Need for speed!
KEVIN Dufty, operator of the go-karting venue, Pole Position Karts in Eastlea, yesterday announced an exciting new venture: ‘’Pole Position Karts — Stadium’’.
The new go-kart venue boasts a longer, wider and faster rental kart track with several different layouts. At 9 metres wide, with a full track length of 600 metres for rental karts, the track offers exciting opportunities for casual karters and future competitive stars.
‘’We saw the popularity of our Eastlea venue, and wanted to offer this fun experience to even more people,’’ Dufty enthused.
Built within the grounds of the National Sports Stadium, the new track is geographically located to bring this exciting sport to a wider audience.
‘’We don’t stand still and continue to innovate every season. We’re always looking to bring karting to more people,’’ Dufty explained, ‘’And we set out to create a modern facility that could not only support kart competitions, but would also give those interested in recreational karting a chance to experience the sport.’’
Rental karts are specially built go-karts that are stronger than race karts and are suitable for almost anyone to drive.
‘’Anyone older than 8-years-old, who is easily able to reach the brake and accelerator and is taller than 1.3m, can drive — including adults.
‘’Most of our visitors to the track in Eastlea are adults, but we also get a large number of youngsters who want to have a go as well,’’ Dufty said.
‘’Rental karting is popular in Zimbabwe, as we have proved over the last eight years with thousands of people driving their first kart at our Eastlea venue. Like the Eastlea venue, the new track will boast a stateof-the-art electronic timing system that allows drivers to check their lap times to a thousandth of a second.’’
As well as ‘’arrive and drive’’ rental karts, where the public can drive a kart along with other karts on the track, the venue will offer coaching sessions for those who are interested in taking this sport further without having to purchase a racing kart.
‘’I hope to be able to train people who would like to improve their karting,’’ explained well known kart racer Zac Dufty. ‘’It’s my chance to give back to this great sport and show how much fun it can be!’’
Dufty, and his son Zac, have over 30 years of experience in go karts, both locally and internationally, with Kevin having competed in national karting events in the 1980s and Zac having raced for 10 years here in Zimbabwe and in South Africa, at two ROK World Cup races in Italy and also in the UK. The two will oversee operations at both tracks with a team of fully trained mechanics and marshals to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun experience.
Experienced rental kart drivers may also be invited to take part in formal rental kart competitions.
‘’ These events have been very popular at our venue in Eastlea and the longer and wider track here will provide an even more exciting drive for these experienced drivers,’’ Dufty explained. ‘’We have big plans for endurance and championship competitions.’’