North American Superkart Drivers Association

Rob Howden

Gentlemen,

It is very apparent that this class of karting needs to work together. Some big strides were made this year in terms of national exposure and I believe that to continue the growth and develop of superkarting, its participants need to become more hands-on as the orgs will start looking to control rules thanks to the fact that your growing entry lists will be making them money. When you make them money, you become more important to them. If you're important, they want to control what is happening.

To make certain that the important issues are not directed by a guy who doesn't even race your class, I challenge all of you to get pro-active. I believe that you must start a North American Superkart Drivers Association so that you can present a unified front when it comes to the future of your class. I know for a fact that the orgs (especially the WKA) will listen to your feedback on the future, if it comes from a group that is working together. You all have ideas on weight etc...well, this is your chance to present a unified voice.

These are just my thoughts and I have presented them to get discussion started in this forum.

Now, go at it!

RH - EKN/SKI
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Rob Howden
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Randy Domikis · Joined: 22 Jul 2002 Posts: 266

Ok Rob, that is a great idea.

ROB HOWDEN FOR PRESIDENT OF NASKDA!

Randy Domikis

Scott Loewenstine · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:13 am Post subject:

I 2nd it rob for president he da man

George Sunderland · Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 2006

To makle him Pressident would require a Constitutional Ammendment. Make it Prime Minister. Run What Ya Brung is the way to go!

Chris Reinhardt · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject:

Rob, rather than start yet another organization, why doesn't SKUSA step up? They already have a Long track series devised and I believe a Superkart class that JR help write the rules for. They have the advertising, so on and so on...

Just a thought....

Chris R.

Rob Howden · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:55 am Post subject:

Hi Chris...there is one major stepping stone in getting anyone into this as a business....you cannot make any money doing it.

If you try to make money being a karting promoter, people think that you're screwing them and getting rich. It's a proven fact and I hear it every day.

SKUSA is a business that must make money and there is no money to be made with this U.S. Superkart Championships. The whole idea behind this was to get the racers running together in the same place for at least 3-4 events each year, building the exposure and respect for the class along the way.

It is not rocket science to make an event a USSC race and it only takes 1 or 2 reps from the group to make it happen. Running with existing kart races makes it easy as we simply run with their race groups using Saturday as the Prefinal and Sunday as the Main. If they want to have a large entry of 40 karts in their Unlimited grid - which means more money for the org - we can come and race there. If they don't, then they can run a regular race with 5-6 250s.

The 250 paddock as a group must make this happen.

See the next post....

Rob Howden [/u]
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Rob Howden
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Rob Howden · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:13 am Post subject:

It's time to start this North American Superkart Drivers Association so that we can address the development of the new-look East-West U.S. Superkart Championship with some organization and feedback from all parts of the country.

Here's how its going to start:

1. I would like the following people to contact me via e-mail about interim 'council' positions.

Southwest:
Anthony Williams
Pat Yoshikane
J.R. Clasen

Northwest:
Brad Davis
Larry Kurpiewski
Bill Busacca

Texas:
Firouz Haghighi
Jim Ingram

Midwest:
Johnny West
Jerry Echols

Southeast:
Mark Croslyn
Robby Harper

Canada:
Riley Will
Mike Soh

At-Large:
J.R. Osborne
Andy Kiker

Now...I don't want ANYONE to get in a huff about these names...its just interim and designed to get us started. If I left someone out, I apologize, its 8:10 am and I've only had a single coffee.

2. I ask that all superkarts racers and would-be racers send me their contact information and kart information via e-mail so that I can start compiling a driver list. You must include how many races you ran in 2004 so that we can base our voting rights on actual participation.

OK...that's it. Let's start from here. Let the e-mails roll in.

RH - HCI
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Rob Howden
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www.eKartingNews.ca
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Rob Howden · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:15 am Post subject:

Hey guys...let's get on it here.

I've rec'd messages from three new NASKDA members and two council members. I want to see a few more come it today.

RH - HCI
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Rob Howden
Editor / Publisher
www.eKartingNews.com
www.eKartingNews.ca
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Chris Reinhardt · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:38 pm Post subject:

Rob, if we have clubs that are willing to host the events and sanctioning bodies that have rules that are written specially for our Superkarts, what's the point of creating yet another organization? There are two things that the European's don't have that makes their karting more successful than ours. #1 Too many damn classes, and too many sanctioning bodies.
As I stated before, SKUSA had I believe a long track series or event, that I didn't see on their website today. As far as them being or no being interested, it would be like free money to them in exchange for us using their name and series. There doesn't need to be any involvement by them other than having the results sent to them and collecting whatever fees that are required.
If it needs to be handled on a regional level, there are only 2 people involved with the Dixie and Liberty regions that cover almost the entire east coast and Howard Rice of the Dixie region already races some Big South Series events.
I agree that we need to get organized; I just don’t agree that we need to start another organization.

Marc Miller · Advertiser Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1834

Chris-

It isn't a sanctioning body, which plans and organizes dates, gets insurance, etc etc... what Rob is proposing is a union of 250 superkart racers that can diplomatically voice their concerns for safety, race event dates, etc... an organized group/club that can make their race experience more fun and safer/more productive for the segment.

I was a member of a Formula1200 association in Canada - they worked with the sanctioning bodies to schedule events to support - and also was able to bring in support from sponsors so the organization benefitted.

Call it a Union... w/o teamsters.... though there are probably a few of those too Smile

)
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Chris Reinhardt · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:58 pm Post subject:

Marc, that sounds more like a forum? Isn't that what this is?
The clubs that I mentioned are what pick the race dates along with the track personnel. I think we all agree that there isn’t enough karts to have our own track days, so we need to get with some clubs and piggy back their events. They already have the dates or are in the process of securing them, all "we" need to do is say, hey lets have a series, and pick what tracks and dates from the clubs that are willing to host our events. To make it recognizable and have some clout, once we decide on what events and dates, arrange to use SKUSA's name and Voila! A series is born.

Rob Howden · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:27 pm Post subject:

Chris...

#1 - This is not a racing organization. It is a driver group that will be able to get together to discuss their views on the class and take any collective beliefs to the real orgs (WKA and IKF).

#2 - Europe is likely more screwed than we are. The CIK president just resigned - and not completely of his own free will - over many issues, primarily the four-stroke plans. Please do not use Europe as the model of karting. It is not and anyone in the industry knows this.

#3 - The U.S. Superkart Championship is already running and it is using the approach you brought up...been there, done that..and it works. The entire concept of the USSC has been to designate existing events as series races to try to bring superkart racers together...that is the whole point. 'Hey, we should all race at the same race a few times a year..how about here, there and over there"...done deal. It happened this year and it will happen again in 2005.

#4 - SKUSA had a Long Track Nationals that was a joke. I went to the second edition with a project car and a driver and while it presnted great racing - like road racing always does - it was a complete joke. Now it's gone. Zero publicity, except for what I tried to give it in SKI, and they blew it off every year. That is why SKUSA is rebuilding under new leadership.

#5 - Free money? - Please tell me where to line up? There is no money to be made here unless you are staging the race. When you try to add to the entry fee, like they did this year with JR Clasen to get him to come in to the races to manage the events, the racers scream that they don't need any management...which is probably true. The addition of a guy like JR would certainly help bring continuity to the series, but no one wants to belly up for the additional cost. Oh, and Chris, it would cost around $1500 for even a single SKUSA member to show up at a race. Trust me, I drop that every time I fly into a city to cover a race. Free money? There isn't any. And they don't roll the big SKUSA rig for less that $10k profit.

#6 - You offered..."To make it recognizable and have some clout, once we decide on what events and dates, arrange to use SKUSA's name and Voila! A series is born."

Chris...we have a series...and a logo...and about 10 guys that stepped up last year to run the inaugural U.S. Superkart Championship. We also have two national champions. What they hell do you need SKUSA for?

This program is already running, it's going to evolve in 2005...and this driver associaiton (I guess I shouldn't have used the word 'association') is designed solely to let everyone vote on the future of the class so that we can take it to those in charge. John Ferriera of the WKA National Road Race Committee has said on many occasions that if the 250s can get together to work on their own program, he'd be happy to suggest changes, as long as they were safe, to the NRRC.

Let's summarize...

- there is no money to be made here
- the orgs could care less what weight you run at..or anything else
- superkarts will run with Unlimited and five other race groups unless you band together
- the future had already started in the USSC
- there are a lot of people who want to help

We are moving forward. Please get on board so that we can move ahead.

RH - SKI

* Edited to sound like less of an ass
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Rob Howden
Editor / Publisher
www.eKartingNews.com
www.eKartingNews.ca
www.eFormulaCarNews.com
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Chris Reinhardt · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:56 pm Post subject:

Rob, that clears up one huge thing, there has been no mention until now that World Super Karts will be the sanctioning body for this series of 05.

Chris R.

Scott Loewenstine · Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:41 am Post subject:

rob 1st of all I would like to thank u for all u have done for the 250 class thus far...If the people u asked to contact via e-mail didn't contact u and u need someone to help out I am volunteering my undivided attention to the 250 class...As far as races last year Johnny West and myself probably ran around 12-14 races last year...I can assure u that Johnny, Scotty and myself will be ay every WSK race in 2005 u can bank on it...I have a conference call number if u want to rally the troops at a specific time cool by me...I am truly pumped about are class and will do anything to help us all out...Call me anytime 614-679-3104 just a 250 guy trying to make are sport excel...

Mark Brown · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 12:46 pm Post subject: NASKDA

Hi everyone.

Well I have had a total of two, count em 2, II, people sign up for the NASKDA. Rob Howden sent me a list with 15 names on it. One person on the list responded to my request for information. So that is 16 people total. I was at Laguna, I know there are about 50 to 60 more 250 drivers out there. Maybe im just expecting too much too soon and I need to give it some time. Your responses would sure help.

Thanks
Mark

rlmark@vcn.com