Clubman 100 Class in NJ

Benn Herr · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1580

We used to do all our races that way when we first started our group around 2003 or so. We had a very diverse mix of karts and the schedule we ran with the car club gave us 4 - 20 minute sessions. We would time everybody's laps in the first three and then do the line up for the "feature". We've had karts all the way from World Formula sprinters to 250 twin Superkarts. The starting gap got as high as 5 or 6 laps a couple of times. I should also say that we run on full sized Road Race tracks so passing isn't an issue. As time went on the slow guys got faster and some of the fast guys moved on so our lap times got closer to each other. The range of times on one of our smallest tracks was from 55 to 72 second laps (Superkart Twin to Four Cycle) but has now closed up to 56 to 68 seconds (Superkart Sprint Single to slower a Stock Moto). In a race the fastest guys will lap the slowest at about the 3/4 race point. It's just not worth running the pursuit format for us now.

With the potential mix of 100cc machines you'll be getting, it would be really hard to come up with a weight/gear formula that would equalize things. The pursuit race allows for all the variables that can come up. Weight, experience, type of engine, age of chassis, etc... The hardest part about doing it is everybody has to understand how it works and what you're trying to do. They also have to understand that it's not who has the best ($$$) kart/engine package, it's who tunes and drives the best. Some people have a hard time with that. Ultimately they all have to want it to work.
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Benn Herr
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Walt Gifford · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 7:09 am Post subject:

You could sand bag it X amount in qualifying and race with a clock so you could match your time perfectly on the last lap without breaking out. Or, could you really sand bag it in qualifying and break out so much penalty's won't matter?

Michael Morrone · Joined: 11 Jun 2010 Posts: 43

Walt Gifford · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:27 am Post subject:

Oh, is there some rule to prevent that?

Benn Herr · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1580

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to go "just a little bit slower"- on purpose. It's natural for a racer to want to pass the kart in front of him. If you find this is a problem you can just turn off the track beacon for the Mychrons or change the penalty for breaking out. It could be a progressive amount of time for each lap excursion (try calculating that while you're driving) or just don't count the laps that are too fast.

We never had much of a "Too Fast" problem. Occasionally somebody would have trouble in Qualifying and not get a representative time. If it was bad enough the officials (me) would put in a time that was what I knew they could do. If you wanted to you could make it so the checkered flag doesn't wave until the predicted time, if you go too fast your last lap doesn't count!

Like i said, everybody has to want it to work. If they do it's great racing. If they don't, well, it's more go-karting as usual. Sad

_________________
Benn Herr
Come see our Superkart Build Off @
http://www.lostenduros.com/?page_id=1534
beherr3@cox.net
http://www.southwestkarters.com/
http://www.lostenduros.com/
Kart Design
Chandler, Az.

Rob Kozakowski · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:51 pm Post subject:

Michael - great idea. I wish more places would go with his concept at the club level. There are so many good older air cooled engines and chassis that used to run these engines that can be had for cheap.

I don't know that I'd concern myself too much with restricting gearing. In theory this should be a fun class - I mean, where else are you going to run that DAP ICA or TT75, etc??? And who's going to take a mid to late 90's chassis to a National??? If somebody wants to spend lots of money to be a "hero" in club racing, I would say let them. There's lots of other classes and levels for those guy to go race. In the meantime, the guys who understand the "spirit and intent" of the class will still have lots of fun running a hair on the conservative side and still go plenty fast. Besides, it's not as much about the gearing as it is how lean you want to run those engines. For example, I'd rather run my TT75 a bit on the rich side and twist it to 18k with gearing than to lean it out to turn 17k because of gearing restrictions.