First year karting engine

[paulkish]

What's the possibility besides slim and none for first year karters to buy a predator at the track for say $200 or $250 and store it in a locker at the track without a storage fee?

You want to get into karting get a brand new ready to go predator from the track and leave it at the track at the end of racing. It's your's to take and keep any time you want to quit racing your first year and at the end of the first year. Starting out the first year you take everything you need or have to the track except an engine. The track would have to be able to provide a storage locker or lockers for your engine between race days. If the engine doesn't last the whole year you buy another one or quit racing.

At the end of the year any engine not claimed would become track property, available for sale but not available to anyone new next year who would have to buy a brand new engine to start out. The second year or maybe even the third if tracks wanted to continue entry level for more years, racers would already have an engine or could be required to buy a new engine each year. Or at any time they could take their engine and use it to enter the tracks regular predator class.

$200 or $250 ain't bad for put your clutch on, bolt the engine on and go racing. New racers without much mechanical skill would also quickly learn how to use a few hand tools installing their engines.

A first year class or maybe even carried into two years for adults and kids. I assume a restriction on fuel and rpm could easily be put on a predator for kids to use. But I'm not sure about it. Tracks would be liable if they were broken into and the engines were taken or damaged, but I don't think tracks would have to store all that many engines. And if they did have to store 20 or 30 each year during the season, it's still a winning situation with that many new karters.

To get it started with maybe 5 engine, the tracks at a maximum going to have to invest maybe $1000, but only be out or pocket until the new racers pays for their engine. A track would have to have maybe and hopefully need a couple of new engines always sitting around for new racers. And maybe even regular preditor class racers would spring for say, $250 or $300 to get an engine without having to mess with it. Maybe keep the price to the minimum for new first year racers and a little more for those who already race and need or want another engine.

If there's not much to do to them besides disable the governor and oil sensor, along with wanting to cheat a little I'd bet it's would be worth it for many racers to just buy an preditor for $250 or maybe even $300.

proly another dumb idea ...

 

[Someone ...]

Not saying your idea is dumb, just saying that there are things about it that you didn't consider...

First, why would anybody pay $200 or more for an engine that can be bought for $100 at the store (with coupon - and it's easy to get a coupon)? Though at least if a track wanted to keep a stock of these engines they wouldn't have to spend $1000 - those coupons usually allow you to buy as many as three engines at a time at the $100 price each.

Second, if you have to wait to finish putting your kart together at the track (instead of at home) then you're adding to their stress level in the pits. Which could also be compounded if they don't have a lot of time to put the engine on before practice starts. It's more than just putting on your clutch - you have to install a chain guard and the throttle linkage, and possibly swap out the fuel tank for a top plate and line to an external fuel tank if that's how these engines are raced at your track. All of this is time consuming for most inexperienced racers. Also can't weigh out your kart at home if there's no engine on it.

Third, if you're trying to curtail engine cheating this idea won't work by itself. You'll still have to tech engines. Racers can cheat up the engine while at the track. The quickest and easiest way around a track-supplied engine is to already have your cheated-up engine with you, to install after getting your track engine. You have to mark track engines very well because many markings can be duplicated.

Fourth, if you allow racers to disable the governor then you make it easier to make effective cheats. And your track engines might start blowing up, needing to be replaced. The stock flywheel might become a liability, so the track would need to install aftermarket flywheels - a significant added cost to what started out as a cheap engine.


Again, not picking on you. To allow revenge you can return the favor on my ideas:
1. Like every other class, you supply your own engine and you come to the track ready to roll.
2. Since this is an entry-level or budget class, do not allow modifications to the engine. That includes keeping the governor functional as intended by the manufacturer.
3. Publish or link to a set of rules and measurements that you will tech to. Allow engine claims, and have penalties for caught cheaters.
4. Keep the pay-out low. Fastest way to discourage and chase away new racers is to attract experienced racers who are after a large pay-out.
5. If racers complain about the low pay-out, and they don't want to move up to another class, add a "Pro" level Predator class that has those higher pay-outs.

The best things about a truly unmodified Predator class is that it can be cheaper (lower engine costs) and also forces racers to learn how to set up and drive their karts if they want to run up front. The racers who want to tinker can do so in the clone and higher classes.