Actually got to go over there when my wife and I went to Lakeland to visit her (snowbird) dad. Wound up with two Bengios (one for me and one for my son) and two pairs of gloves. It was interesting packing the Bengios into our bags for the flight home. Only had time for one session with the low hp TonyKart rentals but had fun. The rental karts used the same layout the kart owners did (.8 mi?) so lap times were in the 70 sec+ range. If you can get your helmet in your baggage, do it - the helmets were well used but clean enough and they provide a thin head sock. Very friendly staff (especially when you’re buying two Bengios 
) Brush up on your Portuguese!
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Yeah I usually travel with my lid. It was nice you got to ride the full track on the rentals. Usually the rentals do an inner loop, at least whe. I’ve been there. It’s not the prettiest place but it’s a fun track and a good operation.
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It is in an unexpected location, isn’t it? I’ll definitely go back if I get the opportunity. Since they were alternating rentals and owners I guess they figured it was easier to run everyone on the same layout. Somehow I gotta figure out how to get my kart down there in the winter… My wife and I work virtual, maybe it’s time to spend a month working from my FIL’s place in the winter 
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Coming soon: 2023 Update!
We will be heading back to Andretti the 24th in evening and OKC the 25th.
I will try out the fancy simrigs at Andretti this time. I will also engage in a 4-hr instruction day with Matt at OKC on the speedy kart.
Dean, yeah I think that’s what they do Monday’s and Tuesday’s now. The track is closed but for a modest fee you can arrange a private lesson on their speedies. It’s a shockingly good deal imho at 350 bucks. I expect to spend 700+ generally for kart days. 4-stroke makes it so much more affordable.
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And Andretti. Video and thotts will be provided. It’s quite warm here in Florida and hopefully the weather stays dry for Tuesday session with Matt.
First time back in the kart since doing the 6hr with Elias at NJMP, last summer. I’m a bit apprehensive, I feel like I’ve aged a bit, been lazy, and wonder if I’ll hurt a bit more this time around. My sim driving is OK, so I’ll probably be fine in terms of pointing the thing and keeping it in the rubber. It’s the stamina bit that has me worried.
I’ll head over to Andretti Monday evening to go see if I can go quicker this time. If anyone wants to come race, LMK.
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Just tried the “sim rigs”
Well it looks like they replaced the cool looking CXC simulations rigs with some sort of amuso-rig. It’s on actuators, which is cool, but overall it was a fairly lame experience. Where to begin… wellp every assist under the sun is on so the driving is stupidly forgiving. The ffb felt klacky and didn’t provide any meaningful insight as to what was happening, grip-wise, which is wierd. The pedals also were numb. The motion bit was cool and worked though.
Just got done watching the first three sessions of my Andretti-thon from this evening.
I scheduled six sessions which couldn’t start until 7:29 and were then weirdly spaced, ending about 9:45. Given that it was 6 I asked the lady if she could maybe space them tighter. This brought out a manager, who explained that they have to do 2 sessions between sessions. I said it’s all good let’s do this. I had not meant to cause a fuss.
The experience was great. I really enjoy the track and the cars and enjoy the racing. It is crowded and the skill level varies dramatically. This comes into play as you lap, which feels basically like a quali. You are just trying to put down the fastest lap while dealing with all the traffic.
I was really worried that I’d be knackered but I was fine. And I was wrong to ask them to tighten things up, schedule wise. What it ended up feeling like was, despite a long initial wait, once I got going, I had 10-15 mins between heats, which felt just right.
The driving felt sublime. Grippy, responsive, like my sim. Fun to drive and weave around in the rubber. The limitations of the kart frustrate, a bit. You’d love to see what you could do, unrestricted. The engine hits a limiter, which comes into play once or twice, and the engine behaves oddly when you give it certain pedal inputs… but, once you learn to drive around its limitations…
At some point the manager hopped into a race and lost to me, apparently. As I was preparing to leave the pits after my 6th session, one of the guys explained that the manager wanted to have another crack at it and asked me to race again, on the house. 
We had a good time, racing pretty hard until something g transpired that seemed to require his attention in an official capacity, and he pulled over. It was fun while it lasted. Fortunately, there were some other worthies over the course of the evening. I had some good times trying to get past some of the better drivers.
I also had to be wise about how hard I pushed folk. There were some grandmas, for example. I had to channel @tjkoyen 's teachings and read the drivers driving carefully, and act appropriately. This is because in an early round, I nearly accelerated someone’s mom into a chicane wall.After that, “Oh shit!” moment, I gave berth where needed. But, I wasted no time. Fun.
My grievances remain the same. There’s nowhere to sit between heats. Their scheduling makes no sense. But, the staff is great and the driving is good. I really enjoy trying to go fast and win the leaderboard races. I really like the karts adjustability and the way it handles, too. These are really good electric rentals, imho. And, I really like the canned engine roar.
There’s also a cool third floor track, with banked corners, that seems fun. The young lady there told me that I was better off downstairs, for racing. They throttle the karts on the banked track because the tight turns after the banks are just too much for the average patron. Chatting with her, she tells me that she races, and that the staff race after-hours, which is awesome, imho. A cool place.
In the morning I go to OKC, so, the story continues anew. Until then, be well and dream of apexes.
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I’m a bit early
Wake up! Time to kart!
Progress made. I have been allowed into the compound where I now hope someone shows up to let me go karting.
8:45 and no signs of life. Email checked. Am here correct day. Fingers crossed.
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Eureka!!!
Just look at how pretty it is. It’s mine for the day. Woo!
The booking system went snafu and Matt isn’t here, fortunately they are able to get me out.
The fella who used to work at OVRP, Daniel, is here and giving a lesson to a lil fella. The gentlemen who set me up in the Kosmic is a shifter kart masters pro, it appears. He’s headed off to race KZ in a Euro championship event soon, so he joined me on track for a few laps. I believe he won masters at the recent USPKS pro race here. He was also kind enough to give me some advice about using less course correction inputs and some line thotts. Very helpful.
Doing surprisingly well, stamina wise, considering all the karting last night and only 4,5 hrs sleep. I am pleased and will be able to race just fine.
Turns out he owns the place. We got to talking and I got all sorts of interesting stories. Nice gentleman! We ended up grabbing lunch after, which was pleasant!
The kart was a brand new Kosmic with Honda gx390. Really nice kart, handled like a dream. The track had wet spots, which dried out by the third session. I had zero complaints. It would have been nice to do the lesson with Matt, but this was terrific, all things considered.
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Andre has been on the scene for a good while. Good driver who knows his stuff!
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Indeed. A gentleman as well. I figured you knew him.
I declare myself physically fit to endurance race. I did just fine despite the long hiatus. I could use some strength, but that will come as I do more karting.
I really enjoyed my karting this time around. I had just as much fun at Andretti as I did at okc, just in different ways. It sure was nice to drive a new Kosmic as I have always wanted to try a Tony kart. I’d like to come back to okc and race, though. I’m tired of just lapping! Give me action and adventure, send me worthies to battle!
And, I found Sahib’s garage. I did not break in and steal his #10 socket.
@Muskabeatz you got any of them fancy pro tour trophies? I want one but they seem hard to get.
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I do have some Pro Tour trophies, but all of mine say either 2 or 3 
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I am neither confirming nor denying this.
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20characters 
I’m not sure what turn it’s called but it seems I was on a different layout than the one Ryan is on in this video. After I pass the clubhouse, the straight bit was shorter for me, I think.
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That’s the short layout. They just push the barrier in so it’s a short straight. The long straight ends with a hairpin, and a harsh corrugated metal runoff on the exit.
Trust me I know.
Yeah now that you mention it I recall the metal ridges on the normal turn.