You might not expect the baby boomer generation to be very interested in the subject of race karts. But many older adults are finding that Go-Karts offer a terrific recreational outlet, if the truth be known. One enthusiast is Jay Leno, who is 59 as of this writing. What kid doesn't yearn to drive? If you're a boomer with children or a grandparent with grandchildren, you might just want to consider participating in this ideal sport for the entire family. You might want to give this some thought, if you want to spend some quality time with your youngsters or grandchildren.

Because these cars started out as youngsters' toys, many people think that go karts are just for youngsters. It's no surprise that many people don't know that older adults can have a lot of fun on go karts, when you consider their small size and the unconventional spelling. While there are junior leagues in go karting, it's a lot more popular with adults, with karts capable of going as fast as sixty miles an hour.

Only try it in a go kart, and you'll see how fast sixty miles per hour can really be, even if that sort of speed doesn't feel very fast if you are driving a car on the interstate. There's no enclosed cabin to keep you from feeling the wind in a kart, no suspension, no windshield. In addition, the bottom of a kart is only just off the ground, so you'll feel every change in the pavement. Travelling at top speed in a go kart feels much faster than the same speed in a Formula 1 racer, even professional racers say.

Corporate outings are turning more and more to go karting. With sessions focused on team building, leadership development and staff motivation, some go kart tracks do mostly corporate business. Even business professionals get to cut loose and hit the track in a go kart, with these corporate events dedicated to the metaphor of racing. Karting is, the truth is, very likely the fastest growing motor sport.

Serious go karting can be pricey, with kart ownership costing as much as a small car. This clearly is not just for youngsters - high end go karts can cost more than ten thousand dollars and hit highway speeds. Indoor karts are used on smaller tracks and usually go only about forty miles per hour, while high end racing karts are used only on large outdoor tracks.

At the same time, the twists and turns on a commercial go kart track can make even that seem considerably faster - it's like a roller coaster that you can control. Indoor karts also have more safety features, like steel buffers to keep cars from knocking wheels on a tight track - something that could be risky at top speeds.

Adults who would like to try driving go karts can simply walk into a track, and pay for a session - usually approximately thirty to forty dollars. Since these karts are a lot more powerful than ones driven by kids, they'll have to wear protective clothing and go through a safety talk. There are even adult racing leagues at most tracks, allowing kart enthusiasts to race against one another. Each lap takes about twenty seconds, and a typical race is fifteen laps.

If you've been thinking that go karting is just for youngsters, think again. This is a terrific sport that can be experienced by anyone. Many grownups are having a lot of fun, rediscovering go karting.