Miami Living Magazine

124 MIAMI LIVING Eyes focused. Arms locked. Engines revved. And they're off! The turns. The thrills. The friendly competition. There's a ton of fun to be had putting the pedal to the metal at K1 Speed—rain or shine. Guests – 4 ft. tall and up – have escaped Miami's mostly sunny, partly bipolar weather and have gone into a fully enclosed location to experience a different kind of adventure: indoor karting. Open 364 days out of the year, K1 Speed Miami, located at 8600 NW South River Dr., Medley, FL, 33166, has become home to racing enthusiasts and amateurs alike looking to test their limits on the track. Co-owner and Marketing Director of K1 Speed, Susan Danglard, started the company with her husband in 2003 at their first location, Carlsbad, California. More than a decade later, K1 Speed has become the preeminent karting company in America with several locations spread across the nation. "K1 Speed was the first company to bring electric karts and indoor go kart tracks to the United States," Danglard said. "We pride ourselves on playing a part of the indoor karting growth." With a variety of centers in states like California, Arizona, Illinois, Texas and Florida, to name a few, K1 speed provides customers with a safe, comfortable, accessible and overall exciting environment that fosters the need for speed and a one-of-a- kind experience. Included in this unique adventure are K1 Speed's karts. Miami residents are accustomed to hearing all sorts of noises from the busy city. Some are peaceful like waves crashing on to the shore, and others are not so welcoming, like noisy lawn mower-sounding engines. Luckily, K1 Speed go-karts are quiet, entirely electric, high-powered performance machines that race smoothly on professionally designed tracks. "Once you put on the helmet and get into our zero-emission, high-performance go karts you will be hooked," Danglard said. "Not only do we offer environmentally-friendly electric karts, we feature authentic racing memorabilia, pit cafes, meeting rooms and video arcades." From birthday and bachelor parties to corporate and other special events, K1 Speed has awesome packages for groups of 8 or more. Loosen up your tie. Let your hair down. Have fun during your next lunch break or corporate outing, as private meeting rooms with Wi-Fi and multimedia enter- tainment centers are readily available. Or if you're planning your child's next birthday party, make it an awesome one at K1 Speed's Junior League, fit for children 4 ft. to 4 ft. 9 in. tall. (The adult league is for anyone taller.) But the most popular karting option available is Arrive & Drive, Danglard said. "It allows you to come in and race against the clock, to shoot for the best fast lap against friends, family and other racers," she said. "Each race counts towards your K1RS score, a ranking system for K1 Speed drivers nationwide, competing for the Championship at year end." So whether you're an amateur or an adrenaline junkie, K1 Speed has action-packed thrills for everyone to enjoy. As the company continues to grow year after year, it's on the fast track to becoming synonymous with karting. After all, it's the only place like it in Miami. For more information, visit www.k1speed.com. ML ENTERTAINMENT Get Your Motor Runnin' The tracks at K1 Speed are callin' Words by Maureen Aimee Mariano

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