They’re celebrating a win.
An indoor go-kart track has snagged a Guinness World Record for being the largest of its kind. This intricate, winding setup had NASCAR star Ricky Stenhouse Jr. trying out his skills on Tuesday.
RPM Raceway in Farmingdale officially welcomed Stenhouse, the winner of the 2023 Daytona 500, who took a solo lap on the expansive 3,515.7-square-foot track.
“I’ve won a lot of races, but this is my first time here,” Stenhouse remarked.
He navigated the multi-level track, only to quickly find out that there were “a lot of corners,” especially while trying to weave through it at about 40 mph.
“The hardest part is figuring out where you are and which corner you’re approaching. When I walked it earlier, I thought I knew the way back,” he added.
What’s dubbed the “megatrack” is actually a combination of three different raceways at RPM, each under 1,500 feet. Recent improvements, amounting to millions of dollars from November to April, introduced new heights and a versatile six-way course layout, which includes the record-holder’s racing format.
On Monday, the track opened to the public for $30.
Stenhouse expressed his enthusiasm about each turn, particularly on the banked corners, as he completed the lap with a time just shy of 1:40 — precisely 1:39.8.
“In some spots, you really feel like you’re flying. It was a lot of fun,” he said.
Andy Glass, a Guinness adjudicator, highlighted that the record falls under a new category where the minimum length was set at 900 meters, or about 2,952.76 feet.
“I’ve certified over 100 records, from the fastest jugglers to the highest piñata,” Glass stated. “This is definitely one of the most exciting records.”
Even Glass geared up to try out the karts during a few soft openings on Long Island before the official celebration. He joined a later heat alongside staff, with some managing to beat Stenhouse’s lap time by about a second.
Fully open
Go-karting is straightforward to pick up after just a few moments behind the wheel, and with the handling of RPM’s new fleet, drivers can push their limits at impressive speeds.
While it might be tricky to anticipate what’s coming up on the course, that uncertainty adds to the excitement.
Racers navigate straightaways and descending ramps that create a roller-coaster-like experience, blending thrills with competition throughout the ride.
Even the thrill of spinning or colliding with others, which some post reporters experienced on Tuesday, felt more exhilarating than hazardous.
For seasoned racers like Stenhouse, it’s a nostalgic return.
“I grew up racing go-karts,” he shared. “And nearly everyone in our NASCAR Cup series started that way, so it’s nice to reconnect with those roots.”
