So I'm thinkin of joining the Indoor Karting League

Its local to me, at a indoor track that i used to work at, so i feel i have the upper hand since i know where the grippy/slippy parts are. The one thing I'm not feeling is the price. I have karting experience on my belt and would love to mix it up with some others. The break it down into groups by experience: GT1 is Pro, GT2 is Amateur, GT3 is noob... I would say i would be a GT1 fella, would like to go this Saturday and pay for a practice session to see how I rank with some other dudes...

http://www.procupkarting.com/

Just do it.

haha, emailed the kid organizing it, said Practice is $10, and it could go towards the race if i sign up. i want to start the season next year so i have a chance of winning it...

I go here once in a while:

http://www.gforcekarts.com/

It's a blast!

http://www.rushhourkarting.com/
We go here occasionally, my biggest issue is price too. Now I wanna go karting again.

http://www.andrettikarting.com/

I go here occasionally. Lots of fun. Most of the track is full throttle!

maroon92 wrote: http://www.andrettikarting.com/ I go here occasionally. Lots of fun. Most of the track is full throttle!

ya, thats where its gonna be. I used to work there so i know all the sweet spots..

I entered!

Oh god, what did i do?!?

SWEET.

I'm in a fantasy indoor karting league.

So... I am completely sore and upset...

Show up on Saturday morning with my girlfriend. There is 2 guys already out on track setting some lap times. The event organizer comes over and introduces himself and explains the Indoor Karting League. He says "why dont you throw your helmet on and jump in a kart and let me see what times you set..." So i throw my helmet on and start turning some laps. The first 2 dudes out there were turning high 24's, within the first 3 laps, i was at a 24.5. They then red flag me and tell me to jump into another kart. Ok, so i jump into another. This kart was CRAP! Understeer (yes i am the Duke of it) in every right hander, mad tyte drift oversteer in every left turn. So instantly my lap times drop to 26s. The organizers evaluated THOSE lap times to confirm that i am a GT3 driver (the novice group)...

They then have the driver's meeting, the usual "no bonzai outbraking, no spinning..." They randomly pull kart numbers out and guess what the Duke has? The Crap Kart! So we begin our 8 minute practice session. The seat belt is rubbing away at my right arm (now have a massive bruise there now) and since the kart seats are XLs, my spine is just getting rubbed away. Practice is over, next is Quali. There was no jump out, have some water. Just back to back to back sessions. I am completely beat. Seeing the white flag in Quali, i thought, "Ok, one good lap." So i gave it everything i had for that last lap which put me on pole for the race.

They line us up for the race, GT3 starts about 10 seconds back from the GT2 guys (running both groups at the same time). Standing start, green flag waves. By the end of the first lap, i was on the rear of the last GT2 guy. going thru the second turn i get "BAAAM!!" smacked up the back side by the person behind. The corner worker gets me straightened up and i go on. They black flag the kid who smacked me and made me pass him to get my position back. So i continue on, slowly catching the back of the GT3 group when "BAAAAMM!!!!" again!! Same kid, same turn. This time, no black flag for him. At this time, i completely give up. There was about 2 minutes left and by the time i am straightened out, the GT3 leader had lapped me. Checkered flag waves, i could barely turn the wheel to continue on the cool down lap.

I get out and go into the waiting room where my girlfriend was watching the whole thing. She said "why did that kid keep spinning you out?" i said "i have no idea, sucks." The organizer comes in to chat with me, says "ya, kid spun you out, I black flagged him for that incident, but the second time, you should have given him the position." I thought, when does Lewis Hamiliton see that Alonso is behind and then has to forfeit his position???

Anywho.... just completely sore with bruises on every limb i have. Have a giant red mark from the seat belt on my neck, bruise on my right arm from the seat belt, 4 sore spots on my back from the seat wearing the skin off my back, big red mark on my foot since my race shoes were worn away on the pedal.. Guess i better stick to cars and go autocrossing...

Rant over.

Go Karting is rough. I frequent On Track Karting in CT and that place beats you up. I, too, would have been pretty pissed at that guy.

As for the bruises, what works for me is a sweatshirt and if they have any of the seat inserts available for skinny guys like me. I end up sitting pretty high, but its better than being smashed up against the XL bucket.

I'd give it another shot. Maybe if you're in the GT2 class, the jackassses won't be smashing into you since you're with people who can presumably already drive well.