Now would be a good time to explain the RPM or Racing Performance Measurement. Essentially, your RPM score is a running measurement of your driving ability. It is a weighted system, meaning the higher your opponents scores the better chance you have to gain points; conversely, if you have a higher score than those you are racing with, you are at a higher risk of losing more points.

Everyone starts with 1200 points. As you race you accumulate points based on how you finish in races. This is true of any type of race (if you don’t want RPM scores to be calculated, for example in a practice race, then you can check off the Practice box in the heat setup and the RPM score will not be calculated). You are scored against the other racers in your particular race, and the amount of points you are awarded, or lose, is based on the skill of the other drivers as well.

It is a weighted scoring system, so for example, if I have 5200 RPM points and you have 1300 RPM points and we race. If I were to lose to you, you would take a substantial amount of points directly from my RPM, something like 120 points. Conversely, if I were to beat you, I would only get maybe 2 or 3 points. Much like if I were to beat Michael Schumacher in an F1 race it would be in the news world-wide because I am a nobody in the racing world and not expected to beat someone with so much experience. If however, he beat me, it probably wouldn’t even make the local monthly newsletter.

Each racer is given 5 points every time they start in a race. This encourages racers to get out there and race even if no one else is in the race and will help mitigate the loss of points to those with subpar driving skills.

Now, throw 12 people in together and do the math on all the calculations on whose besting who and who is losing. Roughly, the top half will gain points and the bottom half of the grid will lose points. This is a rough estimate because there can be upsets such as an extremely high ranking racer losing to a lot of new racers or visa-versa.

AIK offers indoor kart racing in a clean, safe, and fun location. The facility has been remodeled and retrofitted with the latest in race timing equipment, high quality racing karts, and an enjoyable lobby. The racing is exciting and offers competition for those that want to compare times with their friends. The facility also offers a staging area for drivers to watch the racing action... spectators are also welcome to watch the racing for no charge. Vending and arcade machines are also available for customers.

All drivers must sign a liability release form to get into a kart and enter the racing circuit. Drivers under 18 must have a liability release form signed by their parent or legal guardian.

AIK offers three types of racing karts, and age/height requirements vary by kart:

Fun Kid Karts: In order to operate a "Fun Kid" kart, drivers must be at least 7 years old and 51 inches tall ...

GT3 Karts: To operate the faster and larger GT3 karts, drivers must be at least 14 years old and 55 inches tall.

GT3 ProKarts: These karts have 35% more horsepower than the GT3 Karts and you must be at least 14 years old and 55" tall to operate these karts. Also you must be a member of AIK and raced at least 7 times in the GT3 Karts.

A single race (also called a heat) is anywhere from 12 to 18 laps on average and is typically 8 to 10 minutes of track time. This does not sound like a lot of time, however, it is a physically demanding sport and requires a lot of effort.

AIK is focused on ensuring a fun racing atmosphere, but, safety is always our #1 priority. Drivers wear helmets and can also wear neck donuts (optional) to protect themselves. Still, no sport is safe if participants disobey rules – AIK staff will do all in their power to ensure your safety and to also ensure that all drivers obey track rules.