My thread about letting your kid practice motor sports seems to be a success, and most people there say they would let or even encourage their kid/s to get involved into such an activity, so the next question is... how much does it cost to give a kid a shot at some of the cheaper options, like go - karting? How often do those things break down anyway?

Here (Seattle Washington USA) we have both indoor and outdoor tracks. Since Seattle has rain 9 months of the year many stick to the indoor tracks. Over all I find it pretty reasonable and a great family building activity.

 

http://www.k1speed.com/seattle-location.html

 

Lots of fun for everyone. $6 for your annual license and training, then $19.99 for 14 laps. They do have custom packages.

 

Another Indoor Track - http://www.traxxracing.com/

 

Yet some of us also like the real world outdoor tracks where you do have to deal with the rain and the slick track conditions.

 

http://pacificgp.com/

 

Pacific GP has what I consider one of the best outdoor tracks around. They also have wet weather clothing and helmets that you can use. 

 

Here is their pricing info:

Non-Member Pricing

Not a member yet? Join to start your discounts and benefits today!

• $35 first session
• $25 each additional session, same day
• $3 head sock fee, if using our helmet.
• Optional – you can use your own DOT full face helmet.

Member Pricing

• $25 per session
• $3 head sock fee, if using our helmet.
• $50 annual Membership pays for itself in no time with all the benefits and discounts!
• Optional – you can use your own DOT full face helmet.

Member Benefits

• $10 discount on the first session, each day (Regular price $35)
• $10 discount on every League Race
• Free rental session every 10 sessions (10 PGP Rewards points)
• Special discounts and offers for Members only throughout the year
• Memberships valid for 12 months from date of purchase so you receive year-round discounts!

Awesome coverage of Pacific GP

 

My friend who used to kart had a very small budget and they had to get a lot of their parts off ebay. They were eventually nicknamed ebay racing in the paddock.

I had a small budget and managed to get a decent go kart for cheap. However, I had to do some work to the go kart, but when your neighbor is a shop foreman for an asphalt company it tends to make it a lot easier. As far as practicing, I own a farm, so he has plenty of space and time to practice.