In Pictures: These eight-year-old racers don't use the brakes
When these young speedsters whip around the track at 60-70 km/hour in $1500 go-karts wearing racing suits, every second counts. For Peter Cheney's story, please click on the link below.
Ten-year old racers Zack Hooper (kart #7) and Marlie Owens (kart #2) line up before a practice session at the Centennial Mini Indy track in Etobicoke
Tyler McInnis, 11, waits with his kart between races at the Centennial Mini Indy track in Etobicoke. Rules require racers to wear abrasion-resistant suits.
Bob Freier, a software designer, with son Tyler, 11, from Brampton. This is Tyler's second year of racing in the Honda novice division.
Modern go karts are fast yet simple, reducing costs. There is no suspension, and entry-level racing classes use a single disc brake, mounted on the rear axle. Engines range from four horsepower in classes like the entry-level Honda Novice to over 70 in the lightning-fast Superkart class, where speeds can reach 260 kilometers per hour.
Novice-class kart racers can start racing at age seven, and must use engines with restricted power output. Most racers bolt lead ballast weights to their machines to meet minimum weight requirements.
Parents carry out last-minute checks as racers line up for a qualifying session. Go karts have proven to be a perfect proving ground for aspiring champions: Every driver now racing Formula One, including world champion Sebastian Vettel, started out in karts.
Expert kart Lorenzo Mandarino at Mosport raceway with his Tecno 125 shifter kart. 125-class shifter karts use motorcycle engines and six-speed gearboxes, and can hit speeds of more than 180 kilometers per hour.
Zack Hooper (kart #7) and Marlie Owens wait for officials to wave them onto the track for a qualifying race. Competitors must wear full protective gear. Serious injuries are rare.
Competitors in the Junior Light division (age 12-15) race at the Mini Indy track in Etobicoke. Karts offer highly-competitive, low-cost racing that serves as an entry point for aspiring Formula One drivers.
Three-year-old Sara-Lynn Den Besten sits in her ten-year-old brother's kart at Etobicoke's Mini Indy raceway. Many kart racers begin practice lapping at four or five, and begin competing at the age of seven.