TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

[Paul Harraka]

Dave,
I agree that a multiple race series is better at determining a National Champion, but it isn't possible in kart racing. To have 2 races on the West coast, 2 races in the Midwest and 2 races on the East coast would be impossible cost wise if your goal is to get full countrywide participation. If it wasn't for frequent flyer miles and the kindness of Jeff Braun in taking Paulie's go-kart from South Bend to Santa Maria and back to Dousman, we couldn't have gone to the IKF Grand Nationals. Period. It would have cost us $2000 in gas and traveling expenses just to tow there and back. Not counting 4-5 days driving each way. If you had such a series you would only get regional participation at each race and the few super-rich teams. Heck, the IKF has a 1 race Champion now!!! At least with what I am proposing you would get the best of the entire country meeting at a neutral place for one race. You could even have make it a 3 day race with 1 Jr. Spts. race, 1 Junior race and 1 Senior race each day and add up the points at the end for a "TRUE" National Points Champion. The racing format can be worked out and isn't the important thing. The important thing is to have a race that EVERYONE has to attend for their individual organization and have them race each other.

[Stephen Buckley]

Dave,

I know of a therapist that can help you with your keyboard stuttering......

[Stephen Buckley]

Paul,

I'd go in a minute...not necessarily to race and win anything, but to see and meet all these characters on the internet. Well, also to tip some wobbly-pops.

[Greg Keresi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul Harraka:
The tech people don't care what the individual rules are, they just want to enforce them whatever they are. They will work out fair compromises in the conflicting rule areas.

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Paul,
I'm sure looking forward to your special booth and seminars on conflicts arising from tech issues and how to's.


[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: Greg Keresi ]

[jeremyfair]

Anyone remember the Elkhart Grand Prix? One set of rules. Each class allowed WKA or IKF rules- karters chose which they wanted to run. Ironically, in a tally of all of the years run that way, it was almost an even split between the two.

People were estatic to make the Sunday finals. Classes were 70-90 karts deep. 70,000 fans on a weekend. I think there is room for a national championship event. Come to race, if you blow it, there is next year.

[Steve Willis]

OK Paul...... I fully agree with your concept and location for 2002. You've nailed the Tech guys that can resolve all the issue's. I'll E-Mail Randy and Tony.

The sad part to all of this is the side line quarter backs that want to shoot the idea down. You know if those people spent as much time helping you make this a reality as shooting you down, we would all have Hotel Reservation in a week and everyone that is anybody in karting will be preparing for Marshalltown in 02.

Steve Willis
Willis Brothers Racing

[lynn haddock]

Go Paul.. great idea.......your on a roll !!
The answer is yes, yes and yes !!!
Its been a while since we had a 600 kart race but this could do it !!!!
neutral ground ?? norway would be good !!

[Mark Dismore Jr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Steve Willis:
OK Paul...... I fully agree with your concept and location for 2002. You've nailed the Tech guys that can resolve all the issue's. I'll E-Mail Randy and Tony.

The sad part to all of this is the side line quarter backs that want to shoot the idea down. You know if those people spent as much time helping you make this a reality as shooting you down, we would all have Hotel Reservation in a week and everyone that is anybody in karting will be preparing for Marshalltown in 02.

Steve Willis
Willis Brothers Racing

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I'd be there! The biggest problem is with Shifterkarts fairly united they are putting sprint racing in the dust. There is to many classes for Joe Spectator to keep track of or understand, hell I get confused once in a while! There needs to be a WKA/IKF Supernational. Have two Yamaha Pipe Classes Heavy and a Lite, two Stock Briggs Classes Heavy/Lite, 2 Super Can Classes Heavy/Lite, Forget about Controlled, HPV, US820, sorry for the guys that run those classes but who doesn't have a KT100 or Raptor III? Make it SIMPLE! To many times the tracks/clubs etc. don't want to exclude anyne, but if you just stick to your guns and prove it's an awesome event the people will make up there own minds. Also it's about time the prize money is good. A lot of Street Race guys are running for money but they are damn good sprint kart drivers and shy away from sprint events do to no payout. I'm sure this is all a pipe dream but it would be awesome if it came together. Also it needs to be on a permanent track, not a street race.

Mark

[Dave Stevens]

quote:

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Originally posted by Stephen Buckley:
Dave,

I know of a therapist that can help you with your keyboard stuttering......

---

I hate it when that happens.......




The script has a built in mechanism that should prevent that.......perhaps time for a look under the hood.

Dave

[Paul Harraka]

Lynn,
Thanks. This idea will only come to fruition if poeple like you back it and push for it. You and a few others have the respect, the know-how and the "muscle" to push for it and the powers that be will listen. You know by now that I'm not afraid to ruffle some feathers but that isn't what this needs. It needs some people of stature in karting to fight for it and to demand it. It needs Lynn Haddock and Rod Verlinger and National Kart News and Chris Villareal and Enzo Chiovitti, Charlie Pistorio, Keith Freber, Dismore, Emick, Norm DeBover, Willis, etc. and Board members from the different organizations to push for it. I'll start a petition on the WKA side if these people or people like them will push for the race.
Norway is a GREAT place to have it. It is my favorite race track in the whole country and the site of my sons first National win, so it holds sentimental value as wellfor us. HOWEVER, this race will only work if it is held as part of the IKF Grand Nationals, otherwise the West Coast racers won't come, and that happens to be at Marshalltown this coming year. It must also be a WKA and KART points race.
2-cycle racing will continue to stagnate until it is taken to the " NEXT LEVEL ". Randy Kugler told me personally that he thinks it's a great idea and I know that Chris Villareal and Rod Verlinger want to see a joint IKF-WKA race so lets push for it. Make everyone get off their butts and JUST DO IT.
I'm willing to do my part to make it happen.

[Paul Harraka]

This is a WIN, WIN, situation for all 3 organizations. IKF had 340 entries at the 2001 Grand Nationals and they were held at Santa Maria, in the heart of Region 7, their strongest region. They will be lucky to have 300 at Marshalltown, which is more than halfway across the country for most of their members. WKA is slowly losing entries at every race due to it being the same tracks and the same schedule every year. I don't know anything about KART except the fact that they are not that well known. This race helps bring excitment back into the sport which helps ALL OF THEM in the short and long term.

[Jimmy John]

Paul excellent idea and your correct WKA and IKF rules are very close. Lynn H,Chris V, Randy K, Art V, have the tallent to pull it off. We raced the Buffalo Bills events when the constr. cup and region 7 super series had awsume events there. Art V, Randy K and Chris V pulled off great events with their respective series events. Those were the days. Paul contact those people and put somthing together the timming is right.

[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: Jimmy John ]

[deborah d-harpur]

Our team is already planning on attending at least 3 WKA events (Daytona, Road America and one TBA) in addition to our IKF events next year. Depending on the time of year, and how our schedules are, We would come on out for such an event!

[Paul Harraka]

It looks like I created a monster. Karting NEEDS a TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE. PEROID!!!! My son Paulie has won 6 WKA National Championships in the last 3 years! More than any other Junior Sportsman driver. We are VERY, VERY PROUD of this. We raced against some great talented drivers over these 3 years and had some great points race battles go right down to the last race. BUT----- when we went out to California for the IKF Grand Nationals this year we also saw some GREAT TALENT from the West Coast that we had never raced against before. We quailfied 3rd out of 31 in the Comer class and 8th out of 27 in the HPV class, but not before we worked our butts off for 4 days in practice. We worked harder than we ever worked before because of the intense competition level. We learned a lot from it and became better racers overall because of it. You will only get as good as you have to depending on the competition you have to race against. WHY NOT RACE AGAINST ALL THE BEST in one race for ALL THE MARBLES. You can only get better and learn from the experiance, whether you win or not. Also, I believe it is the only way karting will get recognized as more that a just regional sport.
If IKF and WKA are worried about who gets the entrie money just let the competitors sign in under their respective licenses and split the money along those lines. I.E.: if 400 WKA members sign in WKA gets 400 entry fees and vise-a-versa.
WE can make this happen!

[Gary A. Smith]

Mr. Paul, I am for anything that promotes our sport as a whole. Should you need anything that we may be able to help with Kartways of Arkansas and myself are at your service.
Thanks Sincerely for your efforts.
Gary Smith