Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/357002
Kar t Racing on Track in Marina SHORTCUTS AT LARGE 90 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 4 S ome days, when the wind is just right, on the tarmac of what used to be Fritsche Army Air Field, the unmistakable whine of exotic race cars negotiating Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca makes a young man smile as he cinches the straps on his crash helmet under his chin. He's a mem- ber of a diverse and congenial group of wannabe Formula 1 jockeys known as the Monterey Bay Karters. And he's also about to hop into a high-tech, finely tuned race car to zoom around a track laid out at this for- mer Fort Ord helicopter base. Pacific Grove's Carlos Forte is one of that group. The club members meet here one weekend each month from February through October to get in touch with their inner Sebastian Vettel. "I'm a gearhead," Forte says, "I love cars, motorcycles, anything that goes fast." The things that go fast here are small, exquisitely maintained, high-powered ground-hugging minicars that zip around the course at speeds in the vicinity of 60 mph—and when that unforgiving pavement is just a couple of inches from a driver's backside, 60 can feel like 160. It's possible to get into the sport for around the same price as a used Hyundai—but a kart is infinitely more fun to drive. A weekend at the track means that Saturday is used for practicing and getting the kar ts set up for Sunday's racing schedule. Drivers employ just as many tweaks, adjustments and tricks as do the pros at Laguna to shave seconds off lap times. But here, perhaps, the atmosphere is a bit more egalitarian. "This is a close community of people having fun," Forte says. To that end, it's not unusual for a fellow karter to offer mechanical advice that results in losing a race. "These are super friendly, good hearted people. Our goal is to have fun and enjoy our time together." And, oh yeah…also to go fast. Spectators are welcome at kart races. For more information, see www.mon- tereybaykarters.com. —Michael Chatfield On the former Fritsche Army Air Field located on Fort Ord in Marina, Carlos Forte meets up with members of the Monterey Bay Karters to race karts around a track. The powerful minicars race at speeds of up to 60 mph. Photo: Kelli Uldall