Monthly indoor rental league at Irvine, Anaheim and Carlsbad. Juniors from 48″. The cheapest racing there is.
Arrive and drive: they supply the kart · Instagram @k1speed
What it is
K1 Speed’s monthly race night in their indoor electric karts. Qualifying, heats, a final, a podium. You race whatever kart they hand you.
Who
Junior Challenge GP: 4′ to 4′10″ tall. Teen Challenge GP: 4′10″ and taller, under 18. Adult Challenge GP: 18+.
Cost
$59.99 a round for Junior and Teen, $74.99 for Adult. Each round is two qualifiers and a grid-start final; the Teen and Adult finals come with onboard video.
2026 dates
Same night at every SoCal K1 Speed; book at your local center. Registration 6:00–6:30 pm, racing at 6:30. Junior and Teen (Tuesdays): Oct 6, Nov 10, Dec 1. Adult (Sundays): Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 6. All on the calendar. 2027 dates not posted yet.
What it actually is
It is cheap, it is real racing, and you have zero control over kart quality. Kids who have never done this before can take you out at any time. All of that is fine on day one and gets old by month three.
What comes after K1 Speed?
When your kid wants more than K1 Speed, the next step we recommend is FAT Karting League: outdoor, still arrive-and-drive, matched electric karts, a coach for every group and mechanics on site. Read our FAT Karting League review. For adults and teens, K1 Circuit Semi-Pro is the other step up.
Live timing
On the screens in the building and in the K1 Speed app; no public live timing page we know of.
K1 Speed Challenge GP FAQ
How much is K1 Speed Challenge GP?
$59.99 a round for Junior and Teen, $74.99 for Adult. Each round is two qualifiers and a grid-start final.
How tall does my kid need to be for K1 Speed Challenge GP?
Junior Challenge GP is 4′ to 4′10″. Teen is 4′10″ and taller, under 18. Adult is 18+.
When is K1 Speed Challenge GP?
Once a month, the same night at every SoCal K1 Speed. Junior and Teen race on Tuesdays, Adults on Sundays. Registration is 6:00 to 6:30 pm, racing at 6:30.
What comes after K1 Speed Challenge GP?
For kids, FAT Karting League: outdoor, still arrive-and-drive, with a coach for every group. For teens and adults, K1 Circuit Semi-Pro.
Where this sits on the Journey
See the map. Every K1 Speed Challenge GP date is on the SoCal karting calendar.