Elite Event: Racing Into 2016 At Pole Position Raceway!

Unilocal’s Going the Distance!
Reluctantly munching at the starting line
Unilocalers were pumping and thumping in time
The batteries charged, the flags go up
Chewing and chomping, Unilocalers yearn for a cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Chicken tenders burning on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
As they speed through the finish, the Caesar salad came down
The Chicken Penne got eat up and cheese was out of town
The pan was empty except for one meatball
Still dripping with Parmesan
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And late night events make Unilocalers lust for a cup
Beer, whiskey, whatever they’re chugging
And meeting new Unilocalers, an experience all loving.

Legit Italian-​made go carts that go over 40 mph, a fun course with hairpin loops and straightaways, and nice company.
I’m glad I picked this pole position event for my very first Unilocal event to attend.
After getting over my antisocialness aspergers/​socially awkwardness and whatever else personality disorders that contributed to my jitters of meeting random people (while also hoping to preserve my false bravado/​online swagger) I saw everyone is pretty friendly and there to have a good time. I also how much fun this event was. Especially as I was blowing by some hipsters on the track and drifting out of corners!
The cars are fun, fast and don’t smell. Unlike other go carting places I’ve been to, Pole Position uses electric go carts so this time I didn’t have to go home smelling like I did back in the day cutting wood with a gasoline powered chainsaw with my pops.
This is a huge plus and you get to enjoy the fun without choking on fumes.
Pole position showed me that Unilocal organizes some fun get togethers and I’ll definitely try to make more in the future.

Remember those childhood days of bumper cars in amusement parks? Enter Pole Position Raceway. It’s like bumper cars, but without the bumping and with speeds up to 45 MPH. It’s the adult version and it’s awesome! I was so thrilled that I got into this Elite Event. I’m a huge fan of bumper cars, so I knew I’d enjoy indoor karting. When you get out on to the track, the cool, crisp air hitting your face (well the parts of your skin not covered by the helmet) certainly gives you an adrenaline rush. I arrived at the event about 20 minutes early (you never know what the traffic situation will be like), so I was fortunate enough to be in the first heat. I may not have finished at the top of the pack, but I had an amazing time racing through the course. Some of those turns were pretty sharp and required skillful maneuvering.
After racing, we went back upstairs to the Sky Tower to mingle with other Unilocalers and enjoy some yummy dinner courtesy of Applebee’s. We were able to enjoy Chicken Fingers, Three-​Cheese Chicken Penne, Caesar Salad, and Meatballs. The Sky Tower overlooks both tracks so we had a lovely view of the other racers.
I love that this wasn’t your typical Elite Event in a restaurant or bar. Pole Position Raceway is a unique experience and I’m so thrilled that I had the opportunity to try karting for the first time. Special thanks to Pole Position Raceway, Chermaine (our hostess for the evening), and Sara for putting on a wonderful event!

I just quit my job to join the Grand Prix Circuit! At least, that is what I wanted to do after getting off the track at Pole Position. Those things can definitely move! Flying around the track really is an exhilarating experience.
The facility is great. They have plenty of room for private parties, concessions, and video games to keep you busy while you aren’t racing. The staff was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They made us all feel so welcome and everyone had a great time. I will definitely be back with my family and friends.
Thanks Sara for organizing another great event.

I did my best formula 1 impression at 2016’s first Elite event the other night. Sadly, I was less Juan Pablo Montoya and more Waluigi from Mario Kart as I spun out a couple of times during the big race. Despite my driving shortcomings, I had a blast at the event. The staff was helpful and the owner was very enthusiastic about the business she runs — and it definitely showed in the end product, as there was tons of authentic racing gear and décor throughout.
We started the night off with some light bites from Applebees, which were very well received by everyone since most of us came straight from work and didn’t have a chance to eat dinner. The focus on this event wasn’t the food, however, but the racing experience and it was a big hit! Thanks Sara for organizing a different type of event, and I hope to be invited to other similar events in the future!

Great way to spend a birthday! I came to the Unilocal Elite Event the other night (1÷13÷16) at Pole Position. Met a bunch of new people, follow Unilocaler, who live all over the state. This was an exceptionally sweet deal: ride a 14 lap race (against the clock not one another), a generous spread sponsored by Applebee’s and Unilocal swag for free!
The Pole Position staff were very helpful and conscious of everyone’s safety. Aside from the malfunctioning tablets you use to «sign a waiver» of liability the facility seemed well maintained. Clean bathroom, no trash or dust anywhere, and all products used for the race are clean, even the helmets (no sweat smell). There’s a lot of parking spaces primarily on the side of the building and the other two side lots are dead ends so take note. One annoying fact more-​so for the staff and if you’re in a larger group is the wait for the cars to be «recharged». It takes awhile but its worth it. You can accelerate to 45 mph but it isn’t advised but take it from someone who didn’t mean to that its a little nerve-​racking around curves on the track!
Its especially good when you get a huge incentive to come back. On my way out, we were given a 50% off coupon to use on our next visit. Pretty awesome deal considering the price to race isn’t cheap. Looking forwards to see what Sara comes up with for the next Elite Event!

I’m always that one person who gives an event less than a 5.
But not today!
Before I begin, make sure you all go back and use that coupon! Most importantly, tell them you got it from a Unilocal Event… let ‘em know these events work!
Aight, where was I? So, I went up for seconds, which I never do because I find it unbecoming. However, Applebees has never tasted so good before 10 PM like it did Tuesday night.
This was my 4^th time at the track and my first time using the track under The Loft. It was certainly a fun event and I think it was more fun for me because it wasn’t my first time racing go karts (here).
Some people came in with helmets and I was like, «Ok, aight… I see you Monstars» #SpaceJam.
But I came in 3^rd… which, I always come in third because when I go with my 2 friends, they pwn everyone and I come in 3^rd with a time 2 whole seconds slower than theirs.
I loved learning about the company and hearing it straight from the woman who owned the location we were in… you don’t get that from a normal Drop In race.
It was a fun Tuesday night.
Thanks Sara! Also, props for doing double duty and also taking shots (with your camera)!

Vroom vroom!!! Exhilarating, exciting, and different is the best way to sum up this event. Started with some briefing and socializing with other helpers over some complimentary Applebee’s. The food wasn’t too bad and was nice addition.
Signed my life away and watch there safety video and then it was off to the races. Was getting a bit annoyed since people were getting in my way but hey it’s a track and that is where your skills come in. Unfortunately did not do as good as I though I did. I finished 7^th out of 9; pretty awful. But overall had a great time racing around the track at 30 – 40 mph.
The owner was nice enough to give us a 50% off voucher for our next race was well. This is my 3^rd time here and will more then likely be back in the future!

I would love to take the time to thank Sara and the Unilocal staff, Pole Position and Applebees for an exhilarating, safe and fun experience.
This place was everything I thought it would be and more. From a great warm welcome by the owner of Pole Position. She gave an informative introduction about how Pole Position was born and how it is a family owned business and how it is located in several other cities.
When you walk in this huge area all u hear are the sounds of the racing cars and screw honor the tires on pavement. It makes you feel like you are at a raceway.
The Pole Position staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the equipment and really loved their jobs. Applebees had some food catered for some lite bites. The Unilocalers appreciate your contribution.
There is a safety intro before you start the race and the anticipation made me excited to race. When you finally get into the go cart they start u off slow until everyone is on the track. After that you will feel the full torque and the power of these go carts that can reach up to 45 MPH. I believed I hit that speed a couple times on certain parts of the track. The track was outlined by barriers that are used in professional racing. And the feel of the go cart has great control and feel with every turn. What an Exhilarating Experience!!! I didn’t want the race to end.
If you crave speed and a great feel of what racing is. This is a great place to bring anyone of all ages for parties birthdays or just a fun time.
Thank you again Unilocal,Pole Position, and Applebees.

Imported Italian Carts racing around an 80,000 sq ft warehouse just minutes from the New York City Skyline seems almost to good to be true. Let me tell you that it exists and it’s an amazing rush. The carts have on board batteries and electric engines that provide almost immediate acceleration and excellent braking for the tight turns. As fast as these carts can whip around a corner its nice to know that there’s a controller monitoring the course and remotely controlling the carts when necessary to insure everyone’s safety. I can’t wait to pitch this at work as a team building event, what better than racing neck and neck with some of your co-​workers.
Also I must say excellent customer service and overall experience, one request to the founders would be to investigate an indoor moto-​cross park. That would be bananas…

I’m partial to going fast. So I was delighted I made the cut for this elite event.
The go carts were fun to drive and faster than you think. I was worried that they would be slow because they were electric and not gasoline engines. Not the case. Good acceleration and decent top speed.
Handling was tough. Heavy understeer at low speeds. And without power steering, a workout for the arms. Notwithstanding, I had a blast.
CM Sara was great. And her assistant was nice as well. No complaints.

What a great event! I had never heard of this place before but definitely plan to come back now that I’ve given it a try.
I always loved go kart racing as a kid but this is go kart racing on speed. Fast, exciting, and better than I had expected. Your laps are recorded to give it a fun competitive feel without actually racing each other on the course and making it dangerous.
The event was run very well. Nice to officially meet Sara. I didn’t have any of the food but it was nice that they had that there too. I also liked the space that was provided for the event as you could watch the racers below and get a feel for the whole place.
I will definitely be back to this place and would now recommend it to others as well.
Thanks for a fun night!

Go, speed, Go! And boy did my other Unilocal-​mates go!
As others have mentioned, I have heard about Pole Position for quite some time (they’re been open for about 5 years now) but never actually made any official plan to check it out. So glad I was selected to participate in this event! Thank you Sara!
This was my first time in a go-​kart so I wasn’t sure what to expect. If it’s your first time too, no worries, they show you a safety video before being seated in your kart. What I did not expect, however, was just how fast they really go (& I was the slowest lap in my group, hahha). There were times I felt like I was going way faster than 40mph when I’m sure that wasn’t the case. It definitely was exhilarating. If you’re a shorty like me, they give you a booster seat. The karts are easy to use but I found that pressing both the gas and brake at the same time during the turns made for an easier ride. The track was challenging but that only added on to the thrill of going really fast while trying to make a sharp turn. A great time overall.
A big thanks to Sara, Lauren and Unilocal for setting up this event. The staff at Pole Position were also great and the bites from Applebee’s were yummy. With a voucher of 50% off my next race, I can’t wait to master these little karts!

I am a sucker for eating & drinking, but switching up the usual Unilocal event activities, is always… and always a plus and a nice surprise… which is why i found this event so appealing.
Pole Position seemed to be the place that so many of us Unilocal Elites have always heard about, seen signs for, and just out right have been curious about… but have never actually taken the time out to go to on our own time. Thanks to this Unilocal event, we all got that chance!
Im sure theres nothing i cant say that other Unilocalers didn’t, but i had alot of fun racing about 14 laps around a set up course that was made for us. My only complaint, I wish the timing was longer. This was not enough or the course needs to be longer! However, the event was fun and deff allowed us to interact differently rather than some drinks and apps, I hope we have a chance to do more active events in the future!

Cool event.
It was my first time go kart racing.
Glad I was able to find the location and it didn’t snow. I got lost a couple times, both on the way there and on the way back home, but it wasn’t too bad.
The event started with an intro to go kart racing, by Pole Position staff, where we learned about the quality of the go karts, the safety of go kart racing, and the exhilaration of being behind the wheel. They have members of the staff, who have controllers, that can slow down racers, to make sure nobody gets hurt.
While waiting for my race, I sampled the Applebee’s catering. Chicken fingers, pasta with chicken, salad, and meatballs. I had two helpings and I was stuffed. I ate once before the race and once after. Applebee’s was definately generous with the food.
As for the race, after watching the safety video, we were off to the track. It was 14 laps, in approximately 8 – 10 mins. I felt like it was longer. The track had alot of curves to it, but I was able to get the go kart to accelerate really quickly. Apparently these go karts can go 45mph. I’m not sure we went that fast, but it definitely felt fast and it was exhilarating.
Thanks Sara, Pole Position, Applebee’s, and team Unilocal for a great way to start off 2016.

It was an awesome experience. Thank you, Unilocal!And thank you, Sara for organizing this fun event! It was my first time visiting this place. The tracks were short and challenging. I will definitely go back with friends. Food wasn’t too bad and thanks to Applebee’s.

Really a great event, Adreneline packed, and good people as always. Thank you pole position raceway for a great night. Those go cats are really fast and fun to drive, I would do it again

Let me just say this «Being a Unilocal Elite definitely has its perks» AND I’m so happy to start 2016 off with this status.
My VERY FIRST Unilocal ELITE EVENT and man oh man… it was a ton of fun! I met so many UnilocalERS and I felt so at home.
As for Pole Position… great place to have people come together and have an amazing time. Being early was cool too cuz I got first dibs on the track…14 laps baby!
Few tips:
–Wear closed toe shoes… I wore flat boots and I was fine
–Registration is required in the beginning… if you have FB… you can use your account to register
–Think of a racer name… first name is fine, but some like to be creative
–Turns on raceway can be tricky… and know you’ll always have the fast ones flying by so be careful… there’s a controller so they’ll slow people down if needed especially if someone runs into a barrier to avoid nasty accidents
–take a pic on the podium if you come in 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd
–They give you results on how you did on each lap
–DON’T GET THE BLACK FLAG… that means you are driving recklessly… BLUE FLAG… you need to drive on the side cuz u r more than likely going too slow. CHECKER FLAG… time to wrap up and park
–HAVE A GREAT TIME and if u have a go pro use it
Thank you Sara and Unilocal for setting up this event and for accepting my RSVP… The owner, Charmaine and the other workers were awesome. I’m happy my helmet and head gear didn’t smell… my face mask was a bit dirty but I was able to see fine.
As for food, it was so nice of Applebee’s to cater. I can’t believe the Caesar Salad went so fast… maybe new year… eat healthy I guess lol… but I was enjoying the chicken fingers and the honey mustard sauce which was pretty tasty. The pasta was good… didn’t care too much for the grilled chicken. Kinda wish they had dessert… that’s the sweet tooth talking.
I definitely will take advantage of the 50% off coupon.
Thanks for all the goodies and again fun fun fun event.
Maybe if I win powerball, I will buy my own pole position heehee.

Go-​kart racing always gives me a great adrenaline rush and seeing this Unilocal event on the calendar… I just HAD to sign up! And luckily for me. I got in :)
Anyways, I would like to thank Sara for organizing this great event and the people at Pole Position for hosting us. Also, I need to thank Applebees for their generous amount of food! The food was chicken fingers, pasta, salad, and meatballs, a nice layout of food when the main event is racing!
Pole Position put us into four groups and we then had our 14 lap race. There were many people there that were trying go-​karting for the first time and it seemed everyone had a great time. I enjoyed my race too of course! I luckily got the fastest lap time in my group! I was racing some good laps and then spun out near the end as I was going through a hairpin turn really tight and hit the kart in front of me (who was blocking me from passing him for about a lap, a good job from him for blocking my path!). The karts themselves are very easy to use and the staff here does a great job making sure everyone is safe. They have controls where they can slow down all the karts when there is an issue so the person in peril can be helped. Yes I would rather go fast all the time… but safety first!
Overall, a big thanks to everyone involved and all the Unilocalers that I raced with today! I’ll make sure I return for another race!

Racing at Pole Position is proof that alcohol isn’t necessarily needed for a fantastic Unilocal event!
I knew that this place existed from driving on I-​78 (and from their ads on the very lovely digital billboard over the Lincoln Tunnel that I can see from my apartment) and i’ve always wanted to try it, so I could think of no better time to try something (mostly) new than at a Unilocal Elite event!
After finding the place (two wrong turns later) I walked in and knew that «competitive Tyler» was going to be making an appearance at some point. I was right — as soon as I got the helmet on — tunnel vision to the checkered flag.
After registration we go to mingle upstarts; it was a small crowd, which was really great. I didn’t know anyone, so it was nice to have some random conversations with new people. Jersey Elites are an excellent bunch.
I was in the second race, so there was time to eat first — chicken fingers, pasta with chicken, salad, and meatballs all made for a fantastic pre-​race protein-​carbo boost, and when we got back… there was plenty of food left for a protein-​carbo cool down.
The race itself went by really quickly, we were on a smaller track so we couldn’t quite get up to the top speed of 45mph, but it still felt like we were going really fast. If nothing else, this got me interested in seeing what it would be like to race when the entire facility becomes one track. I came in second place by a few hundredths of a second, but that’s okay, now I have a personal time to beat.
I left with a bunch of Unilocal goodies, per the usual, and a coupon for 50% off my next race — which I definitely plan on using.
Another Jersey event, well done as always!