To Freezeman: As much as I would love to draw thousands from the general public to a swap meet, I know that the general public is just not that interested in auto racing. For me it?s a bitter pill that when most people think of auto racing, they automatically think NASCAR. It is a fairly small community of participants that are knowledgeable about motor sports. And unfortunately it?s an even smaller group who are interested in karting. I have no false illusion of getting a big crowd of people who would not normally go to a swap meet for any form of motor sport, much less for karting. The whole idea is just to get those already involved in karting together to share ideas and do some commerce between each other. If completely new people show up, of course that would be a dream situation.
The main forms of advertising I had in mind would simply be word of mouth and alerting kart racers on this web site as well as posting of flyers at the various kart shops and tracks. I did not feel trying to do any radio or newspaper ads would be worth the expense since there simply isn?t the level of knowledge and curiosity about karting that I wish there was to justify doing costly advertising.
I am really excited to see the karts run on the ice on Jan. 20th at the Budweiser Event Center! That ought to be a real gas! (I used to have a picture of Michael Schumacher driving a kart on ice with spiked tires as my wallpaper on my computer at work. I made the mistake of letting a guy mess with my computer one day and he lost it. I?ve got to find it again!) I wish I had known about the ice races held around here the previous two years. I?d like to find out ASAP about how to get tickets, what the price will be and where the Budweiser Event Center is. I will definitely be there that night.
To Kurt: Thus far it?s looking more and more that I did have a good idea about a swap meet, but that hosting it at JB?s Action Karting is a better idea. So I may as well do whatever I can to help make that happen. I never wanted to pit my idea of holding it at the Merchandise Mart against JB?s idea of holding it at his track. I just did not imagine that JB would allow others in who promote kart packages which are in direct competition with those which he sells. I?ve made a jerk of myself making assumptions like that in the past, so I should be careful not to repeat. Maybe there will be an open expression of a free market. It would be a noble gesture to bring in S.A.C. Motorsports from Louisville, George from CRE, Brad from IMI, and Dave Galegor with Easykart. The more the merrier, right? I think it could help the enrichment of karting in Colorado if there is cooperation rather than bickering.
I have thought that a contingency plan for weather would solve another potential problem. Admittedly, I did not bring it up. I love the idea of having a radio station broadcast on site. That might really draw some good crowds. Let?s all put our thinking caps together to see what can be done in that vain.
To everyone: Thanks to all who had their input in this topic. We ought to at least get something put together this year in late winter or early spring (whatever JB decides). If we plan ahead of time, maybe we can have a bigger event in 2007.