The two men met at the track’s edge on a recent Sunday, one rough and surly, the other calm and focused.
“Peter,” barked Bill Hartwig, the surly man, over the roar of the go-karts. “What happened?”
Grinning, Peter Jankovski knew what his opponent meant. Hartwig’s teammate came out of a pit stop and passed Jankovski’s teammate, the leader in the 300-lap Team Endurance race.
Rubbing it in, Hartwig laughed and walked back toward his team, celebrating their position atop the leader board. It didn’t matter that there were 11 teams, more than 40 drivers and 200 laps to go.
“That’s the camaraderie we have,” said Hartwig, 59, a mechanic from Des Plaines. “I can rub his bald head and say, ‘You ready to race?’ “
For almost a decade, the two friends and rivals have raced against each other. For the last four, they’ve raced here at Chicago Indoor Racing, an 86,000-square-foot facility in Buffalo Grove that is unique in the Chicago area.
Very few places allow just anyone — practically anyone — to walk in, don a red racing suit, a white helmet and a black neck brace, slip into a 250-pound go-kart and zip around a 1,400-foot-long track at speeds of up to 35 m.p.h. (but feel more like 60).
Very few, if any, do that, owner Tony Stewart said.
Stewart, a former Londoner, shares more than his name with NASCAR star Tony Stewart; he raced on the European circuit some 20-plus years ago before moving into the business sector, designing tracks. In 2003, Stewart married his love of racing with his business acumen to create Chicago Indoor Racing.
At CIR, Stewart said, racing fans can feel the thrill of competition for themselves. They can speed down straightaways, make hairpin turns and run wheel-to-wheel with opponents.
“It’s something we’d all love to do,” Stewart said. “But to actually go somewhere where you can drive something that’s fast enough to lose control of, where you can brake too late, you can spin out, you can make a mistake, but do it in relative safety … no one else has it in this area.”
That unique business plan has made CIR a magnet for corporate outings, birthday parties and bachelor parties. About 80 percent of CIR’s business comes from hosting private events, Stewart said. Another 5 percent comes from CIR’s Junior Racing program, a two-day school and subsequent league program for kids 7 to 17.
The other 15 percent comes from CIR’s Enthusiasts Program, a yearlong “league” where aficionados can race each other in monthly events.
Anybody 16 or older with a valid driver’s license can compete in the Enthusiasts league, program manager Brian Dopp said. Participants race in four different events:
*Monthly Run-Offs: Novice drivers race in two qualifying heats, then two races (15 and 20 laps) for points. The driver with the most points wins.
*Monthly Sprints: Similar to the run-off, but for more experienced drivers. In lieu of qualifying heats, the drivers with the most points after three 20-lap races wins.
*IronMan: A 100-lap race with no bathroom breaks, fuel stops or driver changes.
*Team Endurance: A team of two to six drivers race (200 or 300 laps) that combines skill with strategy.
Races can cost from $80 for the Run-Off to $300 for the Team Endurance. But CIR provides all the equipment. All you have to do is walk in and sign up.
“There’s literally nothing a person has to bring in except the ability to have fun,” Dopp said. “You don’t have to be a professional. It’s about being able to have a good time, race and go home.”
But before they hop into one of CIR’s open-cockpit karts, drivers must first learn the rules. Rule No. 1: No drinking and karting. CIR prohibits drivers from drinking alcohol before racing (CIR keeps Breathalyzers on site just in case). First-time kart drivers also must watch a video on safety.
Incidents do happen, Dopp said, though they’re limited mostly to spinouts on the track. Safety precautions, such as hollow, plastic barriers and a protective bumper covering the entire kart, prevent more serious injuries. And because they’re so low to the ground, the karts prove difficult to flip over.
The worse incident at CIR occurred when a client tripped in the lobby. He bruised his hip.
“It’s funny, but only because we can say it,” Dopp said. “We’ve taken things that we can control and made them as safe as possible.”
Once drivers learn the finer points of racing flags, they change in same-sex locker rooms, then head into the track area, an expansive indoor space that looks like a life-size Hot Wheels play set.
Bright blue and yellow safety barriers outline the course, providing a guide to drivers and a soft cushion should they make a wrong turn. Ads from Klein Tools and Jim Beam cover the walls. Two 8-by-12 foot LCD screens display racers’ lap counts, their speed and their race position.
Guys like Bill Hartwig love CIR. A kart racer for nearly 50 years, Hartwig has driven on some less-then-optimal tracks. Then he visited CIR.
“We came out here and had a ball,” Hartwig said. “The people here are fantastic. They’re professionals.”
Hartwig and his friends started a team that competes in Enthusiasts events. There, Hartwig met Jankovski, 43, a racing fan from Lisle who got into the kart scene a decade ago.
Nowadays, Jankovski races in the monthly sprints and the endurance races, usually against Hartwig. He also organizes invitational tournaments with the more-talented Enthusiasts drivers.
“When I started, he had a lot more experience than me,” Jankovski said. “So for me, he was somebody to try and catch up with. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’ve had fun.”
Then Jankovski turned back to the leader board. His team was back on top, thanks to some nifty driving and a mistake by Hartwig’s teammate. The grin from earlier widened into a smile.
“It’s not about being the fastest, it’s about being consistent,” he said. “But if you can be the fastest, that helps too.”
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Chicago Indoor Racing
301 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove; 847-941-9400, chicagoindoorracing.com
What: This 85,000-square-foot facility houses two 700-foot-long racing tracks for go-karting. Second-floor lounge includes a video-game arcade, fully stocked bar, restaurant and a panoramic view of the tracks.
Price: $80-$300 a race (per person), depending on the race.
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Wed.; 4-11 p.m. Thurs.; noon-midnight Fri.; 3 p.m.-midnight Sat.; 3-9 p.m. Sun.
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Fast times
Still need a car fix? Check out these upcoming collector’s events around the area.
Barrington Concours D’Elegance: Legends & Legacies
What: A showing of nearly 100 historic, rare and classic cars. Proceeds to benefit the Barrington Hills Conservation Trust, Cowboy Dreams of Illinois and Hospice of Northeastern Illinois.
When: Sept. 16
Where: Makray Memorial Golf Club, 1010 S. Northwest Hwy., Barrington; 847-381-6500.
Price: $25 in advance, $30 day of event for general admission; $75 in advance, $80 day of event for VIP admission. Children 12 and under free. $125 participants fee
Web site: www.barringtonconcours.org
Goodguys 1st PEAK Chicagoland Nationals Car Show
What: How many pimped-out cars does it take to get you to Joliet? Find out at this fun-filled car show that will feature more than 1,500 hot rods, custom cars, classics, muscle cars and trucks. Other show events include an automotive swap meet, a road course and a Saturday night hot-rod cruise around the Speedway.
When: Sept. 21-23
Where: Chicagoland Speedway, 500 Speedway Blvd., Joliet; 815.727-7223
Price: $15 for general admission, $6 for kids 7-12
Web site: www.good-guys.com
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gjeffers@tribune.com
CAR FOOD: Drive-ins still the hot spot for hot rods. PAGE 7
