Arriving with a hum rather than a roar, an Australia-first motoring facility will open in Albion Park Rail this weekend.
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The name C1 Speed will be familiar to most who have driven past its mammoth blue warehouse on the Princes Highway in recent months, but the highly anticipated complex is finally open for business.
Boasting a fleet of 28 electric go-karts, C1 is the first facility of its kind in the country.
‘‘We saw something like this in America two years ago, and thought Wollongong might be ready for it,’’ said owner Steve Caunt.
Mr Caunt and wife Dee-Ann have spent the past 11 months watching the huge building, housing a quarter-mile racetrack, rise from the ground on Albion Park Rail’s main road.
‘‘It’s a bit emotional looking at it all finally finished,’’ Mr Caunt said.
With karts imported from Italy, track chicanes ordered from France, a giant screen above the track beaming out lap times and big function rooms upstairs, C1 is finally ready to open. The 48-volt karts, with their four electric-charged batteries, run quietly but can reach speeds of 50km/h.
‘‘They are remote controlled so we can control people’s speed too, if they are going too fast or doing something silly,’’ Mr Caunt said.
Employing 60 local people, and open from 10am-10pm seven days a week, C1 will host race leagues in coming months as well as corporate packages, lap packages and parties.
‘‘It offers kids something else to do. Go-karts are for all year around, rain, hail or shine,’’ Mr Caunt said.
Details here.