How GX UK’s Karting Success is Fueled by a Unique YouTube Culture

GX UK doesn't make sense at first, but like a lot of things, alchemy is at play.

If someone had suggested a few years ago the idea of creating a karting championship that essentially mimics Honda Cadet but using full-size chassis for adults - and is actually often slower than said Cadet class - you might have thought them mad. You certainly wouldn’t have expected it to cap registrations at 60 drivers and foster a YouTube community that largely explains its success.

I'm referring to Access Karting's GX UK class and championship. I’ll admit, my first reaction to the idea was one of instinctive resistance. A single-engine Honda GX200 or GX160 kart is about as far from my usual perception of karting as you could get. It’s not really my ‘thing’.

But here’s the interesting part: when find people with ideas at opposite ends of a spectrum, the people who hold them often have more in common with each other than with those in the middle. They’re more likely to be idiosyncratic and philosophically driven. The middle ground usually results from ideas initially seen as extreme. Think of it like this: Cults + Time = Religion. Radical ideas, with enough time, can become normalised. With that in mind I find a strange pull towards GX UK.

James Purchase. pic - Dale Baldwin Photography

The success of GX UK is far more intriguing and alchemical than it might initially appear. Its regulations are straightforward: they only allow “homologated chassis up to and including the 2018 period”, tyres are required to last a year, and the power unit is a generator engine. While I might not find the technical side captivating, the strict regulations designed to shield drivers from high expenses demonstrate real boldness.

What I find most fascinating about GX UK is the YouTube culture it has generated. When I spoke with James Purchase of Access Karting, he confirmed that this has been a key driver in the series' popularity. Bradley Philpot, the series’ most notable driver, has a YouTube channel that generates 8,000 to 10,000 views per GX UK video. That’s a lot for dedicated karting content.

Bradley’s previous notoriety certainly helped bring an audience, but these videos have inspired other drivers in the series, like Alex Vangeen, Wolemid, Andrew Hicks, and Rich Melton-Baxter, to make videos on their own channels on GX UK. While video quality varies, it shows the GX UK drivers’ willingness to ‘put themselves out there.’ Massive view counts aren’t necessary; what matters is who’s watching, not how many. Karts can pull millions of views in the right context, but that doesn’t often translate to more competitors. The type of viewers these videos are getting is exactly the audience GX UK needs and wants.

GX UK’s target demographic is primarily drivers transitioning from rental karting, and it's easy to see why they’re drawn to it. They see the videos, recognize people like themselves—often familiar faces—and think, “Yeah, that looks alright, I’ll give it a go.”

James made an insightful point: given the simplicity of the karts and engines, which don’t require much tinkering, drivers have more free time to make videos. I know from personal experience how hard it is to create content while constantly adjusting a kart; it’s exhausting and time-consuming.

Here lies GX UK’s unique alchemy: in classes where technical development and performance are prioritised, there’s more potential for storytelling, but the demands often limit the chance to actually create that narrative. GX UK, by contrast, takes something seemingly less exciting at face value, but is in a position to broadcast it more freely. It’s a bit like uncooked food that has more nutrients than cooked food, yet isn’t always as easy to digest—GX UK’s simplicity allows more space for drivers to share their experiences.

In the past, the media acted as an intermediary between the sport and newcomers. As non-competitors, journalists and writers had the time to report on racing, development, and innovations. Today, with media involvement reduced to near extinction - partly due to karting’s homogenisation - YouTube and social media are now the main avenues for promoting the sport, with competitors themselves stepping into this intermediary role.

This is why GX UK can produce a figure like Bradley Philpot, where other classes might struggle. While some drivers in other classes do promote their races, GX UK has fostered a uniquely participatory culture that feels fresh.

It’s this alchemical aspect of GX UK that I find personally compelling. The appeal of going slower than a Cadet kart, yet capturing the interest of adults - an audience karting desperately needs - is remarkable. The drivers' freedom to shape the narrative themselves and share their passion has brought something new to karting’s landscape.