When you get an invitation to race against a Daytona 500 Champion, you go! At least, that’s what I thought when I accepted the challenge to face off against NASCAR’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at K1 Speed in Nashville last Wednesday.
The call was put out to local Nashville media by Alan George – Director of Communications for the Nashville Superspeedway – who of course will be hosting Stenhouse Jr. and several other drivers hoping to take home the crown as the king of the Cracker Barrel 400 when they converge on the large concrete oval circuit in Lebanon on June 1.
Until then, the big question to be answered was how Music City’s top reporters and journalists would fare against a top professional in his field?
Back at the indoor track on Davidson Street next to the Cumberland River in downtown Music City, the answer was “not too good.” There, Stenhouse Jr. told an interviewer from WKRN’s Channel 2 News about taking the wheel behind the facility’s high-tech electric go-karts, “It feels like you’re barely moving, but it’s still a lot of fun.”
I beg to differ, as the karts can reach a maximum of 45 miles per hour at K1 Speed. That velocity on a small track can seem almost dangerous to a non-NASCAR driver. However, several safety precautions and protocols were emphasized. They were entirely in place at K1 Speed, including mandatory racing helmets and a system of flags that alert participants to be aware during their time on the course.
I never got entirely comfortable navigating the track with its many twists and turns my first time. But hey, I just released my debut album, TENN Songs, featuring 10 tracks recorded over 10 years in Nashville.
So, maybe coming in 10th out of 10 drivers is a positive career move that’s all part of the plan. At least I will be sure to put this shame to good use. LOL!”
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About Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 47 Chevrolet ZL1 for Hyak Motorsports. Stenhouse was the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year and won back-to-back Nationwide Series championships in 2011 and 2012. He was the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year and was the 2023 Daytona 500 winner.
About K1 Speed: K1 Speed Nashville is an indoor go-kart racing facility in Nashville, TN, in partnership with IndyCar champion Will Power. The facility offers a variety of thrilling racing experiences, and they have built an exceptional reputation through their use of 100-percent, all-electric karts. Forget about the lawn mower-powered go-karts of your youth. Their European-style electric karts are high-performance machines, producing tremendous torque and horsepower from advanced electric motors. These zero-emission karts outperform their gas-powered counterparts while being better for the environment, quieter, and arguably, easier to drive. With our karts, you don’t have to worry about stalling the engine or dropping out of the power band in a tight corner – our electric motors produce maximum torque at all speeds! Race wheel-to-wheel at speeds approaching 45 mph on an indoor track!
Related Links: For more information on RICKY STENHOUSE JR. and the other organizations mentioned, please visit the following links – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Cracker Barrel 400 | Nashville Super Speedway | K1 Speed Nashville | Rockin’ Rich Lynch
