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Karting is a type of motor-racing sport in which small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts (or go-karts) are used for racing. Karting is a very popular recreational activity and is also contested competitively. Karting is usually done before going into higher types of motorsports. The sport originated in the United States is currently also popular in Europe.

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Karts have different speed, superkarts can reach up to 260 kilometers per hour, go-karts are usually for recreational purposes and can reach up to 25 kilometers per hour.  A speedway kart race may range in length from 4 laps up to 20 laps.

Races are usually conducted on scaled-down circuits. The three most common formats of karting races are:

Sprint racing: Conducted on purpose-built circuits, that resemble road courses, which are 1/4 to 1 mile long with several left and right turns. Races are usually for a few number of laps, and typically last for a maximum of 15 minutes. This format is used for the FIA championships, which also includes the Karting World Championship.

Endurance Racing: Conducted on full-length road racing courses which are 1.5 to 4 miles long. Races last for an extended period, from 30 minutes to up to 24 hours or more, involving one or more drivers. The most popular race in this format is the 24 Hours of Le Mans karting race.

Speedway Racing: Conducted on oval tracks which are 1/10 to 1/4 mile long. Races vary in length from 4 to 20 laps. Both IKF and WKA conduct races in this format.

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Similar Sports

• Formula Racing — motor racing using open-wheeled single-seat vehicles.
• Sports Car Racing — a type of auto racing, in which sports cars are used.
• Sprint Car Racing — a racing sport that involves direct racing of high-powered small cars.
• Lawn Mower Racing — motorsport where participants use race-modified lawnmowers.
• Motorsports (general)

Related Pages

• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports