Ground Floor: Speedeezz Indoor Karting offers speeding, without the fancy cars

CEDAR RAPIDS - Darrell Long said he and his partners hope their new Cedar Rapids business is the first of many joint ventures.

Long and his wife, Carla, of Cedar Rapids, along with Marion couple Duane and Shelly McNulty are the co-owners of Speedeezz Indoor Karting.

'We're looking at other businesses for the corporation to own,” Long said. 'We all have different strengths and experience in other areas.”

Their first business, an indoor electric go-kart track and racing facility, builds on Long's and Duane McNulty's experience in motor sports. Long, a former fuel tank driver, used to race at Hawkeye Downs, while McNulty, a diesel mechanic, served as his crew chief.

'We've been talking about this since our racing days,” Long said. 'We thought it was something we could actually make a living with so we finally said, let's give it a shot.”

They began working with a real estate agent and, in October 2016, took possession of a 17,000 square-foot space that used to be a fabric store. As would be expected, the site required substantial modifications to turn it into an indoor racetrack.

'Every square inch of the walls was covered in cabinets,” Long said. 'There was more wood in here than a forest.”

In addition to removing the cabinetry, the partners had to tear out the floor tiles and treat the underlying concrete floor to reduce dust and increase traction. They also had to install fencing and barriers around the track, which they designed with the help of a CAD program.

'It was a lot of work but very rewarding,” Long said.

They opened for a weekend in August as a trial run and then closed for a couple of weeks to make adjustments to improve the rider experience. Changes included modifications to the track and adjusting the go-karts' electronics.

'We worked out the kinks,” Long said.

The business reopened in early September.

Drivers can choose between single and double carts for 15-lap races at speeds of around 20 miles per hour. Long said safety is a priority, noting that the go-karts' speed can be adjusted as necessary.

'The karts are made to drive,” he said. 'We're not bumper cars. We're giving you the feeling of racing without fancy, expensive race cars.”

The facility hosts racing leagues during the week and is available for parties and corporate events.

As for the partners' future plans, Long said the most likely next step would be to open additional racetracks in other cities before expanding into different types of businesses, such as a bar and grill or automotive business.

'We want this to stay our core (business),” he said. 'We want people to come here, have fun and be safe.”

l Know a business in operation for less than a year that might make a good 'Ground Floor”? Contact michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com.

At a Glance

' Owners: Darrell and Carla Long and Duane and Shelly McNulty

' Business: Speedeezz Indoor Karting

' Address: 4750 Tama St. SE, Cedar Rapids

' Phone: (319) 200-2599

' Email: speedeezzindoorkarting@yahoo.com

' Website: www.speedeezzindoorkarting.com