By and large, spending the day riding around in go-karts and playing arcade games is a summer vacation thing; but, our resident man-child, Greg Carloss, can’t wait for warmer weather. So, this week he goes “Over the Edge” for supercharged fun at the world’s largest indoor track for go-karts.

GREG CARLOSS: Whether it’s movie theaters, bowling alleys or golf driving ranges, the current strategy in entertainment is go big or go home. Luckily for speed seekers like me, that strategy also applies to Go-Karts.

I’ve crossed continents to drive some of oldest, fastest and most famous racetracks. So, it was an easy decision to head just up the turnpike to Edison, New Jersey and add another superlative to my list.

Supercharged Go-Karting 1

DANIEL SIERRA: Supercharged entertainment, we are the world’s largest indoor go-karting facility…

Not only that we do have two stories worth of arcade games. We also have the two-story drop tower ride. And then we also have our great 19 lanes of ax throwing.

GREG CARLOSS: Playing games and throwing axes is cool, but I came to this brand new, 131,000 square foot fun factory for one thing…

DANIEL SIERRA: Go-karting, you know, obviously, it’s extremely fun. Our carts actually reach up to 45 miles per hour on the track. That is our pro race. We also have a different speed, which is our semi-pro, mostly for the less experienced and our younger— our younger crowd.

GREG CARLOSS: As for the Go-Karts themselves, John, take it away.

JOHN DAVIS: What makes these karts go is a pair of electric motors with a combined output of 18 horsepower and added sound enhancement, which mimics the roar of a V8 engine.

The F1-style steering yoke connects to an unassisted mechanical rack, bookended by sticky Dunlop SL1 racing slicks. Greg?

GREG CARLOSS: Thanks, JD.

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Supercharged Go-Karting 2
Supercharged Go-Karting 4

ENDRE CSIZMAZIA: What I like about it, first of all, everything, the setup here is very friendly. There’s stuff, everything, pretty well-organized and it’s safe

It’s a long track and certain situation…you ride behind people, you gotta change your line. If you ride by yourself then you can set a perfect line and trying not to drift– just to smooth.

GREG CARLOSS: Here, there are actually two tracks in one, both more than a quarter-mile in length, but with speeds over 40 mph, you can get around pretty quick. Actually, what is the track record around here?

DANIEL SIERRA: It’s a 47.283.

GREG CARLOSS: Challenge accepted!

To break the track record, Daniel said I’d have to master the “Boost” button.

DANIEL SIERRA: So, the boost button actually gives you a boost for about 2 to 3 seconds. It gives you a large boost; trust me, I’ve tried it. My personal opinion: I think you should use it around the turns just so you get that boost going uphill.

Supercharged Go-Karting 3

GREG CARLOSS: Let’s go out and try and break a track record.

And up the corkscrew, light on the throttle, keeping speed.

Just as I’m cresting I’m losing speed so I need a little boost.

I’m not even touching the brake just little lifts of the throttle like right there.

Let’s push the limits here go right on the edge of what we can do, trying to gain every possible tenth maybe even hundredth of a second.

Oh no, I made contact! That cost me a little bit of time.

Boost button here we come. Let’s wait til the right second. And boost it! Yeah that’s it!

Woo! There it is. Alright, data doesn’t lie. Let’s see how fast I was.

Unfortunately, my best lap was over a second shy of the record. Still, it’s a top-ten time for the week. And at the world’s largest indoor go-kart track, I’ll take it.