Older Adults are Embracing Go-Karting
March 10th, 2010The topic of Karting may seem a bit outside the scope of interests for say, the baby boomer generation. But, if the truth be known, many older adults are finding that Go-Karts offer an excellent recreational outlet. Jay Leno, who’s 59 as of this writing, is a fan. What kid isn’t enthralled at the prospect of driving? You might just want to consider participating in this ideal sport for the entire family, if you’re a boomer with children or a grandparent with grandchildren. If you want to spend some quality time with your youngsters or grandkids, you might want to consider this.
Because these cars started out as youngsters’ toys, many people think that go karts are basically for kids. It’s no surprise that many people aren’t aware that older adults can have a lot of fun on go karts, when you bear in mind their small size and the peculiar spelling. While there are junior leagues in go karting, it’s a lot more popular among adults, with karts capable of going as fast as sixty miles an hour.
Just try it in a go kart, and you’ll see how fast sixty miles per hour can really be, even if that kind of speed doesn’t feel very fast if you are driving a car on the interstate. There’s no suspension in a kart, no windshield, and no enclosed cabin to keep you from feeling the wind. Furthermore, you’ll feel every change in the pavement, since the bottom of a kart is only a few inches from the ground. Even professional racers say going top speed in a go kart feels much faster than the same speed in a Formula 1 racer.
Go karts are becoming popular with adults in all kinds of settings, even including corporate outings. With sessions focused on staff motivation, leadership development and team building, some go kart tracks do mostly corporate business. Even business professionals get to cut loose and hit the track in a go kart, with these corporate events committed to the metaphor of racing. In point of fact, karting is probably the fastest growing motor sport.
Serious go karting can be pricey, with kart ownership costing as much as a small car. High end go karts can cost more than ten thousand dollars and hit highway speeds, making it clear that they’re not basically for kids. This kind of racing kart is used only on large outdoor tracks. Indoor karts are used on smaller tracks and usually go only about forty miles per hour.
At the same time, the twists and turns on a commercial go kart track can make even that seem a great deal faster - it’s like a roller coaster that you can control. Indoor karts also have more safety features, such as steel buffers to keep cars from knocking wheels on a tight track - something that could be risky at high speeds.
Adults who are curious about driving go karts can simply walk into a track, and pay for a session - usually around thirty to forty dollars. However, 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 children. It’s also possible for kart enthusiasts to compete against one another, with adult racing leagues at most tracks. A typical race is fifteen laps, with each lap taking about twenty seconds.
Think again, if you’ve been thinking that go karting is basically for kids. This is a great sport that can be experienced by anyone. Many grownups are rediscovering go karting, and having a lot of fun.
