Karting help - near Reading

Karting help - near Reading

Author
Discussion

EdT

Original Poster:

5,132 posts

291 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
My lad's 11th birthday soon and he'd like to take a few friends karting. Google suggesting Team Sport karting just off the A33, looks good but quite expensive for just 2 x 15mins sessions. Any recommendations before we blow £xxx on this?

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,681 posts

230 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
Mid week sessions, students only are £28

ajap1979

8,014 posts

194 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
I’ve been to Team Sport a few times, albeit the one in Newcastle. It’s a great set up, and I’ve always thought two 15 minute sessions was sufficient.

Zarco

18,487 posts

216 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
I went to Team Sport a few years ago with work. Was ok for indoor karting. Barely anyone else could drive properly, so I did lots of laps (team tournament thing).

In the past I've gone to Daytona karting at Sandown. About 1hr away from Reading but it's out door, proper track, and better karts.

fido

17,281 posts

262 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
^Ditto. Outdoors at Daytona Esher or Buckmore Park. Actually Daytona Milton Keynes probably isn't much further away time-wise.

CABC

5,795 posts

108 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
Never been but I hear Thruxton is very good.

ajap1979

8,014 posts

194 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
Zarco said:
I went to Team Sport a few years ago with work. Was ok for indoor karting. Barely anyone else could drive properly, so I did lots of laps (team tournament thing).
With an 11-year-old you’re going to be in a family session anyway, and most of them won’t be able to drive properly.

Zarco

18,487 posts

216 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
ajap1979 said:
Zarco said:
I went to Team Sport a few years ago with work. Was ok for indoor karting. Barely anyone else could drive properly, so I did lots of laps (team tournament thing).
With an 11-year-old you’re going to be in a family session anyway, and most of them won’t be able to drive properly.
My point was I did lots of laps as my team wanted to win, but none of them could drive for toffee.

I didn't mean the OP could enjoy thrashing a bunch of 11yr olds. Mind you, they will be light.

Zarco

18,487 posts

216 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
CABC said:
Never been but I hear Thruxton is very good.
I think they have quick karts there.

EdT

Original Poster:

5,132 posts

291 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
Mid week sessions, students only are £28
Looks like 16+ yrs for that

EdT

Original Poster:

5,132 posts

291 months

Sunday 7th August 2022
quotequote all
ajap1979 said:
I’ve been to Team Sport a few times, albeit the one in Newcastle. It’s a great set up, and I’ve always thought two 15 minute sessions was sufficient.
It's not so much the duration, more the ~£40 per kid as he want a decent size group of friends

NoBrakesWC

398 posts

56 months

Monday 8th August 2022
quotequote all
Team Sport are the biggest and have the most tracks around the place. All karting places are expensive but is good for students with student prices.

CraigyMc

17,111 posts

243 months

Thursday 18th August 2022
quotequote all
EdT said:
My lad's 11th birthday soon and he'd like to take a few friends karting. Google suggesting Team Sport karting just off the A33, looks good but quite expensive for just 2 x 15mins sessions. Any recommendations before we blow £xxx on this?
Compared to other arrive and drive places it's cheap. Karting in general is pretty expensive.

Bullett

10,973 posts

191 months

Thursday 1st September 2022
quotequote all
Teamsport is pretty cheap for karting.

Not sure if you've done this yet but also consider Teamsport in Farnborough, I've driven at Reading and Farnborough and the Farnborough track is a bit better. Also they use electric karts at Farnborough vs petrol the last time I was at Reading which is a bit more pleasant on an indoor track.

Thruxton is a good track. Not driven their corporate karts so can't comment on that.
Sandown has already been mentioned, more expensive than Teamsport.


CraigyMc

17,111 posts

243 months

Thursday 1st September 2022
quotequote all
Bullett said:
Teamsport is pretty cheap for karting.

Not sure if you've done this yet but also consider Teamsport in Farnborough, I've driven at Reading and Farnborough and the Farnborough track is a bit better. Also they use electric karts at Farnborough vs petrol the last time I was at Reading which is a bit more pleasant on an indoor track.

Thruxton is a good track. Not driven their corporate karts so can't comment on that.
Sandown has already been mentioned, more expensive than Teamsport.
Thruxton run 390cc thunderkarts which are okay, but they feel a bit heavy.
Sandown has a couple of fleets of karts for adults and a third for kiddies. The dmax karts are rotax 125cc 2-strokes and go well.

CraigyMc

17,111 posts

243 months

Thursday 1st September 2022
quotequote all
NoBrakesWC said:
Team Sport are the biggest and have the most tracks around the place. All karting places are expensive but is good for students with student prices.
Current locations list. When i started karting with them about 20 years ago, they had 3 tracks and were called GoKarting4Fun.

Basildon
Birmingham
Bradford
Brighton
Bristol
Cardiff
Coventry
Crawley
Dunstable
Farnborough
Gosport
Harlow
Hull
Leeds
Leicester
Liverpool
Docklands (East London)
Edmonton (North London)
Acton (West London)
Mitcham (South London)
Manchester Victoria
Manchester Trafford Park
Newcastle
Nottingham
Preston
Reading
Sheffield
Eastleigh
Stockton
Stoke-on-Trent
Warrington
Watford

Frimley111R

15,985 posts

241 months

Monday 2nd January 2023
quotequote all
Bullett said:
Teamsport is pretty cheap for karting.

Not sure if you've done this yet but also consider Teamsport in Farnborough, I've driven at Reading and Farnborough and the Farnborough track is a bit better. Also they use electric karts at Farnborough vs petrol the last time I was at Reading which is a bit more pleasant on an indoor track.
They have newer electric karts there now with 'push to pass' buttons! Very Formula E...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOrnW5yAC7c&ab...

NoBrakesWC

398 posts

56 months

Monday 2nd January 2023
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
Bullett said:
Teamsport is pretty cheap for karting.

Not sure if you've done this yet but also consider Teamsport in Farnborough, I've driven at Reading and Farnborough and the Farnborough track is a bit better. Also they use electric karts at Farnborough vs petrol the last time I was at Reading which is a bit more pleasant on an indoor track.
They have newer electric karts there now with 'push to pass' buttons! Very Formula E...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOrnW5yAC7c&ab...
I'm not fan of the electric karts drive completely different. Speaking to the guy at Watford one he said they save money on tyres as they rarely have to change them.

Frimley111R

15,985 posts

241 months

Monday 2nd January 2023
quotequote all
NoBrakesWC said:
I'm not fan of the electric karts drive completely different. Speaking to the guy at Watford one he said they save money on tyres as they rarely have to change them.
We've driven the ones at Farnborough a lot and also the petrol ones at Reading. I honestly didn't find much difference at all. They seem just as quick and grippy to me.

It's weird chatting in the pits and not noticing there are karts going round though!

Bullett

10,973 posts

191 months

Monday 2nd January 2023
quotequote all
Interesting. We've not been to Farnborough since they upgraded, it looked really slippery in that video. He's been pestering me for another session.

The Electric works well for us as he's been racing Electric Juniors outdoors this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbbKwJLlPsw&t=...