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I thought you were already running Fetzer valves? :idn: Rumor is that they help a kart turn quickly and run faster in reverse. I saw three of your competitiors mounting them after the last CSC race. Seeing is believing.
Yeah! Exactly the same way I felt… a year an a half ago before we had hundreds of real life races to evaluate. This isn’t hard. Just allow FWB and see what happens. The fast guys are still going to win, the guys in the middle will still be there and the guys in the back will still think something is wrong with their karts. FWB are not going to change results. If you don’t believe that now then no amount of discussion will change your mind. If you have to see it to believe if than allow FWB and see for yourself. Allow those who have legitimate concerns about safety to have some peace of mind. As for us, we will likely not use FWB and will not think twice about the guy next to us on the grid that does have them. It was extremely hard for me to believe that having additional braking ability would not be an advantage but “seeing is believing.”
Good idea Joe. I think Brad stocks every color. I’m not sure about other dealers.
Maybe we could use another color for those equiped with FWB’s, MWD’s, Reverse, etc. :loony:
Jim, if you are going to run two classes at the nationals – you da man. BTW, we, and I’m sure a bunch of unannounced drivers, are going to compete in the Mile High RMAX challenge. It is the least we can do for you bringing the grands to our backyard. We just didn’t want to let you off the hook for those silly rules. Hey, do you have FWB’s on that plow?
Doug, I agree the skiing is good but still I wonder if I will ever see my yard or the track in my backyard. It is especially hard after just coming back from the beaches of Buenos Aires where the temps are in the 90’s and the days are soooo long. BTW, I met the Jr Rotax champion in Buenas Aires. Rotax, and karting in general, is huge in Argentina.
Mike, Global warning? I thought that was just a marketing term for the jet ski and snowmobile industries. A growing playground with more snow in one half of the planet and more water in the other half. Not sure what it means for karters though – maybe karts with studded tires and/or skis.
My son, Jesse Toby is running the Jr Rotax class and will be representing Colorado at the Nationals! Hell, with the grands in our own backyard I’m even thinking of knocking off some of the cobwebs and racing the Masters class. It is a hard choice though with the advent of the new class of the future, 4-stroke tag (with FWB’s I might add).
We haven’t selected which Colorado rmax series we will run. We won’t do so until the local rules and qualifying proceedures are announced. Hopefully that will happen soon.
In our own backyard! How awesome is that!!! :cheers:
Troy,
I still agree that having FWB’s is an advantage if racing conisted only of who can stop in the least amount of time or who can go deeper into a corner. However, since racing is about who can complete a series of whole corners the quickest the advantage goes to the setup that produces the quickest lap times. The stopwatch has no dog in the fight and is not bias. Just like last year we can continue to discuss this until we are all blue in the face. By the way, last year I argued that having FWB’s would provide an unfair advantage. We didn’t have any data last year so it made for a good arguement. I now admit I was wrong and can see no reason why we would want to discuss this in an abstract way. :idn: We now have data from hundreds of real life races where karters have completed against each other on the same track at the same time with and without FWB’s. Why would we ignore all these real results for the sake of an arguement? On going conversations should be about the results, observations, and knowledge gained.
Some of the very best drivers throughout North and South America race in the extremely competitive tag classes at the Florida Winter Tour where front brakes are an option. Look at the results that now span two seasons. For those who are still skeptical, I have only one question. Why do the top drivers and teams chose to run without front brakes when they have the option to run with them? You can bet your last dollar it is not because of cost.
This also addresses your cost concern if FWB’s are made optional. It has been proven that cost is not an issue IF you want the fastest kart because FWB’s are not faster or winning when compared to RWB only karts. If safety is more of a concern to a driver than absolute performance then they have the option to spend the money for FWB’s.
I think allowing FWB’s as an option is something to celebrate. :cheers: Drivers who want the added safety it provides can pay for it. Drivers who want the highest performance can save money! That is extremely rare in racing! Now if I can just get all my competitors to spend all there engine rebuild and spare tire budget on FWB’s my RWB kart can kick some a$$. 😀
I find it interesting that all the same things being discussed about front wheel brakes is the same things being discussed last year when Rotax allowed the option for front wheel brakes. None of the feared driving issues or performance advantages proved to be warranted. Why do people feel like more testing is necessary? All across America amatuers and professional drivers completed last year within classes with mixed karts, some having front brakes and some not. I can’t believe there is a series anywhere that is any more competitive than the Florida Winter Tour. All the top drivers in Junior, Senior and Tag classes ran without front brakes last year and this year. Plenty of drivers chose front brakes but clearly didn’t have a competitive advantage. There is plenty of data guys! We don’t have to do more testing. The only guys I know of who are saying running with front brakes in a tag kart will provide an unfair advantage are the guys that haven’t tried them. It’s a perception.
Given my long background in motorcycle racing I, too, thought that having front brakes would be a huge competitive advantage. With over a year of results and data, I was proven wrong. Clearly they make a difference, like racing different engines or on different tracks but it all seems to even out in the end.
Since both my son and me have had an issue with a loss of brakes at the end of a straight I vote for allowing front wheel brakes as an option. Those who can or want to have the added safety of front whell brakes will do so. They will not have a performance advantage over the course of the season. It may be hard to believe but look at the data man!
And once again law abiding citizens have to refrain from doing what is right in order to keep from being intimidated by scumbag attorneys. When will it stop!
One of the refreshing things about riding through South America was the fact that attorneys haven’t yet taken over down there. I think it is partly due to the fact that attorneys do not have a long life span there. :cheers:
I voted no but after I thought about it some more I think my biggest concern is over how difficult it would be to do. However, TAGUSA does a nearly impossible thing in putting a stake in the ground with inital weight classifications. Regardless of what you think of the weights it does result in closer racing then if there were no weight differentials. If we think of the weights as a starting point and allow for teaking at a local area for known variables (track configurations and conditions, altitude, etc.) then it makes sense to also adjust weights based on observed results at different tracks within a local series. The process would be somewhat subjective but it may make racing a little closer. Everyone seems to be in agreement that the goal is to make racing as tight as possible. Let’s put a stake in the ground and make some changes! Should be interesing.
Until we get to individual driver handicaps I suspect Kyle, AJ, Greg and all the other fast guys will still rise to the top.
Sorry to hear of this Brad. There is nothing worse than some low lifes trying to steal your stuff. I’ve been hit a few times and I can tell you it really sucks and makes you very mad. I’ve got a shotgun for each hand and plenty of hand guns. Just say the word and I’ll be there to help. Of course, with the help of your “little friend” you shouldn’t need any additional help. If there was any justice the police would allow you to keep the jeep to haul all your ammo.
You can’t help but ask, will SSC change the location of the Rotax Grand Nationals if the Champ race doesn’t happen in Denver? Remember last year? SSC announced the grands would be in our backyard in Utah and got a lot of people excited. Later they changed the venue to Road America so it would co-incide with the Champ car race there. The dates were set this year to go hand in hand with the Champ car race in Denver. I certainly hope it doesn’t happen but I won’t be surprised if we see another announcement soon.
Kudos to Brad and Jim and anyone else who helped work on this solution. I think it is a great idea to consolidate these two series! It will provide front range drivers a bigger field, more competition, and a chance to drive two different tracks within a local series. I bet there are not too many places in this country where you can get that kind of opportunity. And no conflicts with the CSC secheudle! Thanks guys!
It?s nice to see all the positive posts. We better watch out though because this could become contagious and we?ll miss out on all the old meaningless bickering that often populates this forum.
It?s neat to see the transitions already starting to happen. Some of this year?s junior tag drivers will be moving on to senior classes next year. At the same time other drivers will be moving into this junior class. Sabre will be a great new addition. I watched her drive her heart out last Sunday. The will was there but there is no overcoming of that much weight with the horsepower of the Mini Max. The new challenge will be finding enough places to bolt on all the lead she will need in the junior class. I saw Tyler practicing last week and he is already up to speed. He will be another great addition. Hopefully, Sydney will also return. I?m not sure whether she would be a junior or senior but it would be nice to see her on the track again.
Some of the names and faces will change but I suspect that a similar dynamic will be in place next year. This is an age where kids quickly attach to other kids and need the camaraderie. They are growing and maturing quickly and need to have other kids/friends to talk with who are experiencing some of the same unknown things they are. What better way to do that than through an activity where there is a common interest. Karting provides a platform that is as good as any other activity ? as long as it is not taken too seriously.
I agree, the Tag Masters and Tag Juniors are typically the two largest classes and need to remain separate. Either class is usually larger than any of the combined groups. Futhermore, the Tag Juniors run lap times much closer to the Tag Seniors than the Tag Masters. At the last CSC race a Tag Junior kart posted the fastest lap of all Tag classes.
