Zoomin’ in with a refresh at Kastle Karts

Rachel Sankey

Staff

May 17, 2023

GREEN BAY – Northeast Wisconsin is finally giving us hints of spring and promises of summer.

The sunny weather and higher temperatures make the next few months a great time for Wisconsinites to take advantage of the region’s many outdoor activities – such as go-karting. 

And, at Kastle Karts, located across the street from Bay Beach Amusement Park at 2301 N. Irwin Ave. in Green Bay, owner Brian Matzke said the track is ready for 19 brand new go-karts to hit the course – the first time the machines have been replaced since the business opened nearly 30 years ago.

New and improved
Matzke said there was nothing wrong with the original karts, but “it was just time for a fresh look.”

“Some of the go-kart technology has come a long way in terms of how they’re built – how they’re manufactured, the braking systems, the acceleration system,” he said.

Newer karts also offer more safety features, which Matzke said is important for both the customer and the employee.

“Safety standards weren’t the same 30 years ago as they are now,” he said. “Some of the (safety) features – safety harnesses, seatbelts, roll bars and even the options for covering up engines and belts… so they’re not exposed (are now available).”

On top of the safety features, Matzke said there are also noticeable differences in the new go-karts that will make them a “more comfortable ride.”

“There’s a lot more legroom in the new karts… you’re not confined into this tight little space,” he said. “Seatbelts are a little bigger, a little longer (and they are) easier to get into.”

And, to top it all off, Matzke said new karts equals more speed.

“They’re faster, they accelerate better,” he said. “We’re allowed to set the speed on these a little bit faster than the old ones because of how they’re built and the safety features. Our braking system (are) the exact same brakes as a car would have you’re driving down the road.”

//17bec5072710cda5b8dd81b69f4c6e58.cdn.bubble.io/f1684350463489x699127083176448600/richtext_content.webpOwner Brian Matzke said the go karts were custom-made for Kastle Karts’ track. Submitted Photo

To ensure customers have the best experience possible, Matzke said he worked with a manufacturer in Oregon to create a custom kart build specifically for Kastle Karts’ track.

“It’s a kart that can handle hills and bank curves well,” he said. “You’re going to be able to get up the hills quickly, around curves quickly and slide around the curves a bit, which is cool. The karts themselves have a really cool look to them.

Matzke said he hopes and expects to see an increase in business thanks to the new rides.

“From a customer’s perspective, I think it’s going to be a much more enjoyable race,” he said. “It’s going to be a more competitive race for families that come down… I think people are going to want to ride them more than once. I think it’s going to be something (where people) want to spend an hour racing each other.”

The old karts
When it came to saying goodbye to the original go-karts, Matzke said he waited to sell them until he knew the new karts were on the way because of supply chain issues.

“I was hesitant to pull the trigger and get rid of the old ones right away,” he said. “You can’t run a go-kart track without go-karts.”
Matzke said he was scared something would come up and he’d be left without any karts.

“(If) I would have sold them last fall, and then come this spring, the new karts were delayed, (then I wouldn’t have had any go-karts for my customers).”

Once he received notice the machines were in transit, Matzke said he posted the 20 old carts on Facebook Marketplace, and within a matter of hours had sold all of them.

“They’re off to a new home,” he said. “Local residents bought them – they didn’t go to another go-kart track. Local people came and picked them up, and they’re going to enjoy them now.”

Change of ownership
Matzke said he is the third owner of Kastle Karts, taking over the company in July 2018.

He said he has always wanted to own his own business – and that’s when he found Kastle Karts.

“I reached out to the previous owner, and we started talking,” he said. “Some of the benefits (of owning a go-kart track business) – it’s only open four months out of the year, which was intriguing because I was hoping to be able to keep my other job and own this business and balance the two, which I was able to do for the first few seasons.”

//17bec5072710cda5b8dd81b69f4c6e58.cdn.bubble.io/f1684350494063x846194139802652400/richtext_content.webpBrian Matzke

Talks of further development at Bay Beach at the same time Matzke was thinking of purchasing Kastle Karts, he said, made the move an even better idea. 

“(Bay Beach) was announcing they were bringing in (its second) ferris wheel,” he said. “They talked about putting the beach back in and building the pier – just excitement in that area in general. It was like, ‘Oh, okay, they’re going to be doing these things that will drive traffic. It’s going to bring more people to that area in the summers.’” 

Having three young sons that could come to the track while Matzke worked was also a plus, he said. 

“It’s a business they can come to with us,” he said. “We’re spending time there on the weekend working on stuff. They can bring their buddies. They can ride the go-karts and mess around at the arcade (we have). That was appealing to us.”