I agree 100%., if you guys would spend more of your time working and learning how to work on these engines, rather than crying about this and that, you could save some money. Buy you a Box Stock engine kit and put together and then go out and run it on the track. If it does not perform like you want, try to start trying things like carb jetting, valve lash, spark plug heat ranges and engine running temp are just some of the things you should check. If you can not some do of these things or none of these things then get on here ask questions. I love to work these engines, I run SA and modified classes. You have 3 choices, #1 learn how to work on these engines. #2 Save up your money for a Top of the line Engine since you think that will automatically win races. #3 Quit racing!!!
How many tracks have you raced at?Motors + Tires + Setup = Wins and Top Three Finishes. But you can't convince some that tires, tires, tires are not all that it takes!! mike00b and old school mike are 100 percent correct. you can't rely solely on tires to do anything. i know that i'm going to get arguements from those that think differently, but i've said it once and i'll say it again.....you have a crappy motor and a crappy setup, no amount of tire prep or tire goop in the world will make up for it and "give" you a win....
you miss one small part of the WHOLE equation and your mid pack or worse, a lapped kart in the way. tires hold you to the track, sure! admitted!! but if you don't have a chassis setup that lets you turn left and a motor that will accelerate off the corner and give you the top end you need....TIRES ALONE WILL NOT SAVE YOU!
ok...pandora is out and she's a b-word. we all want to go fast....we all want to win....we want it all. but that's not in the cards. i do think that a one engine rule and a complete set of rules governing that one engine will go a long way in helping, but i see too many variations with no positive incentives to advance. what i see is one engine with at least 4 weight classes and every race is only seeing 6 or less karts and the same karts are dominating. not saying that's wrong, but why have those "extra" weights when you can set it at one....say 375 and let the big dogs roar!! instead you have a 330, 350, 375 and 400 (only examples) and the same guys run in all of them...
gopherracing....i like the weights, but you have to control them...let them compete in no more than two of the three classes. this opens the third class up to letting others race for a win once in a while! i hate it when someone (even those that say "i've done my homework." which is a BS statement) dominates everything and everyone else is running for the first looser spot (2nd). i would actually start the class with a rookie class and that means.....if you have over say 5 races under your belt, you CAN'T race in the class......atually had one guy tell me one time that he can compete in the rookie class because he never raced at that track or class before, yet he was a multiple time champion at another track.....yeah....rookie....ya think?
ok...off the soap box.....
doesn't matter about the tracks (location or surface) or the akra rules. it was a simple statement that MOTOR + ENGINE + SETUP = WINS AND TOP THREE FINISHES (not yelling, just emphasis). if you look, a great running motor + the right tires - a weak or bad setup will not work...no matter what tires you have on. i'm talking about a setup that makes the kart push bad going into the turn and you have to get completely out of the throttle and on the brake....or it get wicked loose and you are almost spinning coming off the turns every lap...things like this....tires will not keep you from pushing nor will they compensate for a loose condition where the back end wants to be the front end. they will help you hold to the track, yes....but when the kart set-up is fighting the motor and the tires....then you haven't completed the equation. in your example, picking the wrong tires, then you have moved from motor + tires + setup = wins to motor + setup - tires = no wins....see what i'm saying? you have to be able to complete the whole thing, not just the tires, not jsut the motor, not jsut the setup....it ALL has to be there.
the weight can work (we do it right now)....all it takes is understanding that you want a single class with this motor, then an intermediate class where you can make these changes and then an advanced or pro class where you can do this...it's all about incentives to strive for faster karts, more powerful motors and advancement. all it takes is a few drivers to decide that it can be done and the way to do it. but too many are complacent in what is going on and "don't rock the boat" mentality sets in. then when something new is presented, they don't want to have anythign to do with it because "that's not the way we've always done it".
sorry....don't mean to step on toes....but without incentives and innovation and determination to make things better or to change things to accommodate more than one person.....orville and wilbur never would have left the ground...and big jim france never would have started nascar....
jsut something to think about!!
A kart can be made fast no matter the final weight, we have won races at 300 and at 375 min. its about %'s not total weightbut i digress....yes, the single weight that we have works for us. but that's not to say that you have to weigh in at 375 or 400!! you tailor the rules to your track. the weight can be anything that you want it to be. we could have set ours at 300....but we all felt that 350 minimum was good enough for everyone...some play it real close, others (like me) are over that by a bit, but we've compensated with a good setup. the last race that i teched at (my kart was down for the season by that time with a ruined head)....the feature winner come across the scales at about 383, second was at 352 and third was at about 370ish....the minimum is what your looking at, not what the weight is that allows the kart to handle best! mine works at about 385 to 395....my son's handles best when he's at about 362....adding 75 pounds? i would prefer not to....but it can be safely done the right way and your numbers will come out and the kart will handle.....
jsut for the sake of conversation and please don't take what i say to heart....we all have a view point and different ways of expressing it!!
