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KARTING 101: A Beginner's Guide
TRY-A-KART
Are you considering getting into karting? Not sure what it is all about or how to get started? The EDKRA Try-A-Kart program is exactly what you need. Classroom and on-track experience for ages 8 - 80+.
Learn about karts, kart categories, kart maintenance, the track, racing line, flags, safety and much more.
Then HIT THE TRACK!!
Sessions are approximately 2 - 2.25hrs long.
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WHAT YOU'LL NEED
RUNNING SHOES OR HIGH TOPS
WATER
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
EDKRA PROVIDES:
KART
HELMET
RACE SUIT
RIB VEST
GLOVES
INSTRUCTION
HOW KARTING CLASSES ARE BROKEN DOWN
Sprint kart classes are broken down into driver’s age, engine package, and total vehicle/driver weight. The most popular engine packages that are raced in the EDKRA are the Briggs LO206 four cycle, Rotax FR125 two cycle, Rotax DD2 Shifter two cycle and 6 speed shifter two cycle packages. These engine packages cover all age categories from 8 years old and upward.
If you are new to the sport, and want more specifics about what class fits your racing needs, you may want to look at the specific EDKRA Supplemental Rules that are posted on this website under the Classes/Rules header on the home page. This provides detailed info on ages, total kart weight, engine type etc. You will have questions about all the rules specific information. Do not sweat it!! You can ask these questions at a club meeting, on the Facebook Page, local kart shop or another racer you may know. Karting is open to people of all ages and there is always a class that will fit your needs.
TWO STROKES
Higher cost, more speed and performance, highly competitive engines like the Rotax classes that have 13hp to 33hp engines and other 45 hp Shifter Kart Engines with front wheel brakes. Two cycle engines are usually a TAG 125 cc engine (touch and go, electric start) water cooled engine with a single speed clutch. It can also be a shifter engine with a clutch and 6 speed gearbox. The Rotax class are very popular with EDKRA karters at the club and at national levels. Most two cycle racers are highly competitive and are looking for that extra 1/10 second just to be in front of the pack. These kart are very powerful and fast and their tire compounds they use allow for very high G forces in the tight corners. Two cycle engines require more maintenance and precision to have a trouble free race day. If you are a gear head and like to fine tune for best performance, this is the class for you. Many high level racers on a world scale have come from the EDKRA two cycle classes.
FOUR STROKES
Low cost and big fun has been the name of the game for the past few years in Four Cycle sprint racing. The EDKRA four cycle classes use the Briggs LO206 engine. It is a sealed OHV engine that restricts the amount of changes that engine builders can make to the engines as well as running on gasoline instead of super octane fuels. This engine has become the premier four cycle karting engine across the nation with great reliability, performance and is by far the most cost efficient way to get started in the sport of Karting. The engines are air cooled, parts are relatively inexpensive and the racing is very competitive with many racers in each Briggs class. This is the engine for you if you just want to do minimal maintenance, go racing and improve your skills. NOTE - Briggs Engines require the current Orange Seal (not the older Silver/Holographic Seal) to be legal for racing
CADET CLASSES
are purpose built smaller karting chassis that in the EDKRA use either a Briggs LO206 4 cycle engine restricted on fuel flow or a Rotax Micro Max FR125 engine that has been restricted with fuel flow, air flow and has to run specific gearing. The Cadet competitors are aged 8 years to 11 years. The spirit and intent of this class is to allow kids to become accustomed to driving a kart and driving with other competitors on a track. These classes require some adult involvement teaching the kids safety, providing engine and chassis tuning and providing a positive influence on the new young eager racer.
MINI MAX AND JUNIOR 4 CYCLE CLASSES
use cadet karting chassis and a Briggs LO206 4 cycle engine or a Rotax FR125 2 cycle engine. Both of these engines are still restricted down with horsepower but allow more power than the cadet classes for the improving racer. These classes are open to kids 12-15 years old. The junior classes are faster than the cadet classes and some classes are even as fast as the senior classes.
SENIOR CLASSES
are for drivers ages 15 and up. Senior classes are are also broken down by weight and engine package and are offered in a wide range of classes including a “Masters” class. At the EDKRA, Masters class refers to drivers aged 32 and up. Senior classes use full size chassis with either a Non Restricted Briggs LO206 four cycle engine, Rotax FR125 two cycle engine, Rotax FR125 DD2 two speed shifter two cycle engine or any 6 speed sequential shifter two cycle engine.
DECIDING WHAT TO BUY
- Define Your Category: Identify your home track and specific racing class first; otherwise, you may buy equipment that isn't legal for the competition you intend to join.
- Prioritize Parts Availability: Choose a well-known chassis brand. While some parts are generic, critical components like spindles and axles are often brand-specific, making local parts support essential for staying on the track.
- Engage with the Community: Attend an EDKRA club meeting or visit the track during a race weekend. Talking to current racers and members is the most effective way to understand the "ins and outs" of the sport and the club’s specific requirements.
You can also contact a local kart shop to ask questions and check out some of the equipment that is involved in the sport.
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THINGS TO CONSIDER
Do you want new or used equipment?
What is your budget?
What is your free time like to free you or your family up for race days?
EDKRA has a couple of different race options available to anyone that wants to get started in karting.
There are the weekend club events that start early Saturday and Sunday mornings and run to around 5pm or 6pm each day. There are about 6 or 7 weekends throughout the summer from May to the end of September that races are scheduled for. These race days are designed for racer age categories from 8 years old up to 65 and upward. There is also the Wednesday night group that races two speed shifters, racing starts around 4pm and ends around 8:30pm. This group has roughly around 12 to 14 races a season starting in May and ending mid to end of August. This group is mainly a senior category of racers meaning 15 years of age and older.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Now that you have chosen a class that is suitable for you or your child, you will need the knowledge of the safety equipment needed in order to race at the EDKRA. Go to the classes/Rules page on the home page of this website, and open up the 20202 Karting Sporting and Technical Regulations. The proper safety equipment that is needed is outlined in Section 5 of this rule package.
To get the best advice on purchasing any of this equipment, contact your local kart shops or speak to one of the EDKRA Executive members. Racing safety equipment is your last line of defense against injury in an incident. Ensure your equipment is not damaged in any small way prior to purchase if you decide to purchase used equipment from one of the classified pages that most clubs have on their perspective websites.
RACE HELMET & HAIR PROTECTION
RACE HELMET
Of most importance in this section is the need to ensure you use a helmet with proper designation. All racers must use a Snell certified helmet, as they are more commonly used in motorsports and are more strict with their certification requirements.
Allowable Helmets - The document 2021-ASN-CDN-Karting-Helmets.pdf with a list of acceptable helmets is available at https://www.asncanada.ca
Helmets should fit according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Helmets must be worn and properly fastened during all track sessions. Damaged helmets may be refused at any time. The helmet visor must be in the down (closed) position any time a kart is in motion.
LONG HAIR PROTECTION
Karting balaclavas are an essential part of your safety gear. When worn, it should fully cover your head and neck, with a gap in the front for your eyes, nose and mouth. These garments also protect your head and helmet from sweat, allowing you to focus on the kart race at hand and keep you safe! If you have long hair this helps tuck the hair underneath your helmet and your race suit to ensure safety when racing. If hair extends appreciably from beneath helmet level so as to present a safety concern in the opinion of event race officials, it is mandatory that participants wear a balaclava or head-sock to prevent hair from extending outside the helmet.
GLOVES
GLOVES
Karting gloves are an essential, yet an underrated part of your safety gear setup. If you've ever karted before, both recreationally or competitively you know that you need to give the track and kart your undivided attention. If your gloves are obstructing your wrists or hands from driving smoothly, you won't be able to drive the track fast, and ultimately this will effect your driving and concentration in more ways than one.
Having gloves that are designed for karting is extremely beneficial. Not only will they help you race smoother, grip the wheel, but they are purposely built to protect your hands and wrists while driving around the track. Collisions and accidents can happen, protecting your hands with the right safety gear should be on the top of your list.
NECK PROTECTOR
NECK PROTECTOR
Protective neck braces are beneficial and often forgotten in competitive kart racing. Neck braces play an important role in karting, they help stabilize the neck and prevent spine injuries that can happen during race collisions or accidents. Not only do they help protect the neck, they can help reduce neck fatigue, reducing the weight of the helmet as well relax the muscles in the spine and neck when corning. Race days are demanding on the neck and body, having a neck brace will help reduce the stress you experience during a race and allow you to focus more on your driving to win the race!
Use of helmet cushions (neck collars/neck protectors) is optional. The karting organization reserves the right to
prohibit devices that in its opinion may adversely affect safety.
RIB / CHEST PROTECTION
RIB / CHEST PROTECTION
After the helmet, the rib protector is the most critical safety gear for every driver. Its job is to protect the body from the intense stresses transmitted during the driving of a kart, especially when it comes to high-performance racing karts. You must purchase a rib protector that fits well to ensure your ribs are protected from being injured. Rib injuries can happen in karting and should be avoided at all costs if possible. Rib injuries can have you out of the racing seat for weeks, months and even years.
Also, the EDKRA has another stipulation for all its Junior drivers that they MUST always wear rib protection WITH an approved component of chest protection. Sometimes the chest protection plate is built into the actual rib protector and sometimes it is a separate piece alone. Either way, it must be worn by all Junior drivers at all time during track activities. EDKRA’S definition of a junior driver is defined as any driver ages 12 years and younger.
Rib protector devices, designed for motorsport use, are mandatory in all classes. They must fit
properly and remain in place at all times when a driver is on the track
RACE SUIT
RACE SUIT
Drivers are required to wear racing suits designed for karting use for all events.
CIK-FIA Level 2
homologated racing suits are recommended. Homologated driver’s suits remain valid for 5 years
after their date of homologation and manufacture. They must cover the whole body, legs and arms
included. Abrasion resistant shoes and gloves that completely cover both hands are mandatory. The
suit must be completely fastened as designed. A driver with exposed skin on arms or legs may be
shown the Black Flag with Orange Disk with Kart Number.
SHOES
SHOES
A proper pair of karting shoes is part of the core safety equipment pieces that you must have to guarantee your safety. Getting the right pair of shoes will be critical while you are racing, whether it's to feel the track through the soles of your feet or to help maintain the focus needed at every point of the race. You also need to benefit from good pedal control in order to accelerate and brake at optimal timings. Therefore, it’s important to get the perfect go-kart racing shoes for you, so that you can take advantage of these benefits. Not only will proper karting shoes help you drive better, but they will also protect your feet while racing.
JOIN EDKRA - MEMBERSHIP
OK, you now know about the different classes, the different types of engines and what safety equipment that is needed to race at the EDKRA. The next step is to join the club. As with anything, there are costs in doing so.
Membership is completed online through Motorsports Reg. You will need a free account with them and then you can register for the current race season membership. Please attend a club meeting and ask many questions about these costs and learn how the club functions, operates and what exactly your membership fees are used for.
Any racer under the age of 19 will also require a Parental and Minor waiver.
You can also contact a local kart shop to ask questions and check out some of the equipment that is involved in the sport.
ROOKIE SCHOOL
Rookie Race School is offered in the early Spring of each year. This school is mandatory for all new racers of the EDKRA. The school consists of two separate components. A classroom component that usually takes place one evening during the week at and a Track component that takes place at the EDKRA Race track Facility in Warburg, Alberta.
CLASSROOM
The classroom component will introduce new racers to the rules and regulations of the club, the rules and regulations of the race track and will give the knowledge needed for a new racer to start a kart racing career. All ages of new racers will attend this evening session and it is the perfect opportunity to meet some current members as well as the executive and ask any final questions before you hit the track with your kart for the Track component of the Race school.
TRACK SESSION
The Track session usually takes place during a Saturday and/or Sunday. You will participate and learn about:
– The safety inspections of karts and race gear
– Participate in a track walk with an experienced racer(s)
– How the lighting and flagging system works
– how a normal race day and actual race will function
– What will be expected of rookie racers from the Race Director
– Have the opportunity to do many practice laps and learning how to fine tune your new race skills
– The proper way to register for a EDKRA Race event
KART NUMBER REGISTRATION
Once you have signed up to be a member of the club it's time to reserve a kart number to race. Please complete the registration for the classes you plan to run this season. There is no charge for reserving your numbers.
RACE DAY ESSENTIALS
You will need some items to make your race day a success. Read below to find out what they are!
TRANSPONDER - FULLY CHARGED
A fully charged timing transponder. These are mandatory to participate in a race day. They give a signal to the tracks timing and scoring system and keeps track of your lap times as well as your placement in your race class. Talk to your local kart shops and get your options for acquiring one of these.
KART NUMBERS
After you've registered your kart number on Motorsportreg it's time to place them on your kart!
All competitors must use solid numbers on a bright yellow background. Each numerical digit must be at least 15 cm (6-inches) high with a 2 cm (3/4-inch) thick stroke
using an Arial type or similar font.
Four number panels with numbers must be displayed on each kart.
One located at the front/center of the kart, the numbers visible from the front,
either mounted on the front bumper or the steering column fairing.
One located on each vertical side pod/panel, as close as possible to the rear
wheels.
One located on the rear of the kart visible and readable, from a position behind the Kart.
TOOLS & CONSUMABLES
Necessary tools to do repairs/maintenance on your kart. Consumables like wd-40, chain lube, triflo, brake cleaner etc.
Beginner Karters List of Tools
- Ratchet Set
- Allan Key Set (Hex Wrenches)
- Needle Nose Pliers
- Tool Box
- Adjustable Wrench
- Rubber Mallet
- Screwdriver Set
- Funnels (for gas and oil)
- Tire Pressure Guage
- Air Compressor
- Tape Measure
- Safety Wire / Zip Ties
- Hose Clamps
- Duct Tape
- Chain Breaker / Tire Bead Breaker
- Shop Towels
- Chain Lube / wd-40 / Triflo / Brake Cleaner etc
RACE RULES
Read the rules that are posted on this website on the Classes/Rules page. There is allot of detail in them, but don’t get overwhelmed, the more you learn, the easier your race day will go.
KART TROLLEY
Kart trolley to roll your kart to and from the grid. Or a way to support your kart at your pit stall for ease of access in order to work on your kart. Your back will get very sore bent over all day!
KART WEIGHT
Pay attention to the kart weights that are described in the EDKRA Supp. rules. It is a good idea to have your kart/driver weight fairly close before the first race day. Talk to your local kart shop or experienced racer about what is required for this.
Please see below the min weight for each class.
Briggs LO206 Cadet - 235lbs
Briggs LO206 Junior - 300lbs
Briggs LO206 Senior - 340lbs
Briggs LO206 Masters - 375lbs
Briggs LO206 Light - 320lbs
Rotax Micro Max - 242.5lbs
Rotax Mini Max - 260lbs
Rotax Junior Max - 320lbs
Rotax Senior Max - 364lbs
Rotax Masters Max - 395lbs
Shifters - Appendix 2
KART PARTS
Try to have some spare parts like tie rods, chains, gears and perhaps a steering column as well. Or at least have a source to go to at the track if you should need . The EDKRA has kart dealers that are suppliers and attend on race days if there should be a need to purchase parts.
