Team News

Although the Red Line Oil Karting Championship at the Jim Russell International Karting Center is one of the most well known Rotax series in the country, it also supports other exciting classes. Since 2002, when kart racing started at the Infineon Raceway kart track, 80 Shifters have been strongly supported with as many as three different 80 Shifter classes. This uniquely Northern California club class works well with the fast and smooth track at Infineon and continues to have the strong support of new series promoter Steve Cameron, as well as Race Director Ric Shaw. "Right now, the 80 shifter kart offers the racer the best value for the dollar of any karting class in Northern California," say Shaw. "Very good used engines can be purchased at reasonable prices. The speed performance and maintenance cost of an 80 cannot be matched by many other engines".

80 Shifter classes were some of the strongest at the Jim Russell International Karting Center through 2007, with about twenty karts entered each race. With a new series promoter and the birth of the Red Line Oil Karting Championship this year, Steve Cameron, the 2001 Formula 80 Champion at the Kinsmen Kart Club in Dixon, brings his love and support of this class to the series. Both Steve and Ric have family roots in this class. Steve's nephew Dane Cameron accelerated his karting career when he won the Junior 80 class at Infineon. Ric's son, Kris Shaw, broke into shifter karts driving an "80" which eventually led to winning the SKUSA Pro 80 National Championship in 1999.

"I am committed to the class for two reasons," say Ric Shaw. "First, 80 Shifters offer the young driver a great way to transition from clutch karts to shifter karts without breaking the bank. Second, the combination of 80 shifters and the long, smooth Infineon track has been a popular combination for the Masters class drivers." The longer Infineon track allows the 80 shifter karts to stretch their legs and run up to their true speed potential. Currently, the 80 Masters class is one of the largest classes of the Red Line Oil Karting Championship series. The current drivers have a mix of karting and race car backgrounds.

The Red Line Oil Karting Championship series offers three classes of 80 shifters:

Formula 80 (15 and older, 360 pounds)
80 Masters (35 and older, 375 pounds)
80 Heavy (15 and older, 390 pounds).


All three classes will run in the same race group. The spec tires are the Bridgestone YKC, spec fuel is VP 110, and spec oil is Red Line Oil 2 Cycle Oil. Engine specifications are those used throughout Northern California, except for the mandatory use of the longer fourteen inch muffler. "Re-tuning to the longer muffler is not all that much of a deal and besides, the sound of an 80 engine with the longer muffler is much more mellow and enjoyable to be around", says Shaw.

If you are looking for a fast and cost effective class to race, consider the 80 Shifter classes at the Red Line Oil Karting Championship.