This weather is great!  I have been opening the doors to the business to get all the fresh air possible.  This time of year is the most distracting of all.  When the weather warms up it is difficult to focus on work.  I can see it in the eyes of our staff.

Energy levels are up, distractions are up and we all need to channel this enthusiasm to be productive.  There is no better time to focus the group then to get out of the office for the day.  Instead of fighting the distractions, let them get it out of their systems.

Do a picnic, hit a baseball game or go do something adventurous.  We are finding many companies are coming out to Lehigh Valley Grand Prix for their team building events to let go of that steam.  Everyone has been working extremely hard through this economy and the fresh air and the warm sun are a great excuse to take a corporate retreat.

Enjoy the weather as I plan a special outing for our team here at the track

El Diablo

What was an ugly winter is now turning into an ugly spring.  It appears that March could be setting record rainfall numbers for the region.  This is just another reason why we are happy to be racing under roof!! Come join us for a little indoor go karting.

Lehigh Valley Grand Prix takes pride in helping organizations raise money through our fundraising events.  We are always looking for creative ways to have fun and take it to the next level.  April is Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month and LVGP is teaming up with the RAACE Foundation to help spread the Awareness.

Child Sexual Abuse is a topic that is not easily discussed.  It is a dark subject that is embarrassing and uncomfortable for victims, therefore the epidemic is not as widely discussed as it should be.  Here are some statistics that make me sick to my stomach!!  1 in 3 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.  95% of sexual abuse occurs within the family of trust.  1 in 7 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.  There are 39 million Child Sexual Abuse survivors in the US!!

Have I got your attention?  Now for the part where we can help!  On April 22nd starting at 5:30pm LVGP is having a wing eating contest combined with racing.  Teams of 3 will participate in a relay race.  Each participant will eat 2 wings and race 10 laps on the track then tag a partner.  Fastest team wins.  Top 10 teams will compete in a final race. This is going to be a blast!!

The Corporate environment is something that intrigues me.  How people use their resources and skill sets to get the optimal performance level out of their staff is challenging.  There is no exact formula to running a great operation.  All of the manuals, courses and training programs are great but in the end it comes down to how you can deal with your team as individuals.  Everyone is different and has different needs.

The challenge we all face is “How to create a cohesive team with our individuals?”  The answer to that isn’t simple or clear cut.  The old method of a dictatorship with strict guidelines and discipline isn’t necessarily the best approach.  Today we need to find creative ways for the team to gel and create stronger bonds.  This doesn’t mean that every day is a party at the office but it does mean that people who like each other, will be more effective working together.

Creating bonds through fun team building activities outside of the office can be an efficient and cost effective way of creating these bonds.  There needs to be a maintenance plan put in place that incorporates training and fun activities.  Think of something fun and creative each quarter to keep your team engaged and energized.

Some suggestions; glass blowing at Banana Factory, Clay Shooting at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays, Indoor kart racing at Lehigh Valley Grand Prix or Paintball are good places to start!

Red Cross rocked the house with a fundraiser that came down to the last lap for podium finishes!  With 11 teams competing to raise money for Haiti the Red Cross profited $6,500 and had a blast at the event.  The 3hr endurance race was filled with excitement and competitive spirit.

If you organization is looking for ways to raise money in a fun filled, competitive environment email me at mikemccreary@lehighvalleygrandprix.com.

~El Diablo

We have officially sold out our 12hr endurance race scheduled for March 20th-21st.  This all night race is the biggest race of the year at the facility.  The current line up includes drivers  from North Carolina, Massachusetts, Michigan, Canada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Arizona and California.

The fact that there is a following from all over North America goes to show how the sport has grown.  The field holds 7 drivers from the top 20 finishers at the US Indoor Karting Championships.  This race will come down to the final lap.  It blows my mind the skill, focus and determination these drivers have.  This will be an event to see.  Spectators are FREE and encouraged to come watch the race.

Check out the chatter at http://www.indoorkartingnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=3239

~El Diablo

I’m going to start today by stating the fact that “I hate snow!”  We are facing what could be another historical storm in the northeast over the next 48hrs.  As I realize the inevitability that I will need to shovel through what could be  another foot of snow, there is one positive out of this.  Today is a great excuse to hold an all day special and spend a day racing with friends!

LVGP_FaceOfFun_91609

Last night I spoke to a group of 25 boy scouts from a local troop.  Something that brings great pleasure to me is speaking to students about entrepreneurship and how that word has changed my life.  The reason for the blog today is not to dive into entrepreneurship and its meaning but to talk about how the world of racing may change in this country over the next decade.

At the meeting last night I asked the boys to raise their hands if they were into racing.  One boy raised his hand.  My second question was how many had participated at LVGP.  Half the room raised their hands with big smiles on their faces.

Here is a group of kids that probably couldn’t name two NASCAR drivers or a single Formula 1 driver but they all loved to race.  I would guarantee that none of these kids would have had a racing experience by the age of 15 if it hadn’t been for LVGP.

So what’s the point?  The point is that indoor karting facilities are breeding a new kind of racer.  A person that might not have grown up in racing but found it through a leisure time activity.  If LVGP has had this sort of local impact and the number of facilities in the US has doubled since 2007, what is the racing community going to look like by 2020?

~ El Diablo

The Race Name is something that should be given some thought.  Little did I know that I would be referred to as “EL DIABLO” by most of my friends and colleagues.  It was a quick decision made shortly after watching the film Talladega Nights.  With that being said a Race name can stick with you beyond the walls of the facility.  Whether you are shopping at the mall or walking down the hallway at the office.  That race name can come back to haunt you!

Part of the thrill of racing is the time sheet.  Everyone is hitting the race track to try and cut that tenth of a second from their best time.  To make the list of the top 50 times of the month is something that is truly special.  The fact that everyone who races analyzes that time sheet means that if you make the list, your name is going to be seen.

Remember that when you choose your race name.  Some have regretted their choices while others are proud of their creative decision making skills!  I am leaving you with this one word of advice.  “If you let your friends choose your race name for you, you are playing with fire.”

~EL Diablo

Welcome to my first Blog.  The reason I felt the need to create a blog is that there is a lot of great things going on in the indoor karting industry that simply cannot be explained through our website or posts on facebook and twitter.  To start the blog I find it necessary to explain the industry and facilities.

Indoor karting?

I’m sure your first thought of indoor karting is a dirty warehouse of tires with beat up vehicles going around in a circle with fumes that are so thick you can barely breathe.  If that is the case you might be a little surprised.  The indoor karting scene has brought a new thought process and a new attitude to racing.  These European inspired state of the art facilities are not the 8-10mph go carts you find at the beach. The average facility contains a ¼ mile road course style track hosting karts reaching speeds of up to 45mph.  Along with the track many facilities have conference rooms, party rooms, arcades and gathering space to accommodate corporate teambuilding, birthday parties, charity functions and more. The average facility is around 50,000 sqft.  Some of the larger facilities can reach up to 200,000 sqft.   Your average super market is 30,000 sqft to give you an idea of the size of these spaces.

What makes indoor karting unique is the entertainment value.  The industry offers high speed thrills of the open wheel racing experience with safe environment for all to enjoy.  The facilities use state of the art timing systems to track racing results and offer up bragging rights!  Where racing use to consist of extreme costs in buying vehicles and equipment it is now at your finger tips at roughly $20 a race!

I’m not a racer.  Why would I want to go?

Indoor karting is not just a racing venue.  Because of the low barrier to entry it serves many purposes.  Along with the competition aspect there is also a consumer and corporate driven side to the industry.  What these venues try to accomplish is a POSITIVE ADRENALINE EXPERIENCE.  What that means is they  are looking to pump you up with some high speed fun!

Attached are some great links if you are interested in seeing more information about the industry.