Mike,
I need to defend the pro class here. It is down on karts due to the ICC class being divided into 3 class in 2004 and 2005 and 2 classes in 2006. If it was just an ICC class, as in tag senior or tag masters, the numbers would be comparable. As for check book racing, our expensences were on par with any other shifter class, and other than a few extra top ends on par with the tag classes. The tag senior class only averaged 11 karts per race. While there were at least 10 ICC’s per race not counting the G1 entries. That, Mike, is why the “pro” class looks to be dwindling.
Our shifter costs.
7 top ends $700
9 race sets of tires $1485
8 practice sets of tires $1320
2 bottom end bearing rebuilds last winter $1200
Plus gas, travel, entry fees, and all the other stuff everyone has to pay to race.
I don’t call that check book racing, You spent more on your tag than we did running our shifter.