Best Go-Karting in Iowa

[Cycsk]

Where are the best places to drive go-karts in Iowa?

I'm thinking about the informal races where you get to drive against your friends for 15 minutes at a time, not true races on a track. Looking for go-karts that go pretty fast, let you do some bumping, and maybe have turns where you get to slide.

 

[ianoconnor]

Off topic, but if you are ever in Denver, you gotta hit up the Unser Racing place.
Unser Racing - Indoor Karting High Speed Go Karts in Colorado - Powered by Clvr.Tv

Went there when I was out in CO for the last ISU/CU game. It was awesome.

 

[KFitzy87]

I wanted to try every go-kart track in Branson MO when my parents took our family there 10 years ago... Alas, we only got a single go-around at one of the more boring tracks.

 

[cyadict]

Home Page--Slideways Karting Center...Iowa's Premier Go-Karting Facility!

 

[1100011CS]

Where are the best places to drive go-karts in Iowa?

I'm thinking about the informal races where you get to drive against your friends for 15 minutes at a time, not true races on a track. Looking for go-karts that go pretty fast, let you do some bumping, and maybe have turns where you get to slide.

Home Page--Slideways Karting Center...Iowa's Premier Go-Karting Facility!

No Bumping, Hitting, Cutting off, or Intentional Spinning of another Kart.

I doubt you'll find bumping allowed at any go-kart track

 

[Cycsk]

Home Page--Slideways Karting Center...Iowa's Premier Go-Karting Facility!

So what is this place like?

Are the cars fast? The website says you do 18 laps in 4 minutes, so it is either a short track or fast cars.

How serious are they about no bumping and no cutting off? That is half the fun when you are racing friends. I love to have a not-so-fast car, but do lots of blocking and passing in the corners.

 

[CyOps]

I've been to Joe's Karting in Council Bluffs. Its an indoor track with 9hp carts. We went as a group and raced each other. They have a computer tracking system that records your lap times.

The carts are fast and they take it pretty seriously. Rubbing may be racing but they will stop everything if there is too much horsing around. Also, pay attention if they do stop everything or you might plow someone into the wall.

 

[IcSyU]

let you do some bumping

Good luck. HUGE liability issue for the place to let go.

 

[Cycsk]

I doubt you'll find bumping allowed at any go-kart track

I expect that they will all have "no bumping" rules, but some are really strict about enforcing it. A few years ago in Gatlinburg, they let us "have at it" at some of the courses.

 

[Cycsk]

I've been to Joe's Karting in Council Bluffs. Its an indoor track with 9hp carts. We went as a group and raced each other. They have a computer tracking system that records your lap times.

The carts are fast and they take it pretty seriously. Rubbing may be racing but they will stop everything if there is too much horsing around. Also, pay attention if they do stop everything or you might plow someone into the wall.

Joe's Karting looks fun. The hairpin turns are great equalizers of the cars on a track like that. Even though the cars go fast, you can't go fast for very long, and going too fast into a turn makes you easy to pass.

 

[Senolcyc]

Home Page--Slideways Karting Center...Iowa's Premier Go-Karting Facility!

League night? Standings? Wings on go-karts?

Might have to lay off softball guy and start bagging on go-kart guy.

 

[cyfan964]

I got kicked off of the Kart Ranch in Okoboji for life. Yes it's possible. Apparently if you blow a tire, get spun around, and drive the track backwards... well let's just say they frown on that.

 

[Cycsk]

I got kicked off of the Kart Ranch in Okoboji for life. Yes it's possible. Apparently if you blow a tire, get spun around, and drive the track backwards... well let's just say they frown on that.

OK, apart from your unique experience, what is the Kart Ranch like?

 

[ty4cy90]

The Kart Ranch is closed now. Used to be a pretty fun course and they didn't care what you did really. They also had a slick track, but I didn't do that much because of the higher age limit.

 

[cowboycurtis]

We did the karts in Knoxville last summer and they let us get away with some pretty serious bumping.

 

[Cycsk]

We did the karts in Knoxville last summer and they let us get away with some pretty serious bumping.

Was this at Slideways?

Their cars look fun (big tires), but the track looks like a simple oval. Is it mostly about managing your slides on the ends of the oval to pass?

 

[isufbcurt]

Was this at Slideways?

The Slideways cars are pretty fast (not as fast as the ones at the indoor place that used to be in Ames though) and they will let you bang a little.

The best time to go to slideways is when one of the Knoxville Nationals races (whether it be 410 Sprints, 360 Sprints or the Late Models) are going on because chances are you will have a couple drivers over there during the day that you can race with.

 

[isufbcurt]

Was this at Slideways?

Their cars look fun (big tires), but the track looks like a simple oval. Is it mostly about managing your slides on the ends of the oval to pass?

Yes simple oval, but u must figure out how to pass and properly apex the corner so that's the challenge that makes it fun.

 

[Cycsk]

Is there nothing in the immediate Des Moines area?

 

[Clones21]

Sprockets in West Des Moines was the place to be like 5 years ago. No idea why it shut down. Those Karts flew! Also had paintballing there.