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Ray Mcik
Joined: 26 Mar 2005
Posts: 533
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 Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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Ron that is one heck of a good post, I wish more would pay attention to the basics and also the kart members themselves and not just dismiss issues that are brought forth, one thing that often gets in the way is politics and "control" . This a sport for all to be involved in, not just a few.
Good . Clear and open communication is a must in this sport.
| Ron Gordon wrote: | Kyle,
I believe that kartings biggest problem and possible participation downturn has to do with so much emphasis being put on the ones at the top and trying so hard to please the ones at the top or with more money and forgetting to promote karting and get the new blood needed to keep it growing...Starting at the bottom, so to speak...
The problem of always pleasing and changing things for the top 1 - 2% is that they eventually "top out" and fade away with no one to step up and take thier place, as on thier way to the top and the constant catering they recieved while getting there has already pushed the middle crowd out of the sport and thats what helped put them on top to start with.
So i would answer your question of (Is karting growing only at the top?), I would say its not growing at the top, its starting to get lonely at the top, because the ones at the top have already out spent, over ruled and over turned the competition behind them and the challenge is lost.
As for your last question, ( how is your local track going to grow this year?), I and a few others at out club believed that growth starts at the bottom rung in karting and we started our growth last year and we are on target to see that growth double this year, the youngest karters, Kid Karters. This is a karting group that brings the biggest potential for growth, along with the biggest gate entry at each event. Because when little 5 year old Johnny or Janie shows up they bring the whole family with them - Mom, Dad, Grandpaw, Grandmaw, Aunt, Uncle...ect. And if you can ensure little Johnny or Janie and thier entire crew has a great time, ensure that it stays fair for each of them and treat them all the same (as karting should be for everyone) then you get the rest of the family wanting to get a kart and race as well... and even in a race series of 14 race dates you have 100% participation from every driver from day one to the last race.
These people will then be proud to go out and tell everyone they know how much fun they had/have, how fair the competition is, how great they are treated by everyone they have met and the word starts to spead at the bottom of the ranks and more want to get involved and they bring more next year.
The common trend in karting has come to trying too hard to keep and please the people already involved and hooked, rather than looking at bringing in new blood, even starting at the bottom, making them happy and helping them grow in the sport to be on the top one day. Ensuring that they are given a good start (good taste in thier mouth) in karting and recieve fair treatment and are always treated like everyone else in the sport, whether it be the ones at the top or the ones trying to get there.
The karting community doesn't have the luxury of choosing whom we let in, especially in todays world, like other forms of sports or even other forms of motorsports do, we have to actively welcome and actively seek new blood and cater our programs around each and every karter from the top to the bottom.
Also, If karting can do this with 5 - 8 year old kids before they can get influenced by other sports out there, we can grow and not scare them away by treating the starting rung of karters like they are not really wanted or needed or their class is any different than any other classes out there.
Every person in a kart is a karter, no matter how old they are, what size thier engine is, what kart chassis they have or class they race in and should always be treated as such.
Ron |
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Ohio Valley Karting Association
WWW.OVKA.COM |
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Mitch Wright
Joined: 04 Sep 2001
Posts: 437
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| Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Amen, Ron,
I agree and have proven at the 2 tracks I have managed that growing the program from the bottom up has been extremely successful. Focus on making the program fun and easy for the new driver, Dad or crew. For us it has been promoting classes for the hobby racer. At Miller it is a sealed Honda GX 200 for Jr1, 2 and Senior 4/ and Sportsman KT 100 and Kid Kart which make up more the 60% of the entries. At the time club race entries averaged 100+ racers. At NOLA building a program from scratch starting last season the focus is Jr1 and 2 Senior 4/ (All LO206) and Super Sportsman F200 and KT100, we went from a high of 40 races last season to 75 in race one this season. The other focus has been doing what we can to help control the cost for the racer. We have been using Burris tires for a while now and everything but our Rotax classes, you can get a number of races before they fall off (2+ races on a shifter) and retail for $178.00 a set.
Personal experience has been we have been able to keep the racers longer and sell new equipment to those that want to move to a Rotax or Shifter and those that want to move back to the Sportsman ranks due to the lower operating cost. |
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Ron Gordon
Joined: 27 Dec 2009
Posts: 150
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| Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 6:16 am Post subject: |
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Anytime you can give people the feeling of ownership and belonging, those feelings will soon turn into pride.
And when the pride kicks in, so does the attendance records and also there willingness to spread the word and help grow your numbers from word of mouth.
From what I have witnessed so far it is the parents and crew of young racers that get more excited about the race days than the one in the kart having all the fun to begin with.
All organizations must remember those kid karters, cadets, sportsman, junior and many senior drivers don't or can't get to the track on thier own. We have to focus on the whole team that passes through the gate not just the ones in the kart seat. Because it is everyone in the pits that must feel the fun and excitement that comes with a race day.
Ron
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Just another one of the Many OVKA Karter's
and OVKA Kid Kart Director |
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Bob Ogden
Joined: 22 Jul 2002
Posts: 3448
Location: United States, California, Grass Valley
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| Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:03 am Post subject: |
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For perspective, go buy a Little League baseball bat. I almost had a heart attack when I saw prices from $50 to close to $500.
For a freakin' Little League bat!
Or try slow pitch softball. $250 seems to be a common number.
Do you need a glove while you're shopping today? Don't even mention shoes.
The truth is the same factors have driven stick-and-ball sports prices into the same stratosphere that karting now lives in. People think that the more they spend on equipment, the more competitive they'll be.
The manufacturers and retailers have been more than happy to oblige. |
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