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I have been unable to race this year due to my work travel schedule so my opinion/idea is from the outside looking in.
Being in the motorsports business for many years I have seen many peaks and valleys and the cyclical nature of our sport. What we have learned to keep a strong competitor base is we must have strong club racing programs. The racing related business that we deal with tell us that strong grass roots programs are esental to there businesses that includes tracks, prep shops and retailers.
First an observation: the numbers have dropped at Front Range club events yet strong numbers for CSC events. I would think this is due to racers having budget and or time to run X number of events and having to choose where they can run.
I like the CSC concept but would we better serve the tracks, racers and shops if the CSC had 4 events instead of 7?
Would a Mountain States Championship of 4 events be of interest? Spreading the events out to allow drivers to compete for a track championship or other as well as the MSC Championship. Tracks would include Grand Junction, IMI, Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and The Track or CRE. Keep the events in the summer months so travel would not impact school schedules. If the MSC events are held on long weekends leave a day for return travel to have less impact on work/school schedules.(Sunday or Monday depending on the way the holiday falls)
For a guy who does not support any of the tracks or even the CSC , I find it intresting that you want to destroy the best kart racing program Colorado has ever had availible !
Each of us Brad, Stacy, Angie as well as our team at Bandimere have worked our butts off to make this very successful program availible for the fun/thrill seekers as well as the great guys and gals who want to make racing a carreer , now comes a non-supporter wanting to throw it all away !
What was you thinking when you posted ???
We tried a few years back to race at Salt Lake and if my memory serves me , we were told that the track could not be used on Saturdays !
J.B.
That was a pretty harsh post twords Mitch, JB. I think he is attempting to allow more time and money for the local karter to make a run at another form of championship. Personally, we have run all the CSC events to date, and even with Jim Keeslings generous sponsorship, we have overspent our budget again. I would entertain less CSC events and would consider making another run at an Action Karting Championship to sit on the shelf next to our other two.
He’s just trying to strike up another conversation, however, I wont blame him if he gets frustrated and stays quiet. Mitch can add an incredible amount of value to our little community if people would listen.One other note: Black Rock / Miller Motorsports Park was the best track and event we ran all year. I think the new management would entertain just about anything these days. They are a real class act.
See you at round #7 on the 2nd. We are looking forward to your track.
Curt@Mitch Wright wrote:
I have been unable to race this year due to my work travel schedule so my opinion/idea is from the outside looking in.
Being in the motorsports business for many years I have seen many peaks and valleys and the cyclical nature of our sport. What we have learned to keep a strong competitor base is we must have strong club racing programs. The racing related business that we deal with tell us that strong grass roots programs are esental to there businesses that includes tracks, prep shops and retailers.
First an observation: the numbers have dropped at Front Range club events yet strong numbers for CSC events. I would think this is due to racers having budget and or time to run X number of events and having to choose where they can run.
I like the CSC concept but would we better serve the tracks, racers and shops if the CSC had 4 events instead of 7?
Would a Mountain States Championship of 4 events be of interest? Spreading the events out to allow drivers to compete for a track championship or other as well as the MSC Championship. Tracks would include Grand Junction, IMI, Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and The Track or CRE. Keep the events in the summer months so travel would not impact school schedules. If the MSC events are held on long weekends leave a day for return travel to have less impact on work/school schedules.(Sunday or Monday depending on the way the holiday falls)
I can understand that Mitch. Work/travel is a pain and can impact your timing for sure. That sounds pretty cool. Having a number of different tracks though is pretty fun too.
I would LOVE to have the centennial track and CRE included next year. CRE is such a fun and demanding track, and no doubt the “Track” will be just as killer.
What if we included them and then didn’t “repeat” some events like IMI, etc, just like some of the bigger open wheels cars do? I think it would be great to add those venues.
I don’t think that you can even call mitch a non-supporter of the series and all of colorado karting… I happened to know that whenever he is back from traveling, he is usually at one of the tracks practicing in his kart. I’m sure if he had the time he would be just as (if not more) supportive than the next guy… he’s just trying to reccomend a new way to do something that could help attract more people, such as ones from Utah, to race with us. Personally extra sompetition (and tracks) seem awesome!
JB,
At the top of my comments I state that I have NOT raced this year. I do have an interest because I love the sport. All I was doing was making an observation again “from the outside looking in”
My intention was not to down play anyone?s hard work or make someone feel left out; I truly apologize if that is the way I came across. I do know how much effort it takes to put a program together and when I was asked to help early this year I did what I could.
The idea of a discussion forum is to have discussions and exchange ideas. My intention is to start a discussion, I can except that I can be wrong.I have to agree with Curt, JB.
If fact, I’d say what you wrote was beyond hash. Terms like “rude” come to mind.
I don’t know if Mitch’s idea is a good one or not, and to be honest I don’t really care much one way or the other who races when or where or for whatever. But, as another “outsider looking in”, I have to say that you can ill-afford to alienate, through disrespect, someone with the credentials, experience, and resources that someone like Mitch Wright (who also happens to be damned nice guy) can offer.
If I was a racer and had read your “comment” I would truly dispair for for the future of kart racing in this area.
I am profoundly disappointed.
@Curt Kistler wrote:
That was a pretty harsh post twords Mitch, JB. I think he is attempting to allow more time and money for the local karter to make a run at another form of championship. Personally, we have run all the CSC events to date, and even with Jim Keeslings generous sponsorship, we have overspent our budget again. I would entertain less CSC events and would consider making another run at an Action Karting Championship to sit on the shelf next to our other two.
He’s just trying to strike up another conversation, however, I wont blame him if he gets frustrated and stays quiet. Mitch can add an incredible amount of value to our little community if people would listen.One other note: Black Rock / Miller Motorsports Park was the best track and event we ran all year. I think the new management would entertain just about anything these days. They are a real class act.
See you at round #7 on the 2nd. We are looking forward to your track.
CurtI think there are some things in Mitch’s post that deserve more than just a quick brush off. First off, Mitch’s credentials need no introduction. He has more karting and motor racing experience than just about anyone posting or reading on this forum. For his accomplishments alone we should respect and listen to his opinions. In his role as VP for Pro Racing of the SCCA, he has far more experience and impact on high level motor sports than any one here. I also know that Mitch’s heart is still with karting. Every chance he gets, Mitch is out practicing with his kart for just the love of the sport and the exhileration karting gives. We should count ourselves lucky that a person in his position still loves our sport.
I has always been a strong advocate for fewer races in a regional championship. It makes each race bigger and more important. Also, the more varied tracks and venues it visits, the more prestige the series gains. If you step back and look at other major regional series, none visit a track more than once in a season.
Mitch also makes another very good point. A large series like the CSC has definetly reduced the numbers at the club level races. I have often contended that the average racer has the funds and time to do about 10 to 12 races in a season. If 7 of those dates are tied up in a regional series and one or two big deal events like the Nations Cup, Supernats or Rotax Grands, there is no time or money left for a club race. We can see that very clearly here, Action Karting dropped its club series this year and IMI is seeing reduced numbers from years past. I know many racers who are only doing the CSC and nothing else.
The club racer is the backbone of karting. The shops need them and the tracks need them. Yet the club racer is the very one who is being left out of this. Many a club racer is intimidated by the shear size of a CSC event and by the speed of the better racers. A strong club program gives new racers a place to hone their skills while a well supported regional series give the experienced racer the higher level of competition he/she desires. It is a win-win for everyone, track owners, racers and shops. In many ways the CSC has suplanted the club level racing giving new racers no place to start.
The CSC has had support from racers in Utah. Several have come over for both the CSC races in Grand Junction and Steamboat Springs. So while there may not be many that would do the entire sereis, there would be some and that’s good for karting.
I think Mitch’s ideas deserve more thought as to how such a series could be put together and how the club level can be increased. Its a good starting point for discussion.
O-K , perhaps I mis-understood , Sorry Mitch , I know your intentions are pure , and you are indeed a very nice person , so please accept my apology ….
J.B.
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