The two-day Victorian Closed Championships have drawn more than 200 entrants to the Marong Road track in West Bendigo.

Drivers will compete across 14 classes in two days of fast and furious action.

Bendigo Kart Club president Craig Arnett said last night the championships would involve a wide range of the age spectrum.

“We have the cadets (seven-years) and rookes (nine-years), up to the over-40s, which is one of the most popular classes.”

Two of the biggest classes will be junior light and junior heavy.

Racing starts at 8am today when four-minute time trials will be run.

“The time trials will determine grid positions,” Arnett said.

The first round of heats will be about 11.30am, with the day’s racing to wind up about 5.30pm.

Pre-finals are on from 9am tomorrow.

“There will be 25-lap finals, so it’s going to be a exciting day of racing,” Arnett said of a program which will finish about 4.30pm. 

It’s free entry for spectators to the circuit.

“The support from the City of Greater Bendigo to bid for this event was fantastic,” said Arnett, whose involvement with the club has spanned more than 25 years.

“We have hosted a lot of big meets over the years, but never the closed championships.

“These are some of the most sought-after titles on the karting circuit,” Arnett said of an event restricted to Victorian licence-holders.

Many of the aces competing in go-karting have aspirations to one day race in Formula Ford, V8 Supercars, or Formula One.

Karting is where many of the world’s best drivers first competed.

The Victorian Closed Kart Championships add to Bendigo’s reputation to continue to draw major sporting events to the centre of the state.

Bendigo will be represented by a dozen drivers in various classes at the karting championships.

Top speeds on the 170m straight at the Bendigo kart track can reach 100kmh.

“This is not the biggest track in the state, but it is one of the fastest and most challenging,” Arnett said of the twisting layout.