Ladies and gentlemen, you may now start your engines!!!
Growing up has never been as monotonous and borrowing as when a person is reintroduced to the joys of childhood to reflect on. This experience happened to me over the weekend when I was injected with the enjoyment of kart racing. For sometime the experience of kart racing has been presented to me, yet I had always declined the opportunity for multiple reasons mostly because I thought it wouldn’t be enjoyable to an adult.
BOY WAS I WRONG!!!
Little did I know the NEED FOR SPEED would quickly engulf my body delivering a jovial spirit to last a lifetime. While in South Carolina over the New Year 2012 weekend I traveled to Kershaw, SC to The Carolina MotorSports Park for the experience of kart racing; better known to the world as Go-Kart racing.
Carolina MotorSports was developed by a group of enthusiasts and racers from the Southeast. Two individuals, Joe Hooker and Bob Humphries played the largest role in getting the project of Carolina MotorSports built. The acquisition of land was completed in July 1998 whereas the full 2.3 mile road course was completed a year later in July 1999. Carolina MotorSport has a bit of historic relevance as well due to the fact that the speedway is on an old WWII fighter base training site. Located 4 miles south of Kershaw, 17 miles north of Camden on Hwy 521 in South Carolina and approximately 1 hours drive south of The Charlotte International Airport; the Carolina MotorSport Park is destined to ignite the inner racer in us all. Not just for kart racing, Carolina MotorSport is obtainable to all auto enthusiasts from motorcycle lovers, drifters, stock cars, etc…
The facility has day garages available for $50 a day or $125 for 3 days with a 200 ft. skid pad and irrigation system. Also on the grounds for easy accessibility to customers is the registration building with 4 service windows and covered waiting rooms for. The Timing and Scoring building has a sound proof race control room along with network capabilities. Wireless internet is provided throughout the Timing and Scoring building plus wired iCard. Also within the Timing and Scoring building is an AMB and AMB TnetX, restrooms with showers, offices, and medical area just in case an accident presents itself.
The Carolina MotorSport Park also possesses a 4 bay tech shed with lights, paved 100’x300’ false grid, public address system, and FM transmitter availability. Within the fueling area rests a public air hose for easy use by all. Sunoco Race fuel (93,100,110, and 112 upon request) Octane unleaded is also offered at the track. On the grounds exists a vendor area, free wireless internet in designated areas, and a snack bar which is open during race weekends along with the clubhouse and classrooms which are open to rent.
My personal experience with Carolina MotorSport Park came in the form of Kart racing. Being a novice to the sport I quickly learned why it can become addictive, exciting the endorphins to desire to go faster. The karts (Birel N-35 rock karts with 9HP Honda engines) can be rented at $20 for 10 minutes of track time. An age limit of 12 yrs. old and up is established to drive the rental karts around the .70 mile (3696 ft.) course. The kart track hours range from 9am-4pm. During my time at this facility I was surprised to learn all that went into kart racing. Things like the constant maintenance placed on these karts as though they were real stock cars. The karts are placed on lifts in order to better get to the needed areas of interest during the repairing process. This sport is so big I was shocked to learn it has multiple magazines covering it routinely. The largest shocker of all came when I learned that these diminutive racing cars can cost up to $1,000+. Upon hearing this bit of news I was like a deer in headlights and thrown for a loop. Equipped now with a helmet and neck brace I was now prepared for the track. For a first timer the sport came quickly to me and I enjoyed myself immensely. The karts are basic with ignition and brake, nothing more nothing less. I couldn’t help but wonder why the steering column in my kart was so stiff; only to find out that the steering column was stiff on all the karts. I couldn’t help but ponder if this was similar to the feel of most race cars. Whizzing around the track freely taking position after position in the form of passing other racers on the track I was quickly trapped in the moment of never wanting to exit my kart car. This kart racing experience was an eye opener and an event that will happen again in the near future with even more expectations and a lot more throttle.
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