Ollie, My son has just finished competing in the BUKC - British Universities Karting Championship racing in a team of 4 for Huddersfield University named 'H-Karts'. In a very tight fought championship over 8 rounds with approx. 100 teams competing the H Karts A team won the championship. Pre uni he competed at club MSA and non MSA level, won a championship and broke lap records in the process. The level of completion through the 100 teams - 400 drivers was huge. Many drivers had raced through MSA, super one, international levels in karts and cars; even TKM star Will Van E's didn't always win!
BUKC is the championship but more importantly to you all the karts and set up were provided by Club 100 run by John Vigor. They are direct drive 2 stroke TKM extreme engines. All races had approx. 32 karts running for 25 min individual races and 1 hour endurance races with driver changes and refuelling involved. Being direct drive all karts must be running and moving to start each race. 2 or 3 pusher karts made sure all karts kept running, even during the race if you spun etc. Full digi display on the start finish line was provided by Club 100 and kept drivers and teams informed ref. flags and driver penalties. Numerous club 100 marshalls supported the C of C and reported issues which included kerb / cone penalties, contact penalties, and depending on the scale of offence, running penalties in 5 second chunks were dished out. This kept racing very fair. Also as each race finished the 32 karts stop on the grid as they finished, number plate, transponder and lead if needed is lifted off, the next race drivers come in and put the same on whatever kart is in their grid position. So all karts were circulated around through the day. Over the day six 25 minute individual races were run and then 3 one hour endurance races with 50 teams with 4 driver competing in the day. Living timing through the AMB transponders was provided, on track screens and by internet and Wifi. Basically to set all this up and keep it running takes a huge amount of organisation and cost. But it makes for the best racing we have ever seen; it's all about the driver, not the team, the engine, the tyres if you have more cash than someone else to through at it or not, better than any owner driver racing we have seen. There was a very controversial incident on the last race of the whole championship, which in MSA racing would have been overlooked and /or not been fully dealt with within the available rules, but Club 100 took a brave decision and made the right decision in the interests of the racing and the championship. Hence it's not just about racing round in a kart, it is how it is run and controlled which completes the picture. If this type of control was adopted for MSA racing, things would be so much better.
Club 100 also run championships for general public, and forces. I can imagine they are just as competitive.
Another alternative is OEKC open endurance karting championship, mainly Rotax senior on 4.5 hour races, teams of 2 to 4 drivers, GMS run / provide karts for those that don't have their own, they also get together drivers to make up a team on their karts, they win many rounds also, no MSA licence required, you can do all or just one of the rounds.
But whatever you do - decent, competitive arrive and drive on 2 strokes will not be for free, but if you work out all the cost of owner driver it will probably be cheaper and not necessarily any worse as a driving experience or driving discipline.
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Kart series by 'Ollie20' (09 Apr 2015 @ 12:56)
