Little Hands, Big Speed: 5 Tips for Racing Go Karts with Kids

Taking your kids with you for a day at the locally owned go kart track will make memories that last a lifetime. Get tips to make racing go karts better for kids.

"Focus. Speed. I am speed!" If you're the father, uncle, or even older brother of a little man, odds are you've heard this Cars quote in your home more than once.

If a little boy, (or girl for that matter), in your life is slightly obsessed with cars, racing go karts is a sure-fire way to give them an experience they'll never forget.

The question is, how do you make sure their go kart experience is a positive and fun one, all while staying safe?

Here are 5 tips for racing go karts with kids to ensure they not only have a blast, but they stay safe and maximize their racing experience. Ready? Set. Drive!

1. Racing Go Karts: Safety First

Did you know that even some long-time professionals like Juan Pablo Montoya, the NASCAR and IndyCar pro, got their start driving go karts as kids? Competitive go kart racing for youngsters is a growing sport, and many kids are starting younger and younger.

Still, the most important aspect of your child's racing experience, even if they've been around the track a few times (...see what we did there...?), is always safety first.

Fortunately, with go kart racing, your child is far less likely to suffer any kind of accident or serious injury than the pros.

Even if an accident does occur, proper safety gear and the design of go karts means that kids are most often able to walk away with no harm done.

Thanks to a low center of gravity in go karts, the likelihood of tipping over during a race is virtually impossible. You'd probably need someone to come and lift the cart off the ground in order to actually tip it. So, no worries on that front.

Another comforting safety feature with go kart racing is that quality racing tracks provide helmets for anyone entering a kart.

Even if your little guy or gal has a minor collision with another kart, their head will remain safe while donning their helmet. Bonus Perk-the kids usually love to wear that cool-looking helmet anyway. Win-win!

With wide kart bumpers, safety instructions, helmets, and padded tracks, we boast the safest kid go kart racing track in New England. When choosing a location for your next social event or birthday party, choose a track that puts safety as it's top priority.

2. Teach Them How to Pass

For your kid to have a successful and fun go karting experience, learning how to pass properly is a good start.

Most go kart collisions occur when someone is run off the track or into a barrier while trying to pass improperly. While some kids may find this entertaining, knowing how to pass another car is a valuable lesson not only for winning the race but for staying safe.

Here are a few keys to teach your child about passing correctly:

Wait to pass until you're going around a turn.

It's much easier to get up the speed and safely get around another kart when turning a corner. You can also more safely slide through against the wall to win out as far as speed when going around a bend.

Teach your child to wait until they see an opening between a car and the wall before trying to get by.

When the car in front takes a turn just a bit too wide, (too bad for them), that's the right time to pass.

Typically, in recreational go kart racing, collisions are discouraged and can even get you kicked off the track. Make sure you are well versed on a track's "rules of the road" and that you teach your kid those rules too.

An important key to passing and driving go karts, in general, is to make sure your kid knows what they're doing, (and what they should NOT be doing), before they even sit down.

3. Ride Together First

Unfortunately, some parents bring their child go kart racing for the first time and send them out on the track without first showing them how to race.

Most of our events allow for a practice turn around before the actual race. This helps kids and adults become familiar with their kart and the track before the timed race begins.

If it's your child's first experience with go kart racing, choose a kart and track where you can ride in the same heat together. We allow parents to drive in adult karts while their kids drive in junior karts so mom or dad can give advice.

Take this opportunity to coach your child. Be encouraging and try not to put the pressure on but to help them understand what they are doing through positive communication.

This allows your child or teen to become comfortable with the speed and handle of the go kart while mom or dad is close by in case they need help.

Kids can become familiar with the track, where are the turns? How do other people tend to drive? How fast can this thing go?

Taking the time to do a heat together before sending your kid out on their own builds their driving confidence. It also prepares them to feel comfortable enough to actually enjoy the ride once it's time to race by themselves.

After all, we're about making fun memories, not family traumas. Not to mention, it's fun to learn together.

4. Pedal to the Medal

It's not likely you'll be telling your kid to "keep the pedal to the medal" in any other driving situation in the near future... So, tell them to enjoy this opportunity while it lasts!

In go kart racing, one common problem that keeps kids from enjoying the experience is nerves. Often, kids can become frustrated with the handle of the wheel, or intimidated by the speed of the kart.

This can lead to frequent breaking, or simply coasting to a stop out of fear. Unfortunately, this can become a safety hazard, and simply less fun to say the least.

It can be helpful to let your child know that go kart racing is much safer than real driving. Teach your kid that keeping their foot on the gas is actually important to prevent crashes.

If they don't want to get hit by other cars, coasting to a stop in the middle of the track is not the best method. Help them realize that speed is their friend in go karting.

They're more likely to have a smooth and exhilarating ride if they keep their foot on the gas.

For those who are serious about racing and teaching their kid strategies for winning, keep in mind that pushing the pedal down completely won't actually increase their speed.

It may seem wrong, but if your kid wants to boost their momentum, using a throttle is more helpful than keeping the pedal on the medal.

Another interesting, but inaccurate idea kids may have is that they can catch up with another car simply by going faster.

While this may be true if the car in front is driving slower, go karting is not like the movies where heroes or super-spies simply crank the gas and magically accelerate past a faster car.

Go karting could give you a sneaky opportunity to sneak in a physics lesson by teaching your kid that they cannot simply push on the gas to pass someone.

Whether you've got a beginner or a would-be pro behind the wheel, either way, tell your kids to keep their foot on the gas. This will make for a more enjoyable race for everyone.

5. Turning and Sitting

Just like you're taught in driver's ed, posture is important to good go kart driving. Kids should be instructed to sit upright in their karts.

Always wear a safety harness or seat belt and make sure helmets fit properly before starting your go kart.

When your child is sitting at the wheel, their arms should be straight and hands placed at 10 and 2 positions. There should also be a slight bend in the elbows while driving to allow them to more easily turn and maneuver the wheel.

Knowing how to take turns in a go kart can be tricky. The basic strategy is to have your brake in and your gas out.

Teach your kid to take turns on the inside of the track. When they start going into the turn, have them take their foot off the gas.

Once they are coming out of the turn, they should put their foot down on the gas and use the turn's momentum to accelerate.

These basic skills and practices will make a basic turn around the track thrilling for your kid.

Plan Your Race Today

It's a simple strategy for making a memory your kid will cherish for a lifetime. Racing go karts is a fun way to teach independence, confidence, and even some basic life skills.

Plus, it's a heck of a lot of fun for mom and dad too.

Call us today and plan your next fun go kart racing event, anything from kid birthday parties, to corporate team-building events. We do it all!

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