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Just read a post on e-karting news that the Marcel Brothers have backed out of going to the Rotax Grands and the powers that be have picked 2 random drivers to replace them.. How does that work? Kyle deserves to go!!!!! He put a beating on all of them the whole week but came up a little short in the final… This really is not right…..
Supposedly they went down the list and asked in order if a guy wanted to go. I really wonder if that happened. The big question, did they ask Kyle?
Kyle was invited with a 5 day window. He only had to pay airfare and spending money. Not enough time.
There has been some discussion on Ekn about this.
http://www.ekartingnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=64188&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45Maybe some others were invited and where in the same boat and they went all the way down the list bofore making the choice they did?
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding…..
We have a winner.
Yes Rick, and all others up in arms, that is what happened.
When the Marsell brothers begged out, they started going down the list to fill the spots. Cooksey was in based on his third spot already, so they needed to fill 2 spots. They went down the list and got to the 7th place finisher to fill the second spot. After that, I do not know how far they went, but at some point they decided to give Joey the spot. Although he didn’t start the DD-2 final, I think that they gave Joey the spot because of what happened to him in the Sr. Max final. He was a front runner all week and then got flat run over by Wes Phillips in the Sr. Max final.
Right or wrong, that is what happened.
Joey gives us (the USA) a better shot at a good finishing spot than someone who finished 15th at Centennial, don’t you think?
The thing that drives me crazy is that some of the same people who complain every year to me that we need to send some drivers to the Worlds that give us a chance to do well, are the same people that are complaining the loudest at Joey’s selection. It seems that the plan is only a good plan if their kid is the one chosen.
A
What Rick brings up is the way its supposed to work. They start at the top of the list and work down as drivers are unable to attend. Its actually can and is very expensive to attend. First off, you need a mechanic and his/her/its costs is not included for any one. You have to rent lead or BYO. Both are expensive. You have to bring your own tools and they are heavy, that costs. Any damage to the kart and I mean any damage (in the past, many have questioned if damage was real or imagined), you are responsible for it. In Portugal, they were putting the kart in a chassis jig after the race (or at your request) and if they were out more than what they thought was “normal”, you got charged for a new frame. I heard stories (unconfirmed) that some guys were getting charged for new frames on karts that had yet to be on track or had only completed minimal amounts of practice.
The bottom line on all this is that the “free” trip can cost you plenty. On the other hand, the opportunity to go and do one of these things is truly a once in a lifetime sort of thing. I would love to had the opportunity to spend the money. It would have been well worth it.
Kyle finished 4th in DD2 at the Grands. He just raced in Monaco with a 4-stroke Vampire and took 2nd. I think he would be more than capable of giving the USA a shot at running up front.
Andy,
Not up arms at all.
Although, it would seem to me, you race to earn the trip. If we were just going to send over whoever has the best chance of winning. Why race and assume all the cost involved to throw your hat in the ring. Just send fastest guy, even if he has a bad day and is toward the end of the field?
Now, if I traveled across the country to compete, and the first 7 placing racers accepted or declined, and I did not get a chance, finishing directly behind them in 8th. Then, I would be up in arms. Particularly if that is how it is published to work.
Personally we could not afford to go anyway, but would appreciate the oppurtunity of being offered the chance. I have no idea of the proccess, they may have worked down the list and had no takers on the short notice and they did all they could. Filling these spots in the eleventh hour could be tough I suppose.
All this coming from a guy who showed up at the Grands with a fresh bullet and a good running spare, thinking I had everyone in this amatuer race covered! Or at least had as good of chance as the next guy. Imagine my suprise when I walked the paddock, looked in these big tents and saw racks and racks on motors, track simulating dyno’s, authorized dealers snapping seals after most sessions. Kind of felt like the original intent of Rotax “got away from them”. Don’t get me wrong, we love the motor, and have run it since we started racing. (7 years?) We know there are racers (you may be one of them) that show up with motors off of their rental karts and do well. Thats what we thought it was all about too.
It’s not a perfect world. Can’t say I could do any better. Not up in arms, Not bitter. Just got an education on the program last year.
Rick
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