The track has become a copy of the one in Istanbul/Loopnet
If you are not a fan of George Strait or nostalgic for Hwy 66, Amarillo, Texas is probably not on your wish list to visit Lone Star State.
But if we told you there's a full-scale replica of the Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix here for you to prove your dominance on the go-kart circuit, would that change your mind? What if we said, citing The Drive, that the newly renovated 50-acre complex is for sale at a reasonable price?
Located in the Texas Panhandle, about a five-hour drive between Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Dallas, Texas, the town of Amarillo doesn't have any major claims to fame other than the occasional country song, 10 half-buried cars known as Cadillac Ranch, and 72-ounce steak. Now you can add a go-kart track to that list.
Just 20 minutes east of Amarillo is a track modeled after the 19-turn Instabul circuit which former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone once called it “the best race track in the world”. Since 2005, the Grand Prix of Turkey has been part of the Formula 1 schedule nine times. In 2012, construction began on the nearly one-mile Texas version of the track.
Project of a local orthopedic surgeon(and avowed F1 fan) Than Morgan, was initially not open to the public. Instead, an exclusive Morgan Family Track was built to entertain their children and like-minded friends. There was no competition until 2017, when the Texas ProKart Challenge brought 80 to 100 competitors to the track.
In 2022, the Amarillo Kart Circuit was sold to three brothers – Kyle, Brad and Joe Yuczynski. They carried out a large-scale reconstruction of a once private facility, turning it into an entertainment center for events and recreation. This included the addition of 20,000 square feet of asphalt, an indoor grid, a redesigned ramp, a scoring tower, an elevated viewing platform, safety fencing, bathrooms, showers and a new pro shop with rental spaces. The karting complex under the new name “Amarillo” opened in May 2023.
But after 11 months, it was put up for sale. It is not known whether the Yuczynski brothers plan to remain in management, allowing someone else to handle the business related to the property. The property is listed for a market date of June 18, 2024, and a price tag of $2 million. Don't worry, there are living quarters on the property, so technically you're buying a racetrack you can live on.