B Flemming and all,
My son runs the flathead. We own 4 of these, with two of them being Grand National caliber.
To set the record straight on this issue I will review the history. Two years ago people started asking to run the Animal. For last season it became clear we had to allow the Aminal or split the Jr 1 class into two classes (one for the Flathead and one for the Animal). So we decided to run the Animal on Gas per IKF section 715. This specifies gas, no jet change and a factory broached cam – no groung aftermarker cams. This proved to be ideal as this IKF gas Animal and the IKF methanol Flathead make the same HP. All were happy and we had competitive racing.
Then this year the CSC decided to go with WKA rules. I pointed out to Doug and Brad last fall that the WKA rules specify methanol, open jets and ground cams. They both assured me that the CSC would keep the broached cam in this year by making this exception to the WKA rules. Then the unofficial rules were published and I posted here pointing out that they did not add the exception mandating the broached cam. Again Brad told me this was a mistake, the exception would be added. Then the official rules were posted without the exception, and I put my Fltaheads up for sale and ordered a WKA Animal because there is no way the Flathead will have a prayer against a Animal with a ground cam. Period.
Yesterday I felt badly about the escalation of HP in the Jr 1 class (I estimate my son will do 57s at IMI with the WKA gas Animal – that is record lap territory for the old adult Yamaha light class I ran a few years ago), and I called both Doug and Brad to make triple sure they really want to kill the Flathead for this class and give the 8-11 year olds 1 -2 more HP. They said “No”, and now the broached cam exception has finally been added to the CSC rules.
So you see, we really are not making a change, we are avoiding a change, a bad change IMO. Now, I had to call up my builder and cancel my order, and others have apparently suffered inconveniences for the error in posting the rules and the subsequent change. This is a shame, but two wrongs do not make a right. It is the right thing to keep the Animal where we had it last year. 11 HP is enough for an 8 year old. If a 9 year old wants more power he can drive a 60 shifter at 16 HP
The WKA runs a 0.500 restrictor (8.5 HP) on the Flathead with 275 – 290 lb full size karts for up to 12 years olds. We have way more power/weight than that even accouting for our altitude (minus 15% in Denver). The IKF runs the gas Animal only with a serious restrictor for Jr 1.
I have no excuses as to how the CSC managed to allow the publishing of two sets of erroneous rules, but it is fixed now. Let’s pick up the pieces, move forward and realize this is the best for all involved.
Rod Whetstone
P.S. I can also explain the whole story on the Comer80 here in CO, but this post is long enough