This past weekend, the Brothers Baruth ended up at Full Throttle Indoor Karting in Cincinnati, Ohio. I’d like to say that I dominated everybody on the way to victory, but…oh wait, that actually did happen, so I can say it. In the above picture, you can see my #11 kart taking the proper line through the last turn as I pass Jack’s #22.
The best part of it, and also the worst part, is that we didn’t get kicked out. Because that’s normally what happens.
Karting has been a tradition in our family for a long time. Back in the Nineties, we used to go to a karting track on the east side of Columbus that was also home to a Putt-Putt course. We got kicked out every single time, without fail. We broke carts, we spun people, we slammed each other into walls. Several times, there were people who wanted to fight us after a race, but they mostly thought better of it after they saw Jack’s “Glock” shirt or my high-school-football-hit-the-weight-room-three-times-a-day physique.
About five years ago, Jack and I used to go Competition Racing in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which was a fine indoor karting facility. Unfortunately, we also may have contributed to them closing their doors forever. Well, I only say that because we broke several of their karts before being asked to leave. For, like, forever.
I remember one particularly nasty incident where Jack ran into me at full speed in a corner, breaking the axle of my cart and also three of my ribs. As the wheel of my kart went sliding down the course, I figured that we were probably going to get kicked out. I was right.
But this past weekend, we managed to make it through two races, and we only got blackflagged once. I don’t really think we even deserved it—I mean, yes, I did intentionally spin somebody twice, but what the heck are you supposed to do when they’re showing him the “move over” flag and he doesn’t move over?
I’ve got roughly a ninety-pound weight advantage over my dear big brother, so it wasn’t hard to pull away in the straights, but we had a great time dueling in the corners. While the Full Thottle staff spent the majority of their time showing us signs like STOP BUMPING and SERIOUSLY, PLEASE STOP BUMPING and ENOUGH WITH THE EFFING BUMPING, GUYS, they were mostly very tolerant of our sibling rivalry.
The top times for the week were in the 28 second range, but I was only able to get down into the low 29s due to some traffic issues and OH YEAH SOME HUGE GUY WHO KEPT BUMPING ME but we had a great time, regardless. My totally unsponsored, unsolicited, I-got-nothing-for-this-post-and-still-had-to-wait-an-hour-to-race-even-though-I-know-the-owner opinion of Full Throttle is that it’s the best karting facility in the Midwest. They have a wonderful staff, a great track, and they’re expanding to add a second full course and a kid’s course for 4-7 year olds, as well. I highly recommend making a trip there.
In fact, I’d like to offer a challenge to any Riverside Green readers. Let’s have our own karting day. If you’re within a three hour drive of Cincinnati, let me know and I’ll work with Joe, the owner, to put together something for us. I’d really like to meet more of you in person. You’re good people.
I’m game to be a 265lb rolling chicane.
I was there a few months ago with some co-workers. It’s actually a pretty fast go kart track, I’d highly recommend it. I loved how the track workers were clearly trying to clear traffic from in front of the fast driver’s as a first priority.
I’m in!
Would love to but I’m in VT. If you ever come out, we’ll go to K1 Speed in Montreal!
“In fact, I’d like to offer a challenge to any Riverside Green readers. Let’s have our own karting day.”
not if that’s the way you drive.
Don’t be skeered.
only if I get a blue shell.
_I’M_ not askeert ! you’re just too far away (yeah , _right_ ) .
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It sounds like you had a helluvva good time , I’m surprised the Tack Staff didn’t black flag the a-hole who refused to yield as that’s very unsafe .
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More writeups on this .
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-Nate
Pole Position Karting is another national chain that does the same thing. My crew in OKC were notoriously similar to you two in our racing efforts. They got us back by hiring one of us to be the kart mechanic. So we knew which karts were running good that day, which had new tires and which to avoid. But we also were a lot nicer to the equipment.
Next time your travels land you in Atlanta, there is an outstanding facility about an hour north in Dawsonville at Atlanta Motorsports Park. Its outdoors, but features some fantastic elevation changes and very fast karts.
I will be in the ATL the week of 8/10. I’m game!
I would attend, if it fit my schedule and was during mud season. I don’t think I would be anything but cannon fodder on the track but I am sure I would have fun and try to stay out of the big boys way.