Actually I'm a drag racer. When my son was 9 I looked into a Jr. dragster. I couldn't afford one. So I got him a dirt oval kart instead. Then I realized how much fun he was having going 50mph (then) with other karts inches away. It taught him alot about car control that drag racing wouldn't have. He also spent 30-45 minutes actually practicing or racing each night compared to a couple of minutes if he was drag racing. And if you think it takes a real man to go straight,then maybe you should realize that he goes straight twice every lap. Only one difference. There's a wall at the end of that straight. I tried it in a kart once. My kid is more of a man than I am when it comes to that.