[Dale Coffey]

Bob,

You will start seeing regular updates now.   There was a transition period between person that was doing that before, to the person responsible for doing it now.   You will also be seeing a completely new website coming very soon with more information, and easier to navigate.   I know you are pushing for info, and probably truthfully, there is info waiting for pieces to fall into place, and other delays, that I wish we could get out.   I make calls to try and get the info out as well.  I would expect the Trustee meeting minutes to be posted either sometime tonight, or tomorrow.  I wish  they had been posted last week, but there was a lot of detailed information discussed that needed correct reporting, before they were approved.

I totally agree that Karting needs one strong organization that makes the right decisions for all of the series.   There is strength in member numbers.  When I started karting, most enduro racers came from the sprint side.  They wanted more track time, faster speeds, less contact, etc.   So Road Racing needs those tie ins to the dirt and speedway groups.

The brake proposal was started by me, a road racer.  I brought it up to the RR committee, comprised of 7 people, representing laydown, and both 2 cycle and 4 cycle sprint road racers.   I personally wanted more classes on the 4 cycle side to be single system eligible.   I want to say at no time did we ever say you have to remove dual brake systems by rules in any class.  We only created classes that they were optional.  The 2 cycle sprint racers spoke up and were wildly in favor of single brake systems on the CIK karts, so they could both sprint race, and road race without adding $1000-1500 systems.   There is a solid foundation that this works, because it is legal to do up through the TAG classes in IKF, KART, CES, and MKC.  This will allow more sprint racers to give road racing a try.   When it came to the 4 cycle laydown sprint guys running the narrow karts, they spoke up and said they did not want to have single systems allowed on those karts.  So therefore, you see Stock Animal requiring dual brakes.   The Crossover classes from the Gold Cup, that are running GC legal karts, may run the single brake systems to encourage them to try road racing.  So that turned out to be the Pro Gas, and Limited Mod Animal classes.  Would I have liked to see the Stock Animal class remove the requirement? Yes, absolutely.  And we can do that later, if people speak up for it.  So I believe you got a rule change that was started, written and approved by road racers, that received unanimous support in the committee,  and was then recommended to the Trustees.   Personally, I feel the procedure worked in the manner it should have, by starting in the committee, and working it’s way up without interference from above, until it made it to the Trustee level.  We made numerous inquiries to the racers for input.  We got it, and listened to what they had to say.  Was it a perfect change?  No, as you mention, the slowest kart on the track still requires dual brakes.

The result in the change of this rule will allow racers from IKF, KART, CES, and the sprint tracks to come and try road racing and increase entries.  Isn’t that what we all want?    Remember, if you make the rules for only the existing racers, you shut out a lot of potential road racers, that might be long time road racers in the future.

 

Dale Coffey

decoffey@arrowscales.com

[Dale Coffey]

WKA continued to race there a few years after that incident, because I was there.   Robby Harper was the promoter and quit promoting the race because the entries didn’t cover the costs.

[Dale Coffey]

Not very sure I see this as a positive move for road racing.   With more regional series competing for the same racers, you have a smaller grid for both, and with the prices of track rental not getting cheaper, you will lose the premium tracks that everyone likes to race, such as what happened to Road Atlanta.  What track would be next to drop out?  Mid Ohio?  It was already proven when they had a 2nd regional race there a few years ago, the entries didn’t support the expenses, and the Dart Kart Club lost money on it.

Road Racing needs help for sure, but not more fracturing.   I say let’s see what the new President of WKA does, after the old regime has been removed.   Give it a chance, and if you have ideas for improvement, send them to WKA, your Trustee, or I know there will be a new RR committee formed in the next week.

Van Gilder was in charge of operations at WKA and has left now.  Did he leave Road Racing in better condition when he left?  I don’t believe the entry numbers would show that he did.  He had enough time and power to make positive changes.

Dale Coffey

 

 

 

 

[Dale Coffey]

I had one that happened to because I got in a hurry and forgot to tighten the gear.  I fixed it by drilling and tapping those holes and installing a 1/8 inch pipe plug.  Then I drilled and tapped 6 new holes and cut the counter bore beside the old ones. Clutch works fine.

Mark Schoonover is excellent with the clutch also.

[Dale Coffey]

Bob,

I do know that John Ferris addressed the drivers meeting at Daytona, and there is an interview that is being done by David Cole of EKN that will be published about the future of WKA.  As for an exact day that will be put out, I will let David Cole announce that.  All divisions of WKA are being reviewed and plans being researched to improve all series.  If you have any positive suggestions for the Road Race Series, they are always welcome to myself or my committee members.  There are some notes in the minutes talking about future of WKA.

There is a schedule of Road Races on the WKA website.  There will be an announcement of Woodbridge Kart Club adding another race to the National Schedule.   While the schedule was being made, the traditional dates for Mid Ohio, and Grattan were being held for the Dart Kart Club to sign the contract that they had in their hand.   Gene Davis decided to lead the board of directors of Dart Kart Club into voting for going with AKRA.   I myself, and others on the Road Race Committee, tried for several months to secure the race as a WKA National, but those efforts were rejected by Gene Davis.   When all of this happened it was late to be adding additional tracks to the schedule, as most tracks already had their dates booked for this year during the open dates left by the races that had been blocked for Grattan and Mid Ohio.   I am sure next year there will be other races looked at in the Midwest areas.  I for one living in Missouri would love to have races closer to me as well.

As for the brake rule, as it has been published in a WKA Pit Board announcement, and on the website, the dual brake requirements were lifted from 5 classes including the Tag classes, Stock Leopard Sprint, and the Pro Gas Animal class, and the Animal Limited Modified class, when following the Gold Cup chassis rules as in the Pro Gas Animal class.   Minimum brake rotor size is 7 inch by 3/16 thick.  When the Trustee minutes are posted later today, You will be able to see who voted for and against the proposal.

As for the AKRA miracle happening over night, that is not the case.   Those plans were being made last fall, with Van Gilder, and Gene Davis working together, along with recruiting at Daytona.   After looking at the class structures they are offering, it looks like a cut and paste job of the existing WKA classes.  Will that be how they produce the rest of their rule book?

As far as something to applaud, KART will be joining the NCM race at Bowling Green, KY.   That will result in a much larger race field in many classes!

WKA can and will do great things with positive input from the racers, and your attendance at those races!   I welcome all input!  email me, or ask for my phone number.

Dale Coffey

WKA Road Race Committee Chairman

decoffey@arrowscales.com

 

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