How do we enter an event?
On-track event entry for Test Day and National Finals is optional. However, the vast majority of schools/organisations of course enter the events as it is the annual celebratory climax of the whole project. To enter, you simply need to secure and pay for the Race Bundle by February of that academic year. Some schools will elect to confirm and pay upfront at the point of renewal in September, others will defer the payment to January (ahead of the February deadline).
You will be prompted at the start of the academic year and then again in January for final confirmation. However, if you’d like to secure your spot ahead of time to reach out via [Support Routes: who to contact and when] to confirm your team’s attendance. There's no separate sign-up form to complete beyond this.
When are the Test Day and National Finals?
Dates are set annually and shared with your school at the start of the academic year (UK kart circuits typically don’t release dates until the British Championships have confirmed theirs!). The Test Day always takes place on a weekday in early May; with the National Finals typically around 6 weeks later, on a Saturday in mid-to-late. For your specific dates, check the website under the National Finals section.
What happens if we can't come to Test Day?
Attending Test Day is currently required for your team to qualify to drive at National Finals. Qualification isn't based on race results alone, it's your combined Build, Learn and Race scores together (see [Points and Leaderboards]). If Test Day genuinely isn't possible for your school, talk to us as early as you can via [Support Routes: who to contact and when]; all teams remain welcome to attend National Finals even without qualifying to drive, to experience everything else the day offers.
However, for Scottish and International schools there will be an alternative option. There will be a dedicated Scottish & International schools race/session allocated on Finals day. To ensure the same levels of safety, these schools (not attending Test Day) will be required to submit ‘evidence of competence’ for their 5 (4, +1 backup) drivers. This needs to be in the form of a short video which illustrates skills such as: acknowledging and responding correctly to race flags, kart control, accurate steering, controlled stopping etc. This can either be captured in-school using your STEM On Track kart being pushed around cones/slalom type set-up; or filmed at an indoor karting session off-site trip. This must then be submitted via [Support Routes: who to contact and when] a minimum of one-month before the National Finals.
Where can I find the full event details?
For the complete FAQs, a Trip Event checklist, Risk Assessment, Template Letters to Parents, and all other supporting documentation, visit www.stemontrack.com/on-track_events.