I'm still doing more research into the indoor kart track.
What would you like to see in an indoor karting facility if you were:
1. An individual or small group of people just looking to race
2. A large group of people looking for private races
3. A business looking to rent for a company function
4. ???
5. Profit
Thanks folks! GRM members will get a discount when the visit when this opens!
You should replace carts with...wait for it...Kia Rondos!
Indoor karting is a blast, I plan on going up to Buffalo in 2014.
In reply to CGLockRacer:
Quality performance karts on a large enough track to still have fun and enough room for off the track with some entertainment. This is pretty much standard for all of the above for all of the above.
No Kias what so ever, though.
Look at what Andretti does down in the Atlanta area. Probably the best karting place I've been to from an "entertainment" standpoint.
My sons (7 and 10) currently run leagues at a relatively local indoor karting facility and so being a customer of a successful establishment I'd like to add my $.02.
If you want to go fast or learn to go fast the best thing is to have leagues separated by age but more importantly lap times. When you are in a league everyone is there to have fun going fast and trying to beat everyone else. We went once for general admission and it was awful. You have the fast guys trying to get around all the yahoos that are just there to screw around or just don't know how to drive. And the 40 year old with the Ferrari in the parking lot gets ticked off when a seven year old laps him twice in 10 laps 
. The track is in an old warehouse and is about 1/4 long and has plenty of everything for a driver. They just opened an outdoor track also.
The biggest negative though is keeping the parents happy.... The kids can deal with getting bumped but the moms won't have any of it. That black flag is killer and the moms want it used while the kids get pi$$ed. My oldest went from 17th to 2nd and got squeezed in traffic spinning out another kart. They black flagged him 2 laps before the end of the race to fourth. It definitely gets emotional.
One HUGE selling point of the indoor Kart leagues is how "Affordable" it is for you to race. We looked into circle track and other than my son wanting to drive a road course it is very expensive and time consuming. The Karting league is $400 for 10 weeks with about 40 minutes of track time. And you just show up and drive. You don't have to dump thousands of dollars into something your child might not want to continue to do.
Once the kids get older karting in autocross might be something they will enjoy and then you can spend the big bucks.
They also have adult Karts where weight plays less of a factor and they are fast.
In reply to CGLockRacer:
There are a couple of indoor tracks in my area. They seem to live and die by birthday parties...
I can damn well tell you what I don't like... When you're heading down the long straight, foot planted, got a good exit out of the last corner and you reached the maximum speed the kart will do within short order...
....and some teenager who doesn't weigh much less than me (if not more) goes flying past you like you're standing still. 
While I can understand the need to remotely limit the speed of the karts, but doing so without thinking about what you're doing can mean customers who don't come back.
..and pinchvalve... the Rondo thing is getting old real quick.
I honestly wish there was a way to "equalize" the karts. I recently had a great night of playing rolling chicane for a group of people that ranged from motorcyclists to Miata autocrossers to one big tubby mortar forker. Of the six of us running I was the only one above 225# (sitting at a healthier than I have been in a long time 258#) with most in the @175# range. I enjoyed a time where I ran out front for about 6 laps because I understand how easy it is to be VERY hard to pass, but I really took a lot of abuse finally getting punted as a freight train rolled past.
Is there a way to have a "heavy hitter" kart available for those of us who wear our weight penalties?
I could spend a lot of time indoor karting.
As an individual I like:
- Cheap races (I really need to be getting at least 1 minute of racing per dollar spent to make it worth while)
- Long races (It takes so long to get everyone in the karts, get the race started/stopped, give people longer stints in the karts and it works out better for everyone IMO - you should make more money doing this too)
- Karts that are really equal in their performance
In reply to Maroon, I never go to Andretti anymore because I can literally do a track day for the same cost as an evening at Andretti, and I get more seat time at the track day. Also, the karts there are all over the map in terms of performance (governors are all set differently, some have the exhaust manifolds hanging off the heads, etc..). Maybe it's better now - I haven't been in a few years.
Oh, also, it would be really cool to have split times (sector times) at various displays around the track so you could work on improving your lines through specific sections of the track.
Things that would be really cool in an indoor track:
- Some elevation change (I think F1 Boston has this, right?)
- Indoor/outdoor track. In good weather, the track goes out of the building through a big roll-up door then back into the building through another door. I drove a Kart track like this in Sweden a few years ago - really cool.
John Brown wrote: I honestly wish there was a way to "equalize" the karts. I recently had a great night of playing rolling chicane for a group of people that ranged from motorcyclists to Miata autocrossers to one big tubby mortar forker. Of the six of us running I was the only one above 225# (sitting at a healthier than I have been in a long time 258#) with most in the @175# range. I enjoyed a time where I ran out front for about 6 laps because I understand how easy it is to be VERY hard to pass, but I really took a lot of abuse finally getting punted as a freight train rolled past. Is there a way to have a "heavy hitter" kart available for those of us who wear our weight penalties? I could spend a lot of time indoor karting.
One place I ran at, actually had weights they could add to the Karts and/or the drivers to try and equalize them. I would think some quick release weights wouldn't be too hard to rock up. Though it might be easier/faster to have pockets on coveralls added to hold the weights and to offer the groups to weigh in and add weight to try and average it all out before they walk out to the Karts. That way you can keep the Kart selection random.
I think the guy with the MGB-GT with the Jag V12 (its Ford V8 powered now and is an MGB roadster now) runs an indoor Kart track in Canada. I wonder if he might have some insight to add to this discussion?
My local indoor track (Bluegrass Indoor Karting) has really grown in popularity in a very short time. Things I wish they had; heads up display on the steering wheel (I hear other tracks have this), a gas pedal that doesn't disconnect when you hit the brake (I understand why I just hate it).
They do lots of promotions, they have one night when all the races are twice as long for the same cost, one night they run backwards, they have local hot shoe shootouts, leagues etc I guess thats why they are doing so well.
John Brown wrote: "equalize"
The track I use has very equal cars. They spend a lot of time calibrating them. Then again, the last time I was out there, I snapped a grade eight bolt and bottomed out. 
skylights and lots of fresh air
Gas powered.
50+ mph speeds.
Polished concrete in corners.
1/4 mile or better.
10-15 turns.
Good maintenance and parity on the karts.
Decent food and drinks on the premises.
See LVGP in Allentown, PA for what I mean.
Electric carts so there is no need for skylights and fresh air. May not be as fun for us, but more likely to book the birthday party and/or corporate team building events.
Concur with elevation change.
An outdoor section that can be used in good weather is cool. The track in Edmonds, WA had that and it was fun.
Leagues. Need to establish a core base of returning customers.
Perhaps work with local car scene to encourage local clubs to have meetings at the track and then do some racing.
Hold real car shows - think cars and coffee type events - in your parking lot to generate business.
Speed curbing in the corners, and barriers set back from the racing surface instead of a maze of barriers and tires.. Longer races.
A course you can modify at will is nice, too. 
CGLockRacer,
Very interesting idea! If you need some local help getting things going, let me know.
I very much agree with the advice given so far.
My pet-peeves are widely varied karts for speed, and being Maldonado'd by a 10 year old who is out to play bumper cars instead of trying to drive a line.
That's not to say those kids shouldn't be there, just keep them out of the "league" type racing for those who want to try to do well.
The curbing idea is an excellent one.
If the track will be located in the SE MI area, I think you will find demand for it. Another forum member and I- paging ppddppdd- were trying to figure out a way to get our kids into karting without having to take the big money plunge and stay out of the family type places.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Gas powered. See LVGP in Allentown, PA for what I mean.
Those are gas?
A bunch of my region guys are going up there this Monday... I was debating on going...
CGLockRacer wrote: I'm still doing more research into the indoor kart track. What would you like to see in an indoor karting facility if you were: 1. An individual or small group of people just looking to race 2. A large group of people looking for private races 3. A business looking to rent for a company function 4. ??? 5. Profit Thanks folks! GRM members will get a discount when the visit when this opens!
I've been to quite a few kart tracks, and these are my thoughts:
Cheap races. Don't require a berkeleying membership. I'll say that again. DON'T REQUIRE A berkeleyING MEMBERSHIP. Allow people to get discounts by purchasing in bulk, for sure, but please, keep it reasonable. I hate when I'm traveling (currently near LA and eyeing the local track for tonight...) and I check out a kart place and non-member prices are like $25/race. If I could drop in for 3 races for $45-50 I'd consider it.
An unlimited option. Some people don't like to kart all-day. Those people are Bob Costas. I wan't to kart until my body fails me, or the track closes for the night. Make an unlimited karting option one day a week or so. I've done this at SPK before and its great fun. Bang-for-the-buck is great.
Decent race race series - possibly partner with other kart tracks in the region to offer a "regional series"
A track that has more than 1 passing zone. See Allsports in NOVA if you want to see an example of how not to do one. Fun place, but with drivers of similar skill on course (lap times within 0.25 seconds or so), executing a pass is extremely difficult.
If possible, a skill-level # for a driver after the first race or two. On return visits, alone, it would be nice to be able to jump in paired up with other drivers of a similar level. This prevents people like GRMers from showing up and creaming a bunch of newbs/kids birthday/business group/etc (going 4 seconds faster than everyone else on course is not really fun), or the business guy from getting stuck in the middle of the elite karting league (being 6 seconds slower than everyone is also not fun). The most fun I've ever had karting is actually racing with people of a similar skill level... and 95% of the time, you have to bring those people with you :(
Other than that, karts that are close, a basic, clean facility, competent staff, etc.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Gas powered. 50+ mph speeds. Polished concrete in corners. 1/4 mile or better. 10-15 turns. Good maintenance and parity on the karts. Decent food and drinks on the premises. See LVGP in Allentown, PA for what I mean.
I frequent LGVP as well, here is what I would prefer changed there:
1.) No exhaust fumes (this is key) either via electric karts or low-emission gasoline karts withreally good fans.
2.) Rather than an unlimited session, I would prefer a 2 hour pass with different pricing for off peak hours of course.
3.) A clear and thorough debriefing on passing and point-bys and mirrors on the karts. I know it sounds over the top but (inexperienced) drivers aren't always aware of what's around them.
4.) Some way (seperate course or otherwise) of giving people advice on how to improve their driving. Some people may not take well to this so make it very optional.
5.) (not entirely sure) A camera system. I'm not familiar with the options out there or the cost, but it would be neat to have an in-kart camera system so to review your previous session. I also think this would be a good way to build loyalty as drivers would have something to look back upon and show to other potential customers (friends, colleagues, etc.).
6.) Most important: padded seats; LVGP recently added padded seat inserts to their carts and they make it so much more comfortable especially during an unlimited session.
This post made me think of something else- offer some learning sessions.
Maybe a beginner class to talk about the racing line, passing and the like. Or even offer a one on one type thing- have a driver take some laps with video, talk about the footage and offer suggestions to improve, then let him go back out and try to fix things.
Personally these would be money well spent for me. Especially from someone who has racing experience.
Mmadness wrote:Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Gas powered. 50+ mph speeds. Polished concrete in corners. 1/4 mile or better. 10-15 turns. Good maintenance and parity on the karts. Decent food and drinks on the premises. See LVGP in Allentown, PA for what I mean.I frequent LGVP as well, here is what I would prefer changed there: 1.) No exhaust fumes (this is key) either via electric karts or low-emission gasoline karts withreally good fans. 2.) Rather than an unlimited session, I would prefer a 2 hour pass with different pricing for off peak hours of course. 3.) A clear and thorough debriefing on passing and point-bys and mirrors on the karts. I know it sounds over the top but (inexperienced) drivers aren't always aware of what's around them. 4.) Some way (seperate course or otherwise) of giving people advice on how to improve their driving. Some people may not take well to this so make it very optional. 5.) (not entirely sure) A camera system. I'm not familiar with the options out there or the cost, but it would be neat to have an in-kart camera system so to review your previous session. I also think this would be a good way to build loyalty as drivers would have something to look back upon and show to other potential customers (friends, colleagues, etc.). 6.) Most important: padded seats; LVGP recently added padded seat inserts to their carts and they make it so much more comfortable especially during an unlimited session.
Great ideas so far everyone! Thank you! Some I've thought of, a lot are new! Keep them coming!
In reply to paranoid_android74:
Our local track (bluegrass indoor karting) offers lessons where a top lap holder will follow you on track and critique you through a headset. That way you know exactly when and where you mess up or do well.
Edit- just re-read that.
That would be awesome! Real time feedback while you are driving=pure gold for me.
Spoolpigeon wrote: In reply to paranoid_android74: Our local track (bluegrass indoor karting) offers lessons where a top lap holder will follow you on track and critique you through a headset. That way you know exactly when and where you mess up or do well.
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