Karting??..

No problem. I won't ever use it, but I'm not even sure if I have one anymore.
Neck Braces
Here are some that are quite a bit cheaper than a hundred bucks. I would double check and make sure they are legal in your class, but I wouldn't see why not.

I have a neck brace like that and wore jeans with a light riding jacket when racing ProKart. The tech guys had no problem with it, but that was years ago.