Official Discussion Thread: US Indoor Karting Championships

Adam Kellerman · Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Posts: 240

Does anyone know if F1 Race Factory will be getting new karts for the USIKC?

Adam Kellerman

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

I caught rumor that they will be but again that is just rumor. I will not be there if they do not have the new karts that's for sure. The current karts are absolutely terrible. In order to put this event on they have to get new karts or there will be a lot of ticked off people. I heard they are currently having difficulty keeping 10 going at once. If I get confirmation I will post.

Adam Kellerman · Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Posts: 240

good to know thank you i do plan on running in usikc thow but if the karts are that bad am not going to wast my money

Mike Smith · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 404

Agreed.

If new karts come in than SRD will be bringing 2-3 teams down for the USIKC. But ONLY if new karts come in. Format looks to be a blast, I love the facility, I just hope the equipment is there.

Also, it would be nice if the usikc website would get updated to 2008 information...
_________________
Mike Smith
President
National Indoor Karting Association
www.nikakarting.com

Owner/Founder
Smith Racing Development
www.smithracingdevelopment.com

General Manager - Pacific Grand Prix
www.pacificgp.com

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:25 am Post subject:

If I were still living in Phoenix I would work on getting the website updated however with the uncertainty of the karts it may be a good thing it is not updated. I just hope everyone gets aenough notice if it is going to happen. Unlike last year when it did not receive the advertisement and the publicity it needed. I'm also not sure how the format will run this year due to the fact I basically set everything up for the event last year, but now that I'm not living there I do not know if they will continue to have me do it or if they will change it. I really enjoyed it last year (exception: Kart discrepancy) because it seems to go so smoothly.
I remain in contact with the guys in Phoenix so when I hear something I will post additional information I get it.

Brad Packard · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:51 am Post subject:

How long has F1 been running their current fleet? I know there were some pretty big kart differences during the IKWC 06' when I last raced there.
_________________
www.calspeedkarting.com
www.facebook.com/bspackard

Mike Smith · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 404

Same fleet since '06 if I am not mistaken. New fleet is suppose to be Sodi's, which would be a real step up for F1.
_________________
Mike Smith
President
National Indoor Karting Association
www.nikakarting.com

Owner/Founder
Smith Racing Development
www.smithracingdevelopment.com

General Manager - Pacific Grand Prix
www.pacificgp.com

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:

I believe Mike is correct it was '06. I think the big problem there is the track is too fast for the general public. They go into the corners and plow into the barrier and each other because they do not have a clue how to drive a kart. If they slowed the track down I think the karts would last longer, but bad for us as we can drive them at those speeds and it is a blast. But as for the equipment being equal for these events they have to slow the track down during public races. Maybe add some adjustments throughout the track to speed it up for events such as USIKC and IKWC. The kart draw last year at the IKWC was a joke. I placed in my heat races 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and in the main 17th 2 seconds a lap slower than the leader. There should never be a kart 2 seconds a lap slower in anm event like taht. The Sodi karts we have here in Utah are over 5 years old and almost everyone of them is great. When the karts at F1 were 6 months old they were pieces of trash. I am looking forward to USIKC and hope they get the karts. Only problem I see them having with new karts is the weight system more than likely will not fit the new Sodi karts. That could have an impact on the race as well. I'm sure with the likes of Tom and Steve there in Phoenix if they get the karts there will be weight system shortly after. I have faith in them.

Adam Kellerman · Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Posts: 240

mike smith came up with a great weight system right behand the drivers head the bars could hold up to 40 lbs the karts had alot more grip with all the weight back there good for use lite guys itll be easy to get up to 200 lds with this weight system any body under 160 had to find there own way of getting to 160 and after that weight was add and there you go i had no pob running with 200 lbs with mikes system

Patrick Britain · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 373

very much like mike said, we will send at least 4 drivers from SBF, and at least 5 other drivers from dromo...

IF they get new karts.
_________________
-Out To Show The World-
http://www.PatrickBritain.com

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:

If and when F1 get the karts I will let those guys in Phoenix know about Mike's weight system, no need to reinvent the wheel. They can figure out what to do from there.

I think if they were to get the new karts there would be a lot better turn out, which I will be looking forward to.

Mike how much did it cost to have the bracket made? As you know they already have the weights. Of coarse they would probably need 30 brackets. I know they have made some brackets for the Sodi karts at Speedway in Phoenix and have been using them in the racing there since F1 karts are pooh. I just do not know how many they have but I think it's about 15. Those brackets are mounted to the roll bar just above the axle cover. It seems to work well for them as well. Those brackets may not be compatible with a new Sodi kart though.

Brad Packard · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject:

i think the issue is that F1 doesn't have any real vested interest in the event. From my understanding Racing Schools puts on the event, and more or less rents the facility to hold it. Im sure the karts do just fine for the general public which is why they continue to run them, even though they are not fit for such a competitive event like IKWC or USIKC.

For the 12 Hours of Dromo I was lucky enough to arrange for a fleet of 20 brand new go karts to arrive days before the event which really made things nice.

Hope F1 can pull it off too.
_________________
www.calspeedkarting.com
www.facebook.com/bspackard

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject:

Racing schools will have no part of the USIKC this year. I was in email conversation with Carlos from Racing Schools and he told me that will be strictly a F1 event he has nothing to do with it. On the other hand when F1 has attepted to put races on they do not go about it correctly at all. They wait until the last minute to announce it, karts are crap, and do nothing to advertise it. They expect people to meracously show up to the event. I used to get so mad with them, because they do not listen to the racers. I have so often suggested I would take my own time to promote, advertise, and control races held there, but for whatever reason they would deny it and do nothing in the end. Then wonder why no one showed up. Now with this forum at least we can hopefully get the word out as much as possible and hope it gets around from people talking about it.
As far as the karts are good for the public, "NOPE", they had a hard time getting 5 karts on the track for about two weeks I heard. When I was there, it was kind of funny because the general public would get done racing and complain about their kart, but they would race one of the better karts and would do no better. But they do know they are getting a less than desirable kart.
So many of these karting establishments are just not into the racing portion of it like we are. There is not enough money in it for them. If we were to say we are going to rent the place for $50,000 a a day for this event well they would make sure we had good equipment I believe. When you have a place like F1 where companies pay $40 thousand plus to rent the place for a few hours, that just shows how much our $10000 for a 3 day event means in the their scope. They cater to the corporation buyout not the racer. I do not blame them but I think it would benefit them a lot more if they focused more of their time to the racing and general public. My two cents.

Brad Packard · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:30 pm Post subject:

Good insights. Very interesting topic for me since I have now seen if from both sides first hand as well.

Its sad to say, but the racers who love their indoor facilities the most really end up meaning the least when it comes to the facilities bottom line, which is why they don't seem to be catered to when it comes to events like this. The vast majority of the income from an indoor center is corporate and arrive and drive, corporate having the larger profit margin. When it comes down to it, to cater to the "real racer" thru leagues and special events means spending more on karts, spending more on staff to manage events, and spending more time on that small market segment. Its simply easier for them to continue on the corporate and arrive and drive path.

From what I have gathered, Mike and Sykart have really done the best job at catering to the racer while still being able to maintain standard corporate and arrive and drive revenues.
_________________
www.calspeedkarting.com
www.facebook.com/bspackard

Jeff Saiani · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject:

Good on Mike and Skykart! I wish more would take the lead like that. I f you read my other entry in the events forum I am trying to get a cash race going in Utah. Unlike most places Speed Street here in Layton, Utah does not have the major corporation buyouts like other establishments. I have talked to the owner about putting together races at his establishment and he is all for it. However I just want to show that there is interest in it. All I hear from the employees is we used to do that years ago but it did not work! Well, there are many facets to why it did not work. You did not have a firm schedule of events you just tried to call people at the last minute. You offer nothing to the winners of races so they are entering races and spending a lot of cash and get nothing. What's a $10 trophy? Well it's something that entices people to come back because they want one of their own. Poorly ran races wehter it be flagging, lack of weights, kart discrepancies, or just overall atitude of the people working the races. There are many reasons why race leagues fail, however I believe as a racer that there is many people that want to do it but are turned off by one of the above mentioned things or something similiar. Once that is lost with one person it then starts to trickle to others and before you know it no one wants to be a part of it anymore. Speedstreet here in Layton, Utah has really good comparable karts. They have 25 or 30 of them at anytime you can pull 10 out of the lot for a race and I would run all 10 karts within .1 of each other and these karts are over 5 years old. They have no steering problems or anything. I think I can get a really competeitve race going here if I can just show that there is interest for it. Which is why I posted the poll in the events forum so I can show the owner that there is interest and he will make money. If only Speedstreet was a little bigger it would be ideal for the USIKC and IKWC but unfortunately it is a little small all the way around for an event like that. Everything else would be excellent, the karts, the track , the flagging, the competitivness, everything. Just maybe someday I will be able to get the USIKC race here and show everyone the very best in an indoor karting main event race. For now I am just going to try to start with an enticing cash race however I know this will bring a whole new realm of complaining, offering the kind of cash I want to. I plan to have the race recorded as to this will remove any of the he did this , he did that stuff; you will weigh after the race so if you do not make weight it is your own fault and there can't be any cheating as the scale would be brought to your kart after the race and only then do get out and step on. I would also ensure the flaggers will know exactly what is expected and bumping drivers would not be tolerated at all due to the money at stake. And a lot more but I know someone will not like something. All you can do it give it your best. I really think this could be the next best thing.