What you need to know before racing
Whether you’re new to karting or organising a big event and need to get all guests in the know, our frequently asked questions and top info page, aims to make sure you are all set for your experience at the track.
Take some time out to explore our circuits and the racing lines before you arrive and get a feel for the bends, the straights, the chicanes and the demanding ramps! Also, check out what is on offer at your local venue and make more of a day out of your visit to our great facilities.
Our FAQ Page covers:
Who Can Race?
I don't have a driving licence, can I still race?
Yes, of course, you don't need a driver's licence to drive a go kart!...and we give newcomers all the guidance and training they need for an epic high-speed race before their very first session.
Are there any height restrictions?
To race in the cadet karts children must have a minimum inside leg measurement (measured from the crotch to the base of the heel, whilst wearing shoes) of 25 inches or more and whilst there is no definite maximum height due to differing body types and proportions we recommend that to fit comfortably into these cadet karts and be able to control them safely children must also be under 5'4''.Drivers racing in the adult karts must have an inside leg measurement (measured from the crotch to the base of the heel, whilst wearing shoes) of 29 inches or more.
My child isn’t 8 yet but he has driven go-karts before, can they race?
No. All drivers need to be 8 years old or above. For more information on go karting age requirements and junior karts, check out our section on Kids Go Karting.
My child is measuring less than the 25" leg requirement, can they race?
No. If their legs are under 25" they will not be able to reach the pedals.
Is there a maximum weight / height limit for the karts?
There isn't a specific limit on our karts, but particularly tall, short or heavier drivers may find driving uncomfortable or may not be able to fit in the karts. We recommend a maximum height of 6’4” and a maximum weight of 18 stone, although we have plenty of drivers above this limit who race with us every day. If in doubt, pop down to the track and we can provide a kart test.
I have a medical condition or disability, can I race?
Go karting is not recommended for drivers with heart problems, epilepsy or other conditions which may be affected by exertion. Any conditions that would prevent you from acquiring a driving licence would likely prevent you from being able to race. It is our policy to provide the opportunity to access karting to as many drivers as possible, however in order to meet our duty of care to both our staff and customers, it may be necessary for a dynamic risk assessment to be performed prior to some drivers being permitted to race. If in doubt, give one of our agents a call!
Watching a safety briefing is mandatory before karting, if you have hearing difficulties, please contact us before your race.
KIDS GO-KARTING
What is the minimum age?
Minimum age for a child kart is 8 and children also need to have an inside leg measurement of 25 inches. Minimum age for an adult kart is 12 years old.
My child wants to race, do I have to race with them?
Children can race on their own if they want to. An accompanying adult is welcome to spectate or join the action.
Can adults and children race together?
Yes. We have special sessions for children and accompanying adults to race together. Adults cannot race on these sessions unless they have a child with them.
Do you have two seater karts?
No, all of our karts have single seats.
I’m bringing other people’s kids, what do I need to know?
All drivers under the age of 16 years old, must be signed in by an accompanying adult (over 18 years old). If you are bringing a group of drivers under the age of 16, you will need to provide details when signing in of the drivers date of birth, address and emergency contact details.
Do parents need to sign their children in on the day or sign a waiver in advance?
We ask that all drivers are pre-registered onto your reservation before the day of your race. If you follow the link on your booking confirmation and you can access the waiver and register your drivers.
WHAT TO WEAR GO-KARTING?
What clothes should I wear to race?
Comfortable clothing is a must. Before you get behind the wheel we will provide you with a protective race suit and helmet. You'll also need a suitable balaclava, depending on the length of your hair - you can purchase a reusable cotton one for £3.99 upon arrival. If you're a seasoned karter, you're welcome to bring your own racewear and balaclava, subject to approval by our crew. Long hair is to be worn down and tied into a low ponytail and tucked into your own clothing, with a race suit over the top. Scarves, sashes, and headwear that present a risk must be removed. Jewellery should also be removed.
If you want to find out more about what to wear go-karting, check out our blog; what to wear when go-karting!
Know Your Helmet Size
Due to safety and hygiene you must know your helmet size when you arrive at the track. Unfortunately, we are unable to try on multiple helmets to find your fit. Find your fit here
What footwear should I wear?
Trainers are ideal shoes for karting. Shoes must cover the whole foot, no open toes / sandals / crocs. No heels or wedges.
Can I wear my own helmet?
Yes, as long as they are full face helmets and meets ISO standards. All helmets must have a clear visor. All road-safe helmets should meet this standard however our trackside team will give it a double check.
Can I wear my own racewear?
If you have ISO standard racewear then you are welcome to wear it, but the track staff may check it on the day to confirm it meets requirements. Motorcycle leathers / race suits do not meet the same standard as karting race suits so they cannot be worn.
Can I wear my own GoPro / helmet cam?
If you are using your own helmet, you can use your own Go-Pro / helmet cam as long as they are securely mounted. When using our helmets, you cannot attach anything to them. We do not allow chest-mounts or cameras mounted directly to our karts.
Can I wear fancy dress / novelty items / sashes over my race suit?
When on track, the race suit must cover all clothing however you are welcome to wear fancy dress when off-track and under your race suit.
Booking Karting & Reserving Sessions
Do I need to book?
Pre-booking is essential to guarantee your on-track experience as we have limited space available on each session. We take a full payment at the time of booking to secure your space. Book your racing with us.
How do I book?
Most race events can be booked via our website or app, availability for race events can be found on our website or by speaking to a member of our bookings team!
PAYMENT
- Payments are non-refundable and the booking cannot be changed or transferred to a new date or time.
- Payments can be made using a valid credit or debit card, or BACS.
- You can pay by debit card for free, all payments are non-refundable and the booking cannot be changed to a new date or time. Please be aware we are 100% Cashless and only debit or credit cards can be used to pay for races and merchandise at the venues (including Food and Drinks) All bookings with TeamSport provide customers the benefit of £20M Public Liability Insurance & Personal Accident Insurance.
- In the unlikely event you are injured whilst racing with TeamSport, the Personal Accident Insurance provides set financial benefits for certain types of injury, regardless of fault.
- To see full details of the cover click here. To fund this insurance cover, an optional surcharge of £1 per driver is included in every booking. VAT is not applicable to this payment.
- Should you need a VAT receipt for your booking, please ask a member of the sales team
- Any funds credited to customer accounts are valid for 12 months from the date of deposit and are not refundable.
Annual Membership & Karting Discounts
Do you have a membership scheme?
We have a 3-tier membership scheme with amazing benefits to get you on track with drivers of a similar ability and have the best experience possible! So, whether it’s cheaper karting you’re looking for (includes a free birthday session) or the promise of more challenging opponents and a much wider range of exclusive #GRID Member-only events, offers and competitions over email and access to our annual Championship (@BIKCOfficial), we have you covered! Head on over to our members section for full details on our membership.
How can I get my members discount?
You can redeem your Membership discount by logging into your existing TeamSport account at checkout or through our app. On special Member events, your discount is already applied and is reflected in the price.
Do you offer a discount for students, forces or service members?
Our Student, NHS & Forces discount is available for drivers who are students aged 16 and over, NHS staff, Emergency Services or Military personnel. A valid ID must be presented upon arrival to verify each driver.
Each driver will race in two 15-minute sessions on the track, where the game aims to get as many laps as possible and set the fastest lap time. This is an open session, which means there may be other adult groups racing on the track with you – so you can compare your lap times against theirs! We only accept the following forms of ID on arrival (Blue Light Unidays, NUS, or ID Card), unfortunately, you may be unable to race without a valid photographic ID for each driver receiving this discount. Failure to produce valid identification will mean you will be charged the appropriate rate to race. All drivers are required to have a minimum inside leg measurement of 29 inches to race in our adult karts.
Read our terms and conditions page for more.
Do you offer a discount for careers or people with disabilities?
While we do not currently offer discounts for people with disabilities. Carers may be able to get a reduced rate for their karting when racing on a weekday. This cannot be booked on the website and would need to be booked over the phone. If in doubt, give one of our agents a call!
Vouchers
I want to book online but I have a voucher?
That’s fine – all our vouchers are now electronic vouchers and you should have an email with your voucher code on them. Simply copy and paste this code at the checkout in the discount code box and it will redeem your payment.
Do I need to bring my voucher with me?
No. If you have booked using your eVoucher you do not need this on the day.
I've lost my voucher, what can I do?
If you have lost your eVoucher or can't find your email, please contact us so that we can re-issue it for you.
Can I exchange my experience voucher?
Vouchers are non-refundable, but you can exchange them. Credit will be based upon the original purchase price. The expiry date will not change.
General Karting Queries
What do I need to bring on the day?
You need to bring any vouchers that are being redeemed as part of your booking on the day! If you paid by card online or used your card over the phone in the last 7 days; you need to bring the same card with you to verify your booking.
What time do I need to be at the track?
You need to arrive at least 40 minutes before the race begins.
What happens if I’m late?
While we will always try our best to accommodate you, we cannot delay a race for customers running late. If you are late, you might lose some track time or might not be able to race at all.
How long is the whole experience?
Most racing events, unless stated otherwise should last no more than 2 hours.
Do you sell food?
Yes, all of our locations have on site catering for hot and cold food with a small cafe area (with fully licenced bar). Check out our food and beverage listings on our Fuel Food page).
Do you serve alcohol?
Our Fuel Bars have a full range of both soft and alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are only allowed to be consumed after you have finished karting and if you are lucky to look under 25 you may be asked to provide proof of age. You are not allowed to bring your own alcohol onto the premises.
Do you have on site catering?
Yes, all of our locations have a small cafe area (and a fully licenced bar).
Do you have vegetarian / vegan / gluten-free / halal foods at your cafes?
While we can accommodate some dietary restrictions, we would always recommend giving a member of the team a call to check availability and in case the items need to be special ordered.
Can I bring my own food?
Unfortunately we cannot allow outside food at our tracks. Exceptions can be made for individuals with restricted diets / allergies / etc. However, we do allow birthday cakes to be brought for races celebrating their birthday with us.
Do you have parking?
All of our locations (except Manchester Victoria) have free onsite parking. For our Manchester Victoria location we recommend using the Dutton Street Car park.
Can Spectators Watch?
Yes! Spectators can enjoy our track viewing areas, as well as relax and refuel at our bar & kitchen.
Can I wear glasses with my helmet?
Yes. When wearing glasses with our helmets you will need to remove your glasses first, then put the helmet on. You then lift the visor and slide the glasses into place. Sunglasses, reactive lenses and tinted lenses are not recommended as the tracks are indoors and may affect your visibility.
Are you open on Bank Holidays?
Yes! We are open Bank Holidays and public holidays (with the exception of Christmas Day)
Can I bring my own Kart?
No. Only TeamSport karts can be used on our tracks.
How long is a go-kart track?
Tracks range in length from 400m to 1000m each with its own unique combination of twists, turns and epic straights. Check out our go karting tracks to find your next challenge.
How fast do go-karts go?
Most adult karts can go as fast as 40mph, while junior karts have a top speed of 25mph. Find out more about our karts and their speeds on our blog; how fast do go-karts go!
Do go-karts have gears?
No, most karts (including ours!) don’t have gears because they don't have a differential. To enable super-sharp cornering, they’re built so the rear tyres can slide when you steer into a corner instead. This means you only need to worry about two pedals and a steering wheel when competing for the podium!
What does TeamSport Indoor Go Karting have to offer?
Teamsport offers a variety of tight bends and exhilarating courses as well as multiple kart options depending on your venue - including Eco-Friendly kart options, we offer E-karting at the following venues: Acton, Brighton, Crawley, Eastleigh, Farnborough, Hull, Manchester Victoria, Newcastle, Nottingham, Preston, Reading, Clydebank, Stoke, Watford.
Are you still not sure if karting is for you? Why not have a quick read through some of our Go Karting Track Tips Guides - written by our karting mad staff on topics that cover understanding the racing line to top ten tips to win your next race as well as track specific guides to help you not only visualise going round the track yourself but that also feature handy hints and manoeuvres by manoeuvre explanations - what more could you ask for?
If that doesn't do it for you why not look at our How to get into Go-Kart racing guide?
You can also find our How To Drive Like A Pro page that offers Advanced Karting Techniques and few other tips and tactics for when you're on the track like How to over take.
If you're a seasoned pro but want to update your karting tactics take a peak at our 10 Ways To Win Your Next Race.
Check out all our Race Types and racing formats that we hope will suit anyone from individuals, groups (12 or more), kids & families, corporate and stag & hen.
Looking to beat the track record? Perhaps you're simply wanting to smash your personal best. Whatever your reasons for wanting to go that little bit quicker, nailing the proper racing line is fundamental to a faster lap. Understand the Racing line.
Think you're a Karting wizard or have a future F1 star in the family, check out our #GRID Membership – Our Membership service which gives those serious about karting additional money off our traditional race formats as well as access to many more member only racing options. Once a year we also run our UK-wide Membership Championship Event BIKC.
How do I get in contact with TeamSport Indoor Go Karting?
We have tried to cover everything with these Frequently Asked Questions but if we have missed something or you need more information on anything written above, or anywhere on our website, please use the live chat function below or contact us.
Call01252 732300For a quote or more information