CHANDIGARH, JAN 19: If you want to have a feel of Formula I racing on a much smaller scale, of course try go-karting. And you needn't go all the way to Delhi for it either because the Chandigarh region's first go-cart track opened today.Cyclone Go-karting offers 16 of the sputtery little buggies claimed to be "state-of-the-art" at its track on the GT Road, opposite the Nevedac Prosthetic Center. The carts and track have been set up with technical collaboration of Scorpion of the UK.According to Ronnie Baath, one of the partners, go-karting is the cheapest, most enjoyable way to experience motor-racing. It is also safe due to the extremely low centre of gravity of the karts and relatively low speed. Delhi and Bombay have had tracks for quite some time now. Baath and his two partners (one of them Hari Singh, India'sNumero Uno racing driver) choose Chandigarh for their venture because, says Ronnie, "people in Chandigarh are fond of cars, and this is a great way to enjoy the feel of the high speed motor racing we watch on television." The fact that Baath and Hari Singh are themselves long-time Chandigarh residents might also have something to do with it.The track here (450 metres long and 7 metres wide) can accommodate 12 drivers at one time. The go-karts as well as all the systems have been designed in England. They are all state-of-the -art, with built in safety features and fully computerised. For example, if one kart has had a mishap or is flouting rules, the computer, with the press of a button can either stop one or all karts on the track instantly. There are tyre barriers around the circuit which prevents the driver from getting injured. Four of the karts are twin-engine models for racing.So are they promoting go-karting as an amusement or a sport? According to Hari: "It is definitely a sport which provides a lot of fun. It is not pure amusement as it has its rules and techniques. It is one of the most popular sports in England and Europe and these tracks are consistently breeding drivers that progress eventually to higher and faster forms of racing including formula I, the pinnacle of motor sport. Naturally, we want to encourage rallying and promote motor sports." The partners plan to form a Chandigarh team for racing.Cyclone Go-karting will be open Sunday-to-Sunday from 10 a.m. to midnight. A fast-food cafe will also be opening at the track soon.
