About the Project
“Today, the detailed history of the sport exists solely in the pages of the print magazines of the period.”
“The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill
As karting continues its evolution as a semi-professional motorsport discipline, I strongly believe there is a real danger that the history of the sport’s origins and early development in the UK could soon disappear forever. It is already difficult enough for current racers to access karting history and it will likely become even more inaccessible to future generations of enthusiasts interested in the sport’s formation, technical lineage and heritage.
One proposed solution is to commission the development and launch a bespoke archival website, where over 900+ of these UK magazines and books covering 56 years of karting history can be easily accessed online. A searchable online library will allow users to read content using the latest ‘flip-page’ software technology. These website features could be augmented by an occasional blog and periodic features of interest about major karting events, characters, tracks, clubs and key topics from yesteryear. Quite simply, a single ‘go-to’ online karting history resource library!
To realise this vision, I, as the project’s proponent, [and a former racer from the era in question], has formally acquired the assets, intellectual property [IP], and copyright for both ‘Karting’ and ‘Kart & Superkart’ magazines alongwith certain other kart racing publications.
An impressive archive of these magazines, including first edition and autographed copies from as far back as 1960, has been painstakingly amassed to form one complete set; along with several other near complete sets, [bar a couple of very elusive editions].
A vast repository of over 2,000 UK, US, and other foreign karting magazines alongwith associated books have now been carefully curated, catalogued, conserved, and professionally stored in a specially converted and environmentally controlled outbuilding at my home in the rural Scottish Borders.
The next phase of this not-for-profit project will involve the arduous task of scanning and digitising the content from over 1,000+ British magazines [and a few books], but this will require specialist document and image scanning equipment costing nearly £3,700, while the build and development of the website itself will cost a further ~£5,000.
As much as I would like to fund this project in its entirety, the reality is that to attain the project’s objective, I will need to solicit financial support from other karting enthusiasts and across the karting community, motorsport and automotive sectors.
Will you please help to “Give British Karting History a Future” by donating whatever your budget will allow. Please visit the DONATE page to make your donation.
What would your donation were used for?
Generous donations from the karting community enabled the project to purchase two different types of professional standard, document and image scanners alongwith a dedicated laptop and 5TB hard drive costing ~£4,000 in total - After all the magazines have been digitiised - it is estimated that the build and development of the archival website will cost a further-£5,000.
Note: This ‘requirements statement’ is a general summary. Equipment requirements and costs also include peripheral items such as software, leads connectors and other such accessories. The proponent reserves the right to add or delete items, vary the quantity, purchase costs, specifications, brands, types and models of the equipment depicted as may be necessary according to project requirements, equipment availability, price changes and in response to the value of funds raised - In all cases such changes will always be made wholly and necessarily in the best interests of the project.
The Website…
While the main function of the website will of course be to provide an easily accessible and searchable online archive library of over 1,000 UK magazines and books-which can be read conventionally on screen using the latest 'flip-page' software technology, the website could also include an occasional blog and periodic features of interest, such as:
This week in history - recalling key events from 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 65 years ago.
Famous driver of yesteryear profiles - both from the magazine's past editions as well as current face-to-face interviews.
Where are they now? An insightful look at whatever happened to the characters, tracks, clubs, and businesses of yesteryear.
A review of a particularly interesting magazine feature, topic, major event, kart track test, a manufacturer, or a dealer from 'back in the day'.
'Karting Konnect' - an occasional feature connecting a person, an issue or topic from the distant past with a modern person/topic/issue of current relevance.
Technical Explainer - a snapshot from the magazines about ‘class structure’, engines, chassis, maintenance and track tests etc.
Historic karting news - headlines and links about today's increasing interest in historic/vintage karting and annual historic events.
'Kart Mart' - classified advertisements for historic/vintage karts, engines, and spares.
'Kartoons' - an occasional portrayal of some of the best magazine cartoons from yesteryear.
Advertising and business profiles for key sponsors and donators.
An online store selling branded merchandise, books, magazines etc. - proceeds of such sales will offset the annual running costs of the website.
Please visit the DONATE page to make a quick, easy and secure donation! Thank you.
Current Project Status & Timeline
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Step 1 - Planning & Acquisition
Acquiition of Magazines, Assets, IP and Copyright
COMPLETED
The concept for the project was initiated in 2022. Over time the project has sourced and acquired one or more complete sets of both 'Karting' and 'Kart & Superkart' magazines.
After accumulating what could be the country's most comprehensive archival collection of karting magazines and books the catalyst for the project was the acquisition of the legal IP and copyright for both publications from their previous publishers/owners.
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Step 2 - Facilities & Organisation
Inventory, Cataloguing & Preservation
COMPLETED
The archive of over 2,000 magazines has been catalogued and preserved.
The project's proponent has converted and properly fitted out a small outbuilding to provide environmentally controlled storage for these publications, which are now all preserved and archived in air-tight document storage boxes and easily accessible on storage racking. A more professional small-scale archive library you will not find!
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Step 3 - Media & Funding
Soliciting Donations & Support
IN PROGRESS
Having personally funded the project to date - this is the step where funding must be sought from enthusiasts and at corporate level across the karting, motorsport, and automotive sectors.
Solicitations for donations and support are now being sought and project awareness is being initiated through various forms of media.
The result of this solicitation will form a key 'gateway' decision point for the project as a whole.
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Step 4 - Scanning & Digitisation
Purchase of Scanning Equipment and Commencement of Scanning
AWAITING FUNDING
Scanning equipment specifications, a supplier and a website developer have been selected.
Once the required scanning equipment has been purchased, the scanning of one complete set of UK magazines [about 900+ magazines] can commence.
Scanning is expected to take about 8 weeks.
Once digitised the files will be transferred to the website developer and made ready for online publication.
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Step 5 - Build, Development, & Launch of the Website
Website Development & Launch
AWAITING FUNDING
The final [and most expensive] step requires a specialist website builder to design, build, develop, and test a bespoke archival website.
A detailed specification, a scope of work and a short-list of potential qualified website developers has been compiled.
It is envisaged that from this stage the website could be launched within 6 to 8 weeks.
The Book…
Did I mention the book?
A Short History of Kart Racing
This publication is intended to augment the website by providing today’s young kart racers [and their parents!] with a short, easy to read, history lesson about the origins of kart racing from its inception in California in 1956, its introduction to the UK in 1959 and its evolution across Great Britain through the sport’s first decade in the sixties.
It is a concise compendium of brief news excerpts, derived largely from the previously unpublished archives of what was once the world’s foremost authority on the sport - ‘Karting Magazine’.
Scheduled for publication in July 2025. Price: TBC.
Scheduled for publication in April 2025 - Price £12 + £3.50 packing and postage - order by email please.
And for karting enthusiasts North of the Border
An illustrated compendium of 250 interesting and fun facts all about the introduction and early development of kart racing in Scotland from 1960 through to 1980.
A light and easy read for karting enthusiasts of all ages which chronologically captures the sport’s key events, recognises ambitious personalities, and highlights some of the more unusual challenges, trials, and tribulations faced by those pioneering karters and the clubs that went on to shape Scottish karting.
All content is derived from the pages of Scotland’s renowned classic motorsport magazine “The Scottish Clubman” magazine [Latterly renamed “Motorscot”] and “Karting” magazine .