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An imitation NASA spaceship, and an octopus-themed wagon were among the 30 home-built rolling vehicles that briefly took over a hilly stretch of North Berkeley on Sunday during the third-annual Neighborhood Kart Race.
The idea for the family-friendly race, now a budding tradition, was conceived during weekly pizza nights with the neighborhood’s pandemic “pod” in 2020, said head organizer Jesica Brennan, a parent to two elementary schoolers. The short 1.5-block route started at the top of the hill on Merced Street, made a turn on Madera Street, and ended at the intersection of Madera and Sierra.
Around 100 spectators attended the community event Sunday, with neighbors cheering on their favorite racers from their front yards. A hot-dog stand and ice cream truck set up at the site.
“They all have a really great time,” Brennan said. “There’s this gaggle of neighborhood kids that’s largely unsupervised, as all the adults manage the kart race, and they love that part — the freedom of running from house to house and being wild.”
Awards were given in categories including fastest and safest (slowest) driver, best braker and best-designed kart.
Brennan said it cost around $1,500 or more to host the block party. Funding came from a neighborhood garage sale for the race, entry fees ($20 for one participant and $5 for additional riders using the same kart) and from the six organizing families.
Brennan’s husband, Dominic, built the family’s kart and offers free workshops for those who want help building a kart in the months leading up to race day.
