Plant City could soon be home to one of the largest and fastest indoor go-kart facilities in the country.
Echo 6 Racing plans to open mid-2018 and Skyler Wilson, 24, the assistant director of operations, said they hope to draw people into the community
“This is going to be the biggest indoor track with the fastest cars in the area,” Wilson said. “We plan to also have an arcade incorporated into it, so you won’t just be getting the track. There are only so many times you can do the indoor track but this adds another element to it, so it’s more family friendly.”
The new facility will have two different tracks, a beginner and an advanced course. The beginner track will be for a more easy going experience with cars going 40 to 50 miles per hour. The advanced track will only be available for those who have successfully met the safety qualifications on the beginner track. Advanced level cars are able to top out at 80 miles per hour.
There will be eight to 10 cars on each track at one time, with 40 cars on location. Wilson said this allows the track to remain uncrowded and competitive without creating a long wait for the cars. The cars are contracted from an outsourced company that claims they are the fastest in the country.
Wilson, who has lived in Plant City for five years, said his goal is to be able to bring growth to all areas of the city.
“We’re wanting to draw people into the community, to further the community,” Wilson said. “We want people not only coming to us but coming to all the other stores that Plant City has. Getting growth in Plant City.”
“This is a family friendly facility. The age of the driver will be up to the parents’ discretion and we hope to offer everything you would need for a fun day out. I think when people see the large scale of the track it’ll be an eyeopener and they’ll see the potential of what it can bring to Plant City."
— Skyler Wilson
Though the track alone will be a draw for adrenaline junkies, Wilson said the unique atmosphere of the facilities will set it apart from the tracks you may find in Tampa or other nearby cities.
“It’s going to be like nothing you have ever seen,” Wilson said.
Echo 6 Racing plans to mimic the family mindset of other businesses like TopGolf, who offer a lifelong membership. Wilson said the plan is for clients to pay a fee for a membership card and then pay by three races. The goal is to make it affordable for all levels of membership, those who come only once and those who plan to come every week.
Located on James L. Redman Parkway, the facilities will have plenty of room for growth. Wilson said the plan now is for 70,000 square feet of track with the potential to grow up to 150,000 square feet. He said the hope is the community flourishes by its addition. He said ideally new businesses will flock to the surrounding area to make Plant City a destination and “put the town on the map.”
“Plant City is in the middle of a bunch of major cities but it doesn’t have anything to offer that is crazy big right now,” Wilson said. “If you think of Plant City, we have a movie theater… Brandon has a mall and the movies, Tampa has everything, if you go just down the road to Lakeland they have nearly everything. Plant City is smack dab in the middle, but we have nothing.”
Wilson said he wants Echo 6 Racing to be a full experience for clients. While the details have yet to be completely worked out, he said he wants to see an eatery, like what is offered at TopGolf, and other amenities to be added to offer customers everything they would need for a day of fun.
Updates will be available on the Echo 6 Racing Facebook page and as an incentive, anyone who likes the page and subscribes to the email list will be entered into a drawing for a six month unlimited ride karting license.
“This is a family friendly facility,” Wilson said. “The age of the driver will be up to the parents’ discretion and we hope to offer everything you would need for a fun day out. I think when people see the large scale of the track it’ll be an eye opener and they’ll see the potential of what it can bring to Plant City."