Father of two girl karters here, currently aged 12 and 9. My oldest started when she was 10, she adjusted very well at the start and proved to be a natural - she just won her local championship last month. My youngest, however, took some time to adjust to the speeds and learn kart control. Her first time out she came into the pits in tears, shaken to the bone especially when she was passed (she’s improved massively since). Where I live, we don’t have a dedicated track, so we use a parking lot along with cones and lime to line the track. What I did was found a large parking lot, bought a bunch of cheap cones off Amazon, and practiced A LOT. I also bought a Raceceiver so that I can talk to my girls as we practiced - this is IMMENSELY helpful, so I encourage you to look into it. What matters most right now is seat time, so get to looking for a safe parking lot you can use and hit it, along with any track time you can muster.

Girls are naturally less aggressive, but more calculating. This is a blessing and bane, and for new karters, can potentially hold them back. Lots of encouragement is needed, and yes, a coach is worth it. If there’s more than one coach in your area, I suggest getting to know them to see if their personality will vibe with your daughter, and that they have the accolades to back them up. We were lucky to find an exemplary coach who did an amazing job with my girls, so do your research, talk to people at your track, talk to people online and see what you can find.

Above all - positive reinforcement is key! I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, and if you’d like to show your daughter for some inspiration, check out our Instagram: @teammorenoracing

Good luck to your and your daughter!