Have a go at Go-Karting!

7th July 2008

A PIONEERING Cumbrian idea to give youngsters a go at karting has provided the model for a new national scheme.

KARTING: A taste of the action at Rowrah from earlier this year

Racing for Buttons has been run by Cumbria Kart Club at its Rowrah circuit for several years.

Last week a national 'Let’s Go Karting' programme was launched with backing from some of Formula One motor racing’s leading figures.

The idea is to let eight-16 year olds have a proper go at karting without them having to pay out a lot for equipment.

Buckmore Park, Kent, the national scheme was launched with support from former car and motorcycle world champion John Surtees - who has backed CKC’s Racing for Buttons - Ross Brawn, team principle for the Honda Racing F1 team, McLaren Mercedes test driver Gary Paffett, and recent Le Mans GT1 winner David Brabham.

Let's Go Karting will involve 16 clubs and tracks throughout Britain.

Organised by the sport's governing body, the MSA, the scheme will ensure all the children are provided with full safety training by qualified instructors along with special safety kit and equipment, before having the chance to take to the track and test their skills.

The initiative is part of the MSA's Go Motorsport programme, which was launched last week by F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, and is the first centrally co-ordinated marketing campaign for UK motorsport.

Brawn said: “This is a fantastic scheme which will help introduce lots of children across the country to the sport and allow them to get a taste for karting without their parents having to make a big financial commitment.

“Karting is the traditional entry point into motor sport and can act as the launch pad for children learning a whole range of skills other than just driving.

“The motorsport industry is made up of a huge diversity of jobs such as mechanics, technicians, and designers and it's essential that we ensure as many children as possible are given a taste of this wonderful sport.”

John Surtees, OBE whose own son Henry learnt his racing skills through karting, said: “Lewis Hamilton's success has caused a huge surge of interest in the sport and this brilliant initiative will no doubt open up the thrill and joy of karting to thousands more youngsters.

“With the summer holidays coming up it's the ideal chance for parents to take their children along to their local participating track and give the sport a go.”

Ian Blair, of Cumbria Kart Club, told Times & Star Junior Sport that Let’s Go Karting is modelled on their own Racing for Buttons - that is, racing for very little money.

Blair said: “All the present F1 drivers started in karting and David Coulthard [who races F1 for Red Bull] was twice a champion at Rowrah in the 1980s.

“We’ve run our scheme for some years and this national scheme is a natural extension of it.”

Anyone interested in having a go should contact Cumbria Kart Club on 01900 606627 for more details.