PowerPlay karting for everyone

Melbourne’s first two-level electric go-karting track, PowerPlay, is now open headed by former WRC co-driver Glenn Macneall.

PowerPlay Moorabbin opened its doors last Friday to a rapid indoor track that contains a ramp, bridge, tunnel, chicane and hairpin.

It is the first venue in Victoria to have only electric karts, which are more than fast enough to get the adrenaline rushing and provide instant torque as soon as you put the foot down.

The track is also quite slippery, meaning each time approaching a corner is a challenge and AUTO ACTION can speak from personal experience after recently having a throughly enjoyable crack behind the wheel.

The PowerPlay Moorabbin layout.

The brand’s logo may seem familiar to racing fans already with PowerPlay branding being seen on the bonnet of Brodie Kostecki’s #1 Erebus Camaro at the Sydney SuperNight last weekend.

Macneall hopes the colourful venue can do both satisfying the racing die-hard and be an appealing entry point to motorsport for the newcomer.

“My passion was driving and competition so I thought how do I make it fun for everybody?” He said.

“It evolved over the space of around four years, including going to every single go-kart venue I could possibly find.

“We are trying to attract the customer of people that go bowling and expose them to what is our passion. Getting people to have fun is the perfect entry level to racing.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a revhead or a karting first timer, we’ll help you climb the leaderboard.

The PowerPlay venue has a nice mix of flowing corners and hairpins, which are a thrill with the foot down in the powerful electric kart.

“Usually you walk into places like this and there are signs everywhere telling you what not to do and I thought why not try and teach people instead?

“We hope we can teach people to enjoy our passion and worry about the experience before anything else.”

The Moorabbin venue is the first PowerPlay karting facility outside of Perth and third overall.

Since the first opened in 2020 almost five million laps having already been raced at their two West Australian locations.

Macneall said PowerPlay has used this experience to develop a specialised lithium battery to power the karts and soon hopes to have venues all over the country for all ages and abilities.

We can have a 10-year-old girls birthday party one session and a bucks party the next,” he said.

AUTO ACTION gives the experience its approval.

“With electric go karts, you feel the power as soon as you put your foot down. They’re also quiet, eco-friendly and fume-free.

“We want it to be a slippery track so the karts can slide and want people to learn how to brake and have a lot of fun.

“We have also developed our own lithium battery to get four races an hour.

“Our ultimate aim is to have sensors around the track that will tell you on an app a score or grading and provide feedback to drivers.

“Our plan plan is over the next five years to have 18 of these around the country.”

PowerPlay Moorabbin is located on Cochranes Road. Drivers must be at least 10 years old and 140cm. The weight limit is 120kg.

More information can be found at  www.powerplay.com.au

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