This place apparently opened up in the last four months without so much as an internet spam campaign:

http://www.motorsportsracingclub.com/

OMFG, a real deal full-service kart track in Alabama! That isn't an oval!

The nearest track that I know off (not including a handful of backwoods kart tracks in Georgia) is the track at VIR, which is like 10 hours from here, and doesn't sell karts. There's also a handful of similar tracks in Florida, but only a few that don't charge ridiculously high membership fees just to join (OTOH, this place is too expensive as it is, but it'll probably get cheaper... the arrive and drive rentals are relatively cheap compared to Andretti's).

...who's up for it?

 

that looks badass. i would definitely be down for it

 

Funnily enough, this is the exact idea I used for my practice business plan project in Entrepreneurship in my last semester of college...

It's amazing how one opened up literally at the same time I was creating my plan.

 

I am disappointed at the apparent lack of enthusiasm...

 

Sounds like alot of fun, but I've just got too much stuff going on at the moment. I always wanted to get into kart racing when I was a kid but had an extremely overprotective mom.

 

What!!! I live in Calera and never heard anything about this track opening

 

I just got back from 15 minutes of karting... it felt more like 30 minutes, which is to say it was fun. In retrospect, I wish I had decided to do another round before a birthday party showed up.

My 207-pound **** could only manage a 47.9~ in Kart #6 (make sure you get a kart with a transponder. The FTD was in the 44's), but I managed a lot of beautiful no-contact passes (against everyone in my path but ONE guy, and he had already been there a few times... he had much more straightaway speed).

Also, one thing to note is that you MUST get the tires warm before you can go all-out. I spun out a couple times on my first laps from going a bit too hot. I got stuck at one point and had to do a "European start..." lol

The owner says he might start renting 125cc TAGs, which will be a MUCH more interesting experience. Although he's apparently only planning members-only races...

Although the rental karts only have ~6 HP, they're geared properly for the track, and aren't weighted down by nerf bars and roll hoops (real-deal no-seatbelt karts).

It would be so nice to have a kart with the seat and pedal position actually set up for me... At first, I had a problem with not being able to steer enough because my knees were so high.

But these karts were WAAAAAY nicer than the ones at Andretti's, and quite a bit better than the one's at VIR (they're basically brand new).


FYI, the shifter kart they have on display is $10,000. DAMN.


Now, to see if I can get my damn starter working again before 5 AM...

 

BTW, don't drive with a jacket/shirt that will melt...

 

Sounds like you found out from firsthand experience...

Anyone up for a track day sometime after Deals Gap?

 

As soon as I lose 32 pounds or so.

 

should have plenty of time then.

 

i am selling my racing kart if anybody is interested