This coming Saturday stands as the final day that Dromo One, an indoor karting facility in Orange, California, will be open. Dromo's combination of a slick surface and gasoline-powered karts made it a regular favorite of Road & Track staffers. In fact, it was the first place the editors took me to when I started as an intern in 2000, and we've continued the tradition with most of our interns since.
When we first found out Dromo One was closing a few weeks ago, we figured it was due to the weak economy, new indoor pollution regulations or the proliferation of the electric K1 facilities throughout southern California. Turns out, it's none of those: A Dromo One representative told me via e-mail that during lease renegotiations, "it finally hinged on one unnecessary provision which we were unable to fulfill; so we lost our lease."
It's a real bummer, for sure. While we've been known to enjoy the K1 track in Irvine on lunch breaks (the drive to Irvine is closer and more traffic-friendly from our office), Dromo has always stood out as my favorite indoor kart track. It stems from the fact that the slick surface promotes sliding, forcing you to walk that fine line between sliding too much or not sliding enough—I'm sure if you ask, R&T Detroit Editor Shaun Bailey would be happy to tell you the exact amount you should slide through every corner (he might even tell you if you don't ask). The other cool aspect of Dromo, besides the fact it uses gasoline karts instead of electric, is that each race is separated into two segments: Qualifying first, and then a standing-start race. Because of that, Turn 1 is always mass chaos. As is most of the first lap. But it's real racing. And real fun.
Bailey, Road Test Editor Jonathan Elfalan and I visited Dromo One for the final time last night. It was sad to see the "D1" lettering stripped of the outside walls, and even the air hockey table inside is for sale (my first wife gave me an air hockey trouncing when I took her to Dromo; but then, I lapped her in the race, so it all worked out).
Anyway, Bailey, Elfalan and I had a great time as usual last night, and we're definitely going to miss the occasional R&T Dromo Showdown. Here's hoping Dromo One finds a new location sooner rather than later.
A race group getting ready to head out on the track.
R&T editors Elfalan and Bailey.
Bailey, the author and Elfalan; friends now, but once the race begins...
No related posts.
