Indoor Karting is a variation of the open-wheel sport that involves the use of motorised, four-wheel karts with engines and transmissions. Indoor circuits are available in every city and every country, and it is considered to be the beginner step for those wanting to get into more serious kart or car racing. In fact, kart speeds can go as high as 160 miles per hour in some of the more advanced karts.
Indoor Karting began its history with the first racing kart that was built by Art Ingels in 1956 in California in 1956. Since then Karting became a popular sport that started on outdoor built tracks that entertained kids and adults alike across the United States.
Indoor Carting became a necessary means for Karting when the weather was not at its best. In many cities, indoor Karting facilities are very commonplace and for a nominal fee, anyone can enjoy Karting, or even train for racing competitions by using it as a precursor to careers in car racing.
Indoor kart racing is one of the cheapest forms of motor sport and can be done by young and old alike. Most kids start at age 7 with the US Kid Karts division, which is divided into three age or weight type groups. The top level kart race for adults is the Karting World Championship. Here, various types of indoor kart racing, including sprint, endurance and speedway are featured.
In order to understand indoor Karting, one must first comprehend the indoor kart itself. An indoor kart is made up of a flexible yet strong chassis, a 2 stroke engine, and transmission system that is very similar to that of a normal car. The most important asset of an indoor kart is its tires which are designed for gripping the dirt or asphalt track. Generally slick tires are commonly used on indoor tracks as they are softer and allow for reduced speeds to prevent accidents.
Indoor karting is no longer child's play and has evolved into a full sport with both national and international levels of competition. National indoor kart racing is found in the UK, US, Australia and Italy. The UK races are divided into three series, the MSA, Rotax and TKM. These are further divided into skill levels, ranging from kids' races to the adult formula one and seniors' races.
International indoor kart racing has six levels, including KF1, 2, 3, KZ1, 2 and Superkart. The world championship level is the KF1, which was won in 2007 by Italy's Marco Ardigo. The KZ1 and 2 races use 125 cc gearboxes, whereas the Superkart race is more powerful with 250 cc gearboxes.
