Indoor go-kart track opens in Bluffton. What you need to know before you go for a spin
You won’t need a driver’s license at K-1 Speed, the new indoor go-kart facility now open in Bluffton.
K-1 Speed opened in 2003 and has 55 franchise locations in Asia, Europe, North and South America, according to its website. Bluffton’s opened on Sept. 23.
Located in the former Stein Mart building, Bluffton’s newest attraction took a $3 million investment, and the “small market” is already showing promise, owner Paul McBride said.
“Our opening weekend was the largest of their stores ever as far as first weekend sales, even on Monday,” McBride said.
The Bluffton Town Council approved a request for the facility in May following debate about whether 1995 zoning rules that prohibited go-karts in the Belfair Towne Village shopping center included indoor go-kart tracks. Outdoor go-kart facilities are still banned.
It took about three months to go through the process after approval, McBride said.
“I own many businesses and have gone through this process from start to finish with development and (the town council) were phenomenal because they recognized a need,” McBride said. “We’re pretty much a vacuum in Bluffton, with not much going on here.”
A second South Carolina location is set to open in Myrtle Beach in the fall. McBride doesn’t own that location but said he may open two more sites in Charleston and Greenville within the next two years.
“This was actually in the making since 2007,” McBride said. “My dad and I wanted to do a go-kart track, but couldn’t identify an outdoor place that worked. Unfortunately, COVID hit people in a bad way, but it was a blessing for us for this space.”
What to know
Children must be at least 4 feet tall to drive junior carts, and adults and teenagers must be at least 4 feet 10 inches tall. Junior drivers are allowed to go around Bluffton’s 960-foot track at least 10 times, McBride said, and adults can go around 12 times. T
The facility has 20-horsepower electric go-karts that go up to 45 mph, according to its website.
The go-kart facility will offer leagues for children, teens and adults with opportunities to compete internationally against other drivers in the franchise, McBride said.
The facility is open from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. until midnight on Saturday and 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Sunday.
The cost for a single race is $23.95, McBride said. There is a $7 membership that allows users access to K-1 Speed’s helmets for a year plus a free race on your birthday. There is also a package for $53.95 that offers two races, yearly membership, a free T-shirt and a complimentary birthday race.
The facility also has an arcade and a restaurant called the Paddock Lounge. Menu items include burgers, tacos, beer and wine. To ensure driver’s safety, McBride said, they will be given bracelets needed to drive. When adults exceed two drinks, the bracelet will be cut off and they will not be permitted to race.
K-1 Speed is located at 71 Towne Drive. More details can be found at k1speed.com/bluffton-location.html.
An outdoor go-kart track was added earlier this month to Adventure Hilton Head after years of deliberation. The track was initially proposed in August 2018 by Broad Creek Marina owner, Roger Freedman. Neighbors on Marshland Road opposed the expansion because of noise concerns, according to previous reporting.
In July 2019, the plan was approved by the town’s Board and Zoning Appeals after supporters of the track flocked to a meeting to back the plan.
