EKN Trackside: Rock Island Grand Prix

Ryan Stringfield · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:39 am Post subject:

I've uploaded a ton of photos from the weekend (linked below). Enjoy.

Race Day Photographs: http://www.junioropenwheeltalent.com/2010/09/06/rock-island-grand-prix-photos/

Practice and Qualifying: http://www.junioropenwheeltalent.com/2010/09/04/rock-island-grand-prix-photos-qualifying/

jim long · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 12

Curt Smock · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 9:46 am Post subject:

That was quick and the pics are great Ryan. Thank you!

Geno Pass · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:51 am Post subject:

Fantastic pictures! Very Happy

Mark Dismore Jr · Advertiser Joined: 21 Jul 2001 Posts: 1099

Jeff Metter · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:22 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the world of American Karting !!! No i don't think it will kill the TAG class " and i certainly hope not" but i am sure there are now quite a few people that will and should go out and buy a M7....
_________________
Zanardi/ TM K-9 C 125cc shifter
Anderson /GasGas
PVP / GasGas
" We never really grow up " !!
" We only learn how to act in public" !!

Tom Sekey · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:18 pm Post subject:

Actually I think its evolving the TAG class. Sonik is coming out with a similer engine. Soon the sub 15,000 rpm engines will be the norm. This transition sucks though. These motors will doninate on big tracks but I'm not to scared of them on the short tracks. Next year our plans are to run our motor on the small tracks and either not attend or rent for the bigger tracks.

lynn haddock · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:59 pm Post subject:

pipe of the week
engine for each track
what the heck,,,,,,just $$$$$$$
No wonder pure engine classes are proven over and over to be the most accepted/popular in karting.
Although I loved the good ole' days of ennovation, I believe even the Indy 500 has gone pure/single brand engine.
it's just a $$$$$$$$ thing.

David Womack · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:11 pm Post subject:

Seems that the gap from the Leopard to all the other tag engines is getting wider. Or I can spend all the money I would other wise send to Obamarama and buy an engine for each track. Sounds like a democratic idea!

Mike Manning · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:15 pm Post subject:

I remember the first race we ever attended with the M7 was at Newcastle in Sept. 2005. It was a Tag USA national event and the owner of the track and his team were more than 2 seconds a lap faster than all of my drivers. We got killed. Simply put ......as long as we were slow, everyone was our friend. Now, after 5 years of hard work and competitive results, we now get the backhand from some. The math doesnt lie. Their are engines that rev to 18000, 17000, 15000 and 14000 that win Tag races. They are all different brands. Its the competitors choice to make just like the kart shops.

Tag Masters yesterday at Rock Island ? It went down to the last lap last corner. Rotax, Sonik, and Motori 7. The lead changed a couple of times on the last lap. Do the drivers and the chassis have anything to do with results anymore or is it all motor ? Hard to tell from those some.
_________________
Mike Manning
Mike Manning Karting
Since 1980

www.mikemanningkarting.net

David Womack · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:29 pm Post subject:

So I want to go Tag racing at a various tracks next year. Some long, some short, some in between. Let's figure what our motors will cost.
Leoaprd $2695(my09)
RokTT $3150
Rotax $3495
Sonic $3425
Motori 7 $3495
These are the prices listed on the 'net by various vendors. So let's say I only need 3 different engines packages to compete at all the tracks I want to run at

Leopard $2695
Rotax $3495
M7 $3495
Total $9685
These are just basic engine cost. Blueprinting, tweaking, special goodies will no doubt mean more money. So for only $10,000 I can have what ever engine I need for the track I am at that weekend. Wowsa no wonder I quit karting before.
Oh you might need some spare engines in case your favorite grenades itself.

Gary Lawson · Joined: 21 Aug 2001 Posts: 547

seemed the rotax was very fast as well. Laptimes were very close in qualifying between TAG and Rotax only. The Rok TT has dominated the event previously but not many were on it this year. My vote would be to take a chance on any engine in the TAG class aside from the leopard. They seemed a little off of the others but I definitely don't feel the Motori was noticeably better than any other engine given the laptimes/results.

Bill Angel · Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 839

Although Birel makes a great chassis Alex Angel was not on one this weekend as listed in the results, he was on a GP chassis. We did get some help with our Rotax from Dean, Shannon and Chuck from MKP and we want to thank them but we were not on their chassis.

David Cole · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:16 pm Post subject:

Tom Sekey · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:25 pm Post subject:

How many more entries were there in TAG vs any other class? And some of you really think this is the class that can't survive. Whats going to happen to the Leopard only class when everyone switches to engines that last longer, vibrate less, and have less trouble? Most series drop classes that have low entries.