Atlanta Karting

Cars are the lens through which J sees the world. So, naturally, when it came time to take my neice out on the town, going "go karting" was top of the list.

In Atlanta, you have four options when it comes to racing karts (from fastest to slowest):

 1. Atlanta Motorsports Park I have not been to this one yet as it's on the pricy side compared to other kart shops. This is the karting experience for kids (and adult kids) who really want to experience the pro racing side of karts. The karts can reach speeds of 125 mph, the track is engineered for racing and Atlanta Motorsports Park offers private instruction and a kart school for people who want to invest in a foundation in the fundamentals of pro driving. As I'm writing this, the price per three races (individuals can't split packages) is just over $90.

 2. K1 Speed K1 is fun! It's $75 right now for five races, and they run separate heats for juniors and adults. That can make it less intimidating for kids. When you're done, you can check your lap time on the screens in the waiting area outside the track. If all you've ever experienced are Bob's Fun World Go Karts on your family's beach trip, these karts are five steps up. The smell of fuel, the posted race times and the speedy turns make this feel less like generic fun and more like racing.

 3. Andretti I've never raced the karts at Andretti because there's just so many other things to do there. This place is really just a playground for big, grown-up kids (and I guess real kids) with an arcade, bowling, simulators, a ropes course, and laser tag.

 4. The Bumper Boats, Put Put, Hometown Go-Kart Spot Does every town have at least one of these spots? These karts aren't meant for tracking speeds or improving driving, they're perfect for finding something fun to do on a random afternoon. Some of All of these places have height regulations, and some have age requirements. Be prepared, of course, to complete safety waivers. We decided K1 was the best compromise for an adventurous girl new to motorsports, so we headed that direction. J raced a round to show S the ropes.

Before S was about to buckle up, a kid on the track had a meltdown and started screaming. It rattled everyone. We assured S that this was not the norm and that the track was totally safe, but we opted to come back to K1 after a few rounds of old style, hometown go-kart.

These were definitely much more approachable (slower). :)  Next time, K1. Next time!

Speed. Family. Toe Dip.