There have been a number of recent reports indicating that kids these days aren’t all that interested in getting a driver’s license and hitting the open road. Perhaps the reason is that, prior to reaching the age of DMV consent, they haven’t had a taste for what it’s like.
I’m very fortunate in that I live a short drive away from two major racing venues, where track days are offered on a regular basis. Not only that, but my Southern California home is close to three or four go kart tracks as well. Not everyone is as lucky, and what I’m wondering today is if – as a society – we are not negatively impacting our oh-so important youth by not giving them access to such opportunities? I mean, people keep telling me that kids are the future.
Go karts, whether electric like at places like K1, or traditional gas-powered, are the next step along the path to driver, right after the Autopia ride at Disneyland! What do you think, would access to go kart tracks help create the next generation of car enthusiasts? Perhaps even more importantly, if you had a go kart track in your neighborhood, would you be anyplace else on a Friday night?
Image: Google Maps
Hooniverse Asks: Do We Need More Go Kart Tracks?
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Yes.
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I was saddened to see the one I went to as a child closed last year. I know live 700 miles away, but when I was back visiting, I drove by on the highway and nearly cried. I spent a lot of hours working for the money I spent there in a few minutes. I don’t even think there is one within 35 miles of my house here in NJ.
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I’ve actually been to that track in the photo! It’s near Orlando or in Orlando… A buddy and I drove that track when we were in Florida for a Mecum auction a few years ago.
It’s one of the craziest tracks I’ve ever seen. The climb up the spiral part feels like it goes WAY higher in the air then it looks. Then you have that straight downhill part that leads into a turn that’s WAY more banked than it looks in that photo.
Such a fun track-
The hump at the top of the spiral looks like you could some air.
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I am fortunate to have an electric venue very close to me. I was part of a racing league last year and will take part in it this year. It is a very effective rush and humbling at the same time. The courses are small and very technical and a .5 second gap in lap times means all the difference. I generally try to find the fastest person in the league and visually follow their lines (to see what they are doing right and more importantly what I am doing wrong). I also raced in the gas powered league several years ago and there are differences in how each type of go cart handles. The electric go carts are instant acceleration and very easy to cook a corner. They are also heavier than the shifter carts and so you need to factor that in on cornering. The shifter cars are much more neutrally balanced. The downside (as I found out repeatedly) is incorrect techniques in braking/turning can be the death nail for maintaining momentum. (on a short course, momentum is key) . I am in my mid 40’s and this is an easy way to safely and cost effectively be in a competitive league.
Ideally, I would love to see more tracks with dedicated nights for kids. -
No. We need more challenging go-kart tracks. The reason they’re fading from the scene is because they’ve all been dumbed-down and safetynik’d to the point where you just chug around the track at a speed that’s so heavily governed that you don’t need to brake and can’t get out of control, even if you never take your foot off the gas at any point. That’s boring. Back in the mid ’80s there was a go-kart track down the street from the dealership where I worked that actually had braking markers before the turns. THAT was fun, and they got a lot of money from me and the service dept. crew on our lunch hours because of it.
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Pole Position in Plano has hardcore carts for the adults.
Good for those who like to try limits.
Bad when you get a group with participants CANNOT DRIVE and go slow to create trains. -
“…to the point where you just chug around the track at a speed that’s so heavily governed that you don’t need to brake and can’t get out of control, even if you never take your foot off the gas at any point. That’s boring.”
It’s also my LeMons strategy.-
If I was strapped into a go-kart for 24 hours, I might do the same.
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“dumbed-down and safetynik’d to the point where you just chug around the track at a speed that’s so heavily governed that you don’t need to brake” I ended up at a few tracks like that back in college. We would usually try to reach back and bend the throttle rod to get just a little extra out of them. Even threatened to bring a can of starting fluid to use as a sort of nitro boost.
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I didn’t realize Sadler’s closed. That polished concrete made a great surface.
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It certainly taught the technique of squaring off your turns!
http://biketrackdayshub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/images_LateApexRacingLine.jpg
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Go Karts are a hoot, I’d question the motives of those that don’t enjoy them. Pricing and facility operation standards seem to be all over the map with a strong carny vibe at most places.
As an aside, I did the Autopia ride at DL with the offspring last summer. They are nursing that thing along on a shoestring and the exhaust smell has probably inspired more automotive regulation than enthusiasm for machines. It needs a reboot. -
I was at a go kart track a couple of years ago and did quite well. Rounded the third best guy in my group of friends, wuth the second far behind me. After walking about ten minutes from the track, my own driving made me throw up hard.
I’m in for more of that. Closest go kart track is three hours away though. -
There’s a go-kart track right around the corner from my current job – I’ve been there once with a friend, and it was fun enough, but definitely of the variety where you could keep your foot planted the entire time. It never seems that busy, and definitely also has the carny vibe.
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If I ever had billions of dollars, I’d open a massive karting facility with 1/4-scale replicas of famous tracks, possibly with 2-3 tracks inside of a mini-Le Mans layout.
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Could you imagine the straight at LeMans in a go-kart? Even at 1/4 scale it would still be almost a mile long…
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You would have to put in the modern chicanes so you weren’t just maxing out at 40 mph or whatever for 90 seconds.
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Good occasion to play the “And now a message from your host…”-tape. Or did you plan a massive investment without the random attempt at brainwashing?
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The big news at The Ridge this year (aside from the presence of a building and some electricity) was ongoing construction next to the paddock of a 1/5-scale replica of the track itself, including elevation changes, as a karting venue:
http://ridgemotorsportspark.com/olympic-grand-prix-is-born/
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