photos by Marlene Karas/ViewTop, Blaine Conrad gets ready to race against his friends in one of the karts at Pole Position Raceway, 4175 S. Arville St. Bottom, 18-horsepower electric karts go around the track.
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When you walk into Pole Position Raceway, 4175 S. Arville St., the first thing you'll notice are the uncontrollable smiles plastered on the faces of those who have just raced. And once you've raced yourself, you'll know why.
First-timer? Seasoned karter? No problem. All are welcome at the raceway that offers a unique alternative on those days when you've seen every movie in the theater or don't want to fight the heavy traffic of the Strip to have a good time. Because of the indoor track, Pole Position is always open, and since the karts are electric, there are no smelly fumes to stink up the 60,000-square-foot facility.
"It's a great date night, great for companies," said Brad Mark, managing partner of the Las Vegas operation. "It shows that people have been hungry for something new, something fun. Vegas rocks for all that stuff."
According to Mark, speed and competition are what draws people to Pole Position's track.
"We have the fastest indoor karts in America. Not only are these karts fast, but they are consistent. It creates a great racing environment. Those competitive juices get flowing. It's you getting around in that kart."
And he's right, once strapped into the little vehicle and set free on the 1/4-mile track, you'll find little matters except the goal of coming in first. Pretty soon, you'll be trying to figure out the best technique for getting around those sharp corners as quick as you can. When the race ends, your forehead will be a little sweaty, your heart will still be in race mode, your hands may still be clenched tight and you can bet your life you will be smiling, waiting for the chance to do it all over again.
Frank Phillips spent a recent evening at Pole Position to celebrate a friend's bachelor party. For him, speed is what drew him to the venue, "Would I be here if it wasn't fun? It gives your liver a little break," he said.
Each driver's statistics are recorded on a Speed Sheet. After each race, everyone who participated receives a printed copy of their Speed Sheet, which shows them where they ranked against their competition, as well as every Pole Position racer. There is also a high-tech scoreboard above the track that shows each driver's progress throughout the race.
The scoreboard showed that Phillips came in first in the competition among the bachelor party, which may have been due to the pep talk Mark gave the group beforehand.
"I was giving them tips on what they could do to work together, to get faster and to get around those corners," said Mark, who is always on hand to offer suggestions to booked groups. "It is the best feeling in the world to see those guys high-fiving each other."
Before each race, everyone must go through a safety briefing given by a trained staff member.
"The entertainment and the fun factor come after the safety," Mark said. "We teach you what we expect out of you out on the track. It boils down to your comfort level."
Besides the bachelor party, Pole Position sees people of all ages and different skill levels come out to take their chance on the track. The only requirement is that drivers must be taller than 48 inches.
Bobbie Shiner, a first-time driver, laughed about her debut race.
"They probably thought there was something wrong with me because I kept waving people by. I need more practice," she said.
For those that choose to just watch the races, a second-story area with pool tables provides bird's-eye view.
Throughout the indoor track that was co-designed by NASCAR champion and Pole Position Raceway shareholder Kurt Busch are plenty of interesting memorabilia to catch your attention. Just a few of the items are race-worn suits from NASCAR stars Jeff Gordon, Busch and Kyle Petty; IndyCar series race cars driven by Ryan Briscoe and Sam Schmidt, as well as Busch's Legends Car.
Pole Position offers a variety of meeting and party rooms for those who like to travel in groups.
As Mark put it, the race track is just "an unbelievably cool environment. It's a really neat way of taking the sport to a new level."
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