MSA sets up first ever nationwide karting initiative
Come and have a go for a fiver!
The Motor Sports Association - governing body of UK motor
sport - is to launch a nationwide campaign to give thousands
of young people a taste of the excitement of kart racing for
just £5.
Supported by funding of £125,000 from the MSA, Let's
Go Karting will provide karts, equipment and instructors at
locations throughout the UK in order to enable young people
to experience the thrills of karting without having to make
the significant financial commitment of purchasing their own
equipment.
Karting is the traditional entry level for competitive motor
sport, as it allows children as young as eight years old to
get behind the wheel and begin a lifetime of motor sport enjoyment.
The emergence of Lewis Hamilton onto the world stage last
year has led to a huge surge of interest in the sport and
his exploits have attracted a new generation of youngsters
to want to find out more about karting.
The MSA will capitalise on this renewed interest with the
launch of the first ever nationwide programme designed to
give young people their first experience of karting. The MSA
funding will enable thousands of young people to try the sport
for a nominal charge of just £5 per person, making it
accessible to any person, from any background.
Let's Go Karting will build upon the excellent work already
being undertaken by many clubs and venues, and some of the
existing operations will be incorporated under the banner
of the national scheme. The MSA intends to select a number
of clubs and venues around the country to participate in the
scheme and it is anticipated that promotional campaigns will
reach local school children around each centre, taking the
sport directly to an important new audience.
Clubs and venues are now invited to make submissions for
inclusion on the MSA scheme. Successful applicants will receive
funding to purchase the necessary equipment to run the scheme,
including karts, helmets, race suits and gloves. They will
also be required to train instructors and implement a promotional
campaign.
The MSA has appointed Rod Taylor, a well-respected and experienced
member of the kart community as Let's Go Karting co-ordinator.
After more than 20 years in the sport, Rod is now chairman
of the Kart Sporting Committee, represents karting on the
Motor Sports Council and is an MSA Clerk of the Course for
the British Championships.
Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive:
"Let's Go Karting is a genuinely ground-breaking campaign
for the Motor Sports Association, as it represents the first
concerted effort at a national level to bring people into
karting and therefore into motor sport.
"Karting is vitally important to the health and development
of the entire sport, as it offers young people a chance to
participate, not just watch, which is increasingly important
in today's competitive leisure marketplace. We are much more
likely to get people involved at a young age, than we are
later on when their leisure pursuits have already been established.
"We know that we need to break down the barriers to
entry across the entire sport and one of the key barriers
is finance. Let's Go Karting will make it possible for anyone
to try it, without first having to make an investment in their
own equipment, and that opens up the sport to a whole audience
that was previously excluded."
Rod Taylor, Let's Go Karting Co-ordinator:
"When we compiled the initial evaluation paper, it was
clear that there were some excellent initiatives already in
place and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed
their ideas to get us to this stage. There has been a collective
will across the board and I have been struck by the genuine
enthusiasm of people who really want to create something for
the good of the sport.
"Let's Go Karting will take elements of the existing
programmes and create a blueprint that can be rolled out to
other clubs and venues, building up a centrally-co-ordinated,
but locally-delivered, national scheme.
"It is absolutely the right time to launch this kind
of programme and I am delighted to have been appointed by
the MSA to bring it all together."
Let's Go Karting will be officially launched in April 2008
once participating clubs and venues have been confirmed. Clubs
and venues requiring further information should email: rod@rtaylor0.orangehome.co.uk.
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