indoor and outdoor are totally different, but i wouldn't go so far as to say one is "better" than the other. yes, outdoor karts are faster, but i wouldn't say they promote proper driving skills more or less than indoor karts.

I would never say that outdoor was better than indoor karting--I've been to plenty of terrible outdoor karting facilities. What I said was shifter karts and Rotax karts are more exciting than what most of the little pay-to-play arcade style karts places run. Many of the really nice operations use quick, well sorted karts ,like Sodi comp karts, which are similar to, but generally tamer than, a TAG (Touch And Go) racing kart.

All that said, most of the better, more exciting, more skill demanding karting takes place outdoors, but I have been to a couple of indoor pro races.

Now, as to whether one (indoor or outdoor) promotes better/proper driving skills? Which ever one you can get coached by a better, more skilled driver would be the one that will give you the most skill. I learned plenty at Mid Atlantic Grand Prix trying to follow and get pointers from the track record holder. It just so happens the better driver was 12 y/o (I was 35) who had at least one SCCA National championship under his belt already (he has four now).

i disagree with Sodi's being called "well sorted." ;) they're heavy and understeer a bunch. they're durable though, which is why so many arrive-and-drive kart tracks run them. Biz and Dinos are better, but Stratos seemed very nice. the thing about indoor karting is that you can't set up the kart to your liking. for example, if you get a kart that understeers, you have to figure out a way to drive through it for quick lap times. the same thing can obviously happen if you run rental karts at the outdoor tracks, but that's not what you're talking about anyway...

i've run against plenty of outdoor karters (at autocross and indoor karts, probably have to wait until next spring to run them at some outdoor tracks) and they're always surprised by my speed. even the guys who are 20-50lbs lighter than me.

any time you can get coaching from someone faster, absolutely that's a good way to get faster. i was talking about the karts themselves, though. i guess i should have used the word "reward" instead of promote. pretty much any kart will reward proper driving. :happy0180: