Historically, the first go-cart, was built by Art Ingels in 1956. It was a simple affair with a two stroke cycle engine. Go karting has since then, come a long way, from a popular sport for airmen in the heyday’s to the current speed demons or superkarts, some of which are reported to cross 160 mph (260 Km/h) on asphalt!

The racing go kart is slightly modified compared to children’s go carts, since they are built for more speed and more endurance over various terrain. The more noticeable changes are in the wheels, which are much bigger, to offer better traction and stability and in the engines which are more powerful, with most Off road go carts having 150-250cc engines. Besides the horse power, there are other fundamental differences in the design of these carts with

· Higher clearance, to clear more ground based obstacles

· The adult models, have both rear as well as front shock absorbers, since enthusiasts will definitely try it out, on rough terrain

· A reverse gear

· Unique styling features, sometimes it’s tough to tell if the carts a dune buggy or vice versa

Racing go carts are basically open wheeled vehicles with no suspension. The basic components of an off road go cart, are the chassis, transmission, motor, seating for 1-2 people and 4 tires. Since, there is no suspension, the chassis itself must provide enough strength and flexibility to allow the cart to maintain its grip on the road, whether its going straight or taking a sharp left.

An underlying aspect of off road go carting, is the focus on safety. Since these race go carts can easily reach the speeds of a normal car, accidents, when they occur can be deadly, so a few safety provisions are always included such as seat belts and padding with helmets, gloves, shoes and thermal suits is recommended. With carts on the racing track, roll bars and caged chassis provide protection to the driver, in the event of the car rolling over. However extreme racing go carts your dealing with rough terrain and also go kart races that can be very dangerous as well.

Go karting is considered to be a stepping-stone to the world of high-speed racing. Racing greats like Sarah Fisher, Darrell Waltrip, Kyle Petty, Tony Stewart and Michael Schumacher were all Go carters, before they ventured into Indy or Formula One. Talent scouts often pick up the best talents from the go carting tracks and hone them into professionals. In fact, if you’re good enough to reach the top classes in go carting (and mind you, there are many classes), you should seriously consider professional kart racing.

There are many places to find racing cheap go karts for sale depending on what kind of driving level you are going to be classified in. Some are built bigger and faster than others. However, if you’re just in it for the fun, forget the competition. Remember what it was like to be kids, and just have fun!