National Indoor Kart Championship just days away

By Bruce C. Walls

Karting's largest indoor event is only a few days away. The O'Reilly Auto Parts National Indoor Kart Championships, held at the Tunica Exposition Center in Tunica, MS, will celebrate their 15th running Thanksgiving weekend November 25-26. Setting new indoor attendance records every year it's run, the 2005 event with a $40,000 purse and prizes will break previous records. Already 1,200 racers have pre entered and reserved parking. Banking on past averages of 350-400 registering at the track will push this year's attendance into the record books as the largest indoor kart race in the World.

Thursday evening the first 600 racers entering the dining area will get a free fish fry Thanksgiving dinner compliments of Catfish Farmers of America. After the first 600 have passed through the gates for their free Thanksgiving dinner, the rest will pay a small charge for their dinners. After dinner a seminar entitled, 'Surviving Tech,' will be held in the arena area.

Friday racers get to business. Gates open at 7 a.m. From 8 a.m. until 11a.m. racers will practice by class. At 11 a.m. registration closes, practice ends and 15-minutes later racers must attend their drivers meeting where roll call will be taken and draw prizewinners announced.

At noon racers begin qualifying sessions for starting positions and to see who makes the show. Once qualifying is complete feature competition begins with Senior Champ Lite. All classes will pay out; larger classes will pay back to 20th.

Sunday's race day schedule will be the same as Saturday's only with different classes competing for their share of the huge purse. For more information about the world's largest indoor karting show call 901.368.5278 or visit their website at www.indoorkartnationals.com .