Collision Bend Brewing Co. is taking its beer west and trackside, with plans for a compact taproom and brewpub inside the new Lorain Ohio KartPlex. Owners Luke Purcell and Ben Northeim say the Lorain spot will be built around a five-barrel brewing system and will include a full kitchen geared toward hungry race-day crowds. The move plants the Cleveland-born brewery on a 37.5-acre motorsports campus at 2000 Root Road in Lorain, about a 38-mile drive from its east-side production facility.
The deal grew out of a longstanding relationship between Purcell and KartPlex president Kristopher McCrone, the owners told Cleveland.com. “It’s one of those things. You’re always looking, listening, I should say,” Purcell told the outlet. In the same interview, Northeim said, “I think the facility is going to be a big draw, big crowds for the racing alone.” The Cleveland.com report notes that the Lorain location will lean into taproom service rather than large-scale packaging.
Trackside Taproom at a Motorsports Complex
The Lorain Ohio KartPlex lists Collision Bend Brewing as a summer tenant and describes the site as a 37.5-acre motorsports entertainment complex at 2000 Root Road. The KartPlex is opening in phases, with outdoor and indoor kart circuits, simulators, and an event center all on the way, and the brewpub included among the summer amenities. Developers say the complex is designed so racing and family entertainment are paired with food-and-drink options that keep visitors on-site longer.
Where Collision Bend Fits in the Region
Collision Bend opened on Cleveland’s Flats East Bank in 2017 and added a production-and-taproom facility in Euclid in 2024, as reported by Cleveland Scene. That move boosted brewing capacity and helped widen distribution, and the Cleveland.com piece notes the brand went statewide earlier this year. The Lorain taproom gives Collision Bend a different style of footprint, with a smaller brewhouse, an events-driven setup, and direct access to the KartPlex’s built-in racing audience.
What to Expect and When
Purcell and Northeim say they are aiming for a summer opening and expect the small brewhouse to handle taproom-only releases and special batches. The KartPlex calendar shows rental karting and club racing rolling out in the spring, with the Collision Bend taproom marked for summer 2026 on the complex schedule, according to the Lorain Ohio KartPlex. Local reporting has highlighted the project’s economic angle, including reusing a capped landfill and adding jobs, per News 5 Cleveland.
For the latest on opening dates and menu plans, check Collision Bend Brewing. The brewery’s Euclid and Flats pages list current taproom hours and releases, and both Collision Bend and Lorain Ohio KartPlex say they will post updates as the summer opening gets closer.
