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Since the SKUSA subject has been brought up here, and I am sure that many of you have been hearing rumors of things? maybe we should get some of this information out in the open. Since it is you, the racers, that it is really all about, and you deserve to know what the current discussions are about….
As you may know, Jim Keesling is the new SKUSA Pro Tour Mountain Region Director. What you may not yet know is that Jim and SKUSA are interested in joining forces with the Colorado Sprint Championship series. The immediate response from many is…. Why? What are the benefits to me, as a racer, when I have no aspiration of racing SKUSA national events. The answer is really pretty simple.
Some of the benefits would be: A rule book, written and adhered to; Tech being done properly and at all events; Spec fuel; and a consistency of race day schedule and procedures. Although the CSC is planning on having these items taken care of for this year anyway, we would also have Jim Keesling, and SKUSA, available to help make sure that things happen as they should. Of course, there is extra added benefit to those who race in the national SKUSA classes who wish to go on to race at national events.
What about those classes that are not currently in the SKUSA rulebook (Kid Karts, Junior 1, Senior 4 Cycle, Cadet Tag-MiniMax)? SKUSA has agreed to write in the rules, as we have been running them, as local option classes. This simply means that they will be recognized by SKUSA Mountain region, but still may not be offered at the national level.
What will change in the Colorado Sprint Championship series if we join forces with SKUSA? Besides the above mentioned benefits, not much will change. There will be a $75 fee to become a SKUSA member. You should know that the CSC was going to charge a fee for membership in the CSC this year – discussed at $35 -$40. The other fees of the races will not be affected by this change. That is not to say that there will not be an increase of entry fees at all. That point has not been discussed or decided – but SKUSA will not be the cause of any increase. The part of the fees that previously went to the CSC will still go to the CSC. The series will continue to run
SKUSA is in the Mountain region now. Whether we embrace it and take advantage of the SKUSA resources, or choose to keep the CSC separate and apart from it – it will still be here, and we will be affected by its presence. From my point of view, it would be a great benefit to the series to have Jim Keesling, with his energy and resources, working with us to make the series better. Otherwise, there are going to be SKUSA events added to the schedule in Colorado, and some racers may have to choose between the two.
Angie MacEwen
[email protected]
970-204-4430The question still remains. What is the real benefit to the “average” racer in this area?
Let’s say that we have 100 karters that plan to race in this area. Of those 100 I would say that maybe 15-20 have higher aspirations ( national race participation, pick your series) that means that we are sacrificing the thing we started for. Affordable, no nonsense racing for the Colorado karters.
Does that make sense?
Not everyone that races in this area wants or can afford to run with the “big boys”.
Maybe I am being a “NIMBY”, but I have been there and done that and I do not see how it benefits the series we have now.
Do we need more consistency? You bet!
SKUSA is not neccessarily the answer.
You as the racers, that make it happen, have to decide how you want to proceed.
In order to make the things happen that have been pointed out as needed for the CSC series it takes money.
Funneling it out of here does not help us make our series grow.
CSC was started because we had so many diverse classes trying to conform to so many organizations rules.
We looked, adapted, and started our own series that, believe or not, started several other series that were fed up with the way things were going on in there own areas thinking and reacting.
Guess what? All of a sudden they were being courted by every karting organization the U.S.
Don’t know which organization is the best for us to align with. But I do know we have done pretty good so far on our own.
The points brought out about tech and race directors and support personel all cost money and you as racers still have to subsidize it.
No “sanctioning” organization is going to provide that without a cost to you.Rusty
Rusty,
I am glad you responded, and you have some good points. One thing that we agree on, and the reason I have posted this at all, is that the racers need to decide. And to be able to make a decision, they need to know the options. They deserve the opportunity to seek answers to any questions. I am sorry if I have ruffled feathers by bringing this up, but the whole reason that The Colorado Karter came to be was due to the need I saw for communication within the karting community. That doesn?t mean that each racer should get a say in every little decision in the series?. But this is major, and I think that the track owners need to listen to what the kart racers have to say before making a decision.You are right, much work has been done to build the CSC. It will continue to be its own organization. The race director and other key positions will still be filled by people that the CSC choose. The money for that and other things will still be managed by the CSC, not Jim or SKUSA. No one is saying that SKUSA is the ?answer?. It might make sense, though, to take a closer look before dismissing it. It is appealing to me, with the efforts I have put into the CSC, to have Jim and his resources working with us, rather than against us. As much as some may not want to be a part of SKUSA, I think it would be worse to see SKUSA come into the Mountain region as another series on its own. By joining forces we are not relinquishing control, and nothing says that if it doesn?t work this year, we can?t dump them next year.
-angie
The Rusty, hits the nail on the head.
Grate points.Does CSC need SKUSA?
Does CSC need IKF
Does CSC need WKAI think that for skusa’s mountain region to work it does need the participants of the CSC races. Yet CSC was proven that we can have fun races with out SKUSA’s help. SKUSA had a mountain region director and raced there own schedual around here once before. Lets see… wasn’t that when it fragmented/failed and the SCS started?
It shure seems like we are on a roller coaster and we keep getting back off at the same place. I am enjoying the rides though.
My hats off to Jim for taking on his next endeavors. With out me contributing much of anything I have allready benifited from his interests in karting. I could say the same about Brad/JB/Stacy/and even George. The constant amoug these names is they have a track. The one thing that CSC would die with out. If CSC gets to exspensive to run some will opt to just club racing, or even ice racing.Who’s all racing at the Budwiser event center next week?
$50.00 entry fee with 100% payback. Now thats a good deal for the racer.
I hope to get there, if my pond testing goes well.I normally don’t post my opinon on this forum but, as a racer, I feel that I should have a “say so” on what may affect me in regards to karting in Colorado. I have raced in the CSC and SKUSA for about a year and a half and have had a ball. It appears to me that people are asking for something from a series other than a place to race and rule enforcement. I don’t quite understand why? :idn:
From what I have seen the only thing a racer really wants to do is race and for it to be fair. The CSC has offered me a place to race and I am grateful for that but the rulebook is nonexistent and enforcement has been as noticeable as the rulebook. From what I have read and experienced with SKUSA events, they are fun, fair and very well organized which gets me home at a decent hour from the races. Getting home as a decent hour is almost reason enough for me to stand behind SKUSA Mountain Region. As someone who enjoys racing I want the racing in Colorado, or anywhere for that matter, to be fair, fun and organized and I know Jim will make that happen for us here.Angie,
I don’t think you are ruffling anyones feathers. You put a topic out for everyone to be informed about and it stimulated discussion.
Let’s see what the racers would like to do.
The concept has it’s pluses and minuses and I for one am going to try to keep an open mind.
Let’s hear some more input.Rusty
Rusty-glad to hear you again.
Freezerman: So your going for the Bud; get those spikes sharpened and go for the gusto.More, Blah, blah, blah :argue . Let’s make this discussion easy give me a clear and concise written list of the advantages and disadvantages for SKUSA and then I can make my own decision very easily. Not all these opinions and diatribe and :bs: :rotate:
List them:
1.
2.
3.
4.
etc.advantages and disadvantages.
I too would like to know what SKUSA has to offer. CSC will still have to provide the rules for the classes that are not offered by them, the race director, tech director, track help, tracks, points keeping, the tech tools, spec fuel, year end awards, insurance, etc… I also would like to know what you mean when you say we would be going against them if we don’t do this. Does that mean Jim is going to put a schedule of SKUSA races against the CSC if we do not join up with them? SKUSA needs us more than we need them, that is a fact. Are we going to charge everyone a membership fee for CSC and have to make everyone join SKUSA also? It is time to mail a questionair out to the racers as only a small % of racers respond to this forum before we go back to SKUSA.
What’s so great about SKUSA? Why not STARS/WKA if the CSC decides to align with a national organization? I don’t know the relative merits of each but it would seem reasonable to consider the alternatives. It appears most racers in Oklahoma and Texas will run STARS this year with a format similar to the CSC. Also, when we were in Oklahoma last year, there was discussion about running a super-regional event in Colorado one year and Oklahoma the next. (It’s a one day drive to Norman and the track/facility is the most impressive we’ve seen.) If this is something racers here are interested in, STARS might make sense if all else is relatively equal between STARS/SKUSA.
I think the karters should poll the track owners to find out what their goals really are, other than the obvious.
I’m not a track owner, or part of the CSC board, or a SKUSA/STARS/WKF/IKF……anything. Just a dad with a kid that wants to race. Having said that, I feel we need a hard written set of rules, trained officials, timely ran events, safe racing, and all on a level playing field.
Why is it Action Karting sells MG tires and Sonoco fuel, IMI sells Brigstone tires and whatever is in the tank outside, Stacey sells his brand of tires and VP fuel? Why don’t all you owners cut deals with the same fuel vendor, same tire manufacturer, and look forward to seeing a professionally trained crew come to your track to produce professional level karting? That is what SKUSA brings to the table.
You can still do what you want to do for club racing. No one can govern what you do at your club races on your property, it’s just that when 160 racers show up, I believe we all want the same results at the end of the day.
With SKUSA rules for the classes that apply, you all have to pump VP fuel, Brigstone tires, and there is a certain amount of bargaining power associated if you are supplying the tires and fuel. Get together and set your deals with the tire mfg and VP, sell it to us, and make your profits.
Why is this taking so long? Why so much brain damage? Blah Blah Blah
It’s getting pretty close to the annual meeting date graciously hosted by Blink at IMI, and we have nothing. I agree that only a few of us voice our opinion on this forum, however, thousands look at from in and out of state.One other point of not having proper tech. We ran the CSC 80 Jr in ’04 at all of the events, even though like Doug said it was decided by the SSGP. At both IMI/CSC events last year, two 80 Jr. teams were allowed to run with their P1 boxes that were not allowed by the CSC rules. These guys are friends of ours and this is not meant to throw darts at them, however, with their added power to our spec package it did make a difference in the outcome of the season for us. I do not, and will not pay money to race in these conditions this year. How do we fix it? See above.
CurtIf you look at all the decisions that are made, most if not all can be traced back to money. We have numbers in the CSC series the reason track owners and series organizations want us. In answer to Rich .
!. We need rules
2. We need fair and equal enforcement of said rules
ie rotax rules a level playing ground for all racers
and all classes.3. All classes have must have rules , My tag is covered. Are
Rod’s and Greg’s animals? Are the comer babies? Does
SKUSA have these classes at a national level? If they do
not then why should these or other people pay the extra
money to race?The first time that SKUSA went to Steamboat the four cycles were not included. A point I made to Gradie at that time and the regional SKUSA director who was at IMI. A showing of Fifty karts happen. Not much to yell about . The next year 135 karts for the CSC race and even bigger this year. The point is I raced my animal under SKUSA races run at IMI. And the only benefit I saw were a higher fees and actually a longer day because of extra time needed by SKUSA for motor break-ins and special timing for the SKUSA classes at the expense of time and money for everyone else. I believe track owners will also have to pay higher fees a result that I will also pay more. The new fees are a surpise in them selves from CSC. Who and what are we paying for now? It took a strange vote to get an ambulance at the tracks a five dollar fee. The drivers pay for this. Are the track owners concerned? Lets go back to the bouncing Ball and check who is dribbling the ball.
@blink wrote:
I too would like to know what SKUSA has to offer.
That’s not unreasonable.
Hasn’t Joe Janowski posted here before? Perhaps he could be enticed to log in and make a case for everyone to read.
I know for a fact that Randy Kugler (WKA) was prepared to make a trip out here to make a pitch to CSC last year. I don’t see any reason why he should have changed his mind.
I would imagine IKF wouldn’t object to regaining a foothold here, but I doubt that they’d do much to to get it.
For what my opinion is worth around here these days (and I suspect not much), if CSC wants to take on national sanctioning (not a bad idea IMNSHO), then they should be looking at any and all options and make a decision based on what is best for everyone. I mean if people are going to have to pay extra for that sort of thing they should get the best value for their hard-earned dollars.
You already have a SKUSA representative in the area, and that’s great. Somebody ought to give Kugler a call and see what he has to say. I’d wager he’d come out and make his pitch in person.
Someone else said that The Nationals need CSC worse than CSC needs them. I would tend to agree. That puts CSC in a good position with those folks and it should be taken full advantage of – not just accept whatever’s handed to them. Anybody can get that.
It seems to me that what Angie is suggesting is , we should get all the racers (150 or so) to sign up for SKUSA to the tune of $75,00 each ($12,000.00) and a similar amount for each race so that we can operate under the rules of SKUSA , and —- elect the SKUSA regional director to be the CSC race director as well ! Hmmmmm
Does anyone besides me sense a small conflict of intrest here ???
Many of the current racers were not around when Rusty Newberry gave his heart and soul to build SKUSA in this region , he built from scratch to a membership of over 80 members , and had a 95 % approval rating to boot !
Rusty is availible for the Job of Race Director for the CSC , and I believe would represent the CSC and the hearts of the Colorado racers when or if negotiations were required with SKUSA .
I must bring up a couple of my pet peeves about the SKUSA administrations decisions in the past —
# 1 , SKUSA held a National Amature Championship event a few years back , but
refused to invite the amatures (Novice 125 shifter racers) — go figure !
# 2 The G-1 (senior – heavy 125) class was origionally for age 40 and up , SKUSA with their knee jerk decision making policies decided just a couple of weeks before the last race of the season (Las Vegas) felt they just had to make room for a couple Pro Racers , who happened to be under age 40 , dropped the age requirement to age 35 !These things probably don’t mean any thing to many of you , but , we have a good thing started with the CSC , and I for one do not want any SKUSA official in the management structure of the CSC — resources or not !
I am very confident that if the racers are willing to contribute the kind of money to the CSC that is being proposed to send to SKUSA , we could easily hire someone to do some creative editing from existing rulebooks and come up with the answers to that issue !
Regards , J.B.
In response to Craig M. The Senior 4 Cycle Mod. Animal class did and do have a set of rules.They were listed on this site,and were avail. at IMI.
So that’s a no for 2 out of 3 CSC track owners on the SKUSA issue. Hey Stacey, what do you think?
Just a suggestion, why not set a date for the CSC meeting and invite the different organization (SKUSA, Stars, IKF, WKA,….) leadership to that meeting. If the CSC is important to them, then they will be present and tell us what they can do for us. Like any business, make them do presentations and in the end we can vote for what we want.
Sounds pretty simple,
Tom
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