Aight, don't laugh at me. I'm totally serious about this. I really want to go to one of these places

http://www.fastimesindoorkarting.com/

for some cheap lap time. Go Karting is not about being the "fastest", instead, you try not to lose speed. Therefore, that improves your drive line selection, better gas/brake control. Since it's not THAT fast, you can improve greatly, in a relatively short period of time.

Having said that, who know any good place in Houston??? I REALLY want to start soon

 

Ive done that before, one of the funnest things in the world. I was in Miami and they had this little race course. We rode on tiny go karts with 7.5hp Honda engines, they had a top speed of around 30mph (guess) and we had some real fun. The last turn was this 'S' curve that led to a big straight, I started bouncing off of the apexes and I would get into a total slide onto the straight, not fast, but fun as hell. Im addicted.

 

Now, stop teasing me and point me to the closest track with rentals ...

Still can't find much in Texas

 

I found it, I found it!!!!!

Find a track close to you

http://www.planetkart.com/tracks/index_tracks.html

 

Lan:

I really do agree with you on that Kart racing. When i was in Montreal last summer, they had this huge Kart Racing Venue. They had i guess what you could say was a KIOSK, which displayed who was racing, their position and their last lap time. Also, after each race they had who the overall best times were and if whoever raced last beat the best lap time of the day, very cool. Anyhow, these were gas powered and id say they went about 30, 35mph tops. My first couple of laps i was just flooring it into the turns and than braking somewhat hard, i pulled a 37 second first lap and a 36 second, second lap. After i got use to the track and when to break and when to floor it around turns, i managed to bring those 36-37 second laps, down to 30 and 31 seconds. THere was some pro there... if i would have gotten all 30-31 second times, i would have been within a 1-1.5 seconds of his overall time. Oh well, his best lap was a 28.31.

 

There is a place in Columbus Ohio called Speeds and they have propane KARTS, and the track is a 60 sec track with all kinds or twisties. best lap is like 49-52 sec for the pros. Been there once, its kinds expensive but fun nonetheless.

 

Mmm...checked couple places and their membership fees were like $200-$300 per year. No including any Kart rental...I think you're right about the expensive part...

I'm a cheap b@stard

 

I went Karting a cuple months ago, and although I was about a second or two behind the "regulars", I mollywopped upon my friends...it was funny

 

I live in Indy and we have whiteland raceway. You wouldn't believe how cool it is.You can rent carts (they do about 60mph)for $25 for two ten lap heats. But the big boys bring there own cart (and they do about 80mph with a Yamaha ) But some guys are into shifter carts with 125cc motor and they scream around the same speed because there not enough striaght away to go any faster on that track so they go out to IRP and blaze at 90+mph. Big names have raced at Whiteland Race way like Jeff Gordon,Emerson Fitipaldiy,Mario Andredy,and even Tony Stewart. Go-cart racing or any kind of racing is huge in Indy.

 

At the place I rode there was a guy with an automatic that revved 16,000rpm(yes sixteen thousand). It hit about 85+ on the straights. bad. ***.

 

3 that is remotely close to where i live

 

go karts? that'd be sweet on a track like that...the only ones around here are so small that you'd finish the entire track before you can get into it.

imagine drifting in those courses? initial d'n thru those turns would rule

 

I went go-karting on a WET TRACK last week and it was the best fun i've had for ages!!

They had oil on the track surface, the track was watered down, and there's a setup on the karts that sprays water on the rear slicks.

The first few laps were absolutely hopeless - basically complete oversteer or understeer with short burts of uncontrolled wheelspin in between.

But after a while you start to understand the dynamics of the Kart and can do these beautiful drifts and slides around the corners. You get to learn when it's going to break out on you and when to put the power down. .

If you can find a wet circuit try it out!!! It will greatly improve your driving, even if it's just an outdoor track in the rain

 

I was browsing the net looking for an indoor kart track to take my son to and I came across this post. I understand this is a Mistubishi forum but I had to drop a note ... cause you guys are right on track, kart racing is by far the most fun you can have with your clothes on. (and you don't tear up your nice street car!)

I race kart in NorCal in the IKF series and at Local Clubs in an 80cc shifter. The 125cc Parilla or Rotax kart along with 80cc shifter can reach speeds in excess of 100MPH depending on the track size. The 125cc Shifter kart can easily do 20MPH faster than that. Couple that with pulling 3g's in the corners and you've got yourself one hell of a ride!

The cost of racing karts is not trivial though - a good starter kart (such as the 125cc Parilla Leopard) will run you close to $5K brand new, however, you can find a good used one for about $3,000 - $3,500. Depreciation is just like cars - take it on the track and it's worth $1k less.

Club membership at a local track will run anywhere from $250-$400 for a year which usually includes the whole family (Mom, Dad, & kids can all join for the same price - with unlimited # of karts). This membership usually unlimited access to the track (during their normal operating hours) to gain that valuable seat time required to be competitive and the ability to compete in the local points championship in which the champion is usually crowned with a very prestigious jacket.

Karting is for ages 5 to 95, the kid karts (5-7 years old) is non-competitve - meaning that everyone get's a trophy! After that you have to work for it. They usually trophy 1/2 the field up to 5-7 awards (depending on the format).

Check out some links - including some classifieds to purchase used karts:

http://www.norcal-karting.com
http://www.ekartingnews.com
http://www.teammmi.com

We have one of the fastest growing motorsports and enjoy seeing new drivers and crew out there cutting their teeth at 80MPH wheel-to-wheel racing. As they said in the X-karts televised race on SpeedTV - "These ain't your daddy's go-karts". Paul Tracy, Jeff Gordon, Juan Montoya - almost all the top drivers got their start in karting. Paul Tracy still races karts and has his own brand (the Paul Tracy Kart) he says it's the closest thing to racing a CHAMP car - better than Formula Atlantic or any other open wheel race car.

If you want the trill of your lifetime - check out an arrive-and-drive program and keep in mind while the indoor tracks are fun they are less than 1/2 the speeds and 1/4 of the grip of a true racing kart.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions [dave@teammmi.com]

Hope to see you at a local track!!!

 

I've been to a couple Malibu Grand Prix's before. I think that track in Columbus, OH used to be a Malibu... Anyway you are racing against the clock, not other people. The carts are FAST and you really get a feel for what its like to drive a road course. Hope you get one with oversteer though. One time I had a cart that understeered and after I did 10 laps I felt like my arm was ready to break from fighting the steering wheel (I'm 6'5" so have a hard time fitting in it, although its nto too bad)