Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opened its doors Tuesday in northern Oklahoma City with racing icon Mario Andretti attending the grand opening event. The facility, located off Interstate 235 and Wilshire Boulevard, offers an 84,000-square-foot space, featuring a high-speed go-kart track, arcade, bowling, and various food and beverage options.”We have quite a bit to offer here actually, because it’s totally family oriented but also business oriented,” Andretti said.Andretti, a Formula 1 World Champion and winner of the Indy 500 and Daytona 500, reflected on his family’s deep connection to motor racing. “There are eight drivers in the family between my twin brother Aldo and I. So, yeah, motor racing pretty much leads the conversation at the dinner table,” Andretti said. >> Video Below: Racing legend Mario Andretti visits OKC for grand opening of karting facilityAndretti has been on the tracks at his facilities. He said racing boils down to one thing. “The job of the driver, then and now, was to extract every inch of the potential performance that the car can give you. That’s our job,” he said.Andretti recalled his top speeds down to the decimal and exactly where he was at that time. “Averaging 234.7 and 252 miles per hour on a straightaway in Michigan in 1993 was a pretty good speed,” he said. >> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelThe Italian-American said his passion is what kept him going for decades, chasing multiple championships. “The dream started when I was 12 years old, and there was never a plan B to pursue, so that’s why I have a special appreciation about it,” Andretti said.>> Video Below: Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opens Tuesday in Oklahoma CityAndretti even surprised himself a few times, and he made it clear how blessed he feels to live the life he has been given. His achievements include clinching the 1977 World Championship at Monza. “I clinched the World Championship where my idol, Alberto Ascari, won the first race, in Monza, in Italy. So, how could that ever happen in life?” he said.Andretti sees a bright future for motorsports in America, particularly with the growing fanbase for Formula 1. “Because now, you have three races in America, which is like no other country on the planet,” he said.>> Video Below: Oklahoma City welcomes Andretti Indoor Karting and GamesAndretti is 85 years old, and his professional career spanned from the 1950s through the 1990s. His new attraction opened at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Click here to learn more.Top Headlines VIDEO: Twin sisters give birth to baby boys one day apart in the same Indiana hospital Popular Oklahoma City bakery known for its macarons to close soon Start your engines, as Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opens Tuesday in OKC Multi-vehicle crash backs up traffic on westbound I-40 in Oklahoma City for about 2 miles YoCrunch yogurt products recalled over potential choking risk
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opened its doors Tuesday in northern Oklahoma City with racing icon Mario Andretti attending the grand opening event.
The facility, located off Interstate 235 and Wilshire Boulevard, offers an 84,000-square-foot space, featuring a high-speed go-kart track, arcade, bowling, and various food and beverage options.
“We have quite a bit to offer here actually, because it’s totally family oriented but also business oriented,” Andretti said.
Andretti, a Formula 1 World Champion and winner of the Indy 500 and Daytona 500, reflected on his family’s deep connection to motor racing.
“There are eight drivers in the family between my twin brother Aldo and I. So, yeah, motor racing pretty much leads the conversation at the dinner table,” Andretti said.
>> Video Below: Racing legend Mario Andretti visits OKC for grand opening of karting facility
Andretti has been on the tracks at his facilities. He said racing boils down to one thing.
“The job of the driver, then and now, was to extract every inch of the potential performance that the car can give you. That’s our job,” he said.
Andretti recalled his top speeds down to the decimal and exactly where he was at that time.
“Averaging 234.7 and 252 miles per hour on a straightaway in Michigan in 1993 was a pretty good speed,” he said.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
The Italian-American said his passion is what kept him going for decades, chasing multiple championships.
“The dream started when I was 12 years old, and there was never a plan B to pursue, so that’s why I have a special appreciation about it,” Andretti said.
>> Video Below: Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opens Tuesday in Oklahoma City
Andretti even surprised himself a few times, and he made it clear how blessed he feels to live the life he has been given. His achievements include clinching the 1977 World Championship at Monza.
“I clinched the World Championship where my idol, Alberto Ascari, won the first race, in Monza, in Italy. So, how could that ever happen in life?” he said.
Andretti sees a bright future for motorsports in America, particularly with the growing fanbase for Formula 1.
“Because now, you have three races in America, which is like no other country on the planet,” he said.
>> Video Below: Oklahoma City welcomes Andretti Indoor Karting and Games
Andretti is 85 years old, and his professional career spanned from the 1950s through the 1990s.
His new attraction opened at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Click here to learn more.
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