Since 1969, Michigan Kart Club has been supporting the Great Lakes area karting community by hosting events in all the major karting classes, including “Enduro” Road Race Karting. For more historical information, visit our History Page.
One of Motor Racing’s best kept secrets, Road Race Karting events are held at tracks greater than one mile in length, designed for full sized cars like CART Open wheel racers, SCCA sports racers, and Road Race Bikes.
Why Road Racing?
- Wide open tracks
- Fantastic top speeds
- Plenty of actual On Track Driving Time
- Wheel to Wheel competition
- Experiment with aero dynamics
- Plenty of room to pass the competition
- Experience Drafting. Execute your own slingshot pass. What a blast !
- Great scenery
- Great weekend get-away
- Race the tracks that NASCAR, Can AM, SCCA race on TV.. As a Road Race Karter, you can experience the same thrills and challenges as the big guys.
Types of Karts:
Sprint Racers
This is a great place to start racing. These karts can be equipped with either 2-Stroke Yamaha engines as shown above, or 4-stroke, 5 HP Briggs & Stratton engines with a 65 mph top speed.
Kart: Sprint Race Chassis
Engine: Yamaha or Briggs & Stratton
Displacement: 100 cc
HP: 10-20 HP
Drive: Single speed with centrifugal oil bath clutch
Top Speed: 80 MPH
Fuel: Race Gasoline and oil mixture
Cost: $5,000 New / $2,500 Used
Skill Level: Novice and Intermediate
Age: Novice: 12 and up, Intermediate: 15 and up
Race Tracks: Grattan, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Putnam Park, Gingerman, Flat Rock, Grosse Ile, Waterford Hills, East Lansing
Enduro Road Racer
This class is a lot like motorized luge. You lay down for ultimate low aero drag. Check out your drafting and slingshot skills on the way to the front of the pack.
Kart: Emmick, Margay, Coyote, Invader
Engine: 2-cycle piston port or reed valve induction
Displacement: 100 cc
HP: 25 HP
Drive: Single-speed with centrifugal oil bath clutch
Top Speed: 90 – 115 MPH
Fuel: Race gasoline and oil mixture
Cost: $4500 New / $1,500 Used
Skill Level: Intermediate
Age: 16 and up
Race Tracks: Grattan, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Daytona, Barber Motorsports, Putnam Park, Gingerman, Blackhawk Farms
125cc Shifter Kart
This class closely resembles the thrills you get, and skills required, for Formula 1 auto racing. Formula 1 and Indy car guys run these Karts in the off season just to keep their skill sets sharp, and, they don’t always win.
Kart: Birel
Engine: 2-cycle, water-cooled TM, Rotax
Displacement: 125 cc
HP: 45 HP
Drive: 6-speed manual gearbox
Top Speed: 125 MPH
Fuel: Race Gasoline and oil mixture
Cost: $9,500 New / $2,500 Used
Skill Level: Intermediate and Expert
Age: 16 and up
Race Tracks: Grattan, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Putnam Park, Gingerman, Flat Rock, Grosse Ile, Waterford Hills, East Lansing
250cc Road Race Karts
Even if you can’t afford to race this class, it is a blast to watch. Imagine standing at the guard rail at Road America and these guys go by at 130 mph, within 20 feet of where you’re standing. There is nothing quite like it.
Kart: Super Kart, West Racing Chassis
Engine: 2-cycle, Honda, Yamaha or Rotax
Displacement: 250 cc
Power: 85 – 95 HP
Drive: 6-speed manual gearbox
Top Speed: 150 MPH
Fuel: Race Gasoline and oil
Cost: $30,000 New / $20,000 Used
Skill Level: Expert Only
Age: 21 and up
Race Tracks: Grattan, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Daytona, Barber Motorsports
