One track in Teesside runs grand prix events. The full race weekend in miniature: qualifying to set the grid, heats, then a final with a podium at the end.
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Karting North East is an outdoor kart circuit at the Warden Law Motorsports Centre, off Hangman's Lane on the southern edge of Sunderland, a few minutes from the A19. The main track is 1,200 metres long and has been in use since the 1990s. There is also a smaller junior training circuit on site.
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
TeamSport Newcastle is an indoor electric karting venue at Armstrong Works on Scotswood Road, about two miles west of the city centre. It has two tracks: a 500-metre multi-level main circuit with 12 corners and a 200-metre starter track.
Price not published
Durham
TopGear Karting is a small indoor kart track on Renny's Lane Industrial Estate at Gilesgate Moor, on the eastern side of Durham. The circuit is about 200 metres long, with laps of around 20 seconds and up to eight karts on track at once.
Ask how many laps the final is. A 30-lap final is a proper race; a 10-lap one is a sprint with ceremony attached.
Six drivers is typical. Some formats need ten or more to fill a grid properly.
Some tracks run junior versions of the same format at the same price. Others set race events at 14 or 16 plus.
Printed results and a podium are what people remember. Live timing screens make the qualifying session matter.