5 Best Go-Kart Racing Books

Go-kart racing has gained a lot of traction in the last couple of years and the current growth of this motor sport is significant. Access to the sport itself has become much easier and the ownership of go-karts is higher than it has ever been. 

Believe it or not, go-karting is one of the most popular motor sports, with more than 35 million riders in the USA alone. As the sport itself is very competitive, it’s extremely common for drivers wanting to improve their go-kart racing skills. This can be particularly important for racers who plan to take karting more seriously and are thinking of competing in national, regional or international events. 

A great way to become a better go-kart racer is to learn and absorb as much valuable information as possible. Go-kart books are extremely good at doing that, as well. I’ve personally read countless of go-karting books and from my experience, they have helped me immensely in competitive driving. I have compiled a list of the top 5 best karting books  that can enable you to become a better kart driver.

Please note that the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission from each sale. This will help me maintain the site and add regular content and give back to the community. Enjoy the read!

1. Learn How To Master The Art Of Kart Driving

Book Information

• Author: Terence Dove
• Publisher: Independent
• Format: Paperback & Kindle
• Type: How-To / Guide
• Pages: 193
• Language: English

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Learn How To Master The Art Of Kart Driving is arguably one of the best go-karting books available and teaches you everything from preparing yourself mentally, to winning a go-kart championship. Terence Dove spent a great amount of time with professional go-kart racers and world champions, in order to compile a book about winning strategies and techniques.

He’s been a professional go-kart racing coach for over 15 years and helps his readers reach their maximum potential. Overall, this book is suitable for go-kart racers of all types, especially if you are looking to win your next major race or championship. He spares no effort going into great detail on each of the topics and also takes the time to explain why a certain technique is superior compared to others. 

2. Karting 101: Getting Started in Competitive Go-Kart Racing

Book Information

• Author: Eric S. Gunderson
• Publisher: Independent
• Format: Paperback
• Type: How-To / Guide
• Pages: 100
• Language: English

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Karting 101: Getting Started in Competitive Go-Kart Racing by Eric S. Gunderson is another great and in-depth book on go-kart racing. Eric Gunderson is a national and regional go-kart racing champion for many years and takes us on a journey in where he explains the fundamental dynamics of the kart as a racing vehicle ,all the way to winning your first race.

The book is concisely written and focuses on how to improve as a kart driver by firstly looking at the basics, such as go-kart set up and safety equipment. Later on, the readers are guided through advanced tactics and focus areas to look out for, in order to become a better racer.

3. Karting Manual: Second Edition

Book Information

• Author: Joao Diniz Sanches
• Publisher: Haynes Publishing
• Format: Paperback & Hardcover
• Type: How-To / Guide
• Pages: 176
• Language: English

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The Karting Manual: Second Edition is a completed beginner’s guide to competitive go-kart racing written by Joao Diniz Sanches. He’s also well-known for his other racing guides and books. Similar to the other books that are mentioned in this article, Joao takes his readers from understanding the ever-growing sport of go-karting to preparing for an international go-kart race.

He places a lot of emphasis on explaining each part of the kart so that the reader is well equipped in understanding how each component works and how it affects your driving.

4. Kart Driving Techniques

Book Information

• Author: Jim Hall & Steve Smith
• Publisher: Steve Smith Autosports
• Format: Paperback
• Type: How-To / Guide
• Pages: 87
• Language: English

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Jim Hall & Steve Smith have introduced a book called Kart Driving Techniques that has a more technical approach to go-kart racing, as compared to the other books in this list. This means that you’ll be able to get a clearer picture of ideal racing lines, optimal breaking points among many other topics.

The authors go in-depth on many different techniques and driving styles that help you to become a better go-kart racer. While this book offers a strategic and technical perspective on karting, it’s definitely suitable to all types of go-kart racers from novice to professional.

5. Bob Bondurant on Race Kart Driving

Book Information

• Author: Bob Bondurant
• Publisher: Motorbooks
• Format: Paperback
• Type: How-To / Guide
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

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Concluding our list is Bob Bondurant’s self-titled book called Bob Bondurant on Race Kart Driving. The focus of this book revolves around the fact that go-karting is the single largest form of motor racing and that almost every professional F1 or IndyCar racer started out with go-karting. This book goes in-depth on understanding each race course and developing a racing style that suits you.

Bob Bondurant operates a kart racing school and leverages on the knowledge and experience of his instructors and has created a comprehensive guide on go-karting and its associated aspects.

Conclusion

Becoming a better go-kart driver is essential if you are planning to win races or compete on a national or international level. There are many resources available online, such as GoKartGuide.com that provide you with information on achieving just that. However, once in a while it’s good to just pick up a book and read about a certain topic, in order to improve yourself. 

These 5 books have helped me to understand the art of go-karting from a very technical angle. Perhaps these books can help, but it’s always best to find what works for you. Happy reading!