An Insult?

Doug Welch · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 5:03 am Post subject: An Insult?

A friend e mailed me the other day to point out something that I hadn't considered. We all have read the hype of the "new" Stars program for next year that will finally unite karting and create a "true" national champion.

And where have we heard that before.

I went back and re-read the comments from the press release and I have to admit, I think that every one of us has been insulted. Now I can forgive Andretti and Rahal for they don't know the karting scene and the players involved, but Tracy and Herta surely do. Hollis Brown should especially know what is going on. Whey they make the comment there isn't a "true" national champion, isn't that an insult to Jason LaPoint, Bobby Wilson and Scott Speed? Didn't each and every one of those champions race all over the country, againest the best talent in the country. Would you go up to Scott and tell him he's not a "true" national champion?

I know how hard we worked in a lowly support class just to be middle of the pack racers. I don't how every one else felt but I thought we were in a race for a "true" national championship. When we were in Canada being treated like royality, it sure as heck felt like an international championship. I saw many guys for whom who english was not their first language. Tell them that it was not a "true" champinship.

I can only imagine how hard those guys in SP worked. Over the years I have seen those guys in Canada, in Florida, in Oregon, in California, in Arizona, in Iowa, in Oklahoma working their collective tails off. To not consider them to be "true" national champions, well it's just slap in the face to kart racers everywhere who participated in the PMT. Ask Jason, Bobby or Scott if the PMT crown meant nothing in advancing their carriers(sp) in motorsports. How does that set with the past winners of the SuperNationals to tell them that it meant nothing and that it wasn't a "true" championship.

Now I know that some will argue that they are just SKUSA champions. Like that somehow doesn't make it a "true" national champion. Following that logic, wouldn't a NAKA champion be just a NAKA champion and not a "true" champion. SKUSA motor rules are so open that no one can say that they couldn't run SKUSA because of engine rules. The chassis rules are such that if it has 4 wheels that don't fall off it can run. SKUSA hasn't excluded any one.

In my mind, we have "True" national champions. The current champion is Scott Speed, the past champions are Jason LaPoint and Bobby Wilson. They worked very hard for their titles and they earned and deserve our respect.

Doug

Warren Currie · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 6:25 am Post subject: An Insult?

"Amen"

John Wehrheim · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 6:34 am Post subject: An Insult?

Doug:
You may be right, if you only look at Shifters. But there is no National Champion in 2 cycle, ie IKF and WKA.
I didn't read anything in their announcement that said they were trying to have a National Champion for just Shifters, that today is SKUSA. It could be both 2 Cycle and Shifters. Also keep in mind that if you are Scott Speed, you are only a National Champion in Shifter, not 2 Cycle. He could be, but there is no venue for it at this time. Lets hope that there vision helps karting!!

Sean Robbins · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 6:50 am Post subject: An Insult?

quote:
Originally posted by Doug Welch:
...Now I can forgive Andretti and Rahal for they don't know the karting scene and the players involved...
Doug

Actually, Rahal's son is an active kart racer.

Sally Mangham · Joined: 13 Sep 2001 Posts: 127

Both Rahal and Andretti sons are active on the karting scene.

Tim Pappas · Joined: 25 Jul 2001 Posts: 791 Location: Burkina Faso,

quote:
Originally posted by Doug Welch:
A friend e mailed me the other day to point out something that I hadn't considered. We all have read the hype of the "new" Stars program for next year that will finally unite karting and create a "true" national champion. And where have we heard that before.

They worked very hard for their titles and they earned and deserve our respect.

Doug

I think we have heard that from every national karting organization including your beloved SKUSA. Noone has diminished the accomplishments of any of the current or past "National Champs". The point is that there are no fewer than 3 organizations that claim a national champ in the 125 class alone. Will the real champ please stand up?

Does adding another organization solve the problem? Only if they do what they say they will do. Time will tell. If they can get the support and respect of the racers, and keep it, they will succeed.

Does adding the "National Champ" title to an organizations championship make it so? One group will ultimately get the support and respect from the racers and the public. Right now I would say that for shifters that group is SKUSA. However, they have had some serious issues this year and that leaves the door open for someone to do it better. The strongest will survive. Maybe this is an incentive for SKUSA to address it's problems.
Thats not to say that the NAKA/CART group won't have its share of problems. CART is struggling with its own program.

There were certainly IKF and WKA naysayers when SKUSA was started. Many of the current racers in SKUSA have jumped on the SKUSA wagon after they became what they are today. My guess is that the same people that wear SKUSA blinders today, would not have supported SKUSA at its inception because they would have been wearing WKA or IKF blinders. OPEN your eyes and your mind.

tp

Doug Welch · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 7:17 am Post subject: An Insult?

I know that both Andretti and Rahal have sons that are kart racing. Has anyone read the interview in NKN with Rahal and his son? Check out the November 2001 issue. Just because they are active in karting doesn't mean that they know who the players are. Rahal is living on the other side of the pond now. Both have been active with their kids but how about with the players in the organizations?

Many would argue that shifters are the pinnacle of kart racing in this country. It is unfortunate that 2 cycle and 4 stroke racers don't have an organization like SKUSA to move them forward. But from a ladder stand point to higher levels of racing, do we want to have a national 2 cycle or a national 4 cycle series? Wouldn't that dilute the talent pool that these same individuals are talking about?

Doug

Chaz Clover · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 879

Rahal is living in the US again, and was (technically) even when he still held his job at Jaguar - which if you didn't hear, he got released from a couple months ago.

As far as the talent pool goes, I've been seeing better racing in the Jr Briggs classes than shifters. The yamahas ran a better, cleaner and more exciting races than the shifters did last sunday @ IMI.

A "higher level of racing" does not presuppose involvement in some sort of shifter program. National Championships (True Ones) in most countries are contested with karts that don't have clutches let alone transmissions.

quote:
Originally posted by Doug Welch:
I know that both Andretti and Rahal have sons that are kart racing. Has anyone read the interview in NKN with Rahal and his son? Check out the November 2001 issue. Just because they are active in karting doesn't mean that they know who the players are. Rahal is living on the other side of the pond now. Both have been active with their kids but how about with the players in the organizations?

Many would argue that shifters are the pinnacle of kart racing in this country. It is unfortunate that 2 cycle and 4 stroke racers don't have an organization like SKUSA to move them forward. But from a ladder stand point to higher levels of racing, do we want to have a national 2 cycle or a national 4 cycle series? Wouldn't that dilute the talent pool that these same individuals are talking about?

Doug

Chuck Courter · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 7:48 am Post subject: An Insult?

In watching the Rotax and some other clutch kart classes vs the gear box classes, I would have to argue against your quote below. I never have understood why "move up" and "shifter" seem to be used in the same sentence as much as they are. We may just "move up" to the Rotax Max for 2002 or "move up" a little further and go back to doing a little Briggs dirt racing. I really have a problem discounting any of the clutch kart classes.

Chuck Courter

quote:
Originally posted by Doug Welch:
Many would argue that shifters are the pinnacle of kart racing in this country. It is unfortunate that 2 cycle and 4 stroke racers don't have an organization like SKUSA to move them forward. But from a ladder stand point to higher levels of racing, do we want to have a national 2 cycle or a national 4 cycle series? Wouldn't that dilute the talent pool that these same individuals are talking about?

Doug

John Wehrheim · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2001 8:31 am Post subject: An Insult?

It sounds like some people believe that shifter drivers are better drivers than say the 2 cycle and 4 cycle drivers. If that is the case, then many would be insulted. Lets make sure that we do not do this. There are excellent drivers in all categories, it just a matter of what you are accustom to.

Stephen Buckley · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 861

All of you have made some excellent points and they all should be considered. However, I have to agree with the non-shifter segment. Remember that karting was doing fine before shifters. What shifters did, from a historic aspect, was make karting "cool" to some of the general public as well as bringing online the motorcycle element of motorsport. It added an element of being "closer" to a real car. Keep in mind that direct drive karts are the pinnacle of kart racing, not shifters. Nothing against shifters (I own 2) but for anyone to declare that shifters are the first rung on the ladder or the pinnacle of kart racing is a bit presumptuous. Also, it seems that many of you infer that open wheel racing is a final landing point for kart drivers. I'm no fan of NASCAR or any type of roundy-round racing, however, I do know that "turn-lefts" are more popular than any US open wheel series, and we've already hashed over the fact that tater-diggin' karts on ovals around America outnumber sprint and roadrace karts 100 to 1 or more. Plus, I think the various amateur auto racing organisations (SCCA, et al.) might have something to say also about being a "rung" in the ladder. I think that some people, because they race on a national level, start to think a little too "big" and a bit "narrow". Remember, most Americans don't have an inkling what a racing go-kart is, as well as never having heard of IKF, SKUSA, WKA, et al, and they probably don't care. In addition, I also believe if you do the research, you will find that any highly successful driver in karts, motorcycles, cars, lawnmowers, quads, etc. can virtually race anything and win. It seems to be a psychological as well as physical thing. Maybe genetics thrown in there, too. Who knows?
Respectfully.
Stephen