How to Set Up a Go-Kart Track

The average go-kart track is 1,000 feet long and can be built on about 1 acre of land (45,000 sq. ft.), according to go-kart track builders J&J Amusements. Some tracks are as short as 700 feet, and others are as long as 1,200 feet. A 700-foot track requires about 30,000 square feet of land. If the track is open to the public, you need additional room for parking, restrooms, seating, ticket sales and refreshment stands.

Things You'll Need

  • Marking string
  • Land-moving equipment
  • Sand
  • Concrete
  • Plywood sheets
  • Tires
  • Tar
  • Reflective road-marking paint (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Design the track. Consider the natural rise and fall of the land. Go-kart tracks are 24 feet to 30 feet wide. Determine where the pit area will be and how drivers will get on and off the track. Hills and curves are fun -- long straight stretches are boring to go-kart drivers. Add as many features as possible to keep your track interesting. The speed of the track should be about 18 miles per hour for safety and enjoyment. Allow for at least 10 feet of turn radius for safety in the turns. The track slope should be about 5 degrees, which is a rise of 8.75 percent. To add banking in the turns, use no more than 1 inch of banking per foot of track width.

    • 2

      Clear the land of trees, rocks and other debris. Fill in holes.

    • 3

      Lay out the track outline on your land using the marking string.

    • 4

      Dig out 6 inches of soil to prepare it for pouring concrete or asphalt.

    • 5

      Pour a 1-inch layer of sand and cover it with a 4-inch layer of concrete. Allow it to harden for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.

    • 6

      Lay sheets of plywood around the track where you are going to put the tire barriers. This keeps the go-kart tires from getting stuck between the edge of the track and the tire barriers.

    • 7

      Surround the track with tires. Lay the tires on their side over the plywood sheets. Around steep corners, consider using a stack of two or three tires for additional safety.

    • 8

      Cover the concrete track surface with a layer of tar. Allow the tar to dry for one day.