Shameless Plug: Come Kick My Ass On The Track

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

If you live in the Greater Toronto Area and hate me despite having never met me in person, I am inviting you to come kick my ass – at karting.

In 2011, I competed in the Mosport International Karting Arrive and Drive Series, and this year I’ll be back at it again (after sitting out 2012 to spend my weekends with my then girlfriend). The karting series held at Mosport is one of the best mosport bargains in North America. Registration is $149, while each race cost $60. For all that, you get a full season of karting (May-October) at one of North America’s great historic tracks.

The karts are brand new CRG chassis for 2013, with 6.5 horsepower 125cc 4-stroke Honda motors. Speeds top out at about 50 mph, which feels frighteningly fast without a seatbelt or any kind of protection from the elements. You will need a helmet and a karting suit to compete, and I highly recommend gloves if you don’t want to flay the skin off your palms.

I’ll be competing in the Sunday Afternoon group, and any TTAC readers are invited to come out and try and beat me. Be warned, I have been engaging in a fitness program to ensure success for this year – though it’s more Nigel Mansell than Michael Schumacher.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Tjh8402 Tjh8402 on Apr 03, 2013

    If you ever come down to Orlando let me know. I'll be happy to take up your challenge here.

  • MK MK on Apr 03, 2013

    A buddy of mine does this with shifter karts down in Sarasota and I went out a few months ago on the full track in a TaG kart. HOLY KRAP! What a blast, absolutely the most fun I've had on four wheels since that time with my wife and her friends, when they did that thing...but I digress.....if I lived closer to a kart road course I'd be there all the time. Acceleration and cornering grip is just unreal from an adrenaline junky standpoint. Plus You can't beat the value of kart racing and its accessible and just a ton of fun. Hell it's even great doing an on-demand four wheel drift through the turns even if it is a slower way to get through. Highly recommend giving it a try if you haven't.

    • BigDuke6 BigDuke6 on Apr 03, 2013

      Did a Bob Bondurant shifter kart course in Phoenix a few years back and I tell people the same thing: most fun I've had on four wheels. Unfortunately now my right knee won't let me fold my 6'2" frame into the yoga position required to drive a kart anymore without pain. You young guys: TRY IT before you get too brittle!

  • MeaCulpa MeaCulpa on Apr 03, 2013

    I only read the headlines and I haven't broken somebody's nose for ages and haven't kicked ass since my army days... You sir have a deal, even if I do not understand why you feel no shame for the plug that I presume you want in the area of kicking.

  • Daveainchina Daveainchina on Apr 04, 2013

    pfft where was this challenge 2 weeks ago when I was in Toronto?

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