Democratic Dad Blog

Shifter Carts

So we have all been go-karting. It’s a fun little outing. You cruise around the little track at a fractional speed. We have all thought the same thing one time or another as we took a turn at mach negative three. What if these little car-like things went really fast?

This is what I want to talk about today. Such vehicles actually exist, except they are driven by “professionals”. The sport is called Shifter Cart Racing or Superkart Racing. The cart itself it really not dissimilar to the gokarts we all have hopped into one time or another. They just have less cart and more engine. The 125cc shifter carts models are generally known to travel speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour, and they can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour in as little as 3 seconds. There are also plenty of 250cc shifter carts , which can go up to speeds of 150 miles per hour and higher! Try driving that around the track of your local fun center.

That isn’t going to happen any time soon. These motors with a seat are carefully regulated by a number of associations. They are not unattainable though. There is a special license for them and you can make or buy your own to race. It’s cheaper that racing in motorsports. But it is still has a thrill all of its own.  The Shifter Cart sport is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. It’s a big difference from the 15 miles per hour the family is used to.