RHYTHM
& RACE.
Ten rounds. Nineteen classes. One season. Tennessee's only competitive outdoor karting championship, run under 2026 NKA Sporting Regulations. The most serious racing in Middle Tennessee happens here, and two of those nineteen classes are rental karts, so you can race the championship without owning a thing.
Presents the Rhythm & Race Championship Series.
Built by drivers · Used by champions
Explore Podium 1 Racing→
RACE LIKE A PRO.
NO KART, NO PROBLEM.
Race those same CRG karts in Tennessee's only NKA-sanctioned championship, one Saturday a month. No truck, no trailer, no garage. Show up, sign up, race for real trophies and points. Race one round or chase the season.
- Warm-Up + Qualifying + Heat + Feature, real race-day format
- One Rental class for 2026, weights checked at the scales
- Trophy + R&R points to the podium
RHYTHM
& RACE.
Ten races. Nineteen classes. One season. Tennessee's only competitive outdoor karting championship, run under 2026 NKA Sporting Regulations. Open to kart owners and rental drivers.
Run under 2026 NKA Sporting Regulations. Trophies and special prizes for series champions.
From Signup
To Champion.
Four steps from "I'm thinking about it" to running for a class championship. Most racers complete steps 1 to 3 in a single afternoon.
Annual membership is required to enter any race in the series.
Match your age, weight, and engine preference. Use the Class Explorer if unsure.
Race entry includes driver wristband. $60 each additional class. Late entries +$10-20.
Stack points across the season. Trophies for class champions, special prizes for series leaders.
Chase the points every round.
Lift the trophy at the banquet.
THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
All races run under National Karting Alliance Sporting Regulations. Tech inspections, weight enforcement, and on-track conduct all governed by the official rulebook.
Bring your own kart for class competition, OR enter the dedicated Rental Karts class on a CRG provided by MCK. No kart purchase required to compete.
Consistency wins championships. NKA points are scored on the heat and the final at every round, and your two worst rounds drop, so one rough day will not end your season.
PRACTICE. QUALIFY.
HEAT. FINAL.
Every Rhythm & Race round follows the same competitive spine. Exact session times post on the race-day board. The structure below is what drivers and spectators can count on.
Practice
Open track time to find grip, brake points, and traffic. First round of the day for most classes.
Qualifying
Timed laps set the heat grid. One clean flyer matters more than a messy average.
Heat Race
Wheel-to-wheel racing that scores championship points and sets the final grid.
Final
The feature. More points, the podium, and the result that shapes the season total.
Points And Drops
NKA points come from the heat and the final. Your two worst rounds drop from the season total, so one rough Saturday does not end a title fight. Disqualifications for technical or sportsmanship violations cannot be dropped.
Owners And Rentals
Bring your own kart for class competition, or enter the Rental Karts class on an MCK CRG. Same championship weekend, same rulebook, two ways onto the grid.
What It Costs
Annual membership is $60 ($100 for two). Race entry is $80 for an owner class, $60 each additional class, and $100 for the Rental class with the kart included. Late fees can apply.