[Tim Pappas]

We bought an engine that already had gears taken out. It only has third and fourth. Rotating mass and less spinning through the oil.

[Tim Pappas]

We just built one to run at Millbridge and have only run one race. Jimmy Elledge at QRC is awesome to deal with and has plenty of parts locally.  We built a junkyard dog cr500 for $3500, but thats with a full rebuild and all parts…pipe, ignition, carb etc. The best part is tech which consists of rolling across the scales and driving back to your pit. I haven’t had this much fun racing since open moto in the nineties.

[Tim Pappas]

The seat should be 90mm forward from the top of the seat to the back of the axle. Measure with a level perpendicular to earth placed against the back of the axle. The measurement from the top of the axle to the top of the seat should be 200mm.  Square the front ears to the front. The bottom flush with the frame.  That’s the baseline setting for the karttech seat that we use for the Kartsport NA race team.

[Tim Pappas]

What brand and size seat?

[Tim Pappas]

Ignition is rpm sensitive, not throttle position sensitive, so if you ease off the throttle and it revs to 14k it’s not ignition. Check the reeds, proper fuel supply and if those are good, work on the jetting. KZ’s can be picky about proper jetting and it is not unlikely that you could try two carbs and jetting that don’t work with your engine.

[Tim Pappas]

If you can ease off the throttle and it pulls hard to 14k it’s jetting. Probably rich, but hard to say without knowing the details and looking at the piston.

[Tim Pappas]

I am amazed and frankly disappointed that the karting world and for that matter, the whole racing world finds innovation so distasteful. Racing has become a completely boring “oneness, sameness, gotta just have what everyone haveness”. Creativity is not only frowned upon, it’s been mostly legislated out of racing. I am not saying this fwd kart is a good idea, time will tell. But I find the creativity refreshing.

Okay, you guys can close this thread now and go back to your green kart and on single make engine racing.

[Tim Pappas]

I have used them and they have been awesome to work with. They are indeed in Canada and Mary is the person you need to talk to. Try calling 866 325 0663.

[Tim Pappas]

Cole got it pretty much spot on in his column for a guy who just sits in a booth.  If you want to see driver respect done right watch the last five or so laps of the cup race at the glen. Two guys who wanted to win pushed, shoved, beat, and wailed on each other yet were willing to lose if it meant taking the other out. Thats what sprint kart racing used to be and should be.

[Tim Pappas]

I agree that there are some drivers that may move up too fast, but they are only a small part of the problem. Comparing a RR at Blackhawk to a SKUSA sprint race is like comparing a 30 minute drive to the farm in Nebraska to a 15 minute commute on the 405 freeway in LA during rush hour.  Okay, not really, because there is no such thing as only a 15 minute commute on the 405.  It takes the same basic driving skills, but different tactics and level of aggression.

The problem I see is a basic lack of respect for other drivers and their equipment.  Jimmy, I did not see either of the S1 races at Modesto.  They were both past my bedtime. But you will see that I specifically called out 2 events in my other post as well as a whole class, TAG Sr.  The shifter guys don’t seem to have the same level of crashem bashem mentality that the TAG guys do. It’s there in both, but TAG takes it to a whole ‘nother level.  It’s not a matter of basic talent in either class.  There are some speedy TAG drivers that would still just rather run you over than bother to work out a pass.  I won’t hypothesize why that is so, whether it is lack of breast feeding as children, middle child syndrome, or being the last one picked for kickball in school, but it is what it is.  At least that’s how I see it.

[Tim Pappas]

I hope that the great people at SKUSA take Roger up on his offer of advice for a street race.  The RIGP is done right when it comes to schedule and safety.

The Modesto race was cool, but was definitely lacking in those areas.  The schedule problem was obvious by Friday night. I’m not sure why Sundays schedule wasn’t adopted for Saturday also.  It may just be my opinion, but I don’t think racers or spectators are all that thrilled about racing until 9pm on Sunday night. Saturday night is cool. Sunday, not so much.  As for safety, just two words, Tech Pro.

At the end of the day though, there was way too much jackassery on the part of the drivers which is not limited to this event. Reference the Dallas race, any TAG senior race, or the Supernats.  I am one that loves a good slide job, rubbing pods mid corner, or even a slick bump and run from a faster driver coming through the field.  However, none of those include knocking people off the track.  There is no attempt at passing anymore.  Run into or over the guy and proceed.  And of course you must hit them hard.  It’s okay. They probably have a rich Dad who can pay to fix the kart and at worst pay the ER bills.  The driving these days is atrocious.  I’m not sure if it is the safety of the current bodywork or lack of talent or just general disrespect for anything that isn’t “you”.

Just my opinion. Flame away.

[Tim Pappas]

Those kartsport guys were a bunch of clowns.

[Tim Pappas]

There have been more torn up karts since the plastic bumpers were implemented than before. Why? The stewards cant see everything, its easy just to punt and run, drivers dont have to learn how to pass anymore, and a complete lack of respect especially from those racing on Daddys money.  It doesnt help that two of the greatest drivers of our time, Senna and MS, had a crash to win mentality that has become the norm.  The tag sr. Class at any big race has become a joke. When indoor karting is cleaner than a national kart race there is a problem.  My solution. Ditch the plastic rear bumpers. Let drivers learn how to pass and learn consequences. Land on your head once and you will think twice. For those that dont learn that is just Darwinism. You cant fix stupid.

 

[Tim Pappas]

That is an early CRG built kart with Brembo brakes.  You can use any of the same era CRG parts for it and Brembo parts are still available.  That is the Monterey model which was a 30mm frame.  You don’t need or want the rear torsion bar.  They are useless on a sprint kart.  You got a great deal. Enjoy.

[Tim Pappas]

If it is truly a 2007, then it was built by Tonykart.

1999-2001 PTK’s were built by Mike Wilson.  They were either blue or clear powdercoat and had Brembo brakes.  Not sure on the components, but probably SKM.

2002-2004 PTK’s were built by CRG. They were metalic silver.  The early ones had Brembo brakes and the later ones had CRG brakes.  All other components were CRG. The frames were different design than the CRG model line.

2005-2008 PTK’s were built by Tonykart.  They were red and used all TK components.  The frames were the same as the TK line.

I see the years misrepresented on PTK’s all the time based on the seller trying to make it sound newer, but with the limited number of years of production from each manufacturer, its pretty easy to narrow it down.  It sounds like you might have a first generation kart.  I wouldn’t worry about any of them.  All the manufacturers did a  great job producing PTK chassis and you should still be able to find parts with the above info.

[Tim Pappas]

[quote quote=18379]Where is the position located?[/quote]

It’s in the first sentence.

[Tim Pappas]

No one needed $800 worth of tires.  We had one $220 set.  Just one.  A pi$$ drop in the bucket for what anyone spends to go to this race.  That one set got us through the event just fine.  There was no supply issue if you preordered your tires.

I have two questions that I would like to pose and see a show of hands.

1. How many of you who are bantering about the rain tire issue were actually at the race involved with a team or driver?

2. How many of you who are seemingly experts on supply and demand and the proper way to run a business actually run your own business?

Just curious.

[Tim Pappas]

I think the am/pm split practice is way better.  Even with only 300 racers there are the same number of classes.  It cuts a couple because of the 2 groups, but not much.  If the practice schedule is 9-6 that means you are at the track from 7am-8pm at least and have so much dead time between your sessions.  Instead of 12-13 hours at the track you are only there about 8 with the split schedule.

The driving in the Tag classes was horrendous.  There is so much blocking and punting that I am not sure it can be policed.  There is no way anyone can see it all.  TAG is pretty rough everywhere, but at the Supernats it’s ridiculous.

Other than that, I thought the race was great as usual.  There was plenty of buzz on social media, not sure why not so much here.  The forums do seem more quiet than the old ones.  Not sure why.

[Tim Pappas]

Typical responses that reflect what our pansy a$$ society has become.  Blame everyone except yourself.  SKUSA’s fault.  MG’s fault. The team’s fault.  The shop’s fault.  Might as well blame the RIO, Las Vegas, the Weather Channel, the RiO drink girls in their nice outfits, Mother Nature, and well, your parents for birthing you.

I don’t care if you are on a budget or from Kazanistan if you came to this race without one set of rain tires or provision for such, you are an idiot. If you planned ahead there were tires.  Blame all the people above all you want.  It’s on you.  When did we all become such p#$$ys that we have to blame someone else for everything that happens in our lives.

Howie, sorry you didn’t get to race and you are right.  The price gouging was disgusting.  Let me know when you want to come to the South and hit GMX.  The 250 is ready and I will have rain tires.

 

[Tim Pappas]

With the amount of money people spend to race the Supernats, it is ridiculous not to show up with at least one set of rain tires.  Everyone wants to blame someone else, but if they had preordered then MG would have had them and it’s not SKUSA’s job to make sure you bring the necessary equipment to the race.  They had an option to preorder.  If you didn’t do it, then rain tires are on you.  This is exactly what’s wrong with our society.  Not my fault. Not my responsibility.  Someone else should take care of it for me.  Maybe Obama should add rain tires to the health care program so Big Brother can take care of it for us.

Shame on anyone blaming anyone other than the guy in the mirror.   And for Howie’s topic of price gouging, shame on anyone or any shop that was involved.

 

[Tim Pappas]

I think there is a great opportunity for you Paul.  Throw a laydown seat in a chassis and head to the Supernats.  The track is a great test….no grip to start and decent grip by the end of the weekend.  After your laydown seated kart smokes all those silly sit up drivers you can go into business selling laydown seats to all the Euro chassis guys or pimp yourself as a set up guru.

P.S.  The track turns right and left…stagger won’t help you.

[Tim Pappas]

My head hurts.  I made the mistake of reading this thread in the morning and it made me hit the  moonshine early just to make the pain go away.

[Tim Pappas]

$1500?  And we wonder wtf is wrong with karting?  $1500 for what?  I sure would like a list of things that were done for my money.  Not just “it’s blueprinted”.  We used to charge $1500 labor to build an open moto. Machined the head, ported the cyllinder, machined and ported the cases, machined the clutch, machined and bored the carb, and stuff I’m probably forgetting.  So I would sure want to know what $1500 gets you on a spec engine that disallows all of that.

The sad thing is that people will charge that and sadder yet, people will pay that.

[Tim Pappas]

Port the cylinder, port the cases, reconfigure the head, cut the kickstarter boss for a straight intake, build a pipe to match your porting, cut the choke section out of a 39pwk weld the snout back on and bore to 42mm, dry sump your transmission, cut your clutch down to 3 disks, develop exhaust water injection system, and you will be close.  Or fix your stock honda and have fun.

[Tim Pappas]

<div class=”d4p-bbp-quote-title”>Paul wrote:</div>
Does anyone think it may be possible for the fronts to turn the back tires with less effort, when the inside rear is partially engaged with the track, instead of having just the outside rear on the track?

<hr />

<div class=”bbp-reply-signature”>brake, insert ‘arc’, turn, accelerate. … </div>
<div class=”bbp-reply-signature”></div>
<div class=”bbp-reply-signature”>No.  Current chassis’ will be faster on a sprint track if they pick up the inside rear tire.  If the inside rear is in contact with the track on entry to a tight 180 degree turn it will not be as fast.  That’s how current chassis are designed to work and there are times we raise the seat to make it happen.  That’s my real life experience on real life tracks.

There are exceptions.  A slick track and hard tires like TJ said is one and Road Racing is another.  On a full size road coarse the corners are so much  larger and the speeds are so fast that it is quicker to lay the seat down to the limit of the rules for sit up karts for aero and let the rear work more as I think you are describing.  Again, just my experience.

It seems to me that you are just making a long winded argument saying that it may be faster to slightly slide the rear to rotate it than picking up the inside tire.  You are posing the question to people who have experience and knowledge with chassis set up and when they debunk your theory based on real testing and racing, you argue.

It’s great that  you are passionate about karting and racing and want to discuss it, but verbally jousting with experienced guys like TJ and Greg who have proven their chassis knowledge doesn’t prove your point. So I guess I’m not sure what you are trying to prove other than arguing because unless you test your theories, they are just that.</div>
<div class=”bbp-reply-signature”></div>
<div class=”bbp-reply-signature”></div>

[Author]

Posts