When it comes to go-karts, most people might think of driving one outdoors for amusement but Accelerate Indoor Speedway in Mokena kicks things up several notches with pro-karts.
“Our go-karts are electric so think of them as kind of battery-powered little Ferraris or like the Tesla Roadster. The acceleration on the go-karts is much faster than if they were gas-powered,” said David Larson, managing partner of Accelerate Indoor Speedway.
The karting facility, which welcomes walk-ins, has two Grand Prix-style tracks. Up to 10 pro-karts are allowed on a track at one time, and the Italian-made vehicles with 20-horsepower electric motors can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH.
People who are looking for something different to do on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve might want to check out All You Can Race at Accelerate Indoor Speedway, which is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. both days.
“Typically our best customers are the ones who are going to sign up for that. It’s an opportunity for them to enjoy as much as they want to race. They can just keep on getting back into the queue for the karts,” said Larson, who grew up in the Southland and lived in Calumet City and South Holland.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to work on their lap times. When you’re racing consistently like that you get a little bit better on each race and make small adjustments.”
Unlimited racing is open to ages 13 or older who are at least 56 inches tall.
All You Can Race features a three-hour session, which includes a minimum of four high-speed 12-lap races and reserved race times.
“We highly recommend that people sign up online and they can do that through our website because it almost always sells out in advance,” Larson said.
“We keep it to a limited number of races because we don’t want to overcrowd it so they can get a lot of races in.”
Extras that can be added to the All You Can Race experience include a helmet cam video of the race for $6.99, a $20 arcade card to win prizes for $18, a $50 arcade card to win prizes for $40 and a one-hour unlimited game play card for $22.99.
An annual speedway license, which is required for first-time racers and costs $7.95, includes a free race the week of the racer’s birthday ($20 value), a free head sock ($4 value), use of helmets, online scoring, mobile app and access to special offers.
“We have the axe throwing. We have a good-sized arcade. We also have a multiplayer virtual reality attraction and we have our restaurant. We also have video gaming,” said Larson. Accelerate Indoor Speedway encompasses 75,000 square feet and includes Victory Lap Bar & Grill.
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The arcade has classic attractions such as Skee-Ball, mini hoops and air hockey, while the multiplayer arena offers two virtual reality adventures titled Reclaim! and Chaos Jump.
Junior karts, which are available for ages 8 and older who are at least 48 inches tall, include seat belts, roll bars and automatic shutoff in case of emergency and reach speeds of up to 25 MPH.
“It’s more important than ever before to be able to get out of the house in an environment where you feel safe,” Larson said.
“Our building is about the size of two football fields. There’s plenty of space to spread out and be within your own social bubble but still have time with people that you love and your friends and family, the people you hang out with all the time.
“There’s nothing like a little bit of friendly competition to make it more interesting. It gives you something fun to talk about. We’re all about creating memories. At the end of the day that’s what it’s all about.”
Accelerate Indoor Speedway, which opened in 2018 right before Christmas, has nine sister locations that operate as Autobahn Indoor Speedway & Events in Alabama, Florida, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.
“It’s fun to see all the customers enjoy themselves,” said Larson, who is also managing partner of Autobahn Indoor Speedway & Events.
“We wake up every day and we think about how it hardly feels like work sometimes. Even though it’s hard work, it’s the best kind of hard work.”
All You Can Race
When: 3-6 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31
Where: Accelerate Indoor Speedway, 8580 Springlake Drive, Mokena
Tickets: $60 per person for ages 13 and older only
Information: 708-457-7772; acceleratespeed.com/unlimited-racing
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.