jaymancds
Member
Yes we do. Its a mix between cobras and maxxis most nights.
What can be done to a true box stock to improve power
- Thread starter Bubba08
- Start date
racinnut15xm
Member
Does that place build heat in tires?
jaymancds
Member
Yes it does
I agree with this somewhat but when you go to a track and they have 20 different classes its common sense why you have low numbers. Predator is kind of a catch all class which I think is part of its success.Not dogging on the predator class in anyway, it's a great BEGINEERS class imo, if you don't continue to offer and promote faster classes, (clone, ltd mod, open) what's gonna happen to the racers who want to go faster or feel like their ready for the next level speed wise? Without the higher level kart engine classes, they go to the nearest stock car track in a sport compact, sport mod, hobby stock, ltd late model, 305 sprint, etc....kart tracks cannot afford to lose racers to other forms of racing.... point I'm trying to make, please don't forget there are kart racers willing to spend a few more bucks than most and are just as important to the long term success of a kart track too....
Your question could be posed to any class or any form of racing. I can tell you that I've never had a one person tell me they were contemplating an open kart or a (late model, sprint car, stock car). I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I've just never heard of that happening.
The way I see it, and keep in mind it's just my opinion, is that people want to race. Price is a factor. Sure you can race against 1 or 2 other people but that has a name....drag racing or time trials. When we put 20 karts on the track, regardless of speed that is racing. I raced 5 or so times this year in the Hoosier Predator Class and I had a blast. I think I raced the mod once or twice. It was fun as well, but at the end of the day racing is racing.
At some point I hope we are going to stop looking at Predators like the "sport compacts" at the local speedway.
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N
Not everyone can be a winner and that’s just the reality. I don’t care if you race a $99 predator or a $50,000 410 sprint the good drivers will always run up front. Tired of the everyone deserves a trophy philosophy In racing there is really no such thing as a beginner class nobody is going to just show up as a rookie and win without everything else being right. The best chassis tires Setup and or driver win every time. So much shade is being thrown on the Experienced predator racers but if we have to race within our means and If thats where we are competitive so be it. Not everyone is trying to be a nascar driver we all just want to race and win. A LOT!I'm all for the predator class and everything being done to bring new racers into the fold, I'm just trying to be a voice for those who want to be able to continue racing other adult classes of karts so that they don't fall off kart tracks radars....so to speak...
I consider the predator class to be a destination class for anyone that wants it to be at our track. The predator class is bringing in new drivers, but you can't ignore the fact that the interest from former racers that have walked away from karting is extremely high. That should be a "tell" right there. It's up to the racer if they want it to be a stepping stone to other classes.
As soon as you are aware of a current predator racer that is leaving racing at our track because they don't like their future prospects, I ask that you let me know.
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Sanco Motorsports
Member
If it’s kept a claimer class, keep this engine platform away from the tech man, you can control the price. Can’t tell people that though
jaymancds
Member
I just want to clarify my earlier statements. I'm not throwing shade at the experienced guys AT ALL. I have always said that I have no problem with getting beat, that means I need to work harder. You are absolutely right, you have to race within your means and you may not want to move up. That is all fine and good. I dont think its the idea of everybody deserves a trophy.
This is why I think it would be great to have a sportsman predator class,(no prep, treads if need be) AND a "Pro" predator class. Have a single class for your sportsman guys. make the weight 350 so everybody has a shot to hit weight, same engine as the "pro predators" just none of the tire prep wizardry. The guys just getting started can learn the basics of adjustments, tire pressure changes, etc without having to chase prep all over the place. Make the rule that you get 2 FULL points seasons in sportsman, or 3 wins, whichever comes first.
Once you hit the 2 full season mark, or get your 3 wins, you can no longer run with the sportsman. You must move up to the "Pro" group where you have your light, medium, and heavy. Tire prepping is ok in the pro classes and its just like any other class. The only thing that changes on race night is that you have a legitimate class for the newbies to get their seat time built up. The sportsman class is not mandatory or anything like that, its just an option for new drivers/young drivers to get used to what karting is.
That's completely up to us......
I bought my first clone for around $400. At rebuild time the crank was no longer the best crank. At the next rebuild the head and cam were no longer the best. At the next rebuild the head needed to be machined because there was a NASCAR machinist that figured something out.
I said it at the pit meeting on Saturday....do what you want but you should be prepared to lose your motor for $120.
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jaymancds
Member
Good question. I dont know of any at my local track.Curious if you know by chance of any available statistics on how many predator engine claims have been successfully completed, locally, regionally or nationally?
This is exactly what we have at our track a so called “semi pro” class and a economy class. Semi pro pays out and economy pays nothing and the economy class has 20 plus karts every week and our semi pro classes have 7 to 12. Its a good time.
jaymancds
Member
If I was a promoter, I think this is how I would handle it.
DynoDon
Moderator
Keeping it away from the tech man opens the door for fowl play. A smart tech knows what to visually look for on several items on the engine without disassembly. Those items are performance related.
DynoDon
Moderator
There is no certified AKRA tech inspectors that look the other way I guarantee it. It won’t take long for word to get out about that situation if a non certified tech is a crook. It also won’t take long for the others in the field to get ticked off if there is to much head turning. The kart count will dwindle or there will be fueding at the scales. Believe it or not, racers don’t keep secrets very well.
100% correct !!!! I also teched for a couple local tracks a few years ago....a very tough job... people always complaining your showing favorites etc etc....I quit teching a one of those tracks when the owner over turned one of the calls I made there because he was friends with the guy.... track lost karts quickly after that and had to shut down
alvin l nunley
Site Supporter
Strange, the Institute a class for beginners and then allow semi pros and, and pay money, defeating the whole purpose of the beginner's class.
You make a class for beginners and then allow pros in the class. The whole point of the beginner's class is to give beginners a place to race until they learn this sport. You should restrict entry to people who have not won in other classes. Keep the beginners class for the beginners. Otherwise you going to lose all the beginners.
We had a senior class in IKF. Senior 49er. But there wasn't enough entries, so they opened it up to 16 and older. So much for the senior 49er class. It died.
You make a class for beginners and then allow pros in the class. The whole point of the beginner's class is to give beginners a place to race until they learn this sport. You should restrict entry to people who have not won in other classes. Keep the beginners class for the beginners. Otherwise you going to lose all the beginners.
We had a senior class in IKF. Senior 49er. But there wasn't enough entries, so they opened it up to 16 and older. So much for the senior 49er class. It died.
Sanco Motorsports
Member
And the more you push for tech in a claimer class, the quicker you’ll reach that $1000 markYup, it's what destroyed the clone engine class, and what will soon do the very same thing to the predator engine classes....there are builders out there now selling ready to bolt on predators upwards of $500 -$600...give it another year or two.... maybe upwards of $1000...sounding eerily and exactly like the evolution of the clone engine....
racinnut15xm
Member
But but but if we draw and pull the pill of something illegal on the track favorite... This isn't just to the predator class but when the track promotor and or family are building/selling engines you are going to have a tough time getting any traction at that place.An idea I've got to try to keep the playing field level in the stock predator class...lowest placing finisher that finishes entire race gets to choose which kart from maybe 1st to 3rd or 1st to 5th (or what ever is deemed appropriate based on number of entries in the class) to be teched and gets to choose 1 item to be teched from list of typical techable items....if found to be illegal, not allowed to race in the class again....this will accomplish several things, takes stress off tech crew to have to possibly tear down upwards of maybe 5 or more karts, allows for results to be made official much quicker so that awards and prize money can be handed out faster instead of making everyone wait 1-2hrs on some instances, and most importantly, puts the decision on whether there is tech or not and exactly what gets teched out of the hand of the track officials and in the hands of the racers themselves....just an idea, feel free to add or burn it down....
I like the racer picking but let them each drop an item to be teched in a bucket at the start of the night. top 3 in feature each pull one and tech all 3 on each kart. Gets the ahh he's got a stroker crank, ahh he's using nitro or whatever else you may think that guy is beating you is doing out in the open and doesn't protect any one favorite.
Or drop the tech and put a $125-150 claim whatever you think it cost to replace them.