FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Fort Mill, South Carolina, man will try next week to break his own world record for the fastest golf cart.
Robby Steen, who set the record in 2014 by going 118.76 mph, has spent the last 20 years chasing world records.
His strategy was to build publicity for his business that makes electric motors for golf carts, and now that he has that recognition, his need for speed remains.
“I build them, but I just can’t play golf,” he said.
The golf carts Steen gets his hands on are designed for speed, not the average golfer.
In 2004. the idea to take a golf cart from the putting green to the drag strip was born. Members of the Steen family are familiar with the machines as they have been building golf-cart motors for 46 years.
The Steens wanted the family business, Plum Quick Motors, to become familiar with the public.
“Me and my dad thought what better way than to drag race a golf cart,” said Steen.
The next attempt at the drag strip will be on Aug. 17 in a cart that has been in the building process for the past six years.
“We work on it, or I work on it, on nights and weekends,” Steen said.
Steen thinks he can crack the 150 mph barrier with his lastest ride, which would be more than enough to break his own world record.
Speeding down the quarter mile in a vehicle designed for the slow drive from tee to green comes with inherent danger.
“Realistically, everything happens so quick, you really don’t have time to think about it in the heat of the moment,” he said.
Steen’s twin boys, who also help build the speed machines, always join him at the drag strip.
“This one is capable on paper of a lot more than the other ones have been, but it’s if it will actually stay on the track,” Jacob Steen said.
The twins know what the speed record means to their dad and the family name.
“For the most part, there is some excitement, too, and it’s kinda like a mystery even though we know what the cart is capable of,” Noah Steen said. “It’s just that thrill of going down the track.”
Millions of people share the thrill of speed across the world. Robby Steen is now an internet sensation with his speed records often posted on YouTube.
He has become a household name to people at the Guinness Book of World Records, but ultimately he’s still just dad to his twin boys.
“I guess to me it was just like one of those normal things where it was like this is what I have grown up with,” Jacob said. “Dad runs all this crazy stuff, but then you tell people about it and they are like, ‘whoa.’”
Soon the boys may be the ones saying, “whoa!” Their dad eventually plans to retire and hand over the keys — but to which one of his twins is still up in the air.
“In terms of the speed, I think we are both equally nervous and scared of that,” Noah said. “I guess it would just come down to who wants to do that and whoever has the most skill to do that probably.”
Robby Steen still has plenty of other world-record aspirations up his sleeve. His goal is to break the record for the fastest power chair, power wheels car and lawn mower.
