What is it going to take to take Karting to X Games?

Cory Ross · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:54 pm Post subject:

It is not going to happen. They dropped Skier X and Border X from Winter X this year in favor of the speed and style snowmobile event. So back flips beat out skiers and borders racing on a course full of jumps.

Do they even have Supermoto in the Summer X Games any more? X games is all entertainment first competition/racing second. You might have a chance if you get Shaun White on the side of karting he is god for ESPN and anything X Games.

mal crosher · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:32 am Post subject:

I think you need to look more directly at the industry behind each individual sport on weather that sport is x gameable.

We first thought x games was going to be bad for skateboarding, and the sport was really low at this period too. Big guns like stacy peralta , tony hawk etc all had concerns. So did surfing with worlds , tours etc... Bmx , downhill boarding stuff , Bmx freeystyle, roller blaming need and needs it . Even got snowboarding and Bmx, mountain biking into the show of olympic status.

So what will it take ? The whole industry world wide pulling together in the same direction and sending best drivers for one class ( 125cc shifterkart I'd say and jnr tag support ). For starters anyway.

Rotax could probably go close with dd2 and max class for support, but saying that , having such tight single brand everything won't wash with this crew , and the sport in general and rotax for that matter will show it's true colours of having it's head it's head planted square up it's own ass. Rotax are far better off putting everything into their world challenge and it wouldn't take them long to cut their losses and run from x games.

Tbh I seriously doubt the sport could or even deserve to be there . Has such a long long way to go in developing its own identity . Too busy pandering to various organisations, industry and higher profiled motor racing classes. No royalties for pro's let alone semi pro's. No brand a v's brand b contingency programs.

One more thing to consider also. The drivers . Going to have be prepared to get hurt. I'm talking broken limbs, dislocation etc or even worse. That's reality in this arena.

.

Alan Dove · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:32 am Post subject:

Spectator experience is paramount... and karting doesn't have many classes that pack a visual and audio punch that would make a mass audience stand up and go WOW!

Only the old-100cc classes seem to have the proper wow factor. I was almost disappointed when I set up a F100 class (ICA/FA) class for a few races in the UK and found they were just simply on another level from a spectators viewpoint to what we race now. Super-light karts cornering so fast and sliding about is incredible to watch... and even then our karts were much heavier than they needed to be compared to the 80s and 90s. And even with that in mind even the glorious Formula Super A might not be good enough for X-Games. I love watching karts, but I am under no illusion that to everyone else they can often look a bit dull bar some of the most spectacular FSA stuff I can find.

I'd absolutely love it to happen though, and I am sure if they did get hold of it they would do something amazing. Though i suspect it would ruffle a few feathers.
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mal crosher · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:50 am Post subject:

alan,
That was leading to my next thought. High grip rubber and bituemen ain't going to cut it...

Now polished mirror finished slippery stainless steel corners with lots of spin off room or something , then your talking.

Otherwise , have to go dirt. Some stadium trophee kart with 5 point harness ,full roll over protection ETC...monster karts we could call them ?????

Tim Blaney · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1127

One look at the threads and you can tell it's the off-season. "Why do we call it pro?" Why aren't we in the X Games?" "How do we get on TV?" Any day now we'll have a thread about getting "sponcers" (sic) and then we'll all be ready for the 2013 season to start!

Oh I forgot to add, if we can only get on TV all of karting problems will be solved!!!!!!!

Benn Herr · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1580

The X games are only there to do one thing - market energy drinks, t-shirts and goofy hats. Maybe to fly the flag for a car maker - a little. There are no other reasons.

If some marketing guy thought that karting was a path to a demigraphic they could sell to, the money would flow.

As it is, we take our sport too seriously and don't buy anything but go-kart stuff.

I guess I'm glad I'm not part of the "life style" and "casts are cool" crowd! Cool

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patrick slattery · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:24 am Post subject:

How about a different format of racing the karts. Every watch those downhill snowboarders, where they pit 4 snowboarders racing one lap and 2 get eliminated and you eventually have a winner. I think that would be exciting to watch 4 karters running a 1 lap course with a few hazards etc.

Pat

Cory Ross · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:05 am Post subject:

Chris Hurst · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 4:18 am Post subject:

Ok...am I the only one here who thinks motor sports in the X-games are a joke?

1) The commentary is horrible

2) Hardly any of the drivers in X-games have any credible experience in motor sport that accounts for anything (Ken Block competes in GRC / Rally because he owns a shoe company. Whens the last time a business owner became world champion in anything? If there are accounts of this where the company was not a car company please clue me in)

3) Bucky Lasek (skateboarder) in an interview said his skateboarding skills directly translate to driving skills (really...I mean...reaaally?) Whens the last time any of you guys who have won national championships kick flipped a skateboard?

4) Sebastian Loeb shows up and destroys everyone despite multiple restarts due to other drivers crashing in turn 1 and several jumped starts. No one even came close.

5) The course lay outs suck...

The only thing I could see being in X-games are super karts and TBH I don't think anyone who is an X-games competitor has the skills necessary to drive those at the limit. I'm 24 and I don't see karting ever going into the X-games because karting isn't a "trendy" sport. It's long term participants are hardcore old school guys who could give a flying rip about their sport being televised.

mal crosher · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:51 am Post subject:

I don't know Bukey was pretty sketchy skater. Freeystyle mx still in . But they are different breed to the mx/sx pro. Bit Like the drift car enthusiast in four wheeled motor sport circles.

Nathaniel Dewitt · Joined: 02 Dec 2008 Posts: 109

Chris Hurst · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 5:38 pm Post subject:

Cory Ross · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject:

mal crosher · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:20 pm Post subject:

I do get what Lasek is saying with transferring skills across. Skateboarding , especially on vert ramp takes commitment to chuck that board under your feet and just stomp the landing. Huge Balls. Strait up. The first part of trick usually not that hard, landing it separated the pro from the average. Bukey was always prepared to do that . He used to slam harder than anyone , those old powell/peralta vids and they're always have a slam section. Bukey was always there going down on his arse or back hard. He skated here once, he showed me his back at it looked like road rash.

But mx/sx guys would feel the same commitment , not just on that big triple jump but the whole section leading into and out off. Aerial freeystyle skiers etc would too.

Chris Hurst · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:35 am Post subject: