Ladies and gentlemen, start your electric go-karts

Story by Patti Brown

If you see a kid dressed up as one of the Mario Bros. running around on Friday afternoon, you’re probalby in the right place. If you see an adult dressed up like a cartoon racecar driver and nostalgically remembering their childhood, you’re absolutely in the right place.

Kelly and Andrew Kessler, owners of Estes Park’s historic Ride-A-Kart, have stepped up the local go-kart game in Estes this summer with the addition of 10 sweet new electric go-karts.

Each of the cars, which can be pushed to a speed of 22 miles per hour, sports the logo – and in several cases the flagship colors –  of a sponsoring Estes Park business.

While red seems a favorite color, the new cars are painted in a rainbow of hues. The Quality Inn car is bright green. The Stanley Hotel car is white and red. The Bank of Colorado’s car is dressed in a dignified black and gold befitting of a banker. Ride-A-Kart’s car is a sporty red. The Bull Pin car is yellow and black. The Seven Keys Lodge is a handsome navy and orange. Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company’s go-kart is a flashy orange.  8Inkwell & Brew, “purveyors of the finest writing implements, journals, cards, coffee and tea,” has a bright blue car. The Estes Park Mountain Shop’s car is silver and red. And the KMAC Guides car is a solid red with a white logo.

The StockKart+One Model E cars are manufactured by Amusement Products LLC in Tennessee. Each vehicle is outlined with LED lights that are programmed and synchronized to trip the light fantastic as drivers speed around the track.

The racetrack has been souped up, in addition to new karts. Drivers can aim their cars to drive over markings on the track, which will allow the car to increase in speed. If they drive over other markings on the track, their speed will decrease. They can also drive over markers that can slow other cars down.  

The go-kart industry is moving away from gasoline-powered karts. Electric karts are less expensive to operate and maintain, quieter, and run cleaner than gas-powered karts.

The new cars have two driving modes: family and rookie. To drive a kart in family mode, an operator needs to be 56 inches or taller. To drive a kart in rookie mode, an operator needs to be 46 inches or taller. Drivers must be 18 years or older to take a passenger, and a child passenger must be 36 inches or taller. A five-minute ride costs $12 per driver and $3 per passenger.

Ride-A-Kart will celebrate its new fleet Friday afternoon, June 13, from 4 p.m. Drivers who dress up as their favorite race car character – think Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi Speed Racer, Tom Slick, Baron Otto Matic, and the NASCAR Racers – will receive a 50% ticket discount. The Mangia Mangia Pizzeria food truck will be on hand to fuel the drivers.

History of Ride-A-Kart

Ride-A-Kart is a third-generation Estes Park business that began in 1959 as a dirt racetrack at the corner of US Highway 34 and Mall Road operated by Harvey Coleman. In 1989, Coleman passed the business on to his sons Don and Gary, and in 2022, it was passed on to Gary’s daughter Kelly and her husband Andrew, who celebrated their wedding reception in 2018 on the property.

Over the years, the site grew to include a petting zoo and a Christmas-themed gift shop. The historic Phil “Casey” Martin’s Silver Streak Train, which operated in downtown Estes Park for many years, was moved to the Ride-A-Kart campus in 1973. A mini-golf course was added in 1989, and a second course was added in 1992. Additional amusements were added over the years, including an arcade, an extreme trampoline, batting cages, water balloon wars, bumper cars, water bumper boats, and a Trackman indoor golf stimulator.

Ride-A-Kart is located at 2250 Big Thompson Ave. Click here for more information about hours and the amusement activities.