The American Karting Trade Show

A deccent turnout Friday... As promised they gave away 4 engines & Flywheels donated by Dyno Cams and BSP..
My Company chipped in a Race Jacket & Gloves to a young racer as well..
The crowd appeared happy and appreciative to the effords of the show...

Saturdasy weather will be perfect for a show..
Bring the wife,, The BIG HOME SHOW is in Town as well and its Just next door 20 yards away...

The AUCTION as promised was decided by the show to happen Saturday at APPROX 1pm...
WE felt this time would best serve the sellers and get the most buyers...

AUCTION >>> All bidders must be ready to pay immediatly and by CASH...
Most all items will be sold at ABSOLUTE... Meaning its going Home with the high bidder..
If we have something that the sellers needs a reserve on it will be announced before the bidding starts..

Some of the items planned

Generator (NEW)
Multiple Makita Cordless Tool sets
Race Wear
Gear Sets
Spark Plugs
Kit Engine
New Engines in Box
Fuel Jugs

Anyone Can sell , NO COMMISSION to Show Vendors
 
Personally was a little disappointed at the turnout for the show,(suppliers / dealers) we were able to locate deals on all that we went for but due to Tech seminar going on the BSP booth was not set up, (so that money was spent elsewhere) there were several empty spaces with nothing but a chair and a sign on it. A lot of the usual big names (Dover, Dyno, Checkered Flag. CKI, Dixie, Race City, Zoom, Fast Eddie's, etc...) were there, and we were able to find some great deals. Very little in the swapping side of things. JMO.
Looks like more suppliers would show up, to really help promote the sport to help it grow. There was a good shopping/visiting crowd, just need the products, with the info. I mean this area has so many kart tracks and racers you can not swing a dead cat without hitting one.
Do not get me wrong we would not miss it for the world, and will be back next year again, and there are some great deals there, just think it could be a little better.JMO
Check out the thread in Southeast tracks for "Google Map of southeast kart tracks" and you will understand about swinging a dead cat! Karters are coming out of the woodwork in the Southeast!
 
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I was very disappointed also. I have been for the last 3 years and this year was the worst ever. After driving 6 hours I paid walked though and left. Dover, Larry Jones and Racecity was really the only ones with any inventory. I also have sat though the tech seminar every year but was to disappointed to sit in it. Most vendors just had a display and business cards and some candy. No one can say it's getting better every year. By far the worst!
 
Larry Jones Motorsports would like to say THANK'S to all that came by and stopped by our booth!
See you all next weekend at the CRI Kartmania (Lauren and Cyndi will be manning the booth) and Larry will be at The Phantom Open House!
Thanks to AKRA for all the effort they put into the Show!
 
I understand some of the thoughts above... I don't think the blame is on the Show Cordinators.. The ole theory >> if they build it,, they will come.. No longer applies..
Many of the builders and manufacturers are dropping back and EXPECTING you to find them.. Instead of coming out to meet the public,, its the same on the computer and especially on 4cycle.com..

I think the racers need to open their eyes to the companies and people that are here each and everyday trying to be helpful and sacificing family time and rest to come out and meet you face to face.. My wife and I spend an average of 60+ hours (combination of both of us) just answering emails and IM's on multiple sites and email accounts each week.. We also spend in excess of 20K a year in traveling to the shows accross the USA.. Just so we can meet our customers face to face..

As for the AKRA Cordernators,, I feel they did all they could do to offer the ideal show for all...

To a certain extend financially I'm glad the competition was lower,, we had the BEST $$$ show in Charlotte to date.. Thanks to the racers and families for that... We ended up selling 9 total engines and a large amount of parts.. Took a lil beating on the AUCTIOn but it was all in fun and the people seemed to like it..

If you look accross the USA at the kart racing shows.. MOST are having a decrease in attendance both Vendors and Racers... I will say though one of my Shows in Pa is continueing to GROW upwards and outwards as per geography and PRIDE in the vendors attending.. Look at what was ONCE the largest Swap meet in the USA,, OVKA.. It started having a decrease year after year and now being reconstructed for the future..

I don't think anyone has the exact answers here.. BUT respect the people that's putting forth an efford...

JD
 
Do not understand the gentleman who said no one had any inventory. We had everything from Mychrons, Clone Tillotson carbs, chains, jackets, gloves, valve springs, camshaft, Camber gauges and so on! Dixie had their usual spread, Cki had more than they've displayed in years and of course Eddie was there with everything but the kitchen sink! You could have gone to any of the above mentioned booths and bought everything to hit the race track except the kart itself!
 
Do not understand the gentleman who said no one had any inventory. We had everything from Mychrons, Clone Tillotson carbs, chains, jackets, gloves, valve springs, camshaft, Camber gauges and so on! Dixie had their usual spread, Cki had more than they've displayed in years and of course Eddie was there with everything but the kitchen sink! You could have gone to any of the above mentioned booths and bought everything to hit the race track except the kart itself!
I have bought 3 to 4 motors from y'all at this trade show ever year but this year I didn't because y'all couldn't come up with a package for me. I bought 4 red motors 4 Dyno cams 4 ARC Flywheels 4 chain guards top plates 2 small pipes 2 large pipes 20 air filters 20 fuel pumps 50 shims and can name much more on what I bought. You had the first opportunity to make that sale. Racecity made it work. Nothing at all against Dover I went to him second but they were so busy and I was ready to get out of there.
 
Personally, my thoughts are there are to many shows, which diminishes the quality and attendance of what should be "marque" shows. This has been the case across the entire country regardless if it is a kart or big car shows. There is no off season in karting or racing anymore either, people used to have a need for the shows to restock products, check out the new stuff. Now, you race all year and there is no break or need for the show deals and manufacturers no longer wait to debut new items, they are put on the market as soon as they are ready.

Also the quality of show, vendor show, swap meet or trade show, the show needs an identity, it has no identity. The best karting trade show in my opinion was the Kartshow at the Cabaruss Arena, it offered racing, a dedicated trade show and a vendor area. You could not walk in the joint and the show area was vastly undersized, the waiting list for vendors was plentiful and most likely could have filled another building there.

Promote a show at the arena or a venue similar, with indoor dirt racing, and the attendance records will shatter....just gotta have someone to come up with the $$$.
 
Personally, my thoughts are there are to many shows, which diminishes the quality and attendance of what should be "marque" shows. This has been the case across the entire country regardless if it is a kart or big car shows. There is no off season in karting or racing anymore either, people used to have a need for the shows to restock products, check out the new stuff. Now, you race all year and there is no break or need for the show deals and manufacturers no longer wait to debut new items, they are put on the market as soon as they are ready.

Also the quality of show, vendor show, swap meet or trade show, the show needs an identity, it has no identity. The best karting trade show in my opinion was the Kartshow at the Cabaruss Arena, it offered racing, a dedicated trade show and a vendor area. You could not walk in the joint and the show area was vastly undersized, the waiting list for vendors was plentiful and most likely could have filled another building there.

Promote a show at the arena or a venue similar, with indoor dirt racing, and the attendance records will shatter....just gotta have someone to come up with the $$$.
100% agree
 
I think you'd best talk to the vendors that attended the show at the arena..... Racing and a show together has not worked YET..
Not saying it won't work but I feel they have to be 100% on a seperate day with NO ACCESS to the track what so ever..

It seems some feel the show wasn't up to snuff.. Well we were busy as stated above..
The only southern show I've seen explode was the ole days of WKA Kartfest... But approx 1/3 of the crowd was there only due to season end points banquets.. The kids scoured the floor for catalogs,,decals and candy.. Looked like halloween...lol.. But as anything else it fell off a cliff when class structures started changing and Money Races in the South went rampade..

Overall this past weekends show was a success for many and the head count was good enough to get the Coordinators in the Green..
 
A big thank you to Bill and staff for another great AKRA trade show.
The vendors gave some great pricing specials on all their products. Lots of smiling faces leaving with arm loads of goodies!
The AKRA tech seminars ( packed house ) were a big success as usual.
Again, thank you for the AKRA trade show which gives us the opportunity to promote karting at affordable prices and most of all some fantastic fellowship with our karting families.
Hope to see everyone next year!
Jimmy Sims bsp
 
I was startled when I arrived and saw the booths with signs and nothing else,But Jones motorsports,Checkered flag,Fast Eddie,Dover and Sox had to share my loot.I appreciate Jerry Dover having the digital scales for 15 bucks it came with 100 gram calibration weight.Checkered flag had fuel tanks that have real threads on the cap and its design is for use not price by burris I believe and 50 dollar pvl flywheels from BSP. mostly thanks to Cyndy Jones for having my preordered items ready and discounted Bill Mcfast made it happen and worthwhile see ya all next year.
 
Thanks to Bill and everyone involved, for all the people who stopped by our booth and came to the show and BIG THANK YOU. Wish it was some way we could get everyone under one roof, agree to one show and agree to no racing just for one Jan weekend, If you don't like each other than get a booth on other side of room. The more vendors the more it gets peoples attention. Jerry's right the show up north people flock to because its not much going on. Hopefully things will change for the good.
 
would like to thank everybody that came by my area, was busy most of the day, had a great time seeing and talking to everybody, see ya this Saturday at PRC, also would like to Bill, great job, Zooom
 
I understand some of the thoughts above... I don't think the blame is on the Show Cordinators.. The ole theory >> if they build it,, they will come.. No longer applies..
Many of the builders and manufacturers are dropping back and EXPECTING you to find them.. Instead of coming out to meet the public,, its the same on the computer and especially on 4cycle.com..

I think the racers need to open their eyes to the companies and people that are here each and everyday trying to be helpful and sacificing family time and rest to come out and meet you face to face.. My wife and I spend an average of 60+ hours (combination of both of us) just answering emails and IM's on multiple sites and email accounts each week.. We also spend in excess of 20K a year in traveling to the shows accross the USA.. Just so we can meet our customers face to face..

As for the AKRA Cordernators,, I feel they did all they could do to offer the ideal show for all...

To a certain extend financially I'm glad the competition was lower,, we had the BEST $$$ show in Charlotte to date.. Thanks to the racers and families for that... We ended up selling 9 total engines and a large amount of parts.. Took a lil beating on the AUCTIOn but it was all in fun and the people seemed to like it..

If you look accross the USA at the kart racing shows.. MOST are having a decrease in attendance both Vendors and Racers... I will say though one of my Shows in Pa is continueing to GROW upwards and outwards as per geography and PRIDE in the vendors attending.. Look at what was ONCE the largest Swap meet in the USA,, OVKA.. It started having a decrease year after year and now being reconstructed for the future..

I don't think anyone has the exact answers here.. BUT respect the people that's putting forth an efford...

JD

I think you are right Jerry, like I said in my earlier post we will be back next year as always, thanks for the great deals we got from you, Dixie, Fast Eddie, Race City, among others, and congrats on your position you were appointed to with the steering committee, if anyone can get this clone mess straightened out and reeled in I believe it is you.
 
I think you'd best talk to the vendors that attended the show at the arena..... Racing and a show together has not worked YET..
Not saying it won't work but I feel they have to be 100% on a seperate day with NO ACCESS to the track what so ever..

You have been at this longer than I have Jerry and will not question your knowledge, in your opinion what do you want to see and what do you consider a show success?

There are many swap meet/vendor shows in this country and you and I both know all are struggling. PRI though a different realm, was a phenomenal success and many feel too big, it is a legitimate trade show in a world of struggling shows. What was at the Arena was that a trade show, it was two days of every vendor in the business from chassis, t-shirts, helmet painters to driving suit manufacturers. I remember people having to wait in the lobby for 20 minutes just to get in and when you did it was elbow to elbow all day, everyday, 2 years in a row.

As a racer/consumer I would rather attend what was at the arena, may not be the best business for what vendors want but it's what I want to see as a racer every trade steering manufacturer in one spot. Hickory may hit the spot for many, may not, we'll see Friday. We will also get an honest number of attendees at Hickory because many of the jacket winners and their families that would attend the show will be at the race in Paradise this weekend.

Not trying to sound negative or come across that way. The AKRA show the first year was packed and came close to hitting the spot, this year everyone can admit it was good but not beat the doors down you have to be there show. I personally hope the show gets back to what it was the first year or exceeds it in 2015, karting needs a marquee trade show "ala PRI" hope we have it again.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of our Awesome vendors who supported the American Karting Trade Show and the racers this past weekend. I also want to thank Dyno Cams, Box Stock Project, and Dover Power for thier support of a very successful family night Friday night, we had 43 families come for the special recogonition time. Once again It was an honor to help support our great industry and sport with the presentation of our show this past weekend.

Enjoy Karting,


Bill McCutcheon

American Karting Trade Show
AKRA, Inc
 
the reason this show and all kart shows to follow will never be big again is because of the internet. sites like this and others have everything the racers need and you do not even have to travel. I can read all i need to know and evaluate any chassis, motor or any kart part right on the internet. i remember the wka kart show back many years ago and we had a waiting line to get inside the show, those days are gone. i can find out everything about any company on this site and the forums out their. i also believe that all the engine rules will have to end up on the internet for people to really read them! thanks to bobs 4cycle forum for helping with this transison to the new way of doing business for the karters. why travel to the shows, just to shake someone hand...........
 
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