NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Going 65 mph didn’t sound like much.

Until I realized I would be about three inches off the ground.

In a go-kart.

On a course with 12 turns.

And, of course, I’ve never done this before and have no clue whether it will result in a rush or hospital stay.

The adventure unfolds on a cloudy June morning at the New Castle Motorsports Park, a 50-acre complex designed and owned by former IRL driver Mark Dismore.

The Kart Racers of America run more than a dozen races here each year. Some IRL drivers run here for practice, and the annual TaG Endurance Race has been won by the likes of Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

Anybody can come and rent a kart and drive the course just for a thrill. But that’s in a 6.5 horsepower machine built for casual entertainment.

Mark Adams, the track manager, has lined up a kart used in races, one with 45 horsepower. Again, doesn’t sound like much, but we’re talking basically a frame, steering wheel, seat and engine. And, oh yeah, there’s a gas tank between your knees and exhaust manifold behind you.

It’s a TaG kart, as in Touch and Go. Press the button to start. Press the gas to go. Simple, but good and bad.

Good in that’s basically it. Bad in that it makes a thrill an easy grab for novices lacking common sense.

Before hitting the track, Adams takes me to one of the suites above the 73 rental garages and provides a few pointers while watching a group from a company outing navigate the turns.

The kart has only rear brakes, so braking must be done before the turn. Brake in the turn, and you’re doing doughnuts. For the quickest time, be all the way in the gas, brake, then all the way in the gas coming out of the turn.

Sounds simple enough.

The track can be set up between 0.5 and 1.6 miles with up to 26 turns. Twelve is plenty.

After putting on the gloves, helmet and neck brace, it’s into the kart. The seat is snug around the sides and the pedals are metal pegs.

It’s slow at first, a little tentative on the gas, trying to figure out which way the turns go. I finally started standing on the gas — you know, for a full, healthy half second — before easing off and then braking.

It’s not normal to stand on the gas, then stand on the brake. My old rusty truck needs about 37 seconds to come to a complete stop.

I keep trying to tell myself, “All the way in the gas, idiot. You’re not 10 years old.”

Then I remember Adams said ages of those who race here range from 5-65. A 10-year-old probably would be passing me about now.

Oh, well. Last year when I raced a Legends car at the Speedrome, I was getting lapped by 14-year-olds.

But I start getting it, and start staying on the gas longer, longer, a little longer. Then hitting the brake right before a corner.

Now this is getting really fun. By my fifth or sixth lap, it feels like we’re making time. Hit a turn and you feel your body being pulled in the opposite direction.

I’m driving on the right edge of the track heading into a left turn, hitting the apex, then back into the gas. Oh, yeah. This is getting good.

I hit a few corners too fast and the kart slides a bit, once into the grass. Even that was fun.

Coming out of the next-to-last turn before the back straightaway, there is a slight angle to the left. The back straightaway is a little more than 100 yards long.

The shifter karts raced by experienced drivers hit 97 mph. I’m hitting top speed, making 65 mph feel like 120. The engine lets out it’s ‘Rrreeeee.’ The wind is blowing. Hands are vibrating.

This feels so cool.

My best lap was 1 minute, 16 seconds. Adams said a good lap would be around 57 seconds. So in a real race, I’d be finishing about the time everyone else is eating dinner.

Who cares?

I had a ball.

These things run around $4,500 new, maybe $3,500 used.

Wonder if the wife would let me get one.