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John Matthews
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Posts: 1986
Location: United States, Michigan, Williamsburg
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 Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:00 am Post subject: LO206 Racers Unite |
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Hey,
I've been asked recently if I'm going to race clones at some tracks around Michigan next year. Now is the time for folks who want to run LO206 to get together and see if we can't run at the same places. I'm pretty sure if 2 or 3 racers showed up with LO206's the track officials would let us run with the clones. I'm pretty big so I wouldn't even mind taking a weight penalty but it shouldn't be a problem for scoring to just score two different engines in the same run group if the clone guys are afraid of getting beat.
My motivation here is simple. If I run a LO206 it still has value after a season for me as a builder, the clone not so much  Also, being a builder I really don't want to go through the expense of building a decent clone motor to just give it away in a claim. I don't have to put anything extra into a LO206, just bolt it on and go.
I'm hoping to build a few chassis this winter and test them out on both asphalt and dirt with the intent of building something that will work decent on both. IMHO there's no good reason to continue the divide in karting, we need to all work together and build our sport. The LO206 gives racers a great place to start, continue, or get back into it. Since tracks are starting to embrace basic 4 cycle racing it's time to give racers a chance to compare the engines they've been reading about head to head....
Anyone out there who's interested in bringing a LO206 to a clone race can get in touch with me and I'll share some resources that might be of interest to your officials.
Thanks,
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John Matthews
Heartbeat Power, LLC. |
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mike clements
Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 232
Location: United States, Arizona, San Tan Valley
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| Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:10 am Post subject: |
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 That works for me, John. But it's a long haul from Arizona to Michigan for a weekend kart race. 
The LO-206 is a very racer friendly engine that is affordable and holds a value. It is good for the sport. But, I still like playing with the modified Animals to gain a hp advantage. It's all fun to me. 
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Bernie Lacotta
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 166
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| Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| mike clements wrote: | That works for me, John. But it's a long haul from Arizona to Michigan for a weekend kart race.
The LO-206 is a very racer friendly engine that is affordable and holds a value. It is good for the sport. But, I still like playing with the modified Animals to gain a hp advantage. It's all fun to me. |
LO206 is currently the biggest and fastest growing , most competitve class at AKA Speedway , right in your own backyard Mike. Todat\y's LO206 race at the Holiday Classic was epic ! Best race of the day.
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mike clements
Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 232
Location: United States, Arizona, San Tan Valley
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| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Bernie, We would love to be racing this week but our kids are home for a couple of days and the family time wins everytime. Having a great visit.
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Began kart racing 1959. Made many friends along the way. |
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John Matthews
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Posts: 1986
Location: United States, Michigan, Williamsburg
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| Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:04 am Post subject: |
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I've heard that at least one track running clones will allow the LO206 to run with them and score separately next season. This would be a great move for any track that wants to increase participation, sometimes all it takes is to ask 
Cheers,
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John Matthews
Heartbeat Power, LLC. |
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Roger Ruthhart
Joined: 24 Jul 2001
Posts: 1298
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:36 am Post subject: |
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| This is one of the classes under discussion for the 2012 Rock Island Grand Prix. It would help to know how many might be interested in racing with us and what tracks/clubs are currently running them. |
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Ryan Knowlton
Joined: 07 Dec 2011
Posts: 26
Location: United States, Washington,
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:57 am Post subject: |
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The claim is there to keep the builder motors out and keep costs down.
Why not throw a stocker in there and let your tuning and driving decide where you end up?
Not against either engine, but I'd rather race in a big group of classmates than only with a few competitors among a bunch of other class karts.
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Steve Pribyl
Joined: 17 Jan 2012
Posts: 8
Location: United States, Illinois, Glenview
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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They are firing up the LO206 class at Concept Haulers Motor Speedway in Norway,IL. My son will run the Kid Kart JR206 at Road America this summer.
I would love to see the class at Rock Island. |
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John Matthews
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Posts: 1986
Location: United States, Michigan, Williamsburg
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Ryan Knowlton wrote: | The claim is there to keep the builder motors out and keep costs down.
Why not throw a stocker in there and let your tuning and driving decide where you end up?
Not against either engine, but I'd rather race in a big group of classmates than only with a few competitors among a bunch of other class karts. |
Hi Ryan,
If the claim system works at your track and everyone is happy with it then go run with it. I personally don't like claimer rules because I am an engine builder and I can definitely see a situation where I end up building a new engine for my kart every weekend if I do well. Also I've seen way too many fights at kart tracks and don't want my kid getting in the middle of a "your dad is cheating" argument.
As far as racing against other people I'll bet you hardly notice the color of the engine on the kart you're trying to pass. It really should be a non-issue if someone with a LO206 is on track with you, they might have a little more power but for beginners that won't be nearly as important as getting the chassis set-up and driving right.
I would definitely say if clones were a consistent class nationally it would be a shame to dilute the class with something else but it's already getting diluted as it is. There are more than a few guys who need to buy 3 different clone engines to run the tracks near them because of "track rules." And competitive "box stocks" are running up to $700 and more. Saying you don't want "builder prepared" engines in this class is really just wishful thinking, if you knew how to make a little more power from your engine wouldn't you do it when you pulled the governor or assembled the kit? What makes that different from buying one from a builder except you'll be even more upset when it gets claimed for $200? And, as long as it passes tech why should it be claimed in the first place?
I'm happy you found karting and the clone engine let you get involved at a price you're happy with. For me I started in karts back in 1977 and have built karts and motors for more folks than I can count. One of the worst parts of my job though is trying to convince a dad he shouldn't cheat his kids motor even though probably everyone else at his track does. I'm just funny about playing by the rules and the LO206 is one way a club can help reduce cheating rather than encouraging it. I think our kids will do best if they learn how to compete honestly and win or loose graciously.
Cheers,
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John Matthews
Heartbeat Power, LLC. |
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Jeff Stamper
Joined: 18 Dec 2008
Posts: 1416
Location: United States, Illinois, Plano
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| John, I would love to come over to Mich and do some racing with the 206. Send me a pm or e-mail and let me know where you are at. I can get a few more guys so we have enough to make a class where ever we go that way. We have relatives over by Jackson, Mich if your anywhere close ! I dont know where the above mentioned track is, but I am even going to try it on the big tracks with the CES this season |
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John Matthews
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Posts: 1986
Location: United States, Michigan, Williamsburg
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:05 am Post subject: |
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Hi Jeff,
I'm located in Elk Rapids, just north of Traverse City which is about 3 1/2 hours from Jackson but your relatives are only 40 minutes from East Lansing which is where I'll probably go. There aren't any sprint tracks up north here at all but we might do some dirt racing either at Houghton Lake or at a backyard track if we can get one built.
There's also a track at Point Pele, Ontario that runs LO206. Take a look at their website
http://pointpeleekarting.com/PPKC/
and East Lansing
http://www.karttrack.com/
and let me know if any of their dates work for you and your buddies. I'll do my best to get a couple of karts down from here and we can have a fun race....
Cheers,
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John Matthews
Heartbeat Power, LLC. |
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Roger Ruthhart
Joined: 24 Jul 2001
Posts: 1298
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| We will be running the LO 206 at the Rock Island Grand Prix this year... hope some of you can make it! |
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Jim McMahon
Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 2664
Location: United States, St. Paul,
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Roger Ruthhart wrote: | | We will be running the LO 206 at the Rock Island Grand Prix this year... hope some of you can make it! |
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Karting Festival @ Blackhawk Farms June 1st-2nd. |
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