BEST GO-KARTS 2006 | Speedway Raceway | Arts & Entertainment | Phoenix
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BEST GO-KARTS

Speedway Raceway

Okay, so it's all just a fantasy. But we've seen this particular fantasy the one about becoming a world-class NASCAR competitor taking the checkered flag at some super-cool international drag race overtake even our stuffiest friends. There's something about the thrill of zipping around Speedway Raceway's curvy quarter-mile indoor track in a 270cc Honda-powered Indy-style go-kart that morphs us into a hairpin-turn-hugging speed demon doing 1.5 lateral G's on a quarter-mile track. Speedway is open 365 days a year so that the kid in all of us (although real kids ages 8 to 14 drive Speedway Junior Karts) can catch a thrill-a-minute raceway high any day we want one. And we're off!

BEST PLACE TO BUILD A CHOPPER

Wicked Bros

Ever since Jesse James swag began to outsell Mary-Kate and Ashley stuff at Wal-Mart, everyone and his mom seems to want a pimped-out chopper. The only problem a true boutique chopper is both difficult and expensive to build. That's where the Wicked Bros come in. They've been building custom sleds and chops since long before the Discovery Channel made chopping cool and can pretty much build whatever you can dream up. Wicked Bros builds its own frames, called Synister, with integrated oil reservoirs and the choice of a 280 tire with full-size belt or a 300 tire with full-size chain. For parts seekers, Wicked Bros also carries a full line of exhaust systems (its own exclusive Bourget Wizard is one of our faves). With some cajoling, they might even let you come into the shop and yell at you during the building process if you really want to have your own true American Chopper experience.

BEST CAR CLUB

The Invaders

Local car enthusiasts Syd "The Squid" and Tammy Chase love chopping and reconcocting vintage cars so much that the vehicles fill the driveway, front yard, and backyard of the couple's Glendale home, sometimes spilling out onto the street. Not all of the cars belong to the Chases since they founded The Invaders car club in 1998, more than 20 members have joined the club, bringing rides like '49 Ford Shoeboxes, '49 Mercurys, '59 Cadillacs, '56 Chevy Wagons, and 1950 custom Chevys to the couple's home for body work or customizing. A lot of what The Invaders do with their cars is for show, as the club makes the trip to the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly festival every year and hosts a slew of custom car shows around town. The Chases say the members of The Invaders range in age from their 20s to their 40s, and having an old car is pretty much the only requirement to join the club. "It's just about having a good time with your friends," Syd Chase says. Sure beats a crowd that will only befriend you if you drive a new car!

BEST BIKE SHOP

Tempe Bicycle

Good bike shops are a lot like good bars: They have their own smell, their own special mood. They are not too clean, they are not too new, they are staffed with people who might otherwise not be employed. They are not designed off some corporate template for success, but rather off someone's obsession. Tempe Bicycle is a good bike shop, the best of the good bike shops in the Valley. And no doubt, it gets its cool energy from its locale, just three blocks from Mill Avenue and ASU close enough to be bicycle counterculture, not too close to have been made into College Disney like much of Mill. Yeah, yeah, they know bikes. They service well, they have a fine selection of tech and tough off-road and on-road rides. That makes them good, but not necessarily special. A lot of bike shops have good gear and good gurus. But here, you get the bike culture: that sometimes stoned world where the disdain for the combustion engine goes hand-in-hand with good music and good fun and a universe of progressive ideas. Much of this world has been stamped out of ASU by "public-private partnerships," et al. But it will never completely die as long as the Tempe Bicycles of the 'hood survive.

BEST SKATEBOARD SHOP

Scottsdale Sidewalk Surfer

Dude, where's my board? As far as we can tell, no one can beat this popular Scottsdale spot when it comes to pimpin' your concrete ride. The walls are lined with brand names like Zoo York, Flip, Toy Machine and Alien Workshop, organized by manufacturer. The shop stocks more than 500 boards, and there are several glass display cases filled with trucks and wheel kits. A complete longboard will run you a couple of bills, but you can pick up a blank deck for just $30 and trick it out with fly wheels. And unlike other local skate shops, the staffers actually have a clue about boarding. They can outfit you with a killer skate shoe to help with traction, fit you to a board, and point you in the direction of the area's best bank ramp. You'll be going primo and doing Ollies in no time.

BEST SKATEBOARD PARK

Foothills Sk8 Court Plaza

For anyone who needs proof that the JimmyZ-totin', Future Primitive-watchin' second generation of baby boomers is coming of legal age, look no further than the slew of skate parks that have popped up around town in the past few years. One of the latest and greatest, the bowl and street course in northwest Glendale, often plays host to hundreds of kids at a time, which means that if you're an old fart in your 30s like us, you might feel a tad out of place. We did. But that didn't stop us from bombing the quarterpipes and showing the shaggy-haired, Volcom-wearing kiddies how to pull Christ Airs and disco kick-flips. The park attracts skaters of every variety, from the screamo shredders with pants drooping under their ass cheeks to the skinny Crass-shirted Mohican punks. There's a great snake run to warm you up for running down freshmen while lighting up the big bowl. Kids may never get a high-five from the establishment for logging thousands of hours at parks like these, but put enough time in and you're sure to pull a dark slide or laser flip that'll make your peers' jaws drop, which is what really matters.

BEST PAINTBALL PARK

WestWorld Xtreme Pursuit Paintball

How do you separate friend from enemy? Shoot 'em first and worry about that later. WestWorld's paintball experience is a safe way to get out all of your pent-up aggression. Target your opponents as they try to hide behind hay bales and stealthily sneak around corners. Aim the scope. Point. And shoot. Blam! They'll be washing fluorescent pink paint out of their hair for weeks. WestWorld has two paintball sites, an indoor Xtreme Pursuit with inflatable obstacles, and the three-course Splatter Ranch. Weather permitting, the 20-acre ranch is the better of the two, with oil drum obstacles and built-up pueblos suitable for a "capture the flag" round. If you're feeling adventurous, try course three. With no manmade obstacles, you'll have to rely on rock outcroppings and gullies for cover. Wear your colored banner like a badge, because, as we found out on this natural course, friendly fire counts.

BEST BOWLING

Sunset Bowling Center

We've long since despaired of finding old-timey bowling in Phoenix the kind with manual ball returns and those funky handwritten scorecard projectors. But we're happy to settle for the fun we have whenever we visit Sunset Bowling Center, which offers everything we need to conquer our bowling jones: 32 professional lanes, wide-screen monitors, and state-of-the-art computer scoring systems. After a couple of games, we like to retire to Walt's Kitchen for a beer and a basket of seasoned French fries, then we beat it to the arcade, where a game of air hockey is always rewarded with fun prizes from the friendly staff. (Last time we won a light-up keychain shaped like a bowling pin fun!) Sunset offers pro and mid-skill league programs, and is even available for large private parties. That's a strike!

BEST BINGO

Arizona Italian American Club

Whenever we get to missing Grandma, we head down to the Italian American Club, where the smell of simmering red sauce wafts over us as we dab hot-pink ink all over our lucky bingo cards, just like Nana used to do. The friendly folks who run this game offer both Power Bingo and good, old-fashioned "Paper Only" Bingo, and we get 21 games for just $18 (with the last three games paying $299 each!). The Italian bingo barkers promise $3,475 in prizes each session. The "Coverall" game alone is worth $1,000, and no regular game pays less than $100 in prizes. And while these big bingo cash prizes may be what draws a crowd every Monday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. and every Sunday at 1 p.m., we go for the fun, funky atmosphere, the snack bar, and the jovial guy who calls the numbers just like we remember from the church basement bingo of our childhood. We always get cozy in the large, comfortable non-smoking room, which seats up to 100 players, although we noticed on our last trip that the club's main hall features a state-of-the-art air-purification system. Bingo!

BEST MINIATURE GOLF

Mini-Golf Paradise

Sure, miniature golf is a fun family activity, but who wants to putt-putt outside in the blistering summer heat? That's why we love this 18-hole indoor range with its cute jungle theme. Tigers pounce throughout the course, and one hole sports a giant hippopotamus ready to gobble up your ball. Little adventurers can take a stationary Jeep ride, and there's foosball and arcade games to keep the older kids busy. It's also a great place for summer birthday parties. Parents can choose a basic package with golf and drinks, or go all-out with everything from jungle plates to a giant sheet cake. Space is limited on the course, so don't expect any fancy two-tier holes or waterfall obstacles. This is simple, clean mini-golf that's ideal for young children. Plus, at only $6 per round for adults and $5 for children 3 to 6, you won't mind when the kids want to have another go. And another go.

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