For several years, the members of the COCSD Racing Team have been kart racing. Most of that time has been spent at one of the three K1 Speed locations here in the San Diego area. We started at the original K1 Speed in Carlsbad back in 2008. The day the downtown location opened, some of us were there. I was there so often, I could probably drive it blindfolded. When that location got too crowded, we moved to theie newest location, in the Eastlake area of Chula Vista. Numerous publications have written about kart racing, calling the activity the least expensive way to improve your driving skills.
Rumors of an outdoor K1 Speed kart track had been around since before COVID shut everything down. The rumors turned into reality when the K1 Circuit opened just outside Winchester, northeast of Menifee. A few of us made our first visit to the track in May.
On Sunday, October 25th, fellow Racing Team members Greg Fleming, Maria Magdaleno and Frank Pizarro met me at the parking lot next to Yanni’s, just off I-15. Also joining us were COCSD member Ron Palmer, friend and former Z06 owner Damion Richards, Z Club of San Diego member Clif Yaussi, and three members of Maria’s “Yes, It’s Mine Corvette Club”, Melissa James, Vickie Mohn and Melanie Morse. We made the one-hour drive up to the track. There, we met Racing Team members Brian Schroeder, Chris Spencer and Roberta Degener, and her son Ryan, who had also joined us at Spring Mountain earlier in the month.
The place was quite literally “buzzing”, with the sound of very fast gas karts, being driven by kids barely old enough for school, teens, and adults. The track is configured for serious racer practices and alternately reconfigured into two separate layouts for the electric “arrive and drive” karts. We were assigned to the South track. None of us had driven this layout before, and it was FAST! These karts are much faster than the ones used at the K1 Speed indoor tracks. It took much more pedal effort to get them to slow, so you had to find your braking points quickly!
There were twelve racers in our group, but because they limit the number of drivers to ten per race, we were broken up into two groups. Brian, Damion, Frank, Greg, Clif and I were in the first group. First-timers Maria, Melanie, Melissa and Ryan were joined by Roberta and Chris in the second group. Both groups ran two races. Ron and Vickie were spectators, but we expect them both to step into karts the next time we visit. Damion ran the fastest time of the day, with a blistering best lap time of 44.0 seconds in the first group’s second race. I was a distant second at 47.2 seconds.
After racing, most of us drove to the Mexico Café in Temecula for their Sunday brunch. When we arrived, the place was packed! Maria (who drove her 2013 Grand Sport) and I (in my 2017 GSCE) were lucky enough to find parking spaces quickly. The others took a bit longer, but they did find spaces. We put our name in and we were told it would be up to an hour and a half wait for our group of eight. Not satisfied with that, Chris took charge and found us all seats at the bar. We all stuffed ourselves, said our goodbyes and hopped back on I-15 for the drive home.
Racing at K1 Circuit is expensive. It’s owned by the same group who own K1 Speed, but you can’t use the races you buy at the indoor tracks at the Circuit. Two races cost $75, and you must have an annual license that runs another $50. But it is much more fun than the indoor version. The track is considerably longer and wider, the karts are faster and there are no collisions. The South track was not as challenging as the North track we ran last time, but it was a blast all the same.
My thanks to everyone who joined me. It’s always more fun with a big group! We will head back up in the Spring. You should come check it out! In the meantime, our next trip to K1 Speed – Eastlake is Sunday, November 15 at 10 am. Come out and earn your Racing Team t-shirt.
Craig
