September 2005 - WHY WE DEVELOP DUAL OR TRIPLE PITS FOR SOME CONCESSION TRACKS
By Peter F. Olesen
Many times, we are questioned why we sometimes develop dual or triple pits for a go-kart facility? Here is my answer:
In some instances, the concentration of customers at a given facility creates the need for more kart capacity or management runs the risk of losing potential sales. Often, the site does not have the capacity for a second track. In those situations it is possible to create a second bank of pit lanes to accommodate a second group of karts.
Under this operating scheme, one group of karts can be making their run on the track while the second group of karts is being loaded, When the first group has completed its run, they pull into their assigned pit lanes while the group already loaded is released to make its run on the track.
In using this method, the track operator hasn’t borne the cost of a second track and its required staff. The operator has raised capacity from around eight rides per kart position (the number of kart runs that can be performed per hour on a track without dual operations) to 13 kart rides per kart position with the dual pits.
Our firm has even designed triple pits for the Malibu Speedzone facilities in Dallas, Texas and Puente Hills, California. These sites were in very high profile locations and extensive population bases. For that reason they have a need for as much karting capacity as possible (in addition to their triple pit turbo road courses at each site, they also have dual pit slick road courses at each).
The triple pit facilities contain three parallel pits, each having two lanes. Four lanes (dual pits) are devoted to fast single-seat karts for drivers 16 years an older and the remaining two lanes for a third pit for two-seat family karts. The pit lane for the two-seat karts operate during the day for the family market, and the dual pits with single-seat karts serve the evening adult market.
At the NASCAR Speedpark located in Las Vegas, Nevada, we designed a dual pit facility for a slick road course with one pit component being single seat adult karts and the other pit component contain single-seat junior karts for younger children at birthday parties.
We would not advise installing dual pits unless there was an extremely large and concentrated market during extended hours or the market demand for family and adult or junior karts was large enough to justify dual pitting. Having two tracks would allow a greater potential to sell extra rides and attract more riders.
About the author: Peter Olesen is a Licensed Professional Engineer in eight states and President of Peter F. Olesen and Associates, Inc. 500 West Central Road, Suite 205, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056 USA. The firm provides consulting services to concession go-kart and Family Entertainment Center clients. Project span 35 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Brunei. Services range from preliminary site evaluations, feasibility studies, concept development, master planning, design and construction engineering services for project that include concession go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses, indoor and outdoor family entertainment centers and theme parks. These services apply to new facilities as well as renovation or expansion of existing facilities. Mr. Olesen has written many magazine articles on the industry and has made presentations at numerous industry seminars. For more information, see www.olesen.com or call 847-253-1515.
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