What direction is US karting moving?

Mike Burris · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:24 pm Post subject:

"IMO: Its because so many organizations made this class into a points class and took away the Fun and training enviroment it was originally intended to be....

Give it time (actually already started) the 206 JR. will be a $1000 motor as well..

Ron"

Ron, that's pretty much been the case for the last 20 years. Any time something new develops the sanctioning bodies waste no time elevating it to run at a National level to get entries to support the program. And when racing at that level you have over zealous parents that pay stupid amounts for a cheap engine trying to buy a win. The more spec it gets the more it gets abused. The Comer did its purpose until the Kids classes were actually turned into a competition class regionally and nationally and the costs went up accordingly. The Stars series was the final blow with engines regularly going for prices north of $3,000 and some dads had a trailer full of them! Briggs pushed for the entry level LO206 in Gold Cup and its a matter of time just like what is happening to the Clone in major oval races and selling for over $1,000. Same thing happened to TAG which was originally intended as a recreational class (that's why the rules got jacked up real quick when it went big time.) and as soon as a manufacturer got a lock on it prices went up as did the "magic" engine. I've been around karting my whole adult life every single problem has been inflicted internally including the "economy and exchange rate scams" that get blamed for our sports problems. Good luck with this one but until we see some new faces nothing is going to change, IMO.

Mike

Andrew M. Coulter · Joined: 11 Jul 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Quincy IL

Wayne Williams · Joined: 05 Jul 2002 Posts: 134

Brian Degulis · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:11 am Post subject:

Well sure that's true. But my point is that a simple Honda GX120 would actually work much better than a comer at 1/4 of the cost. Let the dumb ass dads go get them blue printed or whatever but why start there in the first place? The answer is simple what works the best at the most reasonble cost takes a back seat to the manufacturers desire to sell product.

Brian

John Matthews · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:42 am Post subject:

Manufacturers, importers and dealers will always be trying to sell more products, it's what they do.

Clubs, and more importantly racers need to define what they want and stick with it.

It's the racers, and sometimes even the new ones that perpetuate the problems. As consumers we decide what's happening, go to your local, regional or national meetings and educate yourselves as to how the system works. Only then will you be able to change it.

JMHO,
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TJ Koyen · Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Posts: 1425

There will always be guys who spend a ton of money, because they can.

The reality is, you don't need to. You're the one who can make karting cheaper, simply by not falling into the trap of "I need a fresh engine and chassis every race because the guys who have the most money do that."

It wouldn't matter if we had empirical evidence to show that a chassis didn't fall off pace until an entire season of usage. Some guys would still get a couple karts a year just because they have the money to spend.
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Jim McMahon · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:39 am Post subject:

William French · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:51 am Post subject: Future of karting

My 2 cents....

The future of the sport is that people will race where the fields are larger. Clubs that are struggling will continue to struggle. Clubs that are strong will continue to be strong.

Regional series will do very well. Racers will continue to stay closer to home because of increased travel costs. SKUSA and Gatorz on the West coast will continue to be solid because they have stacked fields. Route 66 and USPKS will do well in the Midwest/East. Of course Florida will continue to be solid with all their Winter programs.

Special one time events will still be the pinnacle of the sport for those that have the budgets. SNATS, Rock Island, RoboPong, Lone Star, etc.

Let's not forget that the Rotax program this year has one of the biggest races ever held in the US. I'm sure there will be a lot of poeple at the top level trying to get qualified for this race.

Karting certainly has a lot of issues at a lot of levels. I'm not a believer that any of them will "kill" the sport. Each driver/family just has to find their place based on their skill/budget. Fortunatly, there are a lot of options out there for them to choose from Wink

Stu Hayner · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:21 am Post subject: Direction of Karting

Cory Ross · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:21 am Post subject: Re: Direction of Karting

Alan Dove · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:44 am Post subject:

Greg Wright · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Direction of Karting

Andy Seesemann · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:21 pm Post subject:

True Greg, but until the rules disallow people jumping in with both feet, nothing will ever change.

I don't know how it is in the Heartland, but everyone that walks into my shop to buy a kart needs a shifter. (from their perspective) Its hard enough to talk them down into a lowly Rotax/PRD/TaG. They all should start in a 100cc or 4 stroke, but until the rules mandate it, it will never happen.

Stu and I have had this conversation several times and my answer is always the same. If I don't sell them something that they want, they will just go down the street and buy it from the next guy. (and we have plenty of next guys in SoCal, although they are disappearing Crying or Very sad

)

And although I may be doing them somewhat a disservice by selling them something that is over their head, I would be doing my wife and children, who I am responsible for feeding and putting a roof over their heads, a much greater disservice.

So what do we do? Turn down the sale and have our loved ones suffer, or just sell the damn thing, knowing that it will be for sale within six months?

Its easy to get on here and blame the dealers, importers, manufacturers, etc when this is a hobby, but when the health and security of your children depends on what you sell, you just sell it.

A
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Cory Ross · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:39 pm Post subject:

What you say about too much too soon and being embarrassed or discouraged is true. How can someone be scared of a kart with zero hours on it they never drove it. I see a lot more of these low hour sales being more about the drivers lack of instant performance then the kart being to powerful. They will not admit to this and lose interest and blame something other then themselves for the shortcomings. These same people also would not be interested in a slower package since they want to be seen racing the faster classes. It has more to do with protecting ones ego then anything.

The actual expenses of what it takes to race is another reason. You are okay with the initial investment then once you get a kart and look more into it actual costs sky rocket very quickly. Much easier to get out right away.

I have a whole 12 hours on my kart. I am looking at what it is going to take to go race and it is getting very expensive. I am committing to it but it would be very easy to sell the kart and back out right now.