.
Rotax MAX
Rotax Junior Max
Ages 12-15
Full sized kart
Restricted engine
Rotax Senior Max
Ages 15+
Full sized kart
Unrestricted engine
Rotax Masters Max
Ages 32+
Fill sized kart
Unrestricted engine
Detailed class rules are in the ASN Canada FIA Karting Technical Regulations, Rotax Max Canadian Regulations, and CKRC Supplemental Regulations available from the Rules and Forms page.
Designed for people with kart racing experience as well as for ambitious leisure kart drivers.
Top level performance of the non-gearbox classes.
Launched in 1997.
Impressive 2-stroke power, 30 hp unrestricted.
Dealer sealed engines to encourage level playing field.
Click the picture to go to the Rotax MAX website.
Briggs & Stratton Local Option 206
Hand-built in Milwaukee, WI. using tooling and dies specifically for racing for unparalleled repeat-ability. Simple 4-stroke reliability.
Factory sealed short-block with ground cam and controlled piston pop-up (reducing compression variance).
Unrestricted about 9 hp.
With a simple change to the carburetor (less than 5 minutes) the same engine can be used in Cadet, Junior, or Senior classes.
Click the picture to go to the Briggs Racing website.
Detailed class rules are in the ASN Canada FIA Karting Technical Regulations, Canadian Briggs & Stratton LO206 Rules, and CKRC Supplemental Regulations available from the Rules and Forms page.
Briggs & Stratton LO206 Cadet
Ages 8-12
Cadet sized kart
Most restricted engine
Briggs & Stratton LO206 Junior
Ages 11-15
Full sized kart
Restricted engine
Briggs & Stratton LO206 Senior
Ages 15+
Full sized kart, kart & driver 340 lb.
Unrestricted engine
Briggs & Stratton LO206 Masters
Ages 15+
Full sized kart, kart & driver 375 lb.
Unrestricted engine
Vortex ROK VLR
Junior VLR
Ages 11-15
Full sized kart
Restricted engine (header pipe)
Green plate background with white numbers
Senior VLR
Ages 14+
Full sized kart, kart & driver 350 lb.
Unrestricted engine
Blue plate background with white numbers
Masters VLR
Ages 32+
Full sized kart, kart & driver 380 lb.
Unrestricted engine
Red plate background with white numbers
Detailed class rules are in the ASN Canada FIA Karting Technical Regulations, Rok VLR Regulations, and CKRC Supplemental Regulations available from the Rules and Forms page.
The new Vortex ROK VLR 100cc motor is a Air Cooled Touch and Go (TAG) mid power low cost low maintenance and low annual budget 2 stroke racing engine that has operating costs slightly above a 4 stroke.
Coupled to either a 2 stroke or 4 stroke chassis it takes karting back to the pure days where the driver really matters. Sitting neatly between the 10hp 4 stroke Briggs & Stratton motor and the 30 hp Rotax 125 cc motor this 20hp TAG motor is easy to operate with inexpensive parts that you can purchase and fit yourself. It truly is a low cost option that delivers impressive power.
This motor is used at the annual ROK race in Las Vegas.
Click the picture to go to the ROK website.
Shifter
Shifter
The most elite of the classes.
Very physically demanding.
Not inexpensive.
2-stroke engines from 40 hp to 55 hp.
Limited engine rules.
Front brakes.
6-speed sequential gear boxes.
Standing starts (just like F1).
Detailed class rules are in the ASN Canada FIA Karting Technical Regulations, and CKRC Supplemental Regulations, available from the Rules and Forms page.
Rotax MAX DD2
Modified Rotax MAX engine.
2-stroke engine, 34 hp.
2-speed paddle shift gearbox.
Front brakes.
No chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Club membership costs $330 for a Kid Kart membership for those aged 5 to 7 years.
All other classes cost $440, which entitles members to voting privileges, as well as access to the track whenever it is available. This includes Test & Tune evenings. There is a discount for the third-plus members of a single family.
There is also a refundable volunteer fee (RVF) that needs to be posted and is worked off by doing volunteer activities at the track. RVF is not applicable to first year members.
The race day fee for Junior drivers is $95, and $110 for Seniors. There are discounts for drivers running in more than one class.
Races require a full day and has practice and qualifying sessions in the morning.
The afternoon has 2 races, a Pre-Final and a Final. Points are awarded for finishing positions and go towards the club championship.
The club hosts Test & Tune evenings every Tuesday & Thursday evening with a dedicated marshal. Many people never race but put in hundreds of laps this way. This is included with the club membership. Non-members that have access to a kart can attend for a $55 drop in fee.
A good used kart will range from $2,000 to $3,500.
A used kart ‘may’ come with the following pieces that are required to race:
- Kart Stand
- Mychron or Alfano datalogger
- Transponder
The following gear will also be necessary. These can be purchased new or used, from our local dealers, or from the internet.
- Helmet Snell 2015 or newer – $100+
- Race suit – $100+ from eBay
- High top running shoes or race shoes – $50+
- Rib Vest – $50 from the local lacrosse store in Calgary
- Race gloves $75
Many people purchase their karts from one of the local dealers.
Purchasing a used kart from an existing club member is another great idea, as they will most likely be around the track to help you out when you first get started. Check out the Classified section of the CKRC Forums for all the current deals from members.
Beware purchasing a kart from Kijiji, unless you know the history. It might have the wrong engine, might be bent. It’s like mystery meat; you never know where it came from or how it was treated.
This is a common question, that has lots of options.
The bed of a pickup truck will hold most karts.
A used old minivan makes a great transport vehicle.
A kart can be put on top of a car or SUV.
Trailers of various shapes & sizes are also used for transporting a kart to the track.
Many members store the karts in trailers and leave them at the track.
The club also rents sea-cans which can hold numerous karts.
