If you had it your way

MO Predator Racer

MO Predator Racer

Member
If you had it your way would you go back to karting when it was only flathead motors and no tire prep and the way karts used to be or would your prefer to race how it is now where there are Clones, flatheads, LO206's Predator, and the different kind of 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines on RWYB karts and you have a bunhc of adjustments you can do to the kart and all the tire prep and all that now a days. I dont know much about how karting was many years ago but let me know how you wish karting was? I just want to see what kind of racing the "old guys" on here like better.
 
It would be LO206 for all plate classes and adults that choose it. Next step up Modified Animals. Then RWYB. All classes would be on methanol only.
 
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Old way. One engine. I could bitch and complain for till tomorrow about how it’s ruined my enjoyment now but it’s all been said before.

I’m tired of going for a local Saturday race and have people spending like it’s a national championship. Was planning on raising my kids in the sport, forget that.

Priced and Optioned future racers out of the sport..
 
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Other than keeping the carb and tank on securely for the whole race night / access to the carb to cylinder bolts /carb to tank tight and sealed so not to lose fuel pressure from pump to pickup dispite having having every bracket and brace known to man and the JOY of valve adjustments i'll take a Flatty . They have there own charm .
 
Its easy to say the old way but it is so unrealistic because we are born to learn, work, improve..... which is what has happened to kart racing and every other aspect of our lives. We could go back to the old ways, and there are certainly enough old straight rail karts and flatheads laying around to do it but we don't. Its sort of like wishing we could go back to no tv cable, internet, video or cell phones. Even in the old days there were guys out there reinventing the wheel and won more than others through thought and invention. Its actually what has kept karting alive and growing.
 
mike97760 said:
Its easy to say the old way but it is so unrealistic because we are born to learn, work, improve..... which is what has happened to kart racing and every other aspect of our lives. We could go back to the old ways, and there are certainly enough old straight rail karts and flatheads laying around to do it but we don't. Its sort of like wishing we could go back to no tv cable, internet, video or cell phones. Even in the old days there were guys out there reinventing the wheel and won more than others through thought and invention. Its actually what has kept karting alive and growing.
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I understand your point and 30 years ago i would say your crazy if you told me i could buy a steel bore duel bearing block and a head with decent seats and guides for 150$ . My glory days are over so i help my good friend and his two sons race so i'm still involved in karting but things do progress but my nostalgic view on the old flat head won't change even though it will never run head to head with an OHV.
 
I started racing in 1965 2cycle direct drive and never drove a 4cycle. It's been business as usual all these years. Been pretty much the same minus clutch improvements,tires,tire prep and chassis development. I still drive enduro lay down, sprint situp and a UAS 270 2 smoker of course. Ps there is money tied to everything we do so race,complain, or sit on the porch. Just my 2 cents later Chuck( O ya still to this day haven't driven a 4cycle in a race.)
 
Another vote for the flathead and days of old here. Accepted nationwide, tried and true, stable rules, one set of tires all season, full fields everywhere; and not 21 classes with 2AM tech room encounters.
I certainly like the idea of 2 classes of juniors, 3 classes of adults, and 1 class of opens. 6 classes is plenty (or at least it used to be.)
Some valid points made above as well. The flathead years may well be the "hay day" of karting, but it certainly was not the first engine to come along - it replaced others, Macs, West Bends, Yamahas, etc. Karting has always been about innovation and tinkerers.
I absolutely love the L206 engine and obviously it would make a great platform for beginners, which is why I liked Chip's post, but it allows little to no room for "shade tree mechanics." I think karting should always appeal to this crowd. Unfortunately, the trend in recent years has been more toward touch and go (buy it and drive it) attitude with racers learning very little about their engines and how to work on them. Maybe it's just a sign of a new generation that doesn't work on their own cars anymore, I don't know.
We still build plenty of flatheads through our shop so I still get my "fix" as do the racers who continue to run them.
There's something to be said though for technology improvements and the direction the ohv stuff is going.
I suspect we'll be having this same discussion when electric motors start to get more popular. ;)


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🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
32 years of service to the karting industry ~ 1Cor 9:24
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
I miss the "good ole days " of the flathead as well. But it is not the engine itself that I miss. It simply is not as good of an engine as any of the ohv. It is the fact that the flathead was the engine choice through out the nation, along with a fairly stable rules package. Show up anywhere, run and have fun.
 
CarlsonMotorsports said:
Another vote for the flathead and days of old here. Accepted nationwide, tried and true, stable rules, one set of tires all season, full fields everywhere; and not 21 classes with 2AM tech room encounters.
I certainly like the idea of 2 classes of juniors, 3 classes of adults, and 1 class of opens. 6 classes is plenty (or at least it used to be.)
Some valid points made above as well. The flathead years may well be the "hay day" of karting, but it certainly was not the first engine to come along - it replaced others, Macs, West Bends, Yamahas, etc. Karting has always been about innovation and tinkerers.
I absolutely love the L206 engine and obviously it would make a great platform for beginners, which is why I liked Chip's post, but it allows little to no room for "shade tree mechanics." I think karting should always appeal to this crowd. Unfortunately, the trend in recent years has been more toward touch and go (buy it and drive it) attitude with racers learning very little about their engines and how to work on them. Maybe it's just a sign of a new generation that doesn't work on their own cars anymore, I don't know.
We still build plenty of flatheads through our shop so I still get my "fix" as do the racers who continue to run them.
There's something to be said though for technology improvements and the direction the ohv stuff is going.
I suspect we'll be having this same discussion when electric motors start to get more popular. ;)


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
32 years of service to the karting industry ~ 1Cor 9:24
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
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Thank you for putting into words what I was unable to in my earlier post. I have nothing against technical advancements, love them actually.

My biggest issue is with the amount is classes, such as flat and caged, diffenerr engines creating more classes. Parents roll up in a 24’ trailer to the local show so their kid is in everything. Great for them!

BUT I miss the days of fewer classes and 300+ entries at the local track. No room in the pits so you’d have your tools and your kart stand. A, B and C groupings for stock lite, med, and heavy. 16-18 per feature.
Now the trailers are in the pits, 130 karts entrees, not karts..

That’s where it was for me. Just my romantic view.

Not 4 karts per class with one guy changing to different tires throughout the night.
 
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