[Mark Traylor]

ever sell these?

[Mark Traylor]

pictures of the engine would be of help in identifying what may need to be done

[Mark Traylor]

You may have fouled the plug driving off the throttle so much. They are sensitive to throttle application. I will warn you about buying a used kart especially a used rotax. Depending on its age and state of upgrade you could need more money in upgrades than another updated engine will cost. Buying the “cheap” out of date kart will typically cost you more in the end than buying something newer and updated from the start.

[Mark Traylor]

aaron is right. The Don and Donald show at cambrian is quite good. The birel product is really great. You can also race 206 at the tracks around sacramento also.

[Mark Traylor]

Walt,
I could not disagree with you more. all compliant helmets are not equal in features or safety. Helmet A may barely pass the Snell requirements meeting the minimum requirements. Helmet B may far exceed the requirements and be a better, safer helmet if it is ever needed. I have had different helmets of the same snell certification and some have been far stiffer than others or weigh less (weight is a big factor for youth helmet safety not just a cool bragging right). Then there are the SFI standards that are perfectly legal also however SFI requires no third party testing, it is all self certification. You can say that is just fine but I have more faith in my snell rated helmet than a self certified SFI rating.

[Mark Traylor]

Rob,
This is Mark Traylor (Tommy’s dad) we have been running birel at PKRA and I am trying to support other birel owners as much as possible. Go ahead and PM me and I will give you my phone number. I have a granite surface plate we can use to check the kart, put it on scales etc. I can also do a leak down on the engine and head for you and see if that is part of the problem. Also I know you don’t run every race so how old are your tires?

Mark

[Mark Traylor]

Jim,
yes, I agree on the class structure and I am not talking about 3 years in a single class before moving to big races, but more along the lines of a brand new racer being pulled into nationals with only a few local level races done. All kids develop at different paces. Mine was a longer road but I am grateful that he has had the time to learn to drive well and not just out of fearlessness and aggression. As far as kid kart nationals go don’t get me started on that train. as far as seasons go, we ran only half a dozen races in mini in 2016, the rest were run in our club’s more competitive 206 cadet program (20 races a year). 2017 will be our only full season in mini swift. I know a lot of people wont agree with me and that is the way it is. Think of this, why do people want to go to regional and national races? Typically the answer is the large competitive field. What if you had that large field every week at your club? It can happen and it used to be that way. When there wasn’t 30+ dates a year for national races you just raced at home and tracks nearby with a couple big nationals a year.

[Mark Traylor]

Patrick,
I think we are all on our soap boxes a little. I would really like to see everyones attitude toward rough driving and racecraft change overnoght but it only takes a couple guys to spoil the whole batch of drivers. I have been around karting since 1994, and racing my entire life. my son has been karting now 3 years. We are moving to regional racing just now. In the lower age classes I can say that kids move up way too soon. They may be really fast but the racecraft, maturity and skills to be fast while being safe and in control are not there yet. That doesn’t stop parents, coaches, tuners etc from saying hey Joey is quick lets do PKC or Pro Tour or USPKS. Then that adds the pressure to the kid and the coaching to be tough and stand up for yourself, pass or be passed. All of that feeds into the poor racecraft. WE NEED TO KEEP DRIVERS AT LEVELS OF PROGRESSION LONGER. All us old guys say well it wasn’t that way when i was a kid or starting out but there wasn’t the choice of all the big show races either. people stayed at club and regional IKF (which was a group of a few clubs working together) longer. Everything is so results oriented now that is drives coaches and tuners to demand more so they don’t lose their clients.

So do we demand a restructuring? or do we use video and push back bumpers etc?

If I never hear the “rubbing is racing” line at the kart track again it will be too soon.

Pat, There is my soapbox moment

[Mark Traylor]

Mike,
the issues with the bumpers going under the kart was fixed for the new gen 2016 versions. As far as getting rid of the rear bumpers it wont happen, the CIK instituted them for safety reasons and even if they have made racing less safe due to the bumper car mentality they still wont back track.

Patrick,
I coach my son to accept that people make mistakes and sometimes in racing you take it on the chin if it is your fault or not. You dont have to be happy about it but you do have to accept it. the frustrating part is when the other person takes no responsibility for their actions.

[Mark Traylor]

Patrick and Nick,
yes i agree you are right. I wasn’t speaking of respect in general in society, just respect for others on the track. Mistakes and the sudden loss of talent moments will always happen but there is a shift to aggression over skill. We shouldn’t need the drop down bumpers or the electronic hit detection system that is also being developed (i assume because the drop downs don’t really tell the whole story) but I guess we do anyway. I am just wondering what the unexpected consequence will be of adding yet another layer or bandaid to cure the symptom rather than the cause which is lack of developing proper race craft. A lot of it stems to jumping into the national scene far to early with a lot of pressure to perform.

There are no easy answers

[Mark Traylor]

Patrick,
If we had #3 would we need #1?

[Mark Traylor]

Aaron,
I also know that Alan Rudolph’s engine was claimed at Texas PKC also. I have never had one claimed but it would’nt bother me I would just go buy another one. I don’t have a large engine development program so I would not be out anything. I think the claim needs to used more often, just to let people know that it is ok to use the rule otherwise there is no reason to have the rule. Any “unwritten rule” just undermines what SKUSA is trying to accomplish with having the rule.

Calling into question Diego LaRoque’s sportsmanship or character is ridiculous and just shows you do not know these people. Aaron and I have had our differences but he runs a hell of a race program with a hell of a driver on less money than a lot of people out there. (I don’t know his budget but I know what he does for a living and it isn’t like he is independently wealthy).

people need to use their names and show some transparency

[Mark Traylor]

What did Jim Janowski say he wanted to make shifter kart racing? “A sport unto itself” I think, Karting does not need to be a stepping stone or gateway to bigger and better racing. Fact is a teeny fraction of us have the talent, work ethic, business sense and financial ability to move anywhere beyond karting. Karting can be celebrated as the awesome sport it is without the ladder and professional racing aspect at all. I will be happy to see my son be a lifetime kart racer.

[Mark Traylor]

My intention is not to target any one particular series as a problem. there are just too many competing agendas, and frankly karting has always been that way. 2017 will have over 30 national level races scheduled. it is not one promoter or one manufacturer.

[Mark Traylor]

What do I want to see change in karting? That is both a big question and a simple question. The sport needs to create balance and a healthy relationship between the club, regional and national level. National level should be smaller than the club level. We need consolidation of national series and reduction of national dates. You need to qualify at local levels to be able to move up to regional, and again for national. There are so many travel race series that people have no budget to run club level races. New racers are sold on the big show far too early. Sadly this is even starting with 206. I like the west coast KPX series. It has grown quickly but even that series is taking numbers out of the clubs in NorCal. The KPX series will have 20 206 cadets and the club race two weeks prior will have 4. We have too many racers moving to regional and national level races before they even achieve success in the club level. So in summary consolidation and reduction in national races, licensing, and local racing requirements to move up.

[Mark Traylor]

Engine speed should never be so low on track that the clutch disengages. clutch engages btweem 4000-5000rpm leaving the pit lane and then pretty much stays locked up.

[Mark Traylor]

The track magic is a 4130 tube steel. For welding that tubing I use ER70S-2 filler rod.

[Mark Traylor]

Wow! whats the deal? No one is there? is it just practice numbers are down? Or not listing people without transponders?

[Mark Traylor]

they do still make the parts but they really would like to discontinue them. when the CRF 450 first came out the team I worked with were given 2 engines to replace the Rotax 257 we used on the road race superkat. It was really pretty good. We ran the engine bone stock and was not quite as fast as the 257 it was close due the the drive ability of the power curve and superior driving. When people tried to make them as fast as the 250 it all went wrong. engines started failing with very expensive bills to repair them. If left bove stock it would have been good. I would expect the same out of the CRF250. If left stock it would a good engine.

[Mark Traylor]

My advice would be to not buy a rotax kart that old. first the chassis even if in good shape will just not be terribly competitve in a tag class. you will need to upgrade the bumper for about $180. the engine is a huge can of worms. you will need a rebuild. The cylinder head that you see outside is merely a cover for the water jacket and will run around $80 for a new one. Typically the crack is in the cylinder so my bet is it is likely cracked also. Then to race it will need to be upgraded based on the age of the kart here is what I would assume would need upgrading to race

cylinder $675 (or more)
clutch and balance gear set $475
airbox $90
evo upgrade kit $1400

the engine rebuild will cost:
$500 labor (at least)
$150 for the complete piston kit
$375 for the rod kit
$75 for the seal and gasket kit
$100 for bearings

you can buy a decent rotax that is current for about $2000

look to buy a chassis that is no more than 4 years old. Older is ok if it is in good shape and there is no intention of racing it. If you want something cheap to get started in racing get a Briggs LO206 kart. with those you can buy an older chassis that is in good condition and be competitive but expect to put a bumper on the back and go through the brake system.

[Mark Traylor]

stock reeds only in the rules packages I am familiar with

[Mark Traylor]

it went to Australia. but it wasnt a cheap core. it was brand new in the box and never fired. not even dyno time. it was a pretty sweet engine. I would contact Riley Will at BRC. Also try Terry Ives in Sacramento. Terry built a lot of 128, 129 and 130GP rotax engines as well as a lot of 256 rotax engines. another source would be Don Bootes of Dominator karts.

[Mark Traylor]

Too bad. I sold a guy a brand new in the box 129 a while back

[Mark Traylor]

A couple days with AJ and Alan is definitely worthwhile. They have both worked with my son. My son and Alan’s son are good friends. Tuscon is a great track that is open all year but there just isnt any racing going on there.

[Mark Traylor]

Phoenix Kart Racing Association is a great track that is open all year. not the fancy facilities but the track is great, lots of grip and open all year. the club races 20 times a year. I love Sonoma too and the weather is good all year but the track surface is slick and they don’t race all that much.

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