The roar of the engines, the shriek of the tires, the cheers of the spectators - sounds familiar to anyone who enjoys watching Formula One on the television. Have you ever wanted to hear those sounds in reaa¡l life? And what if you could get behind the wheel yourself? This is what karting is all about - the opportunity for people with no previous racing experience to feel the thrilling sensation of speed, whizzing around a purpose built track and competing for the trophy. When it comes to racing heritage, Norfolk, with two horse racing courses, a motor racing circuit at Snetterton, and two fantastic go kart tracks, is a fantastic place to live out your motorsport fantasies.

The county situated in East Anglia, is characterised by low lying, flat landscapes, some of which, like the Broads and the Fens wetlands, are relatively treeless. This has made it an important place for aviation, and these wide open spaces are exactly what you want when you’re designing a race track. If you make the journey to this sometimes overlooked part of the country, you’ll find a couple of top quality circuits where everyone’s welcome to satisfy their need for speed - for a fraction of the cost that it takes to get involved in Formula One racing!

Where are the best go karting circuits in Norfolk?

• Swaffham: The first facility that you’ll pass on your journey into the county is in Swaffham, near the town of King's Lynn. Swaffham Raceway is a popular local attraction where crowds turn out to watch stock car and banger racing, but to take the step from spectator to pilot, you need to go to the old airfield on the outskirts of town, which hosts one of the best karting tracks in the region. The site boasts two sections of track, which can be combined into a single circuit of a whopping 1.03 kilometres, which, when you consider that you’ll be sitting in a vehicle that’s not much bigger than a suitcase, is an exciting prospect. The vehicles in question are powerful 200cc race karts, which you can rev until they sound like a nest of hornets and push to speeds of almost 40 miles per hour. And, in the wide outdoor setting, you can enjoy the sounds of the engine and feel the wind in your face as you tear around the course. To ensure that the fun can continue all day and into the night, the site is floodlit.

• Cromer: On the north coast, Cromer is a seaside resort par excellence. Visitors and holidaymakers are drawn here by the pier, the beach, and the famous local delicacy, Cromer Crab. But once you’ve spent enough time in the sun and eaten your fill of seafood, you’ll be looking for some excitement. Well you don’t have to go far, because in Northrepps, outside the town centre, there’s an outdoor karting circuit which is a guaranteed blast for all. Alongside excitement, safety and accessibility are priorities here, to make sure that as many people as possible can get into the driving seat of a kart and leave with a smile on their face. And when the circuit is a 550 metre, all weather tarmac track with a huge variety of twists, turns and long straights, and the karts are Honda Biz Evo2 models, it should be smiles all around.

What are the options for organising an experience?

In Swaffham, the opportunities are divided into those for novices and those for experienced racers. This means that you’ll always be sharing the track with people of a similar ability to you, without the frights or frustrations of being overtaken, or avoiding slower drivers. The events for inexperienced kart pilots are less competitive, and start with some training with an instructor. Then, you get two 15 minute sessions on the track, where your lap times are automatically recorded. If it’s not your first time, you can get involved in a racing session. This includes a qualifying session, where you’ll compete against other drivers to get pole position, then the main event - a 15 minute endurance race with prizes for the fastest 3 drivers up for grabs. These experiences last around an hour in total. There are also night driving sessions available.

The facility in Cromer offers a wide variety of experiences. From practice sessions that last anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour, to exclusive hire of the track which can be for just 1 hour or a full day, to sprint, grand prix and endurance race events. In these races, you can participate as an individual or a group, or organise it privately and have exclusive access to the circuit. Up to 24 drivers can compete in these events, and it’s a great option for a birthday party, a stag or hen do, or a corporate event.

Requirements to do this activity

Did you know that a lot of Formula One champions got their taste for racing on karting circuits? Well your son or daughter can join their ranks if you get them started early, and here they can get their foot on the pedal from the age of just 8 years old, provided that they’re more than 1.3 metres tall. Mum and dad can rest easy, because safety procedures are in place on the circuits, including a sophisticated system on the track in Cromer which allows marshalls to bring all the karts on the track to a halt in the case of an emergency, or slow down individual vehicles that look like they might be in trouble.

Furthermore, it isn't just accessible when it comes to different age groups. People with limited mobility can take part too, in specially designed vehicles where the pedals have been replaced by throttle and brake controls on the handlebars.

If you want to take the chequered flag, as you speed down the final straight, the first step is making a booking. After that, we’ll take care of the rest!