Go-Karting at Pole Position Raceway, real and simulated, loads of fun

Have you ever wanted to go go karting, but you never have the time? Pole Position in Farmingdale is a great place to go and it has the fastest Go-Karts around. It has multiple tracks, so you do not have to wait long to race. John Carruba, one of the managers, who was really nice and knowledgeable, set up our whole driving experience with the race cars and the new race car simulator.

The simulator lets riders experience driving a race car, which was really cool. The driving simulator has a spot for three people to ride together — one driver and two passengers, who sit behind the driver. The controls for the simulator were the same as a car, gas on the left and the brake on the right.

Opposite the seats for the driver and passengers were computers that displayed the race. Some of the turns were sharp, and the driver needed to slow down so the car did not crash. If the car did crash, the simulator would move in all directions and vibrate so the people in the car could “feel” the crash. Also, a worker for Pole Position sits near the simulating machine monitoring the race using a computer, and resets the car when it crashes so it can start racing again.

Drivers on the simulator can choose different levels according to your experience. Most of us chose the beginner mode because many of us have never driven before. Some of us crashed about five times during a race because we did not stop fast enough to make the turns. When the car crashes the simulator pushes all the passengers back and vibrates like you are really in a car. One of us finished the race with an average lap time of 2 minutes and 35 seconds and that included crashing . . . a lot.

In the more advanced mode the driver is required to change the gears, which is more like a real car. The driver in this mode would have to change the gear often during the race. Our more advanced driver only crashed three times, and his average lap time was 2 minutes and 18 seconds. Another cool feature is when the driver hits the gas, the simulator forces you back in your seat like what happens in a real car when the driver steps on the gas.

You might not think that being a passenger on a simulator is fun, but it’s a great experience. When you are a passenger on this ride, you feel like you’re actually in real-life race car.

The simulator’s sound effects make you feel pumped and when your driver crashes, the machine tilts you around like you actually crashed. This simulator has buckles on each seat so you are very safe. It’s so lifelike that on the side screens there are mirrors for you to see everything going on in the back.

The Go-Karts at Pole Position are also thrilling to ride. To go on the junior Go-Karts, you must be 48 inches tall. The races are approximately 10 minutes long. To go on these Go-Karts you must wear a helmet and sock caps. Pole Position requires you to sign a waiver and to watch a safety video before you hit the track. At the beginning of the race the karts will start off slow, but eventually go faster as the race goes on. There are also different types of flags that mean different things. The green flag means the race will start. The yellow flag means slow down because there is a potential hazard. The blue flag means you’re about to be passed by another driver. The black flag means you are doing something wrong; that is your warning and if you do it again you will be pulled from the race. The checkered flag means the race has ended. Pole Position is a family-friendly place.

Go-Karting and the simulator is a good test to see what you are going to be like when you start driving a real car. The simulator seems easier to drive but then it becomes harder than you think once you actually start driving, while the Go-Karts were easier because you did not crash and you have full control of the kart. We would all definitely do this again. It is located at 40 Daniel St., Farmingdale. Online: polepositionraceway.com/long-island