Repost: CART and kart together?

Joe Klenotich · Joined: 30 Jul 2001 Posts: 52 Location: Lombard IL

Dave---point well taken; my impressions got in the way of facts. Yes, their short term IS and BS represent a business, yet a business whose longevity is tied generally to short term contracts with a finite number of $$ sources, my point is any crumbling of those sources, be it series sponsor or media and it's problem time(how many times do we recycle the TRanAm); they're not a service business in that if the phone doesn't ring for a month you're gone, nor are they a long term horizon business(if those exist).

My point, and I have one, is that I don't want to be anyone's cousin, or "associated with" entity; i.e., part of someone else's internal politics. Karting support becomes someone's line tiem, see Horstman/STAART.

Can karting, via a national body, produce a "top of the pyramid" talent pool that is sought after. Not only sought after but promoted to not only series but big $$ sponsors. Should that be the orgs job? I frankly don't know--perhaps it should be to maximize local karting, thus assuring volumes of drivers and a "cream to the top effect" conducted in any acceptable manner.
Until you have market power, you're begging for alliances and deals.

If you play football at Massillon High or run cross country at York (IL) or (fill in your own favorite) you don't worry about college coaches seeing you.

Exclusivity begets value and opportunity--we don't generate that atmosphere. SKUSA comes the closest in recent years.

Let me volunteer a for instance, WKA used to have all its awards banquets over a weekend in February. Isn't this a perfect forum to have a showcase of SELECT drivers and a social evening with major teams--put names to resumes, establish and evaluate chemistry.

This debate was probably beat to death before I got involved--I've seen it for over 10 years--it'll be going on when I'm in the grave. Sometimes you need to sit down and realize it's just karting--it should be for just kids and it should be fun.

Kim Zobbe-Hogdal · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2001 5:20 am Post subject: Repost: CART and kart together?

quote:
Originally posted by Rick Senechal:
[QB]
For most people, open wheel racing is hard to relate to because the cost of entry is very high. If CART wants to grow it should be embracing karts and develop a class of open wheeled cars for local tracks. Imagine Formula 500 or similar sized cars. I know Stephan and I would sign up!!
QB]

There are SCCA Formula Vee, Formula Ford, Club Ford, FF2000, Formula Atlantic races running almost every weekend through out the country. Many, many talented drivers race at this level. Unfortunately, the next step, Pro FF2000, Barber Dodge, etc., takes major bucks. If you aren't successful at selling yourself to a sponsor, you'd better be happy with racing on the amateur level.
Kim www.beattheboys.com

David Dewhurst · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2001 7:13 am Post subject: Repost: CART and kart together?

If CART really wants to put some rungs in the driving ladder they would let JR bring Superkarts along to run on the big tracks. Lap times would be very close to the Champ cars and it would give the "scouts" a good look at who really has the potential.

Then again, maybe CART does not want the world to know that for ten or fifteen grand you can go almost as fast as a half-million dollar CHAMP car.

Jimmy John · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2001 2:33 pm Post subject: Repost: CART and kart together?

Can't see anything but a pocket of cold cash advancing any young racers program. All the young tallent in this country and no were to go. Dreams are great but history shows, unless you have sponsors with lots of cash then you just don't move-up the food chain. NAKA, Stars, Barber ect. will take even more cash, with only hopes of advancing young drivers to the next level. TV is not the answer ever seen a good kart race on TV?Corporate AMERICA is the only hope for the young tallent in this country. Please help the young tallent in this country not the cash cows dressesd as promoters. Retailers in this country need us and racers need them.
Contact:
Target, Sears, Walmart, K mart, Chevron, Arco, Coke, Pepsi, Denny's, I-Hop, Mc Donald, Burger King, Home Depot, Lowes, Ralphs, Albertsons, Pep boys, Kragen. These companies are the future for karting and the real future for Americas young tallent.