ATV Racing Parts and Accessories
Today, there are more go kart racing options available to the average person than ever before. A multitude of towns across the United States feature raceways specifically designed for go karts. You also have the option of buying a wide variety of go karts and using them in a place of your own choosing. Further, there are even kits available which include everything you need to build your own kart. From there, you can add your own specifications.
Whether you are here as someone with a possible interest in racing a go kart for the first time, or you own your own kart and have been racing for years, cfmracing.com aims to provide you with reliable, up-to-date information on all things relating to go karts, kart racing and kart accessories.
Art Ingels is the one usually credited with starting go kart racing. Ingels was a hot rod racer and also passionate about building race cars. He built his first go kart in 1956. The kart began to be manufactured on a wide scale in 1958.
The early kart engines were adapted from other existing engines. For example, the very first engine, the McCulloch MC-10, was an adapted chainsaw 2-stroke engine. Kart engines also were created by adapting motorcycle engine technology. It wasn’t until the 1960s that manufacturers began to start building engines specifically designed for karts.
Since then, the go kart has exploded in use and popularity, and led to a number of different racing circuits. Today, in most cities, there is some kind of go-kart racing available, whether that means going to a track and renting a go kart for two hours, or buying your own go kart and racing it outdoors.
Of course, the most basic kind of go kart is not motorized, and predates Ingels’s invention. These karts are sometimes called billy karts or soap-box carts. Essentially they are a sturdy box on four wheels. They have no engine and rely on gravity—therefore, most racing events in these carts take place on one single downward slope. Some children still build soap box carts, and this kind of racing can be a useful initiation into the sport.
As for motorized karts, they have come a long way since their early derivative motors. Today’s karts come with a wide range of different control mechanisms and power. Engines can be can in strength from 15 horsepower clear up to above 95 horsepower. So-called “super karts” are capable of reaching 160 miles per hour. Some karts also make use of alternative energy sources such as electric motors and propane engines.
Go-karts are designed to be capable of driving on a wide variety of different surfaces. Since paved go-kart raceways are not always available, often kart riders will make use of dirt tracks. In fact, certain go karts are designed specifically to excel in off-road conditions. Some go karts are also designed to be driven on regular roads like any other vehicle. These karts feature added banners and lights to ensure visibility.
Besides having that much power and control behind them, go karts are also capable of reaching extremely high speeds (of course, this will depend to some extent on what kind of kart you have). The best hobbyist karts can reach 90 mph, while the go karts used in professional races can go as fast as 160 mph.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of go karts and racing options available to the average person. Which kind of kart and raceway is best for you will depend on what you most want to accomplish. Do you want to learn to excel in a go kart, perhaps to prepare you to race automobiles (as many racers do)? Do you just want a hobby your kids will enjoy once in a while? Are you interested in building your own kart according to your specifications? Whatever the case, cfmracing.com exists to help you through the process by supplying thorough, dependable information without trying to sell you any specific product.