The 5 Best Go-Kart Racing Tracks near Chicago
Have you ever dreamt about being an f1 driver? I won’t lie, Go-Karts are nowhere near as fast. But it is the closest thing you can experience to being a competitive driver. In fact, Karting is widely considered to be the “stepping stone to the higher ranks of motorsports”.
Go-Karting for the first time? There are a few rules common across all the facilities:
- To be able to race, you must sign a waiver or get it signed by your parent if you’re under 18.
- You must wear closed-toe shoes while driving.
- If you have long hair then the hair has to be pulled back in a pony tail or bun.
- You won’t be allowed to drive if you have heart issues or back issues (Consult with your doctor, or other qualufied healthvcare professional to know if you are allowed to drive).
Apart from those rules, every karting center has its own rules for minimum height/age requirements to enter a race (we have included the minimum requirements of all the centers in the list, please check the requirements before you visit).
Everything else including the go-karts, helmets, etc can be rented from the facility. You’ll just need to arrive and drive (or make an online reservation).
Here is the list of best Go-Kart Facilities for you to visit if you’re in Chicago!
- K1 Speed – Nearest to Downtown Chicago
- Accelerate Indoor Speedway – Best for Indoor Go-Karting
- Concept Haulers Motor Speedway – Best Outdoor Tracks
- Kart Circuit Autobahn – Alternative Outdoor Tracks
- Haunted Trails Burbank – Best for Kids (4-9 year olds)
1. K1 Speed
Get Direction(Addison):
2381 E. ARMY TRAIL RD. ADDISON, IL 60101
Get Direction (Buffalo Grove):
301 HASTINGS DR. BUFFALO GROVE, IL 60089
Min Requirement:
48″ (Junior Karts)
60″ (Adult Karts)
Pricing (Adults):
1 Race – $23.95
2 Races – $42.95
3 Races – $54.95
+ $7 annual membership (required to be able to race)
Please visit their Website for Up-to-date pricing, opening-hours, and Online Booking
K1 Speed is an indoor karting facility, their center in Addison is the closest go-karting center to downtown Chicago.
You can definitely add this place to your list of places to celebrate your teen’s birthday, Teenagers love a good indoor karting facility (and go-karting in general), the speedy go-karts can make their birthday memorable.
The karts in K1 are all-electric and the adult karts can reach speeds as high as 45 mph, the track designs can be found on their website.
The only downside of this place is that the speeds can be remotely controlled by their staff for safety reasons, which is important of course! But it also leads to many complaints from drivers.
What People Are Saying About K1 Speed
“Fun place to go. There’s a bar on-site and 2 indoor tracks. The staff interaction was okay. The place was clean when I was there. The location is easy to find and to get in and out from. Would recommend going later in the day as those left tend to be older or at least decent at the tracks there.”
– David Przybylski (Google Review)
2. Accelerate Indoor Speedway
Min Requirement:
48″ & minimum of 8 yrs old (Junior Karts)
56″ & 13 years or above (Adult Karts)
Pricing (Weekday):
1 Race – $20
3 Races – $40
5 Races – $75
8 Races – $100
Pricing (Weekends + Holidays):
1 Race – $25
3 Races – $50
5 Races – $75
8 Races – $100
+ $8 Annual membership required to race.
(Each race is 14 laps for Adult Karts and 7 min long for juniors)
Visit their Website for Up-to-date pricing, opening-hours, and Online Booking
Located near I-80 and Harlem Avenue in the Chicago area. Accelerate Speedway is the best Indoor Karting facility in the region.
Their Karts are all-electric and can reach speeds as high as 50 mph! Their high torque and high hp engine make the karts very fast with good takeoff acceleration.
They have 2 tracks for you to test out your skills.
The thing that makes them the best indoor center is their racing leagues. They organize a 6-8 week-long racing league, 3-4 times every year. Making them an amazing option for someone who enjoys competitive racing without having to travel a long distance to outdoor tracks.
What People Are Saying About Accelerate Indoor Speedway
“Accelerate Go-kart League!! My son just turned 8 and has a need for speed. I was a little hesitant because he didn’t have experience riding go-karts but I wanted him to have the group setting experience. He’s on week 4 and he’s loving every minute of this league! He’s improved so much already, including 2nd place on all 3 races last week. The employees are there to coach and guide the kids through the learning process.”
– Niki C (Google Review)
3. Concept Haulers Motor Speedway
Get Direction:
3674 E 2603rd Rd, Sheridan, IL 60551, United States
Min Requirement:
12 years+
Pricing (Rental Karts):
$10.00 Driver’s Pass (Required)
+
$30/session (“Original Karts”)
$35/session (“Premium Kart”)
+
$10 for Rental Insurance (optional)
Each session is 15 minutes long.
Pricing (Kart Owners)
$35/day for drivers (Mon-Thursday)
$45/day for drivers (Fri-Sunday)
Check their Pricing Page for Race day fees.
Visit their Website for Up-to-date pricing, opening-hours, and Online Booking
Indoor Karting sure has its own benefits, but if you ask any experienced driver about what they prefer, the answer will almost always be outdoor-karting.
Concept Haulers Motor Speedway is the best outdoor go-kart facility in the region. They offer 2 types of karts for rental and 3 well-maintained tracks to race on (Check their tracks).
Even though they offer rental karts and their karts are advertised to be able to hit 55-60 mph! This place is hugely popular among kart owners who are looking for a place to test out their karts. Their leagues are also very popular among drivers.
Overall, this is the place to visit if you live near the tracks or if you’re more serious about Go-Karting and can afford to travel on a regular basis.
What People Are Saying About Concept Haulers Motor Speedway
“What can I say other than it is most definitely worth the drive! Yes, it is a bit out of the way, but the guys are super helpful, and we all had an absolute blast. The 3 race deal is the way to go, for sure. Just expect to be worn out, when you are done. All of the equipment is decent stuff. I would most definitely recommend the trip.”
– Jason Gyulay (Google Review)
4. Kart Circuit Autobahn
Get Direction:
1801 Centerpoint Way, Joliet, IL 60436
Min Requirement:
Age: 14 years +
Pricing (Weekday):
1 Race – $30
3 Races – $80
5 Races – $130
10 Races – $250
Races are 10 minutes long.
Please visit their Website for Up-to-date pricing, opening-hours, and Online Booking
Kart Circuit is a part of the famous Autobahn Country Club Motorsports Complex, it is a good alternative to Concept Haulers Motor Speedway for outdoor rental Go-Karts.
Their rental karts are advertised to be able to hit 55 mph! Apart from their “Arrive and Drive”, they also offer memberships for unlimited track access and regularly organize Leagues for the members (check their website for more info about leagues).
Overall, a great place for go-karting and definitely worth traveling to if you want to experience Outdoor Karting.
What People Are Saying About kart circuit autobahn
“Very professional staff.
Was patiently explained what was needed to go on the track for Sprint I had a blast on the track for a first-time driver. Car was much better than me, lol.
Exceptionally clean environment.
Decent dinner, definitely above par
The go-cart track is well above par with others I’ve been on.
We will be back..”
– Jim Graveline (Google Review)
5. Haunted Trails Burbank
Get Direction:
7759 S. Harlem Ave., Burbank, IL 60459
Min Requirement:
36″ to ride in a 2 seater
16 years+ to drive the 2 seater
42″-53″ (Junior Karts)
54″ and above (Adult Karts)
Pricing (Adults):
$8.00/Ride
Pricing (Juniors):
$6.00/Ride
Please visit their Website for Up-to-date pricing, opening-hours, and Online Booking
Haunted is a “Halloween-themed” family amusement park that offers much more than just go-karting, they have mini-golf, batting cage, and much much more.
Their low height requirements to ride a go-kart make them the best option in Chicago for younger children (4-9-year-olds), you can expect to have a good day out with your family for a very reasonable cost here.
What People Are Saying About Haunted Trails Burbank
“My kids had fun! It was clean and well kept. I liked that there was a smaller go-kart track for kids under 53′, so my petite 10 year old could drive. The staff was friendly.
We went to a birthday party and I thought it was a great birthday package. We were kept busy for 3 hours after the food, etc. 😁”
– Patricia Roman (Google Review)