Driving for fun!

I've mentioned before that I don't have a problem with people driving for recreational purposes, if we can just make all their other day-to-day trips on better, greener transport. I can freely acknowledge the allure of the automobile- the ability for you, the driver, to have all of the abilities of a powerful machine right at your fingertips, to be used as you see fit.

Let me tell you, though, that I've never had so much fun driving anything as I did over the weekend at Corona's Pole Position Raceway. The proprietors have turned a warehouse into an indoor go-kart raceway- and these are not the go-karts that you've raced about at the local putt-putt centre. They maintain a fleet of electric 20hp karts with a top speed of 45mph. The electric motors mean they're both green AND fantastically powerful at every speed. The way the track is laid out, there's also really nothing for you to slam into- even the track barriers give way nicely, so you can drive these things as fast and as wild as you like.

The good news, alt-transport peoples, is that this is one of the many things that you can do in Riverside without a car! The raceway is a mere block from Magnolia/6th St. and Promenade in Corona, making it a short walk from RTA 1 and Corona Cruiser Blue. From Riverside or Corona, take either of these routes to Magnolia/6th and walk north one block. From elsewhere, take Metrolink to North Main-Corona and catch Corona Cruiser Blue to Magnolia/6th. Also, text "EK20" to 368266 to get a buy-one get-one coupon, giving you 2 races for $20. Satisfy your need for speed without involving a freeway.

Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation from Pole Position, but I did have a really good time there Sunday.