Archilla

Just got the email today that Dromo1 in Anaheim is going out of business. Last day of operation will be Saturday, May 29. If you haven't been there before and you are in the area, you should go while you can. Gas powered karts with solid axles, so they handle like real karts, not like those electric powered ones at K1.

I'll probably get over there this weekend and next. Sounds like a good excuse for a Rennlist meet up if anyone else in the area is interested.

-Ruben

chris walrod

Bummer indeed

BrandonH

That's just too bad. I travel constantly and have been to kart tracks from Maine to CA. I traveled regularly to Irvine for a few years and visited Dromo a half dozen times. I was in Laguna Niguel last week and thought of stopping by.
Indoor kart tracks had a bit of a renaissance a few years back but now seem to be distressed. I know it's an expensive luxury but I still maintain that karting in all forms is the best cost/benefit option for improving your driving. I don't understand why it is not more popular. When I look around at our car culture and the bling people buy, the only conclusion is that people would rather pimp their rides than improve their skills...

ltc

I'm not a big fan of indoor karting...IMHO outdoor sprint karting is a much better learning experience (especially in the wet).

95m3racer

Common theme from 08 until now...indoor places are hurting bad, and unless they have a big source of funding, they can't last long unless they operate on extremely low overhead or have a specialized market (all private parties, etc). VERY expensive business that does not profit much at all. The places that are still alive are either 1. well funded or 2. part of a much larger organization.

Evan Fullerton

Having spent many many hours at both K1 and D1 with functions for the company my Dad works with, I have to say that I did see this coming. I also have to say that I think K1 does a better job of translating to driving a car with there asphalt track as apposed to D1's polished concrete. At K1 you actually have to drive the track rather than drift it. The only thing negative I have to say about K1 is that unless you go with a private party, it is rare that you are on track with enough people that know what they are doing for the operators to derestrict the karts.

gums

is indoor karting following in the footsteps of slot cars and then radio control?

95m3racer

R/C market is booming from what i have seen. New companies are emergies into different R/C markets, cheaper hobbies are becoming more popular, and the bigger R/C companies are growing.

Look at Kyosho, HPI, Traxxas, Losi, etc.

gums

I was racing R/C about 15 years ago, there were indoor facilities all over the place here in the NE, I was racing two or three times a week. Indoor, electric, off road. On road was growing, too. Then they all started folding and I went karting (for about the same outlay!). Now they're all gone and all I can see is random gas cars in the woods, no organized events anymore. Maybe I just lost touch?

ltc

After a 35 year hiatus from R/C (I still have all my original planes and equipment), I was surprised by the R/C market today. Very active, modern technology (radios, batteries, motors, etc).

And I still have my original AMA number from the 70's.
I am looking forward to a long winter to build some new planes....of course it will be interesting to see if flying is like riding a bike...especially after 35 years away from the sticks.

gums

We're going off topic here, sorry about that, but I'm seeing that electic motors are now brushless?

ausgeflippt951

Dear lord I hope not.

I loved this place -- lotsa fun, the few times I've been there. What a bummer.