YATES CENTER — Nintendo popularized go-kart racing with the creation of “Super Mario Kart,” in which players chose characters and raced around various tracks while using specialized power-up items to ward off competitors.
Unlike Mario Kart, real life go-karting offer doesn’t offer special power-ups, but pure adrenaline instead. YC Raceway hosted a prelude race Saturday in preparation for the Maxx Daddy Championship scheduled for Labor Day weekend.
“We’re just down here testing the track, making sure that it’s in tiptop shape,” promoter John O’Neal said. “We’re going to have about 500 entries from across the country. They’re coming in from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, basically everywhere.”
David and Debbie Trahan have owned the track since 2011 and opened it to go-kart racing later that year.
“It’s been a long time coming,” O’Neal said. “They’ve worked really hard at getting a national caliber track ready for this region.”
O’Neal said once people race here, they usually want to return.
“There are not a lot of tracks to go to,” O’Neal said. “Kansas is home to about four of the nicest kart tracks in the country and this one here is absolutely phenomenal.”
Daniel Ochs, 14, has been racing since 2007. He plans on joining the competition at the Maxx Daddy race weekend.
“My dad got a wing cart, and that’s kind of when we started,” Ochs said. “It’s fun and exciting.”
Nick Luetje, 11, has been racing for five years or so. His favorite part is winning.
“It’s been pretty good,” Luetje said. “We decided to do it just for fun and now we’re up to this stage.”
Drivers can start as young as 5 and race as long as they want. Drivers are separated by age groups and horsepower, to make sure everything is fair.
“Kids have the most restrictions because obviously as kids we’ve got to have them be safe,” O’Neal said. “Everybody is in safety gear. The children are required to wear a helmet, gloves, neck collar and chest protector. For the adults, it’s optional.”
For more information about the Maxx Daddy Championship, contact David Trahan at (620) 583-3480.
YC Raceway gears up for go-kart extravaganza
