TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

[Mike Weaver]

Many of the board of Badger Kart Club have read this post and the buzz is already happening. Then someone had the brilliant idea: Why not offer such a race be held at the new Road America Motorplex (sprint track) and Badger Kart Club host it. We have a long history of putting on great national level races. 1/2 our board works as WKA officials (of course we would need to intersperse a number of officials from different orgs). And we have a great relationship with Road America.

Just a thought.

[Debbie Kuntze]

I too think this would be a cool race, sort of like the Indy 500 for IRL or Daytona 500 for NASCAR, but how is it a "National Champion"? One shot deal and maybe the best driver of the class has a minor problem that results in a DNF Or as sometimes happens in these "National Championship" style races tempers go up as does aggression, the leader is punted and the win goes to the punter. Is that a National Champion? I know, miss negativity here with these statements when racers DO want to combine all the organizations and "duke" it out.

If a "neutral" organization such as the Badger Kart Club were to put on the event, why not invite from all regions of all organizations the top 5 in points of each class? Fields would still be large, the race would be against the top in that class and possibly the winner would be a National Champion of that class as he raced his/her peers. Still a one shot deal, but while you are thinking, why not a mini series to eliminate the one shot deal. Do a series of three, top point winner is champ? If the track is large, classes maybe combined to make it a three day weekend event, could also have the championship races broken up. If a neutral group or groups (spread the wealth) are hosting, have juniors one weekend, seniors with can another and then seniors and pipes on still another. This could be expanded to include Road Race, Speedway, Shifters, etc.---just extra fuel for thought.

Debbie K

[John Denman]

Gary,
I am glad to see your on board with this. If anyone has the right dynamics to make this proposed event "World Class" its yourself.

KART has only one National, and it draws over 200 entries.

There are many local club racers across America who may not have the time to run a regional or national series, but have the capability to win. Mike McAlister comes to mind winning the IKF Grands this year in masters class. He flew out to Santa Maria, borrowed a kart and motor and with only ten laps of practice took home the Duffy. Not bad for a club only competitor.

I think its important to initiate a true National Championship as a neutral independent event in the first year. Let the organizations come to it with time. That will alleviate the political nature of bonding the organizations.

"An elephant is a mouse designed by a committee". To be successful requires someone who can effectively mediate between the organizations without bias.

Rather than viewed as a IKF against KART against WKA, it would be far more constructive to be an open invitational to all. Construct a good foundation, and it will continue to build over the years.

Can't swallow an elephant whole.

[ September 27, 2001: Message edited by: John Denman ]

[Paul Harraka]

All of these ideas are GREAT but for the FIRST YEAR the race MUST be run in conjunction with the IKF Grand National AND be a WKA points race. That way you are GUARANTEED damn near FULL PARTICIPATION. After the first year, if the race is successful, it can be made a seperate race, if that's what everyone wants.
As to the racing format, it isn't important right now. The classes and format can be decided later. THE IMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW if for IKF, WKA, and KART to agree to have such a race at, during, or in conjunction with the IKF Grand Nationals at Marshalltown in 2002!!!! The IKF racers will be there already, the WHA racers will go if it is a points race. I don't know anything about KART. I know that this is a "Slick Willy" way to promote the race but you have to set it up so that the IKF and WKA racers HAVE TO ATTEND, at least the first year. This is the only way I know of to accomplish that.Then the organizations can see if it will stand on it's own in subsequent years.
Once they commit to having the race, THEN the racing format and classes can be discussed. Heck, it could just be a normal, regular National type racing format: or it could be just selected classes: or it could be a 3 day same classes each day format where points are added up at the end. THAT DOESN"T MATTER RIGHT NOW. Committing to HAVING THE RACE is all that matters right now. Everyone MUST E-MAIL AND write to the IKF Officers (Chris Villareal, Art Verlinger and the rest of the Board) and the WKA Officers (Randy Kugler especially) and tell them that THIS IS WHAT WE WANT and that WE WILL PATICIPATE AND SUPPORT IT. Heck, I'm sure the format will have to be changed or "tweaked" and the years go on, but that is putting the "kart" before the horse. Only we, the racers, can make this happen.

[Roger Ruthhart]

I agree with I believe it was Mark Dismore who said the number of classes should be limited. I also agree on the central location concept, on a purpose-built kart track. Let me throw a new twist -- I also think it should be a free-standing event by invitation only with invitations given by the sanctioning bodies to their individual "national" series winners, or maybe top 3-5 in each applicable class. That would give you the top 12-15 drivers in each class from across the country. I don't think you need to piggyback it with another event -- the racers would be there. To insure that, why not do what Rotax Max nationals do -- no entry fee and hotel and meals provided. All you have to do is get your team there. This would be doable if you limited the number of drivers.

That's my wild hair -- fire away :-)

[John Denman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Roger Ruthhart:
That's my wild hair -- fire away :-)

---

I think it takes Mach II to set the hair on fire.

Sounds like you have done something like this before......

Your experience and wisdom could be very valuable in pulling something like this together, thanks for your post.

How many points are awarded by SKUSA to draw top talent to the RIGP?

Among the differences between shifters and clutch karts is usually an added digit to the shifter kart budgets. At least the first year should be an open invitational to get the largest draw. If someone want to be only be the IKF or WKA National Champion, thats fine. They would still have the opportunity to compete on neutral soil, and if they aren't up to it, thats too bad for them.

It seems like the RIGP gets plenty of press compared to a SKUSA National.

We will see you at RIGP next year!

[Bob Chiras]

The concept is great to bring the racers together for real national recognition.

The small minded nature of all of the organizations is always an issue.

Why not get behind a promoter, set the rules for the event and set the criteria for entry and qualification and ignore the organizing bodies.

The key to the program is participation by the racers not the organizations, appeal to the racers and get them involved and excited. By the second year the organizations will be begging for a voice.

[John Denman]

Paul,

I can understand some of your points, but I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

First, my home track is in Denton Texas. I recommended Kartways of Arkansas (which is over 400 miles from me) because objectively it fits the best for the many tracks I have been to. Facility is top grade, and Gary Smith is both a fantastic promoter, and experienced with running IKF/WKA/KART regionals at his track this year. The only way I know Gary is from the two times I have been there to race.

Second is that getting the big 3 to cooperate for such an event is highly unlikely. Wouldn't this dilute each of their own Nationals? You can count on that. Each organization will have their own agenda.

Third is that this is something that will take time to build.

Check with promoters like Roger Ruthart (Rock Island Grand Prix) or Rodney Berryhill (US Shifter Nationals) to find out what worked for them.

Its a good idea, and many years overdue.

[Paul Harraka]

Third is that this is something that will take time to build.][/QUOTE]

John,
That is EXACTLY MY POINT. If WKA, IKF, and KART promote it, it won't take anytime to build. It will be huge right from the first year. It won't dilute their other National races because it will also BE a National for each of the organizations, counting toward their own, individual championships. That is the beauty of the concept. Nobody loses or sacrifices anything.

[Paul Corcoran]

OK. If the the major sanctioning bodies would really work together, what are the chances of getting Tony George to allow the "Nationals" at Indy?

[Charlie Tackett]

Pauk H, I believe that one of the problems for RA being a "national" race for each organization is that neither wanted to give up their control over their members nor give up there perspective "fees". Perhaps they will react different to a mutual sprint race, but I wouldn't be holding my breath.

[Mark Clevenger]

Everyone keeps saying that location is a key player as much as rules. It is also apparrent that the "National Championship" needs to be in a central location. Lets check the map....WI - not central, SRBP (practically MI) not central, Jacksonville - not central, Vegas - not central, Charlotte - not central. I lived in MI for the past 4 months, and well they think they are central. Somehow it took me 24 hrs driving to get here. Not very central. Look at the map again...central enough can be found with fingers.

Central = CO, TX, OK, KS, maybe IN & AK

Don't count states - count miles. TX is big. Dallas is a LONG way from San Antonio

[Johnny Johnson]

I think Iowa is in the central location category. Marshalltown has a really good facility and staff. The IKF Shifter Nationals are in Marshalltown also and I think that they are a few days after the 2-cycle Nationals so that might boost the entries up alittle.

John Johnson

[Charlie Tackett]

Quite a broad brush, there MArk. Having lived in Mi all my life, I have never considered it centrally located, noer do most people I know.

When looking at central locations, there is something else to look at besides longitude. There is also latitude. Texas, OK are no more centrally located than Michigan or Indiana. We in MI border Canada, TX borders Mexico. You want centrally located, then look more towards Iowa, KS, or Nebraska, ( even parts of Missouri or Colorado) which kinda of narrows the track selection considerably.

[Marc Miller]

I too live in Michigan and the only "Central" I have heard anyone ever mention was the university - Central Michigan Univ.... which, if memory serves me right is "kinda" Centrally located..... in Michigan.

Maybe Mark hung out in a town that no one got out much?

MM