Don,
First, let me say that although rumors are obviously flying, there has been no official talk of cutting the Jr 1 Animal. However, I think you are right to assume that something has to be done about the multiple Jr 1 Classes. The first part of that has happened, but making the K80 stock, and dropping it to a level below the Mini Max and the Animal.
You are right, you and I have discussed this.
The Junior 1 Animal Class did have its day. There were larger fields. Did the Mini Max really kill it? No, I don’t think so. Kids moved up out of it, into TaG, Shifter, or struggled with trying to race a Jr 2 4Cycle. How many of the then Animal racers moved to a Mini Max. I can think of one, Cole. Maybe a few, like the Farleys and Sullivans, decided to move to K80 to do the Stars thing.
The CSC did drop the Animal after the first event last year. Not because there were only 2 at the race, but because those were the only 2 that had signed up for the CSC. At that time I did not have any phone calls, emails, or anything, from people interested in future events. If we had gotten 10 membership apps, and only 2 showed at the first event, at least we would have known that it would be bigger as the season went on. And, if it had been the only class offered for that age group, then it would have been more of an issue.
So, why aren’t we doing the same to the K80? Because it is an important piece of the class structure. Now, if you are saying that the Animal could be an engine package that for $600 could be taken out of the box, sealed without having mods, and maybe restricted to bring it to the speed of the stock K80, then maybe it is worth looking at.
The stock sealed K80 program has been run successfully, and can be good here given the chance. And if there is a better, reasonable engine package out there for this class, then we should be looking at it. I don?t know, maybe Brad is already looking at Honda for that step. But I do know that we have to have a class in place for the age group between Kid Karts and Mini Maxes, and the Animal right now is not at that level.
Jim’s Gazelles are going to be rentals, I believe, but are going on good Birel cadet chassis, and will at least let us have a first hand view of what they can do. That is it. There has been no talk of adding a class, or anything else. I just thought I would mention it, because you brought it up. I don’t think it is going to be anything for the age group we are trying to grow, but I have never seen them run firsthand.
I did not mean to debate the cost factor of the engines. I was just questioning the validity of your stating that an Animal could be purchased for $600 and be competitive. Seeing engines for sale for 900-1000, and some of those are front runners in the class, it made me want to clarify what the $600 got you. If an out of the box Animal is competitive, then why the extra dollars? I will not argue that the Mini Max is a better deal. Each has its own pros and cons. I think that the Mini Max program is going to continue to grow, and it is certainly fun to watch. I am sorry that you are disappointed that the Animals were moved out of the group with them. I didn?t have anything to do with that decision, as we were familiar with running Animals and Mini Maxes together at IMI club events. It is hard to blame the K80s for anything in the Animal class when there were a few of the Animals that were slower than the K80s. I do agree, though, that in general, they should not be run together, if possible.
I don?t like your idea of simply sending the K80s back to the club level. Let?s go race the CSC with Kid Karts, then have to quit that to go back to club only until ready for Mini Max? That hardly seems right.
I am pretty sure that there are people out there that think the CSC would be fine without any of the Kid or Jr classes. That, of course, would count me out all together. It is important for the Junior classes to be grown carefully. That is the future of the sport. Get them hooked young. How is that going to happen if there is no class for a beginner 9 year old that is not ready for the speed of a Mini Max? Or a kid that is 7 going on 8 moving out of Kid Karts. Yes, practice and seat time. But how far do they get before being burned out on that. The race day competition feeds the desire to go back and practice more. A Kid Kart racer could practice in Mini Max all off season, but going from 35mph to 55+ mph is huge. And now in a bigger chassis, with rolling starts. They will learn, but there desire will die if you send them from racing at the CSC back to local races only.
I do not disagree with the fact that the evolution of our class structure is not the most beautiful thing to watch. If you look back at what I proposed for next year, it does not include 3 clutch classes for the same age group. There is one class for 5-7, one for 7-10( or 11), and then it branches out to include the TaG and Shifter ranks with Mini Max and Novice Shifter. I personally think that structure makes sense, and without continually changing it every year, it will grow.
I wonder how many Kid Karters are planning on moving up next year? Which class do you plan to go to?
I know that this is personal for you Don, and I understand (I really do) the amount of work you have done building rules and doing research. But since you agree that we have too many classes for the 9-12 year olds, you have to understand that unfortunately the Animal is going to lose out to the Mini Max. I think the Animal is still a great package for a family to use to get some seat time and decide if racing is for them, by attending club events. But then the step to the CSC would mean changing to a Mini Max.