Calling all petrol heads – Kintyre Karting Club needs you!
Kintyre’s answer to Knockhill Racing Circuit, Scotland’s national motorsport centre, is seeking new members in a bid to prevent having to call time on the club.
Established at Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) Business Park in 2017, Kintyre Karting Club has a senior track, with a starting grid, sweeping bends, hairpins, straights, chicanes and a pit lane, and a simpler junior track, more suited to younger people and beginners.
It also has a clubhouse with garage facilities where members can work on their karts.
Despite having these fantastic resources, with the closest similar karting experience located in Scotland’s Central Belt, the club’s membership has declined in recent years.
In abeyance since the Covid pandemic, it now needs to get more people on board, including those willing to do secretarial duties, to help bring the club back to life and the facilities up to standard.
“Why travel over 150 miles when we have this great facility at the MACC Business Park on our doorstep?” said club director Graeme Harvey. “The club is very fortunate to have the MACC group supporting our venture.”
He and other members are keen to hear from anyone interested in becoming a member, joining the club’s board or who would simply like to find out more about the club.
Members can use the track whenever they want, as long as a committee member has been contacted beforehand, and there must always be at least two people present when the track is in use.
During each visit, members must sign themselves in and out, acknowledging a disclaimer that they are using the facility at their own risk.
Some members time themselves doing laps of the track, while others prefer to race one another, but the facilities can be used in whatever way members want.
At the moment, members must own their own karts but, if the club can be successfully rejuvenated, there are many plans for expansion, including purchasing karts to hire out, renovating the clubhouse to include a viewing area, and hosting race days and other events.
The club is also keen to explore the possibility of opening to the public for the likes of golfing parties, stag and hen dos and birthday parties, meaning people would not have to leave Kintyre for these types of activities.
There is also the potential to open the track to two-wheeled vehicles, like supermoto bikes, with different sessions for two-wheeled vehicles and karts.
But, to make these plans a reality, the club needs support.
“We would like to welcome back any past members or new members who might be interested in what the club has to offer,” said current club member Ian Fawcett.
“Visitors to the track, many of them with extensive karting experience, are often amazed by Kintyre Karting Club’s facilities.”
Graeme added: “It’s a great asset for the area, and there is a lot of potential to develop the facilities, but if we don’t get more members and more local support, we’ll have no option but to close the club.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the club can leave their details with the team at Keeping It Local in Campbeltown’s Main Street, or contact Graeme directly by calling 07788 233119 or via his Facebook page.