World's largest go-kart company now open in Avon

AVON, Ohio – No kid (or adult) who envisions racing as fast as Lewis Hamilton will start out on F1 tracks in Europe. But dreams have to begin someplace, so why not Avon?That’s where K1 Speed, the world’s largest go-kart company, has opened a track right off of Interstate 90. Racing began at the end of August in a former machinery plant.“It’s for everybody who is interested in racing a go-kart and the adrenaline rush to race against your friends,” said Uli Perez, quality control manager and franchise manager for K1 Speed, which has 20 to 25 employees in the Avon location.“It’s a nice track here. It’s one of the longest tracks we have,” he said.Perez said they measure by time, and Avon’s track is averaging almost a 33-second lap time. That’s about eight seconds longer than other locations.The track has one straightaway, on the back coming down to the checkered flag.“You can go full throttle into that turn, you can pick up some speed,” he said.It’s all about giving customers “an adrenaline rush, to give them wheel-to-wheel racing with friends or family.”Perez - who works on everything from operations, décor, track and the go-karts – said all of K1 Speed’s tracks are different.The company also offers challenges.“Our U.S. champion will compete against the world champion,” he said, with first prize at $25,000 this year. Avon probably will host regionals.Since the tracks are different in length, racers compete for first, second and third place, not time.“A good driver will adapt to the track,” said Perez, who said the challenges are for adults, teens and juniors, with the latter competing in smaller go-karts. Champions move on to compete in regionals, then advance to nationals and international competition. The company has 107 locations in 32 states and Puerto Rico, as well as tracks in Canada, China, England, France, Italy, Mexico and South Korea.A points leaderboard for the top 50 drivers at all locations is posted near the entrance. Points are earned through wins, fastest lap times and best average. Prizes are awarded.But before any racer sees himself or herself as the next Mario Andretti, Janet Guthrie or Lyn St. James, staffers will offer a brief training session to explain the karts, functions and flags – “the do’s and the don’ts of racing,” Perez said.Even in just the brief time since the Avon track has been operating, Perez said he is seeing return customers and a mix of ages from 7 to about 50.The track is full of S turns and varies between 15 to 20 feet wide, depending on the turn. Perez said turns where racers can gain some speed tend to be wider for more “forgiveness.”Between races, staffers roll what amounts to an industrial duster of sorts across the still-pristine surface.“We actually bead blast the actual concrete surface so it creates a little bit of a rough surface so the tires can grip onto the surface. Usually when you bead blast the first week or two it’s almost like a little bit of sandpaper so it kind of shaves the dust off the tires,” Perez said.Lap times, he said, are already getting faster.Perez knows his way around the track. He has been working for K1 Speed for about 20 years. The company opened its first location in Carlsbad, California, in 2003.Ohio has tracks in Columbus and Canton, so “adding one near Cleveland was the idea to get the triangle effect to get everybody around here. I think this area hasn’t had something like this,” he said.“This is a destination location,” Perez said. “It’s not like you’re going to drive by and say, ‘Oh, let me just pop in.’ People plan to come out for the day and spend a couple of hours and race.”K1 SpeedLocation: 1500 Nagel Road, Avon. It’s a quarter mile north of I-90 on the west side of the road.Hours:• Noon to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday.• Noon to midnight Friday.• 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday.• 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.Parking: Dedicated lot.Note: It’s open 364 days per year. Only closed day is Thanksgiving.Bar/concessions: A bar offers pizza, burgers and chicken tenders. A liquor license is in the works for beer and wine.Amenities: About two dozen stand-alone games fill a corner area, including Skee-Ball, air hockey, claw machines and – of course - racing.Rentals: Companies and groups can rent out the track, plus the space is available for birthday, bachelor and other parties. A private room holds 50.Cost: A ride is about 12 laps, which last about eight to 10 minutes. Cost is $29 per race plus annual $8.50 membership, which includes balaclava (head sock), birthday race and 10% off merchandise.