Championship electric go-kart racing is coming to the US this fall, and you can participate

Have you ever dreamt of becoming a professional racer? Maybe not stock cars, but perhaps you’ve smoked little kids at the go-kart track and thought, “Yeah, I could go pro.” Now’s your chance as the World Kart Association and Blue Shock Race are bringing an electric kart racing championship to the US, and racers of all experience levels are invited to join the fun.

Go karting.

It’s a staple of the US family vacation, right up there with mini golf. Many of us grew up dueling in the heated Grand Prix in the MarioKart series, some even dreaming of a day when their skills on Rainbow Road might one day translate to a real-life track race.

For many of us, the closest we’ve gotten is the electric go-kart track, which, while fun, is usually limited by governors, strict rules (rubbing is racing, baby!), and, of course, the dreaded slow kart (it’s definitely the kart, not you).

What if you had the chance to truly test your electric go-kart racing skills at the championship level?

The World Karting Association (WKA), which has been in the micro motorsport segment for over 50 years and has its own hall of fame, has already established such leagues around the globe.

During that time, the WKA established many US-based go-kart racing events, but the past focused on loud combustion vehicles. Now, the WKA has partnered with electric kart technology developer Blue Shock Race to bring electric kart racing championships to the US, and you can join.

American electric kart racing championship to launch in fall

The WKA and Blue Shock Race released details of their new partnership earlier today, outlining plans to establish Sprint racing programs with electric go-karts in the United States.

Plans for the nascent American E-Kart Championship are underway, beginning with exhibition races this fall ahead of full-time Sprint participation in 2025. Blue Shock founder Artis Daugins elaborated:

I want to express huge thanks to everyone involved in the development of electric karting, and I’m proud to announce that this year, together with WKA and other partners, we are launching the American Electric Karting Championship. It’s a significant challenge from various perspectives, but as we all know, in America, big things start here and are achieved by crazy people who are ready to work hard. Therefore, the BSR team is committed to bringing many new drivers into the karting industry in the coming years, providing them with the latest and most advanced racing technologies developed by the BSR team. Together, we can achieve more.

Participating racers will be behind the wheel of all-electric racing go-karts powered by Blue Shock’s BSR-X4 go-kart power units, which deliver the following performance specs:

• Power: Limited to 27 kW (36 hp) 
• Battery: 56Ah / 96V Li-Ion (5.3 kWh) with a Quick Swap Battery System (swap in 2 min)
• Top Speed: Up to 125 km/h (78 mph) 
• Acceleration: From 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) in ~4.0 seconds 
• Brakes: Rear brakes only 
• Weight: ~120 kg (265 lbs) ready to race

When we say “participating racers,” we mean anyone (under 265 lbs). That’s right, now’s your chance to show your stuff in the WKA’s new electric go-kart league. Per the release:

Aspiring racers from diverse backgrounds, including those with no previous karting or motorsport experience, are encouraged to participate. This inclusive competition aims to provide a platform for all competitors to showcase their skills and determination.

Think you’ve got what it takes? We’re already talking about trying to join, so perhaps we’ll see you on the track.

The American Electric Karting Championship will begin with two demo events: Whiteland Raceway Park, Indiana, on October 25-26, and Jacksonville Park, Florida, on November 22-24, where the WKA and Blue Shock Race will showcase the high-performance BSR-X4 karts seen above.

After that, the inaugural championship season will begin at the Daytona International Speedway on December 27-30, 2024, en route to crowning the first-ever BSR American Electric Kart Champion in 2025.

You can learn more about the new championship racing league here. See you out there!