Your questions answered

What do I need to bring with me?
What should I wear?
Can I bring my own helmet/racesuit?
Do I need a drivers licence/special licence to race?
What type of karts do you have?
How fast are your karts?
Is there any food available?
Do you cater for vegetarians?
How many drivers do you need?
Can I bring my own kart?
I couldn’t make it/was stuck in traffic/had a driver not show up, can I have a refund?
What happens in the rain? Do you still run?
Can my husband and son drive on the circuit together?
What is the minimum age?
My son’s only 6 but he’s driven at other circuits and is very good etc. etc. etc.. Can he drive?
What if I sign to say I accept the risk?
Is there a height requirement?
Can I pay on the day?
Do I need to book?
Can you just pencil me in though?
How far are you from London?
Is there adequate car parking?
How do I get there via public transport?
Am I going to fit in your karts, I’m 20 stone/I’m 6’7”?
Can I pay on Bartercard?
Do you sell gift vouchers?
I’m pregnant/have a bad back/have a heart condition. Can I drive?
I’m autistic/I have only one arm/one eye etc. Can I drive?
I’m colour blind. Can I drive?
Do you have changing/showers facilities?
Do you have an on-site photographer?
Can I take photos?
What is your level of insurance cover?
Can I hire the whole circuit for the day? How much?
Do you provide trophies and bubbly?
Do you run in the evening/in the dark/what time do you close?
Can you arrange transport?
Is there anywhere close to go out afterwards?
Is there anywhere to stay nearby?
Do you have crèche facilities?
Do you offer private tuition?
Do you offer group discounts?
Can I take my car/bike round the track?
What is your drink drive policy?
Can you smoke at the circuit?
I came last week, do I have to watch the video briefing again?
Can I wear my glasses/spectacles?
When should I arrive at the circuit?
Which one is the fastest kart?
Can I have kart no.2?
Is it safe/Is it dangerous?

What do I need to bring with me?
Just yourself. Or as many friends as you like!

Essex Karting provides everything you need for a fantastic karting experience

What should I wear?
Comfortable clothing ie. Jeans/tracksuit bottoms, T-shirt/sweatshirt, Trainers/flat soled shoes (no high heels/open-toed shoes)

Please do not wear anything too precious

Can I bring my own helmet/racesuit?
Yes, provided it is a BS standard full-face helmet with visor. No dark/tinted visors once the lights go on

It is fine to wear your own racesuit, boiler suit or motorbike leathers

Do I need a drivers licence/special licence to race?
No, we have many regular customers who hold no licence at all. We provide full instruction and all drivers must attend a safety briefing and view the NKA (National Karting Association) safety video briefing

What type of karts do you have?
We run the latest spec Biz Karts. They are all 4-stroke engines = smooth power delivery, easy to control. Very simple to drive: left foot = brake, right foot = accelerator, no gear change or clutch control to worry about, just put your foot down and go. All with latest safety features such as full wraparound bumper system, fully enclosed rear axle and remote control speed restrictors

How fast are your karts?
Bambinos can go up to 25/30mph, Cadets and Singles up to 40/45mph, 2-Seaters up to about 20mph

Is there any food available?
Yes. We have vending machines for snacks and drinks. At weekends and busy periods such as school and bank holidays our Pitstop Cafe is open for burgers, bacon rolls, hot dogs and the like. For corporate events we can arrange a full hot or cold buffet/BBQ for all visitors

Do you cater for vegetarians?
Yes, just let us know how many will be attending in good time and any other special dietary requirements

How many drivers do you need?
You can come on your own or with a group of up to 200!

Can I bring my own kart?
At certain times we allow 4-stroke karts to test/practice on the circuit. Please call for available times.

I couldn’t make it/was stuck in traffic/had a driver not show up, can I have a refund?
No. Once a booking is paid for we do not give refunds (much like booking theatre tickets or an airline flight). We may well have turned customers away and lost money if the event was fully booked. If you let us know that someone has dropped out prior to the event date, it is possible we may be able to fill the place

What happens in the rain? Do you still run?
Yes. It’s great fun in the wet. Actually, we get many regular drivers come down only when it rains; they love skidding about. We provide Drysuits to keep the worst off. We can’t guarantee you’re not going to get a little wet though, so we do recommend bringing a change of clothes if the forecast is not looking good

Can my husband and son drive on the circuit together?
Yes. We run ‘family sessions/like-minded groups’ at any time during the week and first or last thing at weekends. In general we do not run adults and children together, however, our risk assessment says that it is safe to run ‘family sessions/like-minded groups’. We do not allow Cadet karts to be on the circuit with Prokarts

What is the minimum age?
To drive – 6yrs old in a Bambino (in our Bambino School), 8yrs old in a Cadet kart or Single – 16 to race in an event. We also have 2-Seaters which an adult (16yrs +) can drive a passenger from 3yrs old around

My son’s only 5, but he’s driven at other circuits and is very good etc. etc. etc.. Can he drive?
No, he is not insured until he is 6 years old

What if I sign to say I accept the risk?
Sorry, no exceptions

Is there a height requirement?
3’ 6" to drive a Bambino, 4’ to drive a Cadet kart – 5’ for a Single. If you are close to these limits it is always best to come in and be checked out. It may be that you are 4’ but you have short legs and still cannot reach the pedals comfortably. Safety is always our No.1 priority

Can I pay on the day?
For Practice sessions and Open Events - If you have not booked you can always turn up on the day and take your chances as to whether we have availability. If there’s space and we can get you on, great, you can pay on the day. Unfortunately we cannot hold any places without full payment

For Exclusive Race Events – No, we need to have all events pre paid as we have to arrange staff and book out your time slot

Do I need to book?
For Practice sessions and Open Events – Not necessarily, but it is always best to if you want to confirm your slot

Can you just pencil me in though?
For Practice sessions and Open Events – No, unfortunately we only put paid bookings in the diary as, in the past, we have had people not show up and we have turned customers away

For Exclusive Race Events – Yes. We will take all your details and put them in the diary. We will ask for a 50% deposit to secure the booking and full payment is requested 14 days prior. No events will take place without full payment. Your event/team/place is at risk if you do not pay your deposit/final balance by the due date

Can we add drivers on the day, if we have a few extras?
For Exclusive Race Events – It is usually possible to add/pay for extra drivers/teams if you have a few extra on the day, unless of course the circuit maximums have been met

For Open Race Events – It may be possible to add/pay for extra drivers/teams if you have a few extra on the day, but unlikely - we often sell-out our open races

How far are you from London?
Roughly 30-40 minutes from central London via car

Please see our 'Contact Us' page for a map and directions

Is there adequate car parking?
Yes, there is plenty of free parking for all

How do I get there via public transport?
Please see our 'Contact Us' page for details

Am I going to fit in your karts, I’m 20 stone/I’m 6’7”?
We’ve had lots of drivers who have been that weight/height but we can’t guarantee it as everyone is a different shape

If you are unsure, we recommend that you come down prior to booking and you can try our karts for size

Can I pay on Bartercard?
Yes. But it may not always be possible at our peak times

Do you sell gift vouchers?
Yes. You can purchase Essex Karting Raceway Gift Vouchers in £5, £10,£20, £50 and £100 denominations. They come complete with an EKR cardand envelope. They can be used as full or part payment at eithercircuit towards any booking or merchandise and have no expiry date

I’m pregnant/have a bad back/have a heart condition. Can I drive?
No. We would not recommend driving for any of the above

I’m autistic/I have only one arm/one eye etc. Can I drive?
Your safety is of paramount importance to us. For any situation other than the norm we would conduct a risk assessment. If we can be sure that you pose no added danger to yourself, other drivers or members of staff than we will allow you to drive. However, you are often the best judge of your own capabilities. Please be honest and responsible. Please consult a manager

I’m colour blind. Can I drive?
Yes, for practice sessions. As long as we make the circuit operators aware they can use written boards/hand signals as opposed to coloured flags

Do you have changing/showers facilities?
Yes, we have adequate changing/shower facilities available. Please bring your own shower gel and towel etc.

Do you have an on-site photographer?
Yes, but only at weekends and busy periods such as school holidays. We can arrange for a photographer to attend subject to a small booking fee. We can also take photos of the podium ceremony etc. for you that come complete with a display card - £5 each

Can I take photos?
Yes, please do. And if you get any good ones please email them to us and we can put them on our website gallery

What is your level of insurance cover?
Our Public Liability Insurance cover is up to £5m

Can I hire the whole circuit for the day? How much?
Yes. To hire the whole circuit for a weekday is £10k, for a weekend day £15k. Please call for bespoke packages

Do you provide trophies and bubbly?
For every race event the top three drivers receive a trophy and a bottle of bubbly

Do you run in the evening/in the dark/what time do you close?
Yes. We are fully floodlit. We close for Arrive and Drive practice at 6pm; for pre-booked race events at 10pm

Can you arrange transport?
Yes. As long as we have reasonable notice we can arrange transport for you with reliable local companies

Is there anywhere close to go out afterwards?
There is a Buffet/Chinese restaraunt on site called Izumi and close by is Brentwood High Street with numerous bars and Clubs

Is there anywhere to stay nearby?
The Rougemont Hotel is only a few minutes drive from Brentwood Karting

Do you have crèche facilities?
Unfortunately not. We ask that young children are not left unsupervised whilst you are driving

Do you offer private tuition?
Yes, at our Brentwood circuit - £75 per hour (including two 15 minute driving sessions) with one of our experienced members of staff

Do you offer group discounts?
Not in general. However, for very large groups we may offer extra driving time. Please call and ask to speak to a member of our sales team

Can I take my car/bike round the track?
No. Our circuit is not suitable for either

What is your drink drive policy?
We operate a zero alcohol/drugs policy. If any of our members of staff suspect anyone to be under the influence of alcohol/illegal drugs, they will not be allowed to drive. This is for the safety of everyone

Can you smoke at the circuit?
Smoking is permitted in the outside spectator areas and on the balcony

I came last week, do I have to watch the video briefing again?
Yes, unless you become an Essex Karting Raceways Member. It’s only £50 for a year and you get 2-4-1 karting at any time weekdays, discounts on events and we will text/email you all our latest special offers. And, of course, you don’t need to sit through another video briefing!

Can I wear my glasses/spectacles?
If you need glasses to see properly, probably best you wear them!

When should I arrive at the circuit?
You will be given an arrival time when booking. For events this will be 1hr, for practice, 30 minutes. Please ensure you are not late as if you arrive after this time even by 5 minutes this may affect your time on the circuit. If you are more than 10/15 minutes late you may lose your slot altogether. If you are late you will not receive a refund under any circumstance

Which one is the fastest kart?
All the karts are tested regularly and kept to within half a second of each other. Karts are changing all the time as parts are replaced on a daily basis. The numbers are also constantly changed

Can I have kart no.2?
No. It is not possible to request a particular kart. They are rotated and different ones are put out every day. The numbers are also constantly changed

Is it safe/Is it dangerous?
We have very few accidents here and our fantastic safety record speaks for itself. The design of the circuit, the safety barriers, the design of the kart, the preventative maintenance programme, the safety briefing and video, the staff training, the protective racewear, the strict marshalling, the general culture of safety first among all staff, all go towards ensuring we are as safe as we possibly can be