Did you ever want to know what it feels like to get behind the wheel of a race car, and drive as fast as you can while making the sharpest turns, never worrying about injury or getting a ticket?At "Go Kart Racer" in Burlingame, California....fantasy becomes reality, seven days a week! Go Kart Racer is a huge, indoor facility located a block west of the 'Bay shore Freeway'(Hwy101) just off the Broadway St. exit at 1541 Adrian Road.
It has the largest indoor track (3/8mile) in the United States, featuring three, European-designed courses called the Yokohama, Monza, and Super Track, with state of the art go karts, hair-pin and high speed turns, and an excellent staff of safety officials and customer service hosts.
This is a great place for family members, groups of friends, and corporate teams to enjoy great, road racing competition....while fulfilling the pure, powerful, adrenaline rush desired by all of us "road hogs"!
I speak from personal experience two months ago...my first ever! My boss, Streetwise President Michael Ealey, who's on the board of directors of the 'California Delivery Association', sent me there to race against six other members....including the CDA President, Andrew Brady.
Michael would have gone, but, since he stands 6-feet 8 inches tall, he thought I'd be a better fit. Well, we had a blast! We all met there for a catered lunch, were fitted into racing suits and helmets, saw a rules and instructional video, and hit the track for ten-minutes of practice laps, and a grueling 20-minute race.
I have never felt that kind of ground speed in a car, nor endured a tougher arm and body workout from making all those tight turns. I have much more respect now for professional race car drivers, many of whom began racing in go karts. More on that later.
As for our racing finish, it turns out Michael may have fared better than me! Let's just say I wouldn't have claimed any prize money....had any been offered. They did give us a nice victory celebration, and, although it would have been nice to stand on the podium, I still had fun! WE all did, and it was great exercise too!
While working as a TV sportscaster in Bakersfield, California in the 1980's,I got to know the famous Mears racing family, otherwise known as "The Mears Gang". Rick went onto win the Indy 500 four times(2 while I was there), while older brother Roger won 4-Baja 1000's! They both began racing on go karts as kids! So did their sons Roger Jr.,Casey,(now a NASCAR champ) Rick's son Clint, and current superstar Kevin Harvick.
So did other racing legends I had the privilege of interviewing, such as: Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan Bill Elliott, Bobby Allison and Rusty Wallace. All went on to stardom, and all began in go karts during their early days. To me, go carting is as fast as I want to go!
'Go Kart Racer' has also had its share of famous visitors to the track, including Jerry Rice, Jason Kidd, Michael Strahan, MC Hammer, Jon Fogherty, and even the late Paul Newman.
If you're interested in testing your driving skills, 'Go Kart Racer requires you have a valid drivers license, and those ages 12-17 are allowed a special driving school course. Those pregnant, or with back or heart ailments, are not advised to drive, however, for the rest of us it's a safe, well-run, high-caliber experience,of speed, hard turns,and thrills.(no bumping allowed)
As for the cost: 10-minute hot laps are $25 each and $20 each additional lap.
Races are $45 each, which includes 20-minutes of between 20-30 laps.($40 dollars for each additional race)
The grand prix course includes 30-minutes of between 50 and 60 laps on the track, and that costs $60-dollars. For me, it was well worth it! You should try it too....at least once!
Thanks, and drive carefully...no matter what road you're on!
Sincerely, PeteCam4
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