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CSC, rules, expense, etc?
Hello to all.
This post is to start everyone thinking about next year. I don?t expect a reply to this post unless you have had a chance to think about what you see karting becoming in Colorado.
For the past 2 1/2 years, I have been planning The Track at Centennial and racing 2 karts in two very different classes to get an idea of what a racer has to go thru to compete.
I have seen many different courses of action from no rules and no tech, to strict rules and ?over tech?, motors being claimed for no reason, and lawsuits threatened.
All in all, I have stopped racing ?club? races due to the CSC.
I have to agree with Mitch Wrights post regarding fewer CSC races. The club races will grow, and it gives the new karter a place to practice prior to a ?regional? race. No only does his/her driving become better, they become aware of the whole race day procedure.
Classes: So far, I like the classes offered at the Supernats.
SuperPro 125. If you want to spend the money, have at it.
SemiPro 125. Same equipment, entry-level serious racer
Masters 125 Same motors as the semipro and superpro. 35+ in age
Stock Honda 125. Stock, per rules. Affordable. Not necessarily novice.
Jr. shifters
TaG
MiniMax
Kids
Other classes who want to follow the rules would be welcome.All in all I feel SKUSA was a benefit to CSC and the racers. We had many issues that the rules protected the racers and the series.
I am not here to debate if SKUSA is dead or alive, if the Nations Cup was a hit or not and any other political debate. There are several series that you the karter can choose from.I am going to continue as Mountain Region Pro Tour director for SKUSA.
If the CSC feels that they need or don?t need my help, fine. It really doesn?t bother me either way. I am just happy to see the blatant cheaters doing something else, and the series watching those trying.
Costs: There are several ways to help control costs.
1) Same spec tire
2) One declared motor for TaG.
3) Classes declared at the beginning of the season
4) A CSC authorized voluntary seal for TaG and Stock Honda motors. (Similar to Rotax Max)
5) Spec Fuel not required to be bought with an entry. (however, it should be available at the track)The cost of motor rebuilds, and maintenance is the lowest part of racing. Tires, travel time, missed days at work, hotel and gas expense are by far the largest expense. We all just like to blame it on a motor that blew up. I have to say, I have had a clutch basket fail, and 1 stuck piston in Tag this whole season with Matt, Roger and my two karts racing the whole series, as well as Black Rock. The two ICC?s in the Pro class, 1 stock Honda, and a sonic. Barry was amazed that I have done nothing to my Sonik all year, as well as the Stock Honda. Roger and Matt have been good at keeping the top ends fresh with the ICC, but the time bombs everyone talks about I just don?t see if you treat the motor with some respect.
Once again, I was happy to see rules being followed and some structure put into place. I know next year can grow if the classes are kept to a minimum, and the karter can decide what he wants to spend.
That is what I like about the class structure. The same motor can run in all three classes. Stock Honda can run in 4 different classes. There is a place to someone to run the same equipment as Stars and all the Tag/Rotax equipment.I hope this gets everyone thinking ahead, instead of complaining about what is/isn?t. It?s time to start thinking about the things we can control.
Looking forward to the Future…
Best regards,
JimFINALLY!!! COMMON SENSE
In all reality, what Jim has here is the way to go. We can make Superpro competitive for both types of powerplants with weight. We can make the tag and stock moto classes controlled for cost purposes, like a harder tire compound (at the RIGP they forced all practice sessions after qualifying to run their RACE tires, we could do something simillar). If everyone uses common sense, I think we can see the numbers we saw in 04, 15-15 super pro, 15-25 tag sr, master, etc.I agree with both you and Jim. The structure for shifter “classes” sounds superb….something for everyone, as well as controlling costs, making it more competitive and more fun.
In addition the TAG concept you have sounds great as well. Run one motor, i.e., everyone on a Rotax, everyone on a Leopard, etc. Makes for spec/close and very competitive racing. Thats what it’s all about!
Chuck,
I don’t want to get confused about only one motor. My idea was to have to declare a motor package you were going to run for the season. No one could buy motor “A” for one type of track and motor “B” for another type of track. You would have to declare the motor at the first race for the season.
All of the rules orgs. need to figure out the weight breaks.
Thanks all.
JimActually, the SKUSA rules and classes for the SuperNats are a step backwards and will only further hasten their demise. It is unfortunate, but that’s the way it is.
We quite running open moto engines for a reason, they are too expensive. We quite running ICC for a simple reason, they are too expensive. It is for these reasons that both engines have sufferend greatly these past few years. SKUSA in the current class structure has done nothing to halt this trend.
While tires and all the other stuff are significant costs, the addition of the motors and silly prices charged for poorly made karts is driving people out of the sport. Worse, we have driven the costs up so much that you can run cars for the same money.
Case in point, at current prices, a top of the line ICC shifter package retails for at least $8,000 and usually runs $10,000 or more depending on equipment and the amount of blessing you have done to the engine. Yes you can run a “stock” ICC for a long time and they can be dependable. But you will not run at the front of the pack. (However, if the fields keep shrinking you can by default). To make them last, you need to run them fat, short shift them, in general, have fun but don’t race them hard.)
For roughly the same money, I can buy or build a Spec Miata. Without question, I can race them for LESS money. I have talked with too many people who have done both and to a man they tell me the same thing, they spent less money this year racing a Spec Miata than they did last year running either unrestricted moto or ICC. One dad said he was spending less that he did in 80 jr! At the end of the year guess what, I can sell the Spec Miata for what I paid for it (If we don’t wad it up). Try that with a kart! What this tells me is that karting is competiting with traditional forms of motorsports and that my friends is a battle we will lose every time.
Karting has to know its place in the grand scheme of motorsports. We are the bottom rung and we need to be cheap. If SKUSA thinks that by giving the motos a 10# weight break that somehow all these old engines are going to find their way out of the garages and back on to the track, they are sadly mistaken. The orginal owners have either sold them to some unspecting newbi and he for sure won’t be at the SuperNats.
If we want karting to grow, it has to get back to its roots, we have to be the cheapest form of motorsports.
A final note, there is no way to tech a stock ICC from a “built” ICC. They have exactly the same rules and they come from the factory with the ports ground.
SKUSA’s rules on stock motos is equaly bad. I’ve had this talk with both Joe and Todd and they know where I stand. The stock Honda class should be 1999 cylinder and head only. It should be 6 speed tranny only. It should be 1999 ignition only. Opening it up to multiple years only increases the option for testing and only increases costs. Remember my point about cheapest form of motorsports, every time we open the rules, it increases the costs and puts us closer to competiting with traditional motorsports and it hurts our sport.
Kudo’s to Jim and Doug for their thoughts and direction on this issue.
Everything thing that they have talked about is the reason that when Rotax came out, we went that direction.
When ICC first came out, we followed that as well, thinking that the class was designed to run stock out of the box. (as we all know that’s not how it turned out)
So I am constantly asked why do I embrace the Easykart program so much………………everything that is being talked about is why.
It’s fast, it’s stock (spec.) and it’s affordable to buy and race.
And frankly, this season running the Easykart series, has been the most affordable, and funnest season we have had yet.Problem is because it is stock /spec. class. And nobody can make money on them for blueprinting, trick carbs, add-on chassis components, etc. The only people who like them is the racers themselves, the dealers, and the importer. So that’s pretty understandable.
Doug is right about the Spec. Miata class, plus you can run in Solo II which honestly is very fun and VERY cheap to run. (F125 shifter or ES class like a stock RX-7) Our daughter now runs her 86′ RX-7 in Solo II,
Bret sharesthe car with her as a co-driver, they are having a blast doing it.Back to the orig. subject, YES we need to find a way to keep kart racing affordable, attractive and fun.
Implementation of methods brought up by Jim, Doug and Mitch are a must.The other piece of the puzzle that must be address is:
Bringing new people into the sport.
If we do not bring new people into this sport it will eventually go away.
All the dealers who market kart product in the state keep trying to split up the same piece of pie every year, when the focus should be on getting more pie. (and actually Brad brought some of this up on a post the other day, glad to see we agree on something, kudo’s Brad)
We all should be attractor’s to the sport.
It sadden’s me when I see the growth in other sports, and the media on other “extreme sports” and no growth in our sport. (i.e. mountain dew games in Denver this year)
Any and all events that present the possiblity of contact with the general public to promote the sport should be sought out.
Examples: Custom Car shows, festivals, the 3G event during winter at the Convention Center, etc.)
Suggestion is, organize a group of kart product dealers & avid racers to seek out these events and organize displays at these events to promote the sport and recruit new racers into the sport.If you watch motorsports on TV (F-1, Nascar, IRL, CART) it seems that with almost every driver interview, they are bringing up kart racing backgrounds!
(Look at the influx of interest of young girl racers since the media blitz of Danica Patrick)We as a COLLECTIVE group must capitalize on this.It’s time for us to use the power of STP (see the people)
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