Promoting Kart Roadracing

[Stephen Buckley]

Open thoughts to roadracers:

We have all had our thoughts, ideas, opinions, and discussions pertaining to the promotion of kart racing. I was flipping through the TV channels this morning and came upon motorcycle roadracing. I like to watch the factory team drivers dice with each other. It's pretty exciting. My thought is: Kart racing can be promoted to be as exciting as motorcycles. Look at the event at Laguna Seca and Portland. Look at the Swift Cup events held at Portland and Laguna Seca with the motorcycles a couple of years ago. Look at the event at Chilliwack, BC with the Canadian motorcycles several years ago. I have the tapes of several of those races and they are exciting. If 1)a title sponsor can be obtained and 2)we could combine with the motorcycle guys (Please note that this would be in addition to any racecar venue), I really believe that kart roadracing could be brought to the public. The question would be what class(es)? For promotion purposes and a "recognition factor", it should be an F/E and/or IC/E type of kart. The Formula 1 "style" of bodywork allows a lot of space (large side pods, wing, etc.) for sponsors to be recognised. For that matter, a 125cc class could be established using the same bodywork.

Question for J.R. at Powersource: Is there Euro-type bodywork available for a standard sprint 125cc chassis?

I really feel that a roadracing series can be established like that of SKUSA's ProMoto. It would need to be promoted in a "special" way, by that I mean using the tools that "Xtreme" events are using. The class name would have to be "Xtreme" or, for that matter, follow the motorcycle class names in some way. This "series" would not be associated with any national organisation in any way. What a way for chassis manufacturers like to show off their wares.

Well, back to honey-do's. Again, just thinking out loud.

S

[John Clasen]

Stephen, to answer your first question, I am not aware of any Euro body work that could just be put on a 125 sprinter. They do have 125 (bodied) classes in Europe and Down under though.

To continue on your theme of a nationally run and hopefully televised road race series, it is in the works. We welcome input from all sources as this can only help shape the direction we follow in this endeavour. As you know, we had a great time and a very successful event at Laguna Seca, and as I have just posted in the RR section here, we will be running the 250 ICE and F/E karts in conjunction with the AMA Super Bikes at Willow in September. This event (including the Karts) will be televised by Speed Vision. I don't know if it will be thirty seconds or thirty minutes, but I don't think they would expend the resources to shoot the kart footage and then not show it.
As for which classes should be run at these venues, I think logic would dictate that the premier classes of modern Road Racing should be show cased (250 F/E, 250 IC/E, & 125 MOTO).
J.R. Clasen
World Super Kart Challenge

[ August 04, 2001: Message edited by: John R. Clasen ]

[Debbie Kuntze]

What about a Yamaha Laydown race? The guys in this class really put on some TIGHT racing! The walls at PIR for the nationals were packed to watch the heaavy and light classes.

[Bob Chiras]

JR
We see the AMA events and even their regional events are very well attended, most of the motorcycles are race only machines and most cost equal to or greater than a well prepared 125 shifter.

What has AMA learned that the karters have missed?

We see over 600 bikes for a regional race event and perhaps 100 karts at some kart national races.

Do we need some lessons from a more successful program?

[Darren Swisher]

Bob, My thinking, and I have said it before, why cant we copy (to a certain degree) what AMA has done for the bikes. It just doesn't seem like rocket science.

I think that karting is so Splintered, from every Tom, Dick and Harry wanting it their way instead unification between sanctioning bodies.

To me most people(outside the sport) still think that a kart is in the same entertainment range as a mini Bike.

Darren

[Stephen Buckley]

All,

I realize that over the years, we have discussed this whole idea of bringing karting out of the murky basement into the public light. I think that to an extent, it is happening. Look at all the kartshops and/or kart periferal manufacturers that have sprung up. There is still the fact that we North Americans have so many kinds of motorsports available to us, in addition to the income to support it. Add to it, the periferal expenses like big trailers, motorhomes, et al. And generally, a family does not race more than one motorsport, that is: boatrace one weekend, snowmobile race the next, then motorcycles, karts after that, dune buggies, mudboggers, cars, on and on. That aside, there is another thing that is forestalling the public advent of kart racing. Here's a big "doh"! Kart racing does not have the "big time" engine manufacturers behind and pushing the movement! That is, in motorcycle racing, the riders are racing an entire package by ONE MANUFACTURER! Kawasaki, Honda, KTM... it doessn't matter. The riders are buying the whole motorized package. You don't see a motorcycle racer on TV riding a Suzuki frame with Honda motor on it, do you? Same thing in NASCAR... there's Dodge, Chevy, Ford??? So, getting back to riding on the coattails of AMA or Supercross... I have my doubts. It may make the general public MORE AWARE of kart racing, but I'm not sure that it will get them into the kartshop showrooms. If Honda, Yamaha or Kawasaki manufactured full karting packages including engine and frame, and maybe did what Rotax is doing now with the Max, MAYBE then we would see karting on Speedvision or ESPN. Some will say that the emphasis is on the driver. That might be true someday, but the general public, at least until they are "into" the sport, all they see is Yamaha yellow, Suzuki blue, Kawasaki green or Honda red, and cheer accordingly. Same with car racing... certainly, they cheer for a certain driver, but many also have their favorite brand of car. It's easier for people to "connect" with the hardware by making it simple. An example would be:

"In turn 9, we see Ted Tackett in his T-prepared Honda, followed closely by Stephen Buckley's Team Aprilia and Deborah Harpur's California Yamaha."

I think that the general cannot "connect" with much in the karting world because they don't know what a Deepseat is, or what an RLV is, or what is a XYZ chassis is, et al.

S

[ August 09, 2001: Message edited by: Stephen Buckley ]

[Russ Schaeffer]

Deb,
Sorry to say, the laydown classes are nearing the end. Don't get me wrong, I love 'em. I've been at the start line of just about every SCK Yamaha Laydown race in the last 5 years. But if you look at the numbers there are very few racers and most have switched to shifter classes. You can't even give away a used laydown for $1500 bucks.
Thanx
Russ Schaeffer

[Stephen Buckley]

Debbie,

Are the "girl" racers faster than the "boy" racers? I ask this because in laydowns, wouldn't you have an aerodynamic advantage?... that is to say, you have a ...er...ah.... built-in upper air diffuser? Just wondering....

[Bob Chiras]

Would road racing advance if only these classes were to survive.
125 Rotax max
125 shifter
80 Shifter
Pick and three additional sit up or laydown classes.

Would class participitation grow or fall?
Would the membership increase?

I'm not proposing any changes I'm just asking what will or would occur if the structure were to be altered.

[Erik Frank]

Bob,

Don't forget 250 F/E (twin) and 250 F/ICE (single)!!!


-erik

[Paul Tartaglia]

A couple of thoughts.

1) Motorcycle promoters may not want to run karts at the same time because karts will make many of the high dollar bikes lap times look slow! This is especially true of the 250s. Look how much faster the karts were at Laguna when compared to much more costly NASCAR entrants. This is not only true here in the USA but has happened in Europe as well. Years ago Superkarts were used a support class to many major events but because they were faster than many "main events" the promoters decided it would be better to not include them in the events. Today in Europe, the Superkarts run as a support race to the FIA "Diesel Truck" races. Talk about different vehicles!!

2) Currently as a standalone sport, kart roadracing can't afford to eliminate any racer that wants to show up and race. I'd love to have only 5-6 classes but I wouldn't want to pay $250-300 entry fees. As a volunteer in local & national sanctioning bodies currently & in the past I find little understanding among sprinter, speeway, etc. regarding the costs involved with renting a permanent road course. Rules that drive people away must be changed. Ideas that encourage participation increases in all classes should be developed. Ideas like the 3 punch rule need to be eliminated even if the idea behind it is good, it hurts roadracing.

3) For consideration and not as slap at 125 racers, but IMHO 125cc karts will never become more than a support event. They don't have enough pazzaz to interest the casual or viewing fan primarily because they still look like karts. Even in AMA & Supercross 125 races are secondary to the 250cc. If any kart racing class has a chance (still very slim) of gaining attention it will be the 250s. They look more like a race car(people can relate) and they are very fast (read dangerous).

4) Sorry Deb but laydowns will never make the main event unless you can get ESPN to add a new class to the Extreme games called "Powered Downhill Luge"

[Don Jones]

We mounted a powersourse Cobalt body ( nose , side pods and driver fairing) On a Rotax Max kart. It went on very easy, looked great and was cheaper the standard Stallion type bodywork.

[Debbie Kuntze]

Stephen-sometimes we are faster, but there can be turbulance between the "difusers" and the helmet! A tight suit makes for a "distraction" advantage also.Deb