More and More Grownups are Embracing Go-Karting
You might not expect the baby boomer generation to be very much interested in the topic of Karting. But many older adults are finding that Go-Karts offer an excellent recreational outlet, if the truth be known. Jay Leno, who’s 59 as of this writing, is a fan. What youngster isn’t enthralled at the prospect of driving? If you’re a boomer with teenagers or a grandparent with grandkids, you might just want to consider participating in this ideal sport for the entire family. If you want to spend some quality time with your youngsters or grandchildren, you might want to give this some thought.
Many people think that go karts are just for children. That’s probably because these cars started out as children’s toys. Add their small size and the peculiar spelling, and it’s no surprise that many people aren’t aware that older adults can have a good deal of fun on go karts. With karts capable of going as fast as sixty miles an hour, go karting is a good deal more in demand among adults, although there are junior leagues.
That sort of speed doesn’t feel very fast if you’re driving a car on the interstate, but just try it in a go kart, and you’ll see how fast sixty miles per hour can really be. There’s no suspension in a kart, no windshield, and no enclosed cabin to keep you from feeling the wind. In addition, the bottom of a kart is only a few inches from the ground, so you’ll feel every change in the pavement. Even professional racers say going top speed in a go kart feels much faster than the same speed in a Formula 1 racer.
Corporate outings are turning increasingly to go karting. Some go kart tracks do mostly corporate business, with sessions focused on team building, leadership development and staff motivation. Even business professionals get to cut loose and hit the track in a go kart, with these corporate events dedicated to the metaphor of racing. Karting is, actually, probably the fastest growing motor sport.
With kart ownership costing as much as a small car, dedicated go karting can be costly. This clearly is not only for children – high end go karts can cost more than ten thousand dollars and hit highway speeds. This variety of racing kart is used only on large outdoor tracks. Indoor karts are used on smaller tracks and generally go only about forty miles per hour.
Even so, the twists and turns on a commercial go kart track can make even that seem a good deal faster – it’s like a roller coaster that you can control. Indoor karts also have more safety features, like steel buffers to keep cars from knocking wheels on a tight track – something that could be risky at top speeds.
Adults who would like to try driving go karts can simply walk into a track, and pay for a session – usually approximately thirty to forty dollars. But, they’ll have to wear protective clothing and go through a safety talk, since these karts are a lot more powerful than go-karts for kids. There are even adult racing leagues at most tracks, allowing kart enthusiasts to race against one another. A typical race is fifteen laps, with each lap taking about twenty seconds.
If you’ve been thinking that go karting is only for children, think again. This is a fantastic sport that can be appreciated by anyone. Many grownups are rediscovering go karting, and having a lot of fun.
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