Kids need to be using Racievers

If you don't know what Raciever is its small receiver operated by 1 single AAA Battery with a headphone jack that you clip to your body, and wear some headphones which allows you to hear race control, but not transmit.
They cost $100.

I'd advocate for all classes to use them, but they should be mandatory for all kids classes.

1. Its a safety thing, if a kid wrecks, or does something unexpected. You can talk to the whole field I.E. "Caution" and everybody lifts. How many times have you dodger a wrecked kart before you seen a caution flag, or light?

2. They would also be great to get these kids lined up for the initial start and restarts. Which if you've seen a field of Red Plates can be a huge task.

3. It's really no cost to the track, the radio you're already using to talk to your track crew will work as long as the Raciever is tuned to that channel.

These things have been used in legends for years. They'd be a great benefit to Karting.
 
They don't work as well as one would think, PARENTS need to teach there kids to race weather radios are used or not, that's the best affect, sadly more times than not the conversation with the kids goes, would you like to try that, go show them how it's done, and the only had signals are srugg the shoulders hands in the air what's wrong, and mash the throttle.
Even in our rural area they've been used for years now.
 
If the track would take the time to have a meeting with the littles without the parents and teach them hand signals the track will use and what is expected of them that will speed up the show. Anytime a new kid comes out the track needs to have a piece of paper with everything the kid needs to know, go over it with them and give them a copy.

I agree they are good devices and help with wrecks and lineups if used properly. Our weekly track is awesome with them and 16-18 6-10yrs olds can run a feature in a reasonable amount of time. We drove 5hrs down the road to a "special" and the kids tell me they never once called caution or yellow on one of the 20+ yellows or reds they had in the feature. They would red flag them every time to line them up. The same track had to red flag adult classes to do lineups
 
We run them at the track I run at and they help speed up the night with all the quarter midgets and jr karts it helps a lot getting them lined back up. But some of the kids don’t listen so sometimes they are useless. I liked it being a newer karter because it helped me understand all the rules in karting like if a wreck happens who goes to the back or just stuff like that and then they will tell you if we have to go around the track a few more times before the lights go out.
 
They have been used at kart tracks here in south central PA for years. The track owns them, and you pay a deposit when it is issued to you for that day's racing, then you get the deposit back when you turn it in at the end of your racing that evening. Amen that the radios are only as good as the person talking into the transmitter.
 
They help with line ups some but dont help with wrecks. Parents need to teach thier kids to pay attention to flagman . I dont mind them but its another expense.
I totally disagree they don’t help in wrecks. It’s all about the guy on the radio.

If the first word out their mouth is “CAUTION!!”, everyone lifts, and then they help.

The problem is the guy on the radio will say some BS like. “Alright back it down boys we got one spun around in turn two”. Well by that time we’re already in the wreck.

It’s all about the guy on the radio.
 
I agree that the biggest improvement needed is the parents.time needs to be spent teaching the kids what they need to do, what flags mean and how to act. Having a radio may help a bit but it's not the whole solution.
Tbh, honest I talk race sequence with my kid every race. On the way to the track and before the race. 99% of the time he listens. I even make sure he pays attention in the drivers meeting. Last week, “I forgot, I was only thinking about winning Daddy.” Really dude? Trust me, it’s not just my kid. Watch them try to get red plates on the same page for an initial start, especially if you have some new ones.

But what are you going to do? That’s why I think racievers would be great.
 
Tbh, honest I talk race sequence with my kid every race. On the way to the track and before the race. 99% of the time he listens. I even make sure he pays attention in the drivers meeting. Last week, “I forgot, I was only thinking about winning Daddy.” Really dude? Trust me, it’s not just my kid. Watch them try to get red plates on the same page for an initial start, especially if you have some new ones.

But what are you going to do? That’s why I think racievers would be great.
Everyone has what they think is best, when at times its already been tried, didnt work, and the sport just moves on.
 
There's no doubt that raceivers help and that they are here to stay.
There's not even many local Saturday night big car tracks that don't use them anymore.

The help with line-ups is obvious. The help avoiding crashes may not be so obvious, but they definitely help.
As said above, the key is clear, concise communication to the drivers. Not chatter.


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I'd at least like to see them used in Rookie/Novice classes at big shows. Totally understand them not being used/Affordable at your local sat night events but ALL big shows should mandate them.
 
No, they don't. Kids and adults need to pay attention to flagmen and follow what they are told to do without any need for an extra device that has not proven to make any difference at all. Those who refuse to move to a certain place during a caution for a restart still refuse to do it with or without using it. I would use some more black flags to fix the issue.
 
They are becoming more mandatory around here, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. The issue lies in who's talking to the drivers, it needs to be one person and they need to speak clearly. I've listened at some races and I understand why drivers will unplug them while on the track. I've always told my drivers unless a flag is being thrown ignore what they say, there's nothing worse than losing spots when some monkey says caution, you slow down, but the flag never flies......
 
We race attack that the receiver is mandatory for all classes. I can see that it works for line up, but not really for a caution, especially in a kids class.
It seems that even if the yellow flag is out, you'll have a couple of karts still going to fast.
I feel the smaller kids need to be taught what a brake pedal is, what it means to slow down when a yellow flag is given. That's why I've always felt that a control vehicle "atv", should be used to control the pace for the younger drivers.
 
I have not seen them work as intended. Line ups still take a track worker. Also I've raced an entire feature distracted by someone keyed up talking about lord knows what.
 
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