The
Association of British Kart Clubs was formed in 1990 to
act as an interface between kart clubs and the governing
body, the MSA. The clubs are represented by a Steering
Group which is elected each year during the ABkC AGM,
held in the Autumn. The ABkC Steering Group is also recognised as
the MSA Kart Regional Committee with many responsibilities which include
the class regulations contained in the MSA Kart Race Yearbook.
Up until 1997 the ABkC produced, each year, the "Green
Book" which contained the regulations for the karting class structure
used by affiliated kart clubs and the association's National
Championships for each class. These are held at a number of circuits
throughout the country each year. The direct drive classes (classes
without a gearbox) plus the Rotax DD2 are held as part
of the Super One Series, and the gearbox classes are split between the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow and the Northern Karting Federation series. Close liaison is
maintained with the British
Superkart Association (the
BSA), who organise the long circuit kart events. From
1998 all the MSA, ABkC classes and any sub-classes have
been published in the MSA Kart Race Yearbook, known
colloquially as the ‘Gold Book’. The general
regulations and safety rules for the sport are contained
in the MSA Competitors Yearbook, known as the ‘Blue
Book’. The Kart Regulations in the 'Blue Book' can be
modified by the MSA Kart Sporting Commitee, often from an ABkC
recommendation.
ABkC provides a forum for the
generation of new ideas to improve and promote the sport,
liaising with all parties from drivers through to
manufacturers and the international kart racing
federation. It maintains a website on http://www.abkc.org.uk
Taking Up Kart Racing
Do not go rushing off to buy the first
Kart you see! Go to your nearest kart circuits and take a
look at the classes that are racing. If you are big
(greater than 6ft) and heavy (more than 13 stone)
consider gearbox karts or one of the 'heavy' classes
which some clubs offer, e.g. in Rotax Max..
Having viewed the options, and talked
to drivers in the pits, decide upon which class is right
for you. It is best to consider a well supported class so
that no matter how fast or slow you may be there will
always be someone to race with. Racing is all about
mixing it with others. Small grids rarely give
entertaining racing. Look in the magazines for local kart
traders addresses, or in the small ads for used
equipment.
Consider a kart racing course with a
school which is approved as part of the ARKS system. A course will teach you more about the
sport and the cost of racing in each class. You will also
learn about driving technique and how to set up and
maintain a kart and engine. It is ideal to attend a
course before you make your final decision on which class
to enter, and before making a purchase. The information
that you will pick up in these areas will be invaluable.
Once you have decided to purchase or hire your kart
some tools will be needed in order to maintain your kart correctly. Go
practising several times before racing., particularly at the circuit you
have chosen for your first race meeting. Then, unless you fall into one
of the exemptions, you need to buy a 'Starting Karting' pack (£42 incl postage) from an ARKS school or
from the MSA, Motor Sports House, Riverside Park,
Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0HG (Tel:01753 765000). A licence
application form is enclosed in the pack. If you are over
18 years old, you need to have the medical certificate on
the licence form completed by your doctor. Then once you
feel you have had enough practice, you need to book an
ARKS driving test with one of the approved ARKS schools
or a participating club. This costs £80 (incl VAT) plus the
hire of any equipment. You must join a Kart Club. There
are many clubs in the country. By joining an ABkC
affiliated club you are then allowed to race at any ABkC
club circuit, and participate in the ABkC national
championships. If you are good enough to finish in the
top fifteen (top nine in gearbox) you can use that seeded
number for the next year. Some clubs have test days and
offer special rates to members for these and race days.
Apart from your kart you must have protective clothing
which includes a crash helmet approved for racing, an
approved racing suit (CIK homologated with embroidered number and year
code found under the back of the collar), gloves and boots giving ankle
protection.
Approved helmets include the BS6658 Type A (Blue Label, which may be
phased out in a couple of years) or Type A/FR
(Red Label). (The Type B is not acceptable and neither are the
EC22-05 standards often found in motor-cycle shops.)
The Snell SA2000 and SA2005 are the current US standards and are
acceptable. (The SA95 standard being over 10 years old is no longer
allowed.)
Snell K98 and K2005 are karting only standards, and are also acceptable
as is the new CMR2007 standard for juniors..
Before racing an MSA sticker costing £1.30 from a MSA Scrutineer must
be affixed to the right hand side. It is blue except for the
karting only standards when it is a green sticker.
From 2007 the MSA also offers a Kart Clubman Competition licence.
This costs the same £29 as the Kart National B & B (Novice), but can be applied for
on the day of a race with no need for a medical or ARKS test. The
club will carry out competency tests before you are allowed to race.
A new Kart Tyro sprint race system has been introduced or alternatively
Endurance Races must be a minimum of 60 minutes duration, with at least one driver
change or re-fuelling stop. Engine power must not exceed 15bhp for
seniors and 10bhp for Juniors.
After you have your National B Novice competition licence,
which is free to under 16's during 2008,
you will need to compete satisfactorily in five races and
gain upgrade signatures from the MSA Steward. During this
time your kart will have to use black number plates, and
start from the back of the heats unless there is timed
practice. After that you may keep your National B (Novice) licence,
upgrade to National B,
or obtain another six signatures at a minimum of three circuits and then apply for a National A licence. If you keep your
National B (Novice), you must bring the licence or licences that
have your five signatures to prove you are no longer a
novice.
Youngsters could also find out if their school has a karting team,
see www.natska.co.uk
Additionally marshals and officials are always needed by kart clubs,
you can find out more from
http://www.volunteersinmotorsport.co.uk/
 
Cadet
Boys and girls can start kart racing at the age of
eight in Formula Cadet (Comer or WTP) or Honda Cadet, although some
tracks will allow youngsters to practice from the age of
seven. Then they can continue until the end of the year
of their thirteenth birthday. The Formula Cadet uses a sealed 60cc
2-stroke engine, whilst Honda Cadet uses a un-sealed Honda
GX160 4-stroke engine. They are allowed to race together.
Both have a centrifugal clutch and recoil starter cord
and modifications are limited to keep costs down. Chassis
makes are registered and they must not be modified.
Prices of new equipment are controlled to an agreed
maximum. Maximum speed is about 55mph. There is a series
for the MSA British Championship run for Formula Cadet
within the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow series and an ABkC series in the
Super One. Like all the direct
drive classes there is a right hand foot pedal for the
accelerator and a left hand foot pedal for the brake.
4-stroke Classes
As well as Honda Cadet there are two further budget
4-stroke classes. Honda Junior utilises two Honda GX120 or 160
engines and is aimed at eleven to seventeen year olds,
whilst Honda Senior uses two Honda GX160 engines for
seniors of sixteen or older. Like the other classes,
juniors may move into seniors in the year of their
sixteenth birthday. Only certain clubs run 4-stroke classes, e.g. the
Formula 6 Association. The Honda senior prokart is also often used in endurance racing over
several hours with teams of drivers sharing karts. As well as the budget
4-strokes there are several bespoke racing 4-stroke engines including a TKM
for juniors and seniors with a healthy ABkC series in the Super One, and a Biland.
The relatively new World Formula offers economical 4-stroke kart racing,
and is modelled on the CIK's world wide formula. Not all clubs offer 4-stroke racing
though, whilst some specialise in this aspect of karting.
Formula TKM
Formula TKM can claim to be one of the U.K.’s
most popular kart classes but only now in certain areas so do check at
your local club. There are three classes,
Junior TKM for age eleven to seventeen, and Senior TKM Extreme for
those sixteen or over. As always, experienced Juniors can move into
seniors in the year of their sixteenth birthday. To make
racing equal and keep costs down, all the categories use
a Tal-Ko TKM BT-82 piston port 100cc (115cc for Extreme) engine to a strict
non-tuning regime, but the Junior categories have
restrictors between the carburettor and engine to limit
the power, with different sizes and class weights to suit the size of
the driver. Maintenance costs are reasonably low. As in
all racing kart classes, the minimum all-up class weights
in each class vary to cater for the different age and
driver sizes. (Lead ballast is used to bring the weight
up to the minimum weight if necessary.) Additionally only
chassis that have been registered for the
class are permitted, and maximum retail prices are set
each year. Optional clutches are permitted, in which case
a portable external electric starter is needed. Without
this direct drive karts need to be pushed to start,
initially with the rear wheels off the ground until
enough speed is reached to start the engine. TKM is
recommended for those starting 2-stroke karting, so long as it is raced
at your local club. Top speeds are about 65 to 70
mph. More information is on the Tal-Ko
Website.
KF3
A CIK (European and world wide) class for 13 to 16
year olds (from age 12 if prior experience). The engines for the KF
series are all derived from the base KF4 125cc TAG (Touch And Go -
electric on board starter) two strokes from many manufacturers with
different restrictions for the different classes. For instance KF3
is restricted to 14,000rpm and a specific carburettor type. Mainly raced at British Championship
level within the Super 1 Series, with some clubs and the Stars of
Tomorrow also
catering for this class. It uses relatively grippy tyres
and provides a route for Juniors to partake in world
level karting. The chassis must be CIK homologated which
means all the parameters have been registered for use in
a particular class. Not really a class for beginners!
100 National / K100
A class for seniors only, using reed or rotary valve 100cc engines which were
new designs up to the year 2006 and
were homologated (approved and registered) with the CIK for use in
Formula A. This class gives these engines an extended life, as new
engine designs for 2007 come into Formula A (not initially in the UK
though). Water-cooled options make
the karts much quieter and easier to pass the strict noise tests now in
operation everywhere. Not all
clubs offer this class any more and there is no longer a national series.
KF2
A medium to high cost class for seniors using a 125cc TAG engine,
homologated with the CIK and with
internationally homologated chassis types and quite grippy tyres. The engines can rev up to
15,000rpm maximum. This
class is the principal stepping stone for seniors into
the European CIK championships through regional
qualifying events. The class is hotly contested at Super
One championship level and it is not really a class to
start in.
KF1
The premier direct drive class for seniors. It uses the KF 125cc
engine with fairly open tuning but restricted to 16,000 rpm maximum, and very grippy tyres, especially at European and
World level. Primarily raced for the MSA British Kart
Championship within the Super One Series. Like KF2 and KF3, chassis from a manufacturer with CIK
homologations must be used. It is not a class to start in. Top
speeds can be over 80mph.
Rotax Max, DD2, Rotax Junior UK and MiniMax
The Rotax Max uses a racing pedigree 125cc 2-stroke
direct drive engine with an onboard clutch and electric
self starter. The engine is quite powerful, although the
maximum revs are limited, making the karts almost as fast
as ICA or Formula A. The engines are much lower
maintenance than the 100cc alternatives, and are sealed
so that only approved dealers can service them, making
sure no unapproved tuning is carried out. Rotax Max is
the senior class, with Rotax Junior UK the junior
equivalent for 13 to 17 year olds. The junior engine uses
a less powerful cylinder and MiniMax is an even more
restricted version for 11 to 17 year olds. Becoming very
popular but careful consideration as to racing experience
is needed before choosing these classes to start in. Rotax offer an all expenses paid World Final for selected
senior drivers qualifying from their home championships. These are
now the most popular classes in the UK. There is a Rotax Max/177
class for the heavier drivers which is gaining in popularity.
The Rotax family classes are the most popular karting classes in the UK.
The Rotax DD2 class uses a similar 125cc two stroke engine, but has two
gears changed with steering wheel mounted paddles. There is a
championship class in the Super One Series, and they use a slightly more
grippy tyre.
Gearbox Classes
For drivers over 16
years on short circuits. For long circuits like Donington
or Cadwell Park drivers can start so long as they are no
longer a novice, and are over 16 years old in the 125 and
210 classes, and over 17 for the 250 classes. ABkC national Super 4
short circuit championships are split between the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow
and the Northern Karting Federation (NKF) series.
Junior Gearbox 80
This class uses an 85cc TM or Honda 2-stroke engine
with 6 gears and a clutch and is for 13 to 16 year olds,
all other gearbox classes being for seniors over 16. With
its four wheel braking it offers juniors an experience
close to a single seater race car or of course the senior gearbox
categories. This class no longer has a national championship. Some clubs offer this class
at selected meetings only.
Formula ICC UK / KZ2 UK
A medium cost class using registered 125cc water cooled reed valve
6-speed engines for seniors. This is a good entry point for the
gearbox classes with good grids and plenty second hand equipment. The
gearbox classes use either a hand clutch or a foot clutch just like a
car. All use foot pedals for the throttle and brake. Tuning is
restricted, and a lower compression ratio helps to give the engine a
long life. The Dunlop SL4 tyres used in the 125cc classes are economical to buy and have a long life.
ICC UK may be raced at its class weight within the Open class.
There is a KZ1 / Super ICC category, mainly raced as the premier ABkC Super 4
championship within the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow. The only
difference is the lighter class weight and grippier tyres.
Formula 125 Open
The fastest 125cc gearbox class using mainly CIK homologated
(registered and approved) makes of reed or rotary valve 6-speed engines.
The class is very similar to the international but now obsolete Formula
C. A little more expensive than ICC, and speeds of 90mph (short circuit) and 115mph or
more on the long circuit tracks are attained. This is primarily a
club class at short circuit, but also has a similar long circuit
championship. The weight for the class is 5kg heavier than KZ2 / ICC
UK so that the two classes can race together fairly equally. For 2009,
the non-CIK homologated karts will be permitted to run with no front
fairing or bodywork, so long as they are fitted with double rail
sidebars.
Formula 210
A classic class using only the Villiers 197cc engine
or clones. Administered by the drivers themselves through
the 210 Challenge group. Further details from Kate
Bateman on tel: 01527 870834 or from www.210challenge.com. The group
promotes a very popular 210 Challenge which goes around the club
meetings, mainly in the Midlands.
Formula 250 National
A popular class, especially on short circuits, using
registered motocross 5-speed 250cc single cylinder
2-stroke engines. Like all the 250’s the karts are
often equipped with large full width nose cones and rear
wings. The powerful 250’s can reach speeds of 100mph
on short circuits, and over 140 mph on long circuits. This class
is also the MSA British Long Circuit championship. A similar class raced
internationally is SuperKart Division 2, but a different range of
engines are permitted. The NKF holds the ABkC Super 4 series for the
national championship.
250 Superkart Division 2
A CIK international class. It uses a five or six speed mono
cylinder registered engine, the most popular of which is
the 5-speed Honda, the 6-speed Rotax 257 and from 2004 the Gas Gas.
No longer raced at short circuit.
Formula 250E and Superkart Division 1
The fastest gearbox class with a powerful twin
cylinder 250cc 2-stroke and six gears. Now two 125cc
engines are allowed too, i.e. a twin engined kart.
Capable of speeds up to 160mph at the fastest motor
racing tracks. It is still raced for major championships as Superkart
Division 1
in certain continental countries and has a CIK European Championship,
but now is generally a non-professional class in the UK administered by
a development group to limit further costs as 250E. No longer
raced at short circuit tracks.
For full table of classes go here
Interesting Books:
- How to Start Kart Racing (maybe out of print)
- Radical Sports - Karting (Heinemann Library)
Aimed at 8 to 16 year olds.
- Kart Champion on a Shoestring
- Maintaining 100cc Kart Engines
- Cadet Kart Racing
- Karting Circuit Guide
- and lots of DVD's and videos
all from Karting Magazine
Moorfield House
Moorfield Road
Orpington Kent BR6 0XD
Phone: 01689 897123
Magazines:
- Karting
Magazine
Moorfield House
Moorfield Road
Orpington Kent BR6 0XD
Phone: 01689 897123 or
Email
Fax 0181 468 7999
Further information from:
Secretary of ABkC and maintainer of these pages...
Graham M Smith
Stoneycroft, Godsons Lane
Napton, SOUTHAM
Warwickshire CV47 8LX
Tel and Fax: 01926 812177 (H & W)
or
Chairman of the ABkC...
Russell Anderson
Unit 2/3, Sterling Ind Est
Carwood
Castleford
W. Yorks WF10 4PS
Tel: 01977 689990 Fax: 01977 603839
Back to ABkC Site Index
ABkC Website maintained by Graham Smith
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