Karting
- The speed of racing karts can vary widely, with "super karts" reaching speeds of more than 160 miles per hour. Recreational go-karts for the general public (those found at amusement parks, for example) typically go no faster than 15 miles per hour.
- A report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission documents 155 go-kart-related deaths of children under the age of 15 between 1985 and 1996. Only one of the deaths described in the report occurred at a racetrack. The majority of go-kart related injuries and deaths occur while children are riding homemade karts, riding on public streets or sitting on drivers' laps.
- Each class of karting must adhere to a weight rule. For the beginner classes, the weight typically ranges from 150 to 350 pounds, which includes the kart and the driver.
- Racing karts are typically designed with no enclosed cockpit, which means the driver will not be "pinned" in the case of a crash. A car racer, on the other hand, is strapped into the car, which makes fire retardant clothing necessary in case of fire.
- WKA racers are required to wear full face helmets and gloves. Many racers also wear full-length, abrasion-resistant suits (similar to something worn by a motorcycle racer), neck collars, elbow pads, rib protectors and auto-racing shoes with no-slip soles.
- "Karting" and "go-karting" are interchangeable terms, though serious racers typically refer to their vehicles as "karts," while "go-karts" are often thought of as recreational vehicles.
- The WKA technical manual, published every October, contains the rules and regulations for the following year's racing season.
Photo caption: Director Marshall Curry
Credit: Trujillo Paumier
Sources:
» Aspen Motorsports Park
» Bardi, Joe. "Movie Review: Marshall Curry's Racing Dreams, Starring Annabeth Barnes, Joshua Hobson and Brandon Warren." Creative Loafing Tampa, May 21, 2010.
» Burke, Tom and Tony Kovaleski. "Parents of Girl Killed at Go-Kart Race Talk to 7NEWS." TheDenverChanel.com, May 18, 2011.
» "Go-kart Related Injuries & Deaths to Children, September 2000." U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Library.
» Holden, Stephen. "Too Young for Driver's Licenses, but With Full-Throttle Ambitions." The New York Times, July 8, 2010.
» Holder, Bill. "Kart Racing - Get on Track!" Stock Car Racing, February 2009.
» Sugar River Raceway
» Wolfkill, Kim. "Superkarts - Super Speeds - Racing." Road & Track, September 29, 2005.
» World Karting Association
» 8W