Sugar River Raceway will kick off our 8th season of 'Turn Key Thursday' racing in 2008.

When: On Thursday nights Sugar River Raceway will run a race program in which we will use identically prepared karts. Practice rolls off at 7 PM and the first races will begin following practice and driver's meeting. Registration for the evening's event will be from Noon up until the first race rolls. Who can participate? Anyone that can prove they are at least 18 years of age and pay the entry fee.

Who races? The majority are people who want to try racing, but never have. About 30% of our entries come from folks who have run previous 'Turn Key Thursday' events. Yes, it can be habit forming! Several former Turn Key racers have bought their own go-karts to compete in our Box Stock program. That's how much fun go-kart racing is. Some Turn Key racers have raced something else in their life before trying our go-karts. We entertain former motorcycle racers, both motocross and road racing, we also have those who have raced cars join us. Some are current circle track or SCCA type competitors. Others come from Autocross events. And yes, we get some old go-kart racers who just have to come back and try it again. So come on out and try it, as you'll be among an entry list that is likely 70% new to go-karting. The following are some FAQ's you may have in mind about this program. Please keep reading.

What is included in the cost? The $80 entry fee includes use of track safety gear if you don't own your own (see later section listing safety gear minimums). Each driver will also be asked to sign an agreement which states that each driver is liable for up to $80 additional in damages to the kart or karts that he/she drives. You can read more on this in a later section.

How Much Track Time Can I Expect? A ten (10) lap practice session begins your night. The race program consists of three (3), ten (10) lap races.

What are the karts that we race? The karts are identical and are powered by 9 HP Honda engines. They use the same racing wheels and slicks as our other race program. They have the best in racing seats, brakes, and employ an energy absorbing bodywork system for safety. The karts will achieve 45+ MPH on the straightaway and are limited to this speed only due to track size. Average lap speed will be in the 30 MPH range, so as you can imagine these karts are capable of very high cornering speeds. These karts are capable of turning lap times in the same range as our Sr. Box Stock Briggs class that is run during our weekend races. Some of the Box Stock drivers have told us the straightaway speeds reach over 45 MPH, as recorded by their on board computers.

What are the rules? By checking out the 'How Do I Start' section of this web site you can read all the driver rules we use to govern our race events that are conducted weekly for racers who own their own equipment. The Sugar River Raceway track crew will provide a safe and level playing field as we officiate 'Turn Key Thursdays'. We will also conduct a 'Driver's Meeting' every Thursday night to cover the rules of the event.

Can I get some practice before racing? Yes, you can get practice laps during any open practice session. To check times available for practice refer to our 'Hot Laps & Practice' menu selection for more details. We have two types of rental karts at Sugar River Raceway. The first group is powered by 5.5 HP engines, and these karts are only used for this purpose and are available at $25/half hour segment. The second group of karts are the 'Turn Key' karts, which can be rented for $50/half hour segment.

What if I damage a kart? Each driver is responsible for damage to the kart he or she is driving, but only up to a cost of $80 for each incident. Mechanical failure such as engine failure, broken chains, broken throttle linkage, etc. will be the track's responsibility. Components that are damaged due to running off the track or becoming involved in contact with another kart, (either intentional or accidental) shall be the responsibility of the driver. We do this on a no fault basis (to this day we have not met a race driver who wasn't innocent of causing the mishap). If you were in the accident you are 50% responsible for being there. For instance, someone spins in front of you and you just can't miss them. You bend a tie rod upon contact. A new tie rod costs $10. You pay for the tie rod because it is less than the $80 limit. Let's say in another instance the contact is hard enough to damage some bodywork, bend the tie rod and a front wheel beyond repair. In this instance a $10 tie rod is needed, a $25 front wheel, and a $100 front nose piece. This is $135 worth of damage, so you would pay the $80 amount. If you are overly aggressive or just unlucky you may get to pay for more than one bent go-kart in an evening.

What will I win? Well, certainly bragging rights will be yours until the next 'Thursday Turn Key Race' takes place. The top 3 finishers in the feature will receive awards.

Can I use my own safety gear? Yes you may. If you have gear left over from a past racing life some of it may be useable. We require a full face Snell 2000 minimum rated helmet. We require a neck brace, gloves, and lace up shoes and socks. If you have a driving suit from some other racing pursuit you may use it. A coat is required and heavy blue jean/denim or leather coats are a good idea. The gloves need to have a leather palm at a minimum to also protect from contact with the track. We sell all safety gear at the track should you wish to have your own. You can purchase the minimum needed for about $255 tax included (helmet - $99.95, jacket - $89.95, neck collar - $33.00, gloves - $19.95).

Do you handicap by weight or driving experience? We do not have a system for adding weight to the karts to equalize competition. We can and will split the drivers into classes based on weight or experience level based on the turnout for the evening. When entries reach sixteen (16) drivers we can then determine if an opportunity exists to split our classes. If we do split up the entrants into two (2) divisions we will make awards to the top three (3) in each feature race.