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Just a heads up and a good read about how this will be handled.
Interesting article for sure. I’m curious exactly how enforcable knowing the serial number of certain engines is regarding all the components in the engine?
Time will tell, this was a very unfortunate situation for pretty much everyone involved. The reaction by most people that comment on that article has been positive, I personally wasn’t super impressed with the severity of the witch hunt by parties that weren’t directly involved towards those in the article, even if the suspension and penalties are justified.
Ultimately, SKUSA took their time to address the issue, and moving forward it will be interesting to see. As Swift engines and SKUSA in general isn’t very prevalent in the CO region, I’m not sure how much impact it will have upon us in the immediate future.
When the original SKUSA started the ProMoto Tour, no classes younger than junior were permitted. And there was a very good reason for it, the dad’s of the younger classes are crazy. They all think their little Johnny or Jill is the second coming of AJ Foyt. Add to that the unlimited amounts of money some junior dads are willing to throw at the program, I’m not at all surprised as this is exactly the results you will get.
It was dads with unlimited resources in Florida that killed the Rotax program. The successors to those dads will do the same with every engine program sanctioning bodies come up with. IAMI, already toast. The Rok is the next one they will kill.
There is a solution. First, get rid of all classes below Junior. These mini and micro classes are just asking for trouble. Secondly, do like Rotax did at the last Grand National. Your entry fee includes an engine. Heck give them two engines. Most guys at a national are renting engines and if they have their own program, they have at least 2 or 3. It would actually be cheaper for them than what they are currently spending.
Doug, very interesting perspective!
Just to clarify–are you advocating for the omission of “cadet” classes at the national level, or throughout karting as well? (Local, regional, etc.)
I can certainly see your perspective on how certain racing teams with the means to invest in the extra special ‘suitcase’ motors have damaged or frustrated other teams at the national level, and at times in other areas of karting.
If a series were to switch to a model where they consistently provided an engine with race entry, how would you wish to see this handled? I ask this because in programs where this was more common, for example the Skip Barber Series (where it really is the whole car not just an engine), there were still those that would complain that ‘so and so had a special car/engine.’ Do you see the approach you’re suggesting working long-term in karting, or would you suspect that those same ‘race dads’ would start paying off employees of a series at the national level to set aside a certain engine for their kid?
Thanks for posting Doug! Curious to hear more of your thoughts.
-Eric
I would eliminate the mini and micro classes at the national level, only Junior and up allowed. I would advocate that one off events such as the supernats have those younger classes. The original PMT had Junior and up classes while the supernats added 60cc shifters and 250 shifters. I know that some dads were modifying their engines outside the specs but if did not impact the top spot on the podium. I know this for a fact as I was in that tech with the winning kart, Greg, and the two behind us were lightly modified.
I watched first hand as the dad’s with resources wrecked Rotax. Many of the worst offenders were my customers. They could buy a dozen cylinders, test them all and keep the good ones. After a while, it got even worse. I know one team that showed up at the Rotax grands with over 20 engines and a dyno in the trailer. They spent the month there testing and more testing. They won mini and micro.
One year at the PMT world finals in Norman, Scott Speed was finally beaten. The dad on the winning kart bought 6 engines from a builder, kept the 2 good ones and sold the rest. He finally had power parity. Cost him $36 grand.
More recently, I talked with one of the engine builders in FL who was part of the group that killed Rotax. He was very proud that he just bought a cylinder boring/finishing machine. He could never bore the Rotax but Rok uses a steel liner. He was all over Rok, it opened up a new avenue for him. I have no doubt that Rok will go the same way as Rotax.
There will never be engine parity as long as we use as cast cylinders. There are always variations and variations lead to more power or less power. And variations mean that some dads will spend whatever it takes to find the “magic” cylinder. And the thing is, those very dads are not in the sport for long. They are only in the sport until little Johnny or Jill is able to jump in a car. They leave the sport behind them a mess. This is what sucks. Those very dads that screwed up Rotax didn’t even bother running junior, they went straight to cars.
In my perfect world, here is what I would do. Kid kart would be club level only. All races would be timed events. Who ever crossed the line first after the time is up is the “winner”. I don’t care if the kid completed one lap or a dozen. No season championship. Put the emphasis on driving and having fun.
For micro/mini. club/regional only with one off national events. No national championship. I liked what Rotax did at the last Grands. Your entry fee included an engine. All engines were dynoed to parity and the high and low were pulled from the pool. It would be easy to eliminate the type potential bribery as you just use and outside source for dyno and they keep the results confidential. Then do a random draw with the racers present for engines.
The main problem that I see is that we setup our classes and national events for the racers who are not karters. It is for the racers who will not be in the sport long. Karting needs to be for people who see karting for what it is (another long post) and it is what they can afford. They do not have higher aspirations. The ones for whom karting is nothing but a stepping stone are welcome to come and play, but we will not let them make our sport into something it’s not.
That is why I like low power karts with tight specs. LO206 fits the bill perfectly. Cheap to buy, cheap to run and with large fields, the level of competition is fantastic. I hope the KA finds a similar home for those racers who want more speed but still have a budget. The good thing is it’s too slow for a national series so it might just stay fun and affordable.
By the way, Rotax is a great product now. Their new manufacturing method for casting cylinders is the very best for eliminating variations.
Doug, I think you might find this interesting on how the 4-cycle guys feel about it.
https://karting.4cycle.com/showthread.php?94927-More-of-this-should-happen
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