Several of the tracks I've visited use karts from Sodikart. I was looking at their site today and found the RX7 Max (pictured) which is available with a 125cc 28HP engine. That thing would be awesome to drive at some of these tracks. I've never seen anything more than 9HP, so these must be used mostly outdoors.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sodikart
Several of the tracks I've visited use karts from Sodikart. I was looking at their site today and found the RX7 Max (pictured) which is available with a 125cc 28HP engine. That thing would be awesome to drive at some of these tracks. I've never seen anything more than 9HP, so these must be used mostly outdoors.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Maine Indoor Karting - Scarborough, ME
Maine Indoor Karting is a great track just south of Portland. The track has a long full-throttle run around the outside perimeter of the room with a more technical section in the middle. Turns 3-5 are a tight, back and forth set of turns that are sort of like a slalom, and turn five can be used as a great passing area if done just right. Likewise, if your follow someone into turn eight and set up just right, it will put you on the inside for the turns in the high-speed section. The track is going to be changed next month and is expected to be even faster, so I'll have to go back.
The karts use the standard 6.5hp engines and the same chassis with the roll bar I've seen at other tracks.
Pricing is reasonable and they were running a "3 race/$45" special when I was there. Helmets, headsocks, and driving suits are included. You get a timing sheet after each race so you can see the times for each lap for every driver in the group, plus fast times for the day, week, and month.
The people I met were all very friendly and I enjoyed talking to them. They were all very enthusiastic about karting. The facility is clean and includes a snack bar, video games, and they sell some driving suits and other items.
Velocity Indoor Karting - Omaha, NE
Omaha was not a place I expected to find a kart track, so I was very excited to find that Velocity Indoor Karting was only about two miles away from my hotel. It's not a fancy place, but is challenging and fun, especially for the price - $10 races on Tuesday - and the races are 10 minutes long instead of the usual eight.
The karts have the usual 6.5hp engines and never ran out of power on the two high-speed sections. They are, however, some of the most physically demanding karts I've driven in quite a while and you feel like you are really working for each lap. If I remember correctly, I think they said these were racing karts in a previous life, so maybe that the reason. By the end of the first session, my arms were just about worn out. After a short rest, I went out again and that was all I could do for the day. I couldn't resist going back two days later, though, and after two more races I wondered if I'd be able to actually drive the rental car back to the hotel.
The track surface is fairly evenly finished with the right amount of grip to work well for low-speed turns. One of the employees pointed out a slick spot on the right side of the track just before a left hairpin that can be used to flick the back end around. I don't know if it's really any faster, but it sure was fun.
You get a timing sheet for each race showing lap times for you and the other racers. The sheet includes a graph, making it much easier to see trends.
Headsocks are required and can be purchased there for $3. These are the best I've seen at any track and I'll be carrying mine for all racing from now on.
All of the employees and customers I met there were friendly and seemed really interested in talking to me about all sorts of things, such as the best racing line, how the karts work, or even the indoor kart business. And one never knows who one will meet at these places. I was driving with a larger group when I found myself racing against someone who turned out to have been the T2 winner at the 2008 SCCA Run-Offs. It was a good time.
American Indoor Karting - Portsmouth, VA
It's been a while since I've posted anything, so it's time to catch up with the first of the three track's I've visited in the past few months.
American Indoor Karting is located in a strip mall. They have a two-track layout that were combined into one for the two nights I was there. The floor has just the right amount of grip to allow some drifting through fast corners without having to fight the kart through the slow ones.
The first time I was there they a great, fast 90-degree turn in the center of the room (seen just to the right of the Red Bull bridge in the higher-angle photo). Taking it flat out, I'd slide out to the barrier on the left and and follow it through the bend to the left to set up for a tight right turn. It was a lot of fun, but the next time it had been replaced with a two 180-degree hairpin turns that were technically interesting but not nearly as much fun.
The standard karts use the typical 6.5hp motors, but they also have a set of faster karts that have a larger motor and wider chassis that are reserved for those who can run five laps in a session under a specified time. I didn't get the chance to drive one, but a couple employees did and the sound was very cool.
The whole facility was clean and in good shape. The karts ran well and their timing system shows your lap times as well as the others in your session and fastest times.
American Indoor Karting is located in a strip mall. They have a two-track layout that were combined into one for the two nights I was there. The floor has just the right amount of grip to allow some drifting through fast corners without having to fight the kart through the slow ones.
The first time I was there they a great, fast 90-degree turn in the center of the room (seen just to the right of the Red Bull bridge in the higher-angle photo). Taking it flat out, I'd slide out to the barrier on the left and and follow it through the bend to the left to set up for a tight right turn. It was a lot of fun, but the next time it had been replaced with a two 180-degree hairpin turns that were technically interesting but not nearly as much fun.
The standard karts use the typical 6.5hp motors, but they also have a set of faster karts that have a larger motor and wider chassis that are reserved for those who can run five laps in a session under a specified time. I didn't get the chance to drive one, but a couple employees did and the sound was very cool.
The whole facility was clean and in good shape. The karts ran well and their timing system shows your lap times as well as the others in your session and fastest times.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Pro Kart - Burnsville, MN
Here's a place I found near Minneapolis, MN. They have two locations and I visited the Burnsville location.
According to the timing sheet, the track is 250m long. The best I could do was 0:23.440.
The track feels much shorter that the track in Toronto. It is slicker, too, so you need to be more careful with the throttle even when the tires have warmed up. The fastest part of the track has a kink to the left that tended to cause a little bit of oversteer just as you get to the braking area for a very tight right turn. Lots of fun.
The karts are some of the best I've driven. They have a low CG and lots of power. According to the guy at the place, they are rated at 6.5hp on gas, but they are running on methanol and getting a more power. They also have a box on the left where ballast weight can be added for the league races.Three eight-minute sessions cost $52 + $2 for the balaclava to use their helmet. You get a timing sheet after each session that shows times for each lap, times plotted on a graph, and track info.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
More from Formula Kartways
Here's a panorama view of the Formula Kartways track yesterday. Karts run from left to right on the section closest to the camera (click for a bigger image).
It's a fun layout with two long straights (on the right side), and three 180-degree hairpin turns mixed in with some others. My first kart yesterday had not been run much, if at all, that day so the tires were cold. This, along with the smooth track surface made driving a real challenge for the first several laps. Over time, I could feel the grip improving, especially in the sweeping turn on the right side of the picture as I was able to bring the kart closer and closer to the inside wall.
The website says it's the first indoor kart track in Canada and opened 15 years ago. It is showing its age a bit. For instance, the transponder didn't work in my kart both times I've been there, so I couldn't get my times. Nonetheless, I'll definately be racing here every time I'm in Toronto.
It's a fun layout with two long straights (on the right side), and three 180-degree hairpin turns mixed in with some others. My first kart yesterday had not been run much, if at all, that day so the tires were cold. This, along with the smooth track surface made driving a real challenge for the first several laps. Over time, I could feel the grip improving, especially in the sweeping turn on the right side of the picture as I was able to bring the kart closer and closer to the inside wall.
The website says it's the first indoor kart track in Canada and opened 15 years ago. It is showing its age a bit. For instance, the transponder didn't work in my kart both times I've been there, so I couldn't get my times. Nonetheless, I'll definately be racing here every time I'm in Toronto.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Formula Kartways - Toronto Area
www.formulakartways.com
79 Bramsteele Road . Brampton ON L6W 3K6 . (905) 459-1073
A fun, fast track. Helmets fit well and are in good shape. Track surface is shiny smooth at the entrance to some turns, adding the challenge of finding grip under braking. Karts seem to top out on the long straight, making the exit of the previous turn all the more important.
Timing prints out only the top five fastest laps. No on-site food other than vending machines.
Overall, definately a place to go whenever you are in Toronto.
79 Bramsteele Road . Brampton ON L6W 3K6 . (905) 459-1073
A fun, fast track. Helmets fit well and are in good shape. Track surface is shiny smooth at the entrance to some turns, adding the challenge of finding grip under braking. Karts seem to top out on the long straight, making the exit of the previous turn all the more important.
Timing prints out only the top five fastest laps. No on-site food other than vending machines.
Overall, definately a place to go whenever you are in Toronto.
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