In an age where the average cosmopolitan Indian household boasts of cable television and at least one or two family members do get to watch the Formula One Grand Prix races live during the course of the season, go-karting can be said to have come to India at the right time. Weighing the benefits of the sporting aspect of go-karting is always a most pleasurable chore but there is an even more uplifting social cause which we see in this activity. Today's youngsters have a new cause to indulge themselves in a most clean and wholesome manner rather than whiling away their free time on pursuits like pool, pin ball games and the such. There is a whole new meaning to their creativity and also a channel of expression which they can identify with.

On the subject of the sport though, there is some apprehension. The go-karting circuits have all been made to give a taste of the game to the uninitiated. That's very good. But now these very same folks are clamouring for the sporting aspect. Sadly there is quite a load of grey because of there being no karting federation or any framing of rules. As always the FMSCI in its infinite wisdom is yet busy studying the karting scenario and has yet to frame rules for the sport. We sincerely hope the FMSCI plays no role in this form of the sport and lets those who have set up the tracks to form a national karting federation. Indian motorsport can do with this sort of an approach. This highlights the role karting has played in the careers of some of the world's best Grand Prix drivers. We seek your feedback to make this form of motor sport a major success.

Go-Karting Tracks

DELHI: Twenty minutes from Ashrarn crossing on the Delhi-Agra GT road is located 'Destination Point'. This is a family entertainment centre with bowling, video and pool parlours, rock climbing facility, a conference hall and a fast food restaurant. The go-kart track is a short circuit over 280m and is a tightly twisting course. Although the regular single-engined karts are essentially fun karts the facility has a twin-engined kart which is fast and is only for experienced drivers. At Gurgaon near Delhi the second karting track at 32nd Milestone is also operative.

MUMBAI: Located in Powai, overlooking the lake, the Hiranandani Garden Estate is the picturesque setting where the 600m long go-kart track caters to a large number of enthusiasts every evening. A single twin-engined kart is for the experts and single-engined karts provide the bulk of the drivers with the machinery to practice and improve to a level where they can graduate to the faster twin-engined kart.

CHANDIGARH: On the Delhi-Chandigarh GT Road at the union territory border just twenty minutes from the heart of the city is the 350m track which boasts three twin-engined karts, the rest as usual are with single engines.

INDORE: The track at lndore is also conveniently located on the main GT Road, 15 minutes from the city at Ninth Mile Recreation Centre - also a family entertainment centre, the facilities include video parlours and related fun and games besides the 250m long kart circuit.

AHMEDABAD: Opposite the new high court which is 4km f rorn the city centre the kart track is 33Okm long and also has the popular but restricted to experienced drivers use doubie-engined kart.

LUCKNOW: Along the Lucknow-Kanpur highway slightly further away in terms of kilometres, 17km to be exact, situated along mango groves the 33Okm long kart circuit caters to young and old alike every evening.
 

Go-Karting Manufacturers

Indian Kart Manufacturers for the Sagitta Thundercat Karts contact: Shrikant Shah, Advance Auto Concepts Pvt. Ltd., A-18, H-Block, Pimpri - MIDC, PUNE 411 018. Tel: 00-761006 Fax: 020-758991 e-mail: info@sagittakarts.com

For the Genesis K2 and Trailblazer karts contact: lndrajeet Singh, VISIONS, CONCEPTS & REALITIES, BC, 7113, Elphinstone Road, Camp, BELGAUM 590 001. Tel: 0831-428394 1 432312 Fax: 0831-429685


Go-Karting Tyres

Tyres are a most important prerequisite to experience the cornering capability of these spindly racers. The tremendous 'g forces' a kart can pull at full chat thru' a fast sweeping corner is something to be experienced first hand. Sadly, the better the tyre, the more the grip but also the quicker is the wear. With the rental karts though, there is tremendous wear and tear on the tyres and once the tyres have gone past their best, they start sliding more and gripping less, even though it might not show on their surfaces.

For the rental kart business in India there is help at hand. While JK Tyres hasn't got into kart tyre manufacture as yet, a Pune based firm by the name of Trident International has got clued into the act and begun importing Apexis go-kart tyres from Taiwan. Shyam Gyanani is the man who has ambitions to keep the wheels of this sport turning. Apexis tyres have earned a name for themselves in all levels of kart racing in Australia, Europe and North America. Besides slick tyres (pictured on the right),Trident can also supply special wet tyres as also such accessories as tubeless valves, all of which are available ex-stock according to a press note which we received at our editorial office.

For the Apexis go-kart tyres contact:
Shyam Gyanani,
Trident International
Survey 70/a, Rashmi Industrial Estate,
Wanawadi,
PUNE 411 040.
Tel: 020-671722 1 401660
Fax: 020-674673 1 401662
e-mail: gyanani@vsnl.com

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