and, I must say, it brings a tear to a father's eye to follow his boy around a track, the boy never having driven anything with any speed before, and see him experience oversteer in a corner, steer into it, and keep on driving like a baus.

Booyah! That's a proud Daddy moment right there.

These rental karts would do about 50 on the main straight. I had not driven a kart before, either, not counting the go-cart the neighbors had when I was a kid. I was ... surprised at how different it was from the miata. Other than the obvious size/weight/speed differences, it required different throttle strategies to corner. Specifically I had to be on the gas to get it to turn, which I was not expecting.

 

Cool. I can't remember anyone teaching me how to deal with over-steer, I just did it.

 

I really wish my parents would have gotten me into karting at a young age. Then I would probably know how to drive now.

 

This. I always wanted to go karting but my parents would never let me as a kid.

 

I wish I'd have stopped motox and started on a kart like my dad kept telling me to do. all motocross did was shred my knee.

Man, if I could just go back 12 years...

 

And no video to show??? You sir FAIL, your son however wins!

 

8yr old doing 50mph? You sure about that speed?

 

I'm one of the fortunate ones who DID race karts (hence the username). Started when I was 12 though, a little late. Plan on getting back into it one of these days.

 

My son is second, the instructor comes by first. They are not hitting top speed in this shot; my son is following the instructor. I was impressed with his restraint as a new driver - he only spun once in the 75minutes or so we spent on track, and that was during the last session where he was allowed to lap by himself. During that last session, he was hitting whatever the top speed of the kart was, as I couldn't catch him on the straight.

If the karts didn't do 50, they were close. It's a 600 foot straight.

 

I hate my parents a little more each day.....
I wanted to kat as a kid...so ba I could taste it. But I didn't get a go-kart until I was like 14...and it was a yard cart at that.