For all you offMetro readers who don’t own a car, and have ever thought you could dodge traffic better than a New York City cab driver, this is your chance to give it a shot. At the Velocity 17 go kart track in Maywood, New Jersey, you’ll find out what it’s like to weave your way through cars at 30 miles per hour. Except here, your butt will rest only two inches off the ground and you better watch out for the hairpin turns and chicanes thrown in for good measure.

After entering the track area and viewing a brief safety video, you will don the required helmet and neck brace. When your name is called, you will step into one of the electric-powered beauties and await the start signal. Pushing down on the pedal, you’ll immediately feel the intense acceleration, and hitting the first turn you’ll realize how much skill is involved to drive this track fast. The races last about eight minutes each and are about two miles long. Once you have recovered from the exhilarating ride, stick around and wait for your stat sheet that will most likely show you how poor your lap times are compared to the veteran racers. But you can always race again!

Only a half hour bus ride from Port Authority, Velocity 17 makes a great weekend activity. And it’s not just the go karts you will enjoy. With a flight simulator, billiards table, lounge with a cafeteria, and driving simulators, you won’t get bored.

Thanks to their late hours (closing at 11pm Tues-Thurs, and midnight Fri-Sun), it’s easy to find a time to race. Be sure to call or check their schedule before planning a trip—they occasionally have private events and are closed to the public. To drive at the full 30mph, drivers must be over 18 and bring a valid drivers license, or else you will be throttled down to 22 mph and race with the kids. The cost to get on the track is just $10 for the day or $20 for a yearly pass, in addition to the $18.50 fee per race.

How to get there: Velocity 17 is easily accessible to New York City NJ Transit bus. Take the 164 Midland Park bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal, ride the bus for thirty minutes, and get out at the Essex St. and Maywood Ave. stop. The facilities are a five minute walk away. From the bus stop, walk on the sidewalk towards Duane Reade, cross Maywood Ave., stay on the sidewalk until you pass Duane Reade and see a closed road on your right. Walk down the road, bearing left. Continue on this road (you will pass a FedEx building on your right) and you will end up in the V-17 parking lot. Take our handy map with you to make sure you don’t get lost! Please note that the road may not be well lit at night—if you stay late, you might want to bring a flashlight. (Velocity 17, 87 Route 17 North, Maywood, NJ, 800-942-4919, v-17.com)

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

29 COMMENTS

  1. “The cost to get on the track is just $10 for a year—long license or $20 for a yearly pass, in addition to the $18.50 fee per race.”

    Correction since it’s hard to understand.. It’s $10 for a day pass and $20 for the yearly.

  3. Hi..I saw your website and it would be the type of place I would enjoy.I would like to know if you give bundle prices if we come as a group of more than 10 people.I’m planning to celebrate my 18th birthday there.
    Thank you!

  4. So if im correct it cost 10.00 dollars to get in and 18.50 to rent a car all day ? please let me know… thanks

  6. AVOID VELOCITY 17 LIKE THE PLAGUE!!

    If you enjoy being treated like cattle, enjoy waiting 2.5 hours for a 6 minute go cart race and having your nine year old son cry 3 times, this is the place for you. I tried to get all the information upfront as I waited to register on the first of the 3 lines.
    First up: 3 touch screen registration monitors (30 minutes.) I winced in agony as patrons stood there entering all their personal information very slowly, talking to their friends and family, asking each other what their zip code is and how to spell their street name. This pre-registration could easily be done on the internet prior to arrriving thus saving the first 30 minutes. Second up: The payment line, waiting in line to pay for the ride (30 minutes),just make sure you pay cash (no credit cards) and if you don’t have cash, they make money on their portable ATM next to the desk $2 per transaction.) At this junction into the second hour of racing “hell”, I asked the cashier at the desk what the approximate wait was (She said about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes) and I also asked if you paid for multiple rides around the track, would you be able to stay in your car and ride again or would you have to get off and get in line again? (She said she wasn’t sure and would have to ask a senior cashier… the senior cashier said you have to get back in line again, just like you would expect to do at “Disney World”- bad comparison, I’ll explain later.) THIRD UP: The final circle or racing “hell”, the intolerable wait in the actual line (1.5 hours) to race for 6 minutes…However, this is where the biggest kick to the crotch came to play. Apparantly waitind so far for now 1.5 hors wasn’t bad enough with the promise now of being the next group to finally enter the actual racing pit, but all of a sudden being informed that an unseen party was now to be given preferential track time even though there was no indication of anything of this. A party was now going to get in line between my son and I and was now going to cutt off the line on 35 people all waiting on line…We were assurred by the “carnie-like staff”that this was an imposition and they were sorry for it and there was nothing they could do. This party would only add another 15 minutes more to our wait, and sorry but here some more V-17 logic, either play by our rules or leave–we don’t care. The party did not take an extra 15 minutes it was an extra 45 minutes. Finally at 2 hr and 15 minute mark we got on our hair nets (lice prevention from their racing helmets, put on our neck braces and we raced finally for SIX WHOLE MINUTES!! WHOOPPEE!! the people running this place have absolutely no consideration for anyone..the almighty dollar reigns supreme and your anger needs to be checked at the door. You need to be a silent sheep and either play by V-17’s rules or leave. I unfortunately tried V-17’s rules and left with the feeling of nausea in the pit of my stomach after one of the worst experiences of customer service I have ever seen in my entire life…This coming from someone that was stuck on the Pirate’s of the Carribean Ride in Disney World last summer for nearly 2 hours last year after the ride became inoperable and wouldn’t move. However, the people at Disney know how to deal with the public in a humane manner, even though circumstances are not up to par. V-17 could care less if you have had a good experience or not, just make sure you pay cash (no credit cards) and if you don’t have cash, they make money on their portabl;e ATM next to the desk. THIS PLACE IS A TRAVESTY, I wouldn’t have an enemy of mine go there..there is not a shred of compassion amongst the staff and they really do not care about the customer experience, just the almighty dollar. Here’s a quote from my nine year old son who just got done reading what I just wrote, “At first I was having fun just being there, then I realized the place stunk and I repeat STUNK! It was just plain bad and I was planning on my birthday party being here…I’ll never go back again!”

    Have fun at V-17- Don’t say a I did not warn you… If you agree to this article or not I would like to see you comment below-

    Thanks for your time.

    And please do not compare yourself to Disney- is the horse dead yet?

  7. Thanks for the heads up on V-17-
    Sometimes it takes several changes in ownership before these places become actually well run. Guess I’ll have to wait for the third set of owners before I try it out.

  8. All I can say is the place is a rip off. One 6 minute race in 2 hours. Don’t go thee ever. There are much better places in PA.

  9. All I can say is that they ruined my son’s birthday. When I called up I was told that I did not need to book a party. When we got there 15 kids, they had to wait 1 to 1.5 hours per race. We have tickets for 4 hours. They put a couple of other parties in front of us and gave the us some free races, knowing well that they will never have to make good on the freebies. To get through all the races we would have been there something like 7 hours for a total of 35 mins of racing. When I spoke to the staff their attitude was nothing we can do, you should have booked a party. The managers were no better, Pete and Eric. All they were tying to do was push the virtual racing and roller skating.

    Spoke to a couple of people there who had booked parties, they were waiting on average 1 hour per race. Even though they had been given race times.

    Would never go there again if they paid me. Avoid, Avoid, Avoid. That’s all I can say.

  11. If it wasn’t for that in depth review up there i would have taken a lady friend on a date to V-17. I’m glad i dodged that bullet.

  12. Thank you for the warning I was planning on going there this weekend with for my sons 9 b-day. I will avoid Sorry for your experience

  14. We brought our sons here on a recent weekend and had a wonderful time. The staff was pleasant, the kids had a lot of fun racing and didn't have to wait more than maybe 10 minutes to get on the track. We live in Manhattan but this place is worth the trip! LT

  15. I have to say after the changes with management a few months ago that the place has changed MASSIVELY since I went there 6 months ago. They have just put in a quality Laser-Tag area and have updated their karts and track. The staff was very friendly and we waited just 20 mins for our rides on a very busy Saturday. We spoke to a few parents having parties on the day we were there and based upon their comments we have booked our own sons Birthday Party there.

  16. I have to say after the changes with management a few months ago that the place has changed MASSIVELY since I went there 6 months ago. They have just put in a quality Laser-Tag area and have updated their karts and track. The staff was very friendly and we waited just 20 mins for our rides on a very busy Saturday. We spoke to a few parents having parties on the day we were there and based upon their comments we have booked our own sons Birthday Party there.

  18. how do you spell ripoff: V-17. cost $3.08 per minute for 6 minutes equals $18.50 (not to mention the let’s-rip-you-off-more fee of $10. If this was in watching-a-movie-at-a-theater terms, a two hour movie would cost $369.60. I guess they get away with it because there are a lot of very dumb people willing to pay it. haha

  22. I’ve been there a couple times with my kids. Basically it’s not very thrilling and not very much fun especially for the money.

  23. I’ve switched over to Pole Position Raceway in jersey city instead! faster karts, great staff, short waits, and the longest indoor track in the country!

  25. Went to V17 this weekend and Pole Position in Jersey City last weekend. V17 has way better cars and the place was well run. Reception staff were friendly and helpful and warned us in advance that as it was a Saturday night that we might have to wait up to an hour to race. In the end we were on the track in just over 30 mins. We bought 2 races each and what a blast. Yes its not cheap but it was worth it. Spoke to the British manager whilst we there about the racing. Like everyone else he was very helpful. Pole Position was shinier and newer but the track and cars are way better at V17

  26. THIS PLACE SUCKS. THE MANAGER (ELAINE) IS f*** JERK, PIZZAS WERE COLD , TOOK OVER 40 MINUTES TO GET A NEW SET OF PIZZA AND GAVE US 10 MINUTES TO FINISH UP SAYING THE ROOM WAS BOOKED FOR ONLY ANOTHER 10 MINUTES (EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO OTHER PARTY AFTER US OCCUPYING THE ROOM) AND MORE IMPORTANTLY OUR FOOD WAS DELAYED DUE TO V-17 SERVING COLD PIZZA IN THE FIRST PLACE

  27. This is one of the most unorganized managedment team I ever saw. We had a party there for my son’s 7th birthday party. I did not get what I paid for and the sales woman and general manager refused to take care of some of the saftey hazards left on the rink. after letting the manager know what and where they were our requests were completely ignored and resulting in an injury. It was too late to cancel the party. I would NOT recommend this facility to anyone until they clean up their act.

  28. I just tried Pole Position Raceway on Mother’s day with my entire family and it was wonderful! There was a short wait of about 5 minutes, but we each raced multiple times thereafter. They also had kid cars for my youngest daughter, who surprised me with how good she was at driving!!

  29. Highly over rated . The customer service is terrible . Waste of money and wouldn’t go there again ….. I ll find somewhere else to spend my money and get better treatment ….. Thumbs downs

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.