WKA comeback
- Thread starter Krtrcr47
- Start date
I've been in this sport a long time, well before any ohv motor. The karting world was a lot better off then. I looked a the classes offered by the WKA at daytona, and I thought I was looking at a money race, which it has turned into. I remember going to daytona running super heavy against Dan Sox, and out qualified him. Now, it's just a bunch of pro races, both jr. and sr. classes, with a bunch of warm up race's. Which is just another way to get more money from the karter.
Karting has really changed in the last 15 year's., with a certain tire brand thinking it's the only one out there. Engine builder's cost going thur the roof, not to mention chassis prices, and track promoter's becoming greedy.
I think that the wka, should rethink it's race classes, and get back to racing, instead of being a glorified money race.
jmo
Karting has really changed in the last 15 year's., with a certain tire brand thinking it's the only one out there. Engine builder's cost going thur the roof, not to mention chassis prices, and track promoter's becoming greedy.
I think that the wka, should rethink it's race classes, and get back to racing, instead of being a glorified money race.
jmo
paulkish
old fart
We started karting around 25 years ago and the cost of a top Briggs engine was $425.
Within 10 years I understood our engine builder was getting $1800 for a competitive WKA Briggs the same as we paid $425 for and they were one race day engines to be rebuilt after each race.
Because of personnel illness, I had to turn down having a fresh engine, oil, and clutch each week to race.
The deal was a fresh engine, clutch and oil would show up each week by Friday and all I had to do was have it shipped back by Tuesday.
Within 10 years I understood our engine builder was getting $1800 for a competitive WKA Briggs the same as we paid $425 for and they were one race day engines to be rebuilt after each race.
Because of personnel illness, I had to turn down having a fresh engine, oil, and clutch each week to race.
The deal was a fresh engine, clutch and oil would show up each week by Friday and all I had to do was have it shipped back by Tuesday.
XXX#40
2A supporter
By telling the kart racers the flathead was going away, and telling us that they had a replacement but it was still almost as expensive as a flatty at the time.
Rising cost of blueprinted engines brought the box stock clones into it, I was in one of the first groups of clone racers, saving a grand on an engine sure helped with other expenses
paulkish
old fart
I might be wrong about the number couldn't decide if I remembered $1800 or $2800 for a Gold Cup engine.
Indeed he is JUST a Briggs guy... Anybody that is paying $2,800 for an animal is, frankly a damned fool. I have been inside lots of expensive engines and some of them don't even do the basics, frauds. A reasonably mechanically inclined racer can build a competitive animal simply by following these simple directions: https://4cycle.com/karting/threads/animal-build-by-jamie-webb.31601/. Sure like anything else the more you build the more you learn. The reality is that is a much easier motor to build because the parts are very consistent and the rules are stable. Labor wise it takes a lot less time then the flathead or the clown, neither of which you can bearly find two parts that measure out the same. I do understand that the clone, in its inception was great for karting but it should have stayed an entry level motor. Now a clone costs as much as an animal and it is not nearly as good in performance, durability, or longevity.Chip has been around for a good while. He's just a briggs guy.
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I know the history of the motor and I understand why it was so attractive in it's inception. But now it is going to replaced by the predator which will follow same path as the clone. Sloppy manufacturing and inconsistent tolerances will necessitate more rules and building will become more difficult and expensive. The only real, and best "box stock" alternative is the LO206.
I may have posted a somewhat unnecessary radical position. In retrospect if (a big if) Briggs came out first with the sealed LO206 there would never have been a need for the clone.
One Fast Kat
Member
Briggs is still the best racing engine for dirt oval.
Sprint course love the 206 briggs crate engine or Lo206 as it used to be called.
XXX#40
2A supporter
if Briggs would of listened to MrSimms there would of not been a clone nor a 206, but they saw dollar signs, bet they wished they would of listened.
If it wasnt for the clone there wouldnt be a 206, it was only after a huge drop in sales that they even offered the 206......so they can go pound sand.
I'd race a honda before going back to brigg's garbage
That's because they all but went out of business
XXX#40
2A supporter
Well they got in bed with a chassis manufacturer and an engine supplier and that swayed their decisions in the later years, they made their bed, dirt oval karting doesn't need them
They are clone this month. They are working on a motor deal just like their tire deals. I started the thread hoping to open some eyes.As was mentioned Briggs for pavement racing where is wka coming back this weekend. Look for Briggs announcement I'll bet $5 on it. It's like WKA woke up from the hurricane that almost took out kart racing all together and said that was just the eye they are back to finish off kart racing once and for all. They sure got a membership fee before anyone sees how they will run the show. Yup this exactly what was needed now a karting association that already failed the oval racing community badly jumping back in where they left off as if they wasn't what failed. It was karting lol free America and capitalism kept karting going.Chip has been around for a good while. He's just a briggs guy.
Whether the clone was good or bad for the sport depends on where you race. In the southeast and dirt, you'd probably want a clone.
Asphalt or sprint, briggs would get the nod.
There are several clone importers leaving us a reliable supply, unless another virus comes along. If briggs dropped motorsports (it could happen), well, I guess you could race the Intek. Hell, I always thought the Vanguard would have been a better platform for their racing anyway.
My .02
By the way, this shouldn't be a briggs/clone thread anyway, but about wka.
And the wka dirt series link, provided by champton72c, showed nearly all of the classes being clone anyway.
Tires is the next big subject that will be hashed out on this thread.
CarlsonMotorsports
Site Supporter
Is there a national dirt series that doesn't have a spec tire rule?
I know of none.
Shoot, I can't think of too many state series that don't have a tire rule!
I don't see the problem with WKA starting up a dirt series.
It's like starting any new private business venture. It's a risk.
Some will embrace it, others will not. They are putting forth their business plan to see a return on investment no different than any other business does. In business, you partner with others whom share your vision and can help one another (financially or otherwise.) That - is capitalism.
A real upside is that it gives racers another venue/series to compete. If it is successful, the potential to return to a true national dirt series.
I fail to see the downside to that.
I certainly see no fault in their trying.
Hey, if it were easy, everyone would start/run their own series.
-----
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 know of none.
Shoot, I can't think of too many state series that don't have a tire rule!
I don't see the problem with WKA starting up a dirt series.
It's like starting any new private business venture. It's a risk.
Some will embrace it, others will not. They are putting forth their business plan to see a return on investment no different than any other business does. In business, you partner with others whom share your vision and can help one another (financially or otherwise.) That - is capitalism.
A real upside is that it gives racers another venue/series to compete. If it is successful, the potential to return to a true national dirt series.
I fail to see the downside to that.
I certainly see no fault in their trying.
Hey, if it were easy, everyone would start/run their own series.
-----
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
My point wka failed bad once almost took oval kart.racing with it. And people are chomping at the bit to go back to wka not knowing it's failed history.Is there a national dirt series that doesn't have a spec tire rule?
I know of none.
Shoot, I can't think of too many state series that don't have a tire rule!
I don't see the problem with WKA starting up a dirt series.
It's like starting any new private business venture. It's a risk.
Some will embrace it, others will not. They are putting forth their business plan to see a return on investment no different than any other business does. In business, you partner with others whom share your vision and can help one another (financially or otherwise.) That - is capitalism.
A real upside is that it gives racers another venue/series to compete. If it is successful, the potential to return to a true national dirt series.
I fail to see the downside to that.
I certainly see no fault in their trying.
Hey, if it were easy, everyone would start/run their own series.
-----
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
This weekend you must buy your race tires at the track why? Could one of their selected drivers possibly not win then? They don't have drivers sure they do I read an article about one just the other day.
Wka needs to stay away from oval kart racing. They exposed their conflicts of interests in the past and nothing has changed.
CarlsonMotorsports
Site Supporter
You are certainly welcome to your opinion.
It sounds like you have chosen to stay away.
As far as WKA taking oval karting down with it, I guess I don't see it that way.
Oval karting has been doing quite well (with and without WKA.)
I think WKA got the tire deal wrong, and that killed the WKA & their national dirt series. The tire deal was their choice then, as it is today.
It's a free country. That also means they are free to dictate whatever rules they choose to compete in "their" series.
If you don't like them, don't support them, or pony up and start your own series.
It takes a lot of time, effort, and money to do what they are doing along with huge risk.
Anyone willing to take that chance (especially in our current environment) deserves some support in my opinion.
You are just anti motor man lol I'll bet your buddies with old what's his name at Briggs. Guess what he is a motor man he just works for the biggest company trying to put the other motor guys out of business. If you can't see Briggs is greedy that's on you. I haven't seen a 20 kart Briggs race since 2007 2008. 20 kart clone races happening every weekend.
So in short I respectfully disagree.
CarlsonMotorsports
Site Supporter
As far as buying the tires at the track and from the series -- it's an attempt to limit cutting, prepping, quantities of tires, and any other advantage that it may present.
It's not always a popular decision, but seems to be working out on the pavement side of things with WKA already.
It's not always a popular decision, but seems to be working out on the pavement side of things with WKA already.
This weekend is a pavement oval race. I chose not to go.