Written by Ken Walker

Published in association with Karting Magazine.

The modern day karting scene in Northern Ireland is based on the three functional circuits. Bishopscourt and Kirkistown race all classes including gearbox while Nutts Corner is now an exclusively direct drive circuit since the gearbox classes ceased to race there after 2004. The big events are the Grand Prix meetings which for direct drive classes is at Nutts Corner in August and for gearbox, the following month at Bishopscourt. Yet Northern Ireland's karting heritage is more closely linked to the now defunct street and road circuit era than to dedicated motor sports venues.

One of the delights that always precedes my visits to kart meetings in Northern Ireland is when Keith Campbell, Bishopscourt Kart Club Vice Chairman, picks me up from the airport but then always manages to drive me round the remnants of an old kart street racing circuit before we continue on our way.

My last visit for the King of the Court meeting in June was no exception. I was offered and gladly accepted the chance to be driven round the Dundrod Ulster Motor Cycle GP course. But on the way we found ourselves at Crumlin. Keith explained that here was a hairy kart track with severe brick walls ready to focus the mind as you drove back towards the start and finish line on the main road.

It was indeed a tight right hander that completed the circuit, but as Keith explained that wasn't the only hazard faced in those days. Stray dogs and cats occasionally volunteered to be an additional anxiety. One such occasion he recalled resulted in the instant death of a poor dog that wandered on to the circuit and was struck by a kart. The aftermath was interesting. No fewer than six people came forward to claim ownership of the dog and to ask for compensation. When each was asked to produce the dog licence, surprisingly the poor animal that moments previously had six owners, suddenly had none.

Keith has also driven me round the former public road kart circuit at his home town of Carrickfergus, a hugely popular venue in its 1970s heyday and dubbed the unofficial race of the year with big prize money and fantastic trophies on offer. Newtonards is another circuit we have driven. As Keith explained, the local councils or chambers of commerce were often the high profile sponsors of these events frequently run as part of the town's annual festival or gala.

These public highway circuits could be put into two categories. Those I had been taken to could be best described as 'round the houses' tracks, but there were also true 'open road' circuits. The promoters in all cases would be obliged to apply for an appropriate Temporary Road Closure Order, which, where the event was part of a long established gala weekend, would be a formality. A third variation of the theme was the races staged at Ormeau Park, Belfast on the public tracks within the parkland confines.

Carrickfergus was the last public highway circuit to survive but sadly it finally succumbed to the inevitable in 2002. The Banbridge road circuit race, promoted by Bishopscourt Kart Club, was run for the last time in 2001 and then Carrick's demise a year later closed this chapter in Northern Ireland's karting history.

However, briefly during a spring evening in May 2007 those halcyon kart road racing days were recalled. Ballynahinch was the place and, as part of the town's annual festival, karts were invited to stage a demonstration drive, not a race I hasten to add. But it all added up to a wonderful occasion promoted by the aptly named Forgotten Era Motor Cycle Club. David Hailwood, on his late father Mike Hailwood's 500cc Honda as raced to victory in the 1967 Isle of Man Senior TT, was a star attraction as were Northern Ireland legends like Ralph Bryans and Raymond McCullough.

But it was the kart guys, James Irvine, Keith Hemsley, Geoff Gaston, Bryan King, Richard Fitzsimmons, Justin Balmber (who had his first ever kart race at Kirkistown earlier in the day), all in Superkarts, and young William Herron in his Rotax MAX who took my interest.

It was a fabulous spectacle, but even before they had cleared the circuit it was obvious that this was an event unlikely to be repeated in real race conditions. The proximity of the spectators, not to mention the buildings and the abundance of street furniture, illustrated the bravery of those drivers of yesteryear, but also, if I am honest, the increased danger compared to circuit racing.

Yet more than once the approving murmurs of those present justified the inclusion of karts in the show. 'Just like the old days' and 'this is how it used to be with the camaraderie and carnival atmosphere' were comments heard, the latter from former kart racer Billy Graham, now resident in Australia, and who, by good fortune, was in Ballynahinch for a short holiday.

Just in case we think that the event was only about nostalgia, it's worth reflecting that there were upwards of 4000 spectators present, many seeing karts for the first time, and most being very impressed. All in all, it was a splendid way to spend a Spring evening.