Business & Tech

News Nearby: It's Full Speed Ahead for Pole Position Raceways

The new indoor go-kart track is hoping for an early spring opening.

Mike Johnson, owner of Pole Position Raceways, is used to speed. And he's counting on some construction speed to complete the transformation of a former Value City department store building at 8800 Watson Rd. to the new Pole Position Raceways go-kart facility.

As workers busily prepare the 56,000 square-foot building for its makeover into an indoor track, Johnson is eying a grand opening in mid-March--though no firm date has been set yet.

"We're working as fast as we can," Johnson said last week. "We're trying like crazy to get it built."

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Johnson says Pole Position is a family entertainment destination that features go-kart racing on the indoor track, arcade games and event and meeting rooms.

The go-karts themselves are not the typical karts seen at outdoor racing venues in the St. Louis area.

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"These are high-performance racing karts," Johnson said, adding that other go-kart facilities have karts that typically travel 10-15 mph, where drivers keep the accelerator floored during a lap around the track. The emission-free, electric karts at Pole Position Raceways, however, are capable of speeds up to 45 mph.

"(If you keep it floored) you will hurt yourself," Johnson said. "Be prepared to hit the brakes."

Johnson said the new building's interior currently is " a mess" as workers install the kart chargers, put up metal fencing and construct the interior meeting rooms (see accompanying photo gallery). But construction was proceeding in an orderly manner last week as the builders went about their jobs, working around the rows of newly delivered, still-wrapped go karts.

Once opened, Pole Position Raceways will offer several membership packages and will feature races for adults, youth, juniors and kids. Group outings also will be available for such events as team-building activities, corporate events, birthday celebrations and bachelor parties. Pole Position Raceways bills itself as "state-of-the art entertainment and white-knuckled excitement."

For more information, contact Pole Position Raceways at 314-925-7545 or visit PolePositionRaceway.com.


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