FIELD TRIP: K1 Speed

It was beautiful out yesterday, so what better way to spend it, than indoors racing go-karts? In the middle of the day, while kids are in summer school and most of us are at work (or should be) four of us went down to K1 Speed in Torrance, pulled burglar-esque hoods over our faces and strapped helmets to our heads. Why helmets, you ask? Because getting t-boned at 30+mph, turning your neck into a noodle, and knocking your head around would suck without one. These aren't the go-karts you raced at your Grandma's house in the country. These are 20hp, electric rockets capable of turning your knuckles white and keeping your back pinned to the seat at 40mph.



Bumping is not allowed, they will make you go back and re-register if you use a false name... Travers..., and they don't take kindly to cursing on the track, even if it was warranted and in the heat of true competition. Also, K1 tells you that you are not racing each other, but rather the clock in an effort to get the best lap time. But we all know that crap goes right out the window as soon as the first of the inevitable shit-talking starts flying. Well, it flew... we forgot about the clock, and went after each other with the smell of blood. Once we ignored the bumping rule and got the slow kid out of the way, we were able to let loose and really throw some karts around. Lucky for us, the staff seemed to be liberal with their warnings and evidently "bumping" is a term not so easily defined. I mean, c'mon, in the words of Kern Valley locals... "rubbin' is racin'."





















I'm not going to lie, and at the risk of sounding like a jr. high schooler, it was some of the most fun I can remember having in way too long. With 6 locations, (although one of those being in Seattle) K1 is quickly becoming synonymous with Southern California, and I have quickly become a fan. We inquired about season passes, and Chad and I decided that a rent-out was in order for the next ATG x Secret Service event. If anyone goes to one of the LA County locations, hit me up, I'll meet you there if I'm not there already working on my pole position.