iDrive Rental Series
Bringing “Arrive and Drive” kart racing to a new level, Gateway Kartplex’s iDrive series puts you behind the wheel of a 55mph race kart in a fun, safe and competitive environment at the finest purpose-built karting facility in the Midwest.
iDrive features THREE opportunities to win an iDrive Scholarship. With 30lb weight ranges in the Light and Medium classes, and a 200lb minimum weight in Heavy, every driver will have to push their kart to the limit to win. Do YOU have what it takes to be the next iDrive Champion?
Single Entry Fee
- $60PER EVENT (plus tax)
FULL 7-EVENT FALL OR SPRING SERIES ENTRY
- $350(plus tax, saves entrants $73.50)
Single Entry Practice 4-6:45PM
- $25PER RACE ON iDRIVE DAYS (Includes tax)
Series Entry Practice 4-6:45PM
- $20PER RACE ON iDRIVE DAYS (Includes tax)
NOTICE: In the event weather shortens our iDrive season, we will not refund series entries.
Late Entry Fee
Arriving after 6:50 pm without communicating with staff will result in a $20.00 late entry fee beginning May 18th, 2022. You may call and pay over the phone ahead of time; this will not result in a late entry fee.
RADIOS
EFFECTIVE MAY 10TH 2023, the use of radios/phones to communicate with drivers while on track is prohibited. Use of radios/phones will result in disqualification.
Anyone caught cheating in any form will be subject to disqualification or banned from further iDrive/Kartplex events based on the Race Director or Kartplex Management discretion.
CLASS STRUCTURE
Light Class: Driver weight is 140 – 169lbs
Medium Class: Driver weight is 170-199lbs (no external weights will be permitted in Medium class)
Heavy Class: Driver weight is 200lbs+ (no external weights will be permitted in Heavy class)
Drivers will weigh in prior to the event. Classes compete on track separately.
REQUIREMENTS TO COMPETE
AGE
Drivers must be 16+ years old. Driver age exceptions are available from the Race Director with prior permission. To discuss obtaining an age exception, please contact the Kartplex via phone at least two days in advance of the first date you intend to compete in the iDrive series. No age exceptions will be made for drivers who compete in our Ignite or SuperComp racing series.
WEIGHT
All drivers must meet the Light class minimum weight to compete in iDrive. Drivers who do not meet the 140lb minimum weight requirement may receive permission from the Race Director to use an external weight (belt- or vest-style ONLY). Use of such weights must be approved by a race official before you compete. Drivers may not use any other weights on their persons or in/on their safety equipment to meet Medium or Heavy weight classes. Anyone caught using any additonal weight will forfit any existing points and banned for any future leagues or Kartplex events.
LAP TIMES/SESSIONS
Drivers must have run at least one session in the rental karts prior to entering iDrive for the first time. They must also meet a lap time threshold on our regular track to be allowed to compete in iDrive. Those thresholds are:
- Light Class – 41 second or faster lap
- Medium Class – 42 second or faster lap
- Heavy Class – 43 second or faster lap
These times have been set to keep all competitors within approximately 110% of the lap time of the fastest driver in a given class. New drivers are only eligible to compete in the two special nights if they meet the adjusted time threshold for the track layout.
SPECIAL iDRIVE NIGHTS
There are two special nights for each spring and fall series of iDrive – the penultimate round features Extended Turn 3 and the finale is on our Backwards Track layout. New drivers will be allowed to compete in both Extended Turn 3 and the Backwards Track events provided they meet the adjusted minimum lap time threshold determined for both track layouts. Those adjusted minimum lap times will be determined the day of the event.
Drivers are permitted to run more than one class per night, provided they meet the minimum weight of any class they enter (without adding weight to enter Medium or Heavy). Drivers may qualify for multiple classes but are only eligible to run one class in the Shootout. On the day of the Shootout, competitors must meet the minimum weight (again, without adding weight for Medium or Heavy) or the qualified class they choose to run in.
RACE FORMAT (PER NIGHT)
One 5-minute qualifying session
Two 10-lap feature races with standing starts.
Drivers will stay in their karts and be gridded for Race 1 immediately after their qualifying session.
Drivers will use the same kart for each night’s qualifying session and Race 1, but will be in different karts for Race 2 and may be in different karts on other dates. Karts will be assigned randomly by draw. Karts will be gridded for Race 1 based on qualifying times. The Race 2 grid will be determined by the following: the top six finishers from Race 1 will have their starting positions decided by the roll of a die, while the rest of the field will start in Race 1 finishing order. Yellow flag laps will count toward race distance.
POINTS STRUCTURE
The fall and spring series will each consist of 14 races on 7 event dates. A driver will count their best 10 out of 14 results towards that series points championship. In the event weather shortens the series, drivers will count approximately 70% of the total number of races, rounded to the nearest full race.
SPRING/FALL SERIES AWARDS
First place — $100 Kartplex credit + 1 Ignite demo test session + trophy or plaque
Second place — $50 Kartplex credit + 1 Ignite demo test session + trophy or plaque
Third place — 1 Ignite demo test session + trophy or plaque
iDRIVE SHOOTOUT AND CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
The top 10 eligible drivers of each series who compete in 4 or more events (8 individual races) are invited to the iDrive Championship Shootout – October 2oth, 2023. There is no entry fee for the Championship Shootout event.
The Light, Medium and Heavy class winners of the iDrive Championship Shootout will each be awarded iDrive Scholarships, and will receive the use of a new Margay Ignite K3 kart provided by Margay Racing at no charge for use in the 2023 racing season.
The rainout date for the 2023 iDrive Shootout is TBD. In the event we are unable to run the Shootout on either the original or rainout date, we will revert to season point totals to determine the iDrive Scholarship recipients.
2020 iDrive Shootout Point Standings (Updated 10/31/20)
2020 iDrive Final Point Standings (Updated 10/21/20)
2019 iDrive Shootout Point Standings (Updated 11/2/19)
2019 Fall Final iDrive Point Standings (Updated 10/16/19)
2019 Spring Final iDrive Point Standings (Updated 7/8/19)
2018 iDrive Shootout Point Standings (Updated 10/27/18)
2018 Fall Final iDrive Point Standings (Updated 10/18/18)
2018 Spring Final iDrive Point Standings (Updated 6/29/18)
2017 Fall Final iDrive Point Standings (Updated 10/19/17)
2017 Spring Final iDrive Points Standings (Updated 06/29/17)
2016 Fall Final iDrive Points Standings (Updated 10/31/16)
The iDrive Series was created as the beginning rung of our racing ladder system. iDrive was developed for the general public to experience an affordable racing series on an even playing field. All racers are welcome to compete in the weekly series and can participate in the Spring and Fall Series awards. However, in the spirit and intent of the iDrive program, the following list of racers are NOT ELIGIBLE to compete in the season-ending iDrive Shootout and therefore NOT ELIGIBLE for the iDrive Scholarship provided by Margay Racing:
- Margay Racing employees.
- Previous iDrive Scholarship recipients.
- Racers that have competed in 3 Ignite and/or SuperComp series events in the last 24 months.
Gateway Kartplex employees are ONLY eligible to compete in iDrive Shootouts provided they meet the following requirement:
- They are limited in the number of employee races they may participate in during Spring or Fall iDrive seasons, including the lead-up to the iDrive Shootout
- Employees, like any other iDrive competitor, are not limited as to the number of purchased sessions they may run
CODE OF CONDUCT
Gateway Kartplex requires all competitors, family members, crew, spectators, sponsors and guests to abide by a code of conduct and behave in a respectful, orderly manner. Penalties may be assessed for inappropriate actions on or off the track and can be incurred by anyone required to abide by this code of conduct. Drivers are responsible for the control and actions of their pit crew and family members. Unacceptable actions of crew or family members may subject a driver to penalty or disqualification from an event.
It is always our goal to have clean, safe and fair racing, and we are more than happy to listen to any questions, concerns or complaints. Certain actions, however, are not appropriate. Physical violence, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation or excessive foul language will be subject to immediate disciplinary action by the Race Director or Kartplex Management. Such disciplinary actions may include disqualification and expulsion from the event, removal from the facility, suspension from the track, permanent ban from the facility or other penalties.
As we frequently remind drivers and race attendees, race officials and approved personnel are the only individuals allowed to approach the Main Flagstand/Timing and Scoring or step onto the track during the race program. Race officials need to focus on what is happening on track. Individuals who disrupt race officials may be subject to penalty. If you have a question, concern or complaint, please address it to either the cashier or the grid marshal, who will radio the appropriate person and should provide either an answer or an indication of when and where someone will be available to address your matter.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONDUCT POLICY
When differences of opinion arise regarding Gateway Kartplex rules and regulations, decisions by race officials, Kartplex policies, or between the competitors (and/or their charges), communication and discussion of these differences are best handled privately and directly between the parties involved. Attacking parties on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action if race officials or Kartplex Management determine that the communication is not in the best interest of the Gateway Kartplex and its series. Resulting penalties may be disqualification, ejection from the event and possibly from Gateway Kartplex until further notice.