Ted Hamilton
Helmet Painter / Racer
I started racing at a club track in 1988. They ran a driver's school, where we were taught the usual racing lines, flags, etc., but we were also taught "no-contact" as a sportsmanship issue, and there was no payout of any sort. We paid $15 entry fees, and raced for points. There was a year-end banquet for trophies and some minor prizes, mostly donated by local companies where the dads worked.
Of the 7.5 years I raced that type of kart, I won the points championship 4x, had an undefeated year (including heats), and built a car with my dad as well as building my competitor a car (who had the nerve to beat me with it once. ) It was a time of great family memories, learning technical skills, enjoying the art of driving, and camaraderie of fellow racers. I participated in the State tour series, winning there as well. Cash was a non-issue. Everyone knew you always spent more than you could ever make back, and we preferred low costs with no payout.
Has money killed recreational karting? I think so. The greed for payout has reinforced poor sportsmanship, poor driving, needless spending, a lack of friendly atmosphere between older competitors, and more. (Notice, the younger ones don't seem to care about the money, and simply run around with their friends....it's the dads that trade barbs and fists for them...) It seem like everyone is under the delusion that karting is a huge step on the ladder to professional motorsports... For some it's a good start, but they leave, so why should we cater to them? Especially when the habits they pick up don't suit them well in a professional team?
Now, don't get too ruffled. -- I think there's a place for PRO karting (and its' associated pro-level spending.) But I think most tracks would be more profitable and the whole sport better off, if tracks were run like clubs, and points and fun were returned to the mix. Combine that with class consolidation, and commonality of rules between tracks.... I think field sizes would grow and increase the fun even more...
Sure, everyone enjoys winning, but let's face it -- there's 1 winner, and anywhere from 3 to 12 losers per class. Only big shows get big numbers.... Why? I'd rather be in a single Clone class with 28 people and a consi than racing 4 people trying to wreck me for my Clone Halfway Medium Light Washed Up Also-Ran Green Bodywork class. Since winning every week is next to impossible, I'd rather enjoy the thrill of competition with good friends and large fields... Am I alone in that? I'll be curious to see the poll results from those brave enough to answer honestly. I enjoy winning. But there's more to karting than winning....it's a good place to learn the ART of driving, and driving well. It's a good place to learn physics, mechanics, engineering, friendship, social skills, and gastronomy. Anyone who's never eaten a track burger with greasy hands, joking with friendly rivals after 10 people came together to fix someones wrecked kart before the feature has missed out on something good....
I'd wager that the boom in backyard tracks indicates I'm not the only one thinking this way... Let the polls show..
Of the 7.5 years I raced that type of kart, I won the points championship 4x, had an undefeated year (including heats), and built a car with my dad as well as building my competitor a car (who had the nerve to beat me with it once. ) It was a time of great family memories, learning technical skills, enjoying the art of driving, and camaraderie of fellow racers. I participated in the State tour series, winning there as well. Cash was a non-issue. Everyone knew you always spent more than you could ever make back, and we preferred low costs with no payout.
Has money killed recreational karting? I think so. The greed for payout has reinforced poor sportsmanship, poor driving, needless spending, a lack of friendly atmosphere between older competitors, and more. (Notice, the younger ones don't seem to care about the money, and simply run around with their friends....it's the dads that trade barbs and fists for them...) It seem like everyone is under the delusion that karting is a huge step on the ladder to professional motorsports... For some it's a good start, but they leave, so why should we cater to them? Especially when the habits they pick up don't suit them well in a professional team?
Now, don't get too ruffled. -- I think there's a place for PRO karting (and its' associated pro-level spending.) But I think most tracks would be more profitable and the whole sport better off, if tracks were run like clubs, and points and fun were returned to the mix. Combine that with class consolidation, and commonality of rules between tracks.... I think field sizes would grow and increase the fun even more...
Sure, everyone enjoys winning, but let's face it -- there's 1 winner, and anywhere from 3 to 12 losers per class. Only big shows get big numbers.... Why? I'd rather be in a single Clone class with 28 people and a consi than racing 4 people trying to wreck me for my Clone Halfway Medium Light Washed Up Also-Ran Green Bodywork class. Since winning every week is next to impossible, I'd rather enjoy the thrill of competition with good friends and large fields... Am I alone in that? I'll be curious to see the poll results from those brave enough to answer honestly. I enjoy winning. But there's more to karting than winning....it's a good place to learn the ART of driving, and driving well. It's a good place to learn physics, mechanics, engineering, friendship, social skills, and gastronomy. Anyone who's never eaten a track burger with greasy hands, joking with friendly rivals after 10 people came together to fix someones wrecked kart before the feature has missed out on something good....
I'd wager that the boom in backyard tracks indicates I'm not the only one thinking this way... Let the polls show..