You remember when you were in 6th grade and Carson invited you to his birthday party? It was mostly all the guys from your class, but there were a couple girls there as well. Including Molly, who you were in the middle of having a huge crush on. Like a massive world shattering crush. Well, it was at this birthday party where you first got to hang out with Molly alone and you even asked her to go out with you.
Yes, that was a great memory. It was a great party, but not because of Molly. It wasn’t because it was your first girlfriend. It wasn’t because you actually held her hand a couple times as well during the afternoon. That party was such a cool party because it was also the first time you got to try go karting. The thrill of racing your very own kart around the track at what felt like pretty high speeds has stayed with you for a long time. Here you were, only twelve, and yet you got to be in control of your own car. It was just a kids go karts party, but that feeling of flying around the last turn and overtaking your buddy to cross the line has stayed with you well afterwards. You don’t remember the color of Molly’s hair or her last name, but you still remember the kart you first climbed in and the smell of gas and engine fumes.
Well, karting has changed, my friend. There were those go karts you were used to, the indoor go karting parties you had, the fun of getting in your own vehicle and stamping the pedal down. But this is now an adults karting world. There are timed events with serious competitors out there. You can find leagues of serious karters who are looking to do racing karts on a majorly fun scale. There are endurance racing events that are similar in style and strategy to Le Mans or Daytona. This is no longer simply about speed on the course, but kart maintenance and refueling and driver awareness, all for several hours out on the track. You could even put together your very own go kart kit. Bet you didn’t think you could find that in your go karts of the past.
You can admit that you don’t, in fact, know it all and undergo some training and coaching. You can learn the skills required to then take it to the next level. You’ll be getting better qualifying times, taking pole positions and winning the heats to find yourself ready on the finish line of the final heat. That same thrill you remembered as a kid will come back to you as you overtake that one guy who you’ve been tailing to take the checkered flag. I just can’t guarantee you’ll get birthday cake at the end of these races.
So, recapture that memory of your youth and head out to find a speedway near you. Karting is not just for kids anymore.