The Colorado Karting Tour is Colorado’s premier high performance go-kart racing series, with 9 classes that are designed to help racers of all ages have a competitive, fun, and safe environment to compete in. In 2020, CKT will host 8 race events at 4 different tracks across the state of Colorado. In addition, CKT will host an additional 2 races at select tracks for non-points, special events. See our 2020 race schedule on the home page to find the next race date this year!
CKT, founded in 2007, began as The Colorado Junior Karting Club. At its essence, CKT was and continues to be a group of Colorado kart racing families and members with a mission to provide people of all ages 5 and above a fun, organize, safe, and educational organization to participate in the exciting sport of competitive high performance go kart racing, or karting.
In 2014, a dedicated group of members along with the board of directors re-organized the club, merged with the Pikes Peak Kart Racing Club, and formed The Colorado Karting Tour, a registered 501c3 non-profit, run and managed by volunteers. In 2016, the club expanded, and changed the series name to reflect the new face of the series, by welcoming in the Rotax racers as well as new race day officials and series members.
CKT, founded in 2007, began as The Colorado Junior Karting Club. At its essence, CKT was and continues to be a group of Colorado kart racing families and members with a mission to provide people of all ages 5 and above a fun, organize, safe, and educational organization to participate in the exciting sport of competitive high performance go kart racing, or karting.
In 2014, a dedicated group of members along with the board of directors re-organized the club, merged with the Pikes Peak Kart Racing Club, and formed The Colorado Karting Tour, a registered 501c3 non-profit, run and managed by volunteers. In 2016, the club expanded, and changed the series name to reflect the new face of the series, by welcoming in the Rotax racers as well as new race day officials and series members.
With The Colorado Karting Tour (as with almost every karting series world-wide), the earliest a driver can start racing competitive, high-performance karting machines is the age of 5, in the Kid Kart class.CKT offers age-appropriate kart racing categories for drivers from this young age of 5, all the way to adults!For a full list of our approved racing categories, check out our 2020 Race Classes List.
The four primary age groups in karting are: “Kid Kart”, “Cadet”, “Junior”, and “Senior.” These are catch-all terms that are applied to our varied kart class age groups, and represent a logical, safe progression in karting competition based mainly on age, skill, and overall cognitive ability of the competitor.Drivers ages 5-7 can compete in the “Kid Kart” class. Once a driver turns 7, they may enter our “Cadet” category. At the age of 9, “Junior 1” (a slightly more powerful Cadet kart) is available. At the age of 12, a variety of options and classes await, but we typically use the term “Junior 2” to discuss them.At the age of 15, The Colorado Karting Tour considers a driver a “Senior,” and they may compete in these classes as long as they like. “Masters” drivers refer to drivers above the age of 32, although note that this definition can vary by region (as an example, IKF defines 'Master' as age 40 and above).A more detailed explanation of how karting categories are broken down by age ranges can be found in Karting 101!To read more about our karting class structure, click here, or read on to the next question. You can also reach out to us via email to tell us about your interest in karting. We will be able to tell you which classes you (or your son/daughter) is eligible for, and the next steps you should likely consider taking to get involved!
Organized and competitive karting events, regardless of age or region, use purpose-built racing karts that come from manufacturers all over the world. A racing kart consists primarily of a chassis (the main frame), made of steel tubing, high-strength components such as the axle and steering mechanism, and plastic protective bumpers known collectively as bodywork. Additionally, a purpose-built seat, usually made of fiberglass or similar composites is installed for the driver. Lastly, performance-racing slicks, wheels, and an engine of appropriate performance is placed on the kart to make the whole machine one amazing ride for the driver!Depending on the age of the driver, karts can vary by size, (length & width), and engine type depending on the class. Each class is governed by well-established rules and regulations written by national and/or international sanctioning bodies.In the case of The Colorado Karting Tour, our series uses several nationally-respected organizations to officiate and regulate the technical rulings and details around our karting classes. These sanctioning bodies include the International Karting Federation, Superkarts! USA (SKUSA), and Rotax Max International Rules.The Kid Kart class, (5-7 yr olds) uses a factory-sealed Honda GHX50 engine that is governed to produce approximately 2 hp. The class is also restricted to a set gear ratio, set tire diameter and other performance limitations, in order to keep reasonable consistency and parody among competitors and speeds to a safe level. This allows younger drivers and teams to focus on what matters most: safely participating in a racing event, while also having fun and keeping costs affordable.The JR-1, Micro Max, and Mini Max classes are for drivers ages 7-13. Junior 1 uses a Briggs and Stratton LO206, which is a factory-sealed engine that produces approximately 8 hp depending on changes that can be easily made (and sanctioned) to the carburetor. The Micro Max and Mini Max categories utilize the Rotax FR125, configured to fit the regulations of each category. Each classes are highly regulated from a technical stand point, placing emphasis on offering only minimal engine modifications. This reinforces the focus on driver development, and an introduction to tuning the kart chassis and engine for optimum performance at a given track and varying conditions.Beyond these categories are the Junior categories of Junior 2 and Junior Rotax, ideal for drivers ages 12-16. Often these classes will feature the tightest competition seen all day at a CKT event, and these drivers sure know how to put on a show! Both categories utilize a 'full-size' kart chassis, with Junior 2 utilizing a Briggs LO206 engine, and Junior Rotax using the Rotax FR125. New for 2020 is the 100 Senior category, which technically will accommodate some junior drivers, ages 15-16. This category uses the IAME KA 100 or ROK VLR 100. For adults, the sky is the limit regarding category and engine class. For a full list of racing categories, click here to see our full 2020 approved race class list! Junior 2 and a variety of Senior karting classes await. From the Briggs LO206, to the Rotax FR125, Open TaG 2-Cycle engines, 100cc 2-Cycle engines, and of course shifter karts, there are many categories to choose from. For more detailed information on these classes, click here.
For 2020, there will be 8 race events that are conducted between April and October. Additional 'special' non-points events book end the schedule as well. Our schedule is prominently displayed on our homepage. CKT Members may choose to enter as many races as their schedules allow, whether that is racing the whole season, or only a few events.Drivers and teams compete at each event for race victories and trophies, as well as a seasonal points championship, which follows a best-7-of-8 format (your best 7 races count towards your year end points total, out of 8 possible races). Note that to be eligible for championship season points, a competitor must be a registered CKT and IKF member, but this does not exclude anyone from showing up and participating in any race events.As the regional racing series for the International Kart Federation (IKF) Region 4a, drivers in IKF sanctioned- classes (Kid Kart, JR1, JRII, Open TaG, Open Shifter), drivers can also earn a regional points champion award at the end of the racing season. Drivers that compete in Rotax-powered classes may earn points towards the seasonal CKT championship, as well as ‘punches’ towards race-entry eligibility at regional and national events (such as the Rotax Max Grand Nationals, SKUSA Spring/Summer Nationals, Supernationals). Each year, CKT works hard to coordinate with 'national level' organizations to deliver as much valuable as feasible to each racer in each class.At the end of the year, The Colorado Karting Tour will hold an awards banquet. This will allow us to recognize our seasonal points champions, and reflect on the racing action we have experienced in the past year.
At CKT, we are fortunate to work with an outstanding group of local racetracks that are always welcoming to new people looking to get into the sport of karting. The state of Colorado has a number of karting tracks located near the Denver metro area, as well as several spread out in the state.These racetracks are open for practice year round, (weather permitting), and some offer seasonal family passes and other benefits. To find out more about these racing facilities, check out the 'venues' tab under 'current season' at the top of the website. If for some reason they do not have an answer to your question, contact us to learn more about karting tracks near you.
Karting is considered by many as the foundation of motorsports. This also means that it is considered to be one of the most affordable options to get into competitive, wheel-to-wheel racing. Like most sporting endeavors, a newcomer can get involved in the sport at many levels. Some choose to find a good used kart and safety equipment to start out with, with the intent to progress to more contemporary equipment once their skills necessitate an upgrade. Others want the new stuff right away. The truth is that for almost all new drivers, there will be little difference in overall performance whether you buy a quality used kart, or a brand new one. As a driver becomes more capable, subtle differences in equipment type, quality, and performance become more important. Depending on a driver or team’s ambitions, there is inherently not a one-size-fits-all solution for each competitor.At CKT, we want karters to get involved at a cost point that makes sense to them, while still allowing them to be safe on the racetrack, and have fun. The best way is to start conservative. This likely means taking the time to find a quality, used kart and proper safety and mechanical equipment so that you can go to the track and enjoy learning and progressing in karting from day 1. With so many kids progressing through various karting classes, used karts and equipment tends to be highly sought after, and retains value reasonably well, if maintained.Ballpark Investment:
- A good used Kid Kart (5-7 yr olds) can vary from $1500-$2500 as a race ready package. A brand new kart can cost approximately $3000 in complete ready to race condition.
- Junior 1-level karts (ages 7-13) typically are slightly more, with a mid range used race ready package costing approximately $1200-$2500. New karts in race-ready condition can vary due to the engine package included, but range from $3,000-$5,000.
- Junior 2 and Senior karts can also vary in price, and this is mostly due to the engine package included. Typically, a used kart will cost between $1500-$2500 without a motor package., Sometimes, a seller may include an engine package. But, consider the following as ball-park estimates for new and used karts with various motor packages:
- LO206 full-size karts - Used race ready can be found for $1500 - $2500. A new kart will range between $3,000 and $5,000 depending on all the bells and whistles that come with the kart.
- Mid-Range Full-size karts - Used race ready karts can be found for $2,000 - $3,500 depending on the motor package. A new kart in this range typically will run $4,000 - $6,000, again depending on the brand or accessories
- High-End, High-Performance Karts - For shifter karts, pricing can be daunting at times at first. However, a used kart can be found often for reasonable funds: used can range between $2,500 - $5,000 or more depending on pedigree. New, again heavily engine package dependent, can range from $4,500 to $7,500.