Kartplex Open House

[peterjank]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give you a heads up that Kartplex, the new kart track in the parking lot of the Chicagoland Speedway, is holding their open house this Saturday (March 25) from 10am to 3pm. My understanding is that they will have arrive and drive karts available (free of charge) for people that want to take a few laps to try out the track. For more info, check out:

www.kartplex.com

[D. Harrington]

Roberto, my son and I went out to Kartplex on Saturday for the open house. I have to say that we were not very impressed with the "facility". They had the track striped and some barriers in place. We ran 5 or 6 laps in their 9hp arrive and drive karts. The track is in a parking lot outside of the oval on the turn 1 side of the speedway. The track is very tight and I really can't see 100cc karts safely racing at this facility as it is very tight and there is a lack of run off areas in high speed corners. They have a shipping container next to the parking lot that they will store their arrive and drive karts in. They also had an office in a trailer. They have their opening race on 4/9 and they do not look like they are ready. I don't forsee taking my son to race there unless they make significant changes to the size and layout of the track. Did anyone else go out there? What are your thoughts?

Dave

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

Ditto Dave

I understand they are planing some changes to the layout and I hope that means addressing some of the safety issues.

[peterjank]

I was out there as well.

A few of the drivers there commented on the narrowness of the track and I would agree that it is too narrow. It definitely seemed like they were trying to squeeze too much onto a small footprint.

The track area also needed paving. It was extremely bumpy.

I'm going to try and run on it a few times this year. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[rct25]

Hi,

This is a track over a parking lot.

http://www.lakc.org/images/calspeed_photo.jpg


L.A. Kart club, take a look at their site:

http://www.lakc.org/

RCT25

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

LAKC has the right idea. That's more of what I was expecting from the Kartplex in Joliet, but instead it looks more like a concession kart track. I get the impression they're willing to make changes so I hope they'll listen to the 'right' people and give us a good place to race. There can never be too many good tracks to race at.

[rct25]

Phil,

A track like the LAKC is what a lot of people was expecting too. :(
Hopefully they will make the neccesary changes.

Roberto

[peterjank]

That's what I was hoping for as well. I drove a 6-hour enduro on the LAKC course last November and really enjoyed it. A nice wide open layout and very smooth with the exception of one turn that had some ruts in it.