Hmmm....... sounds like we need a SM class for karts :-)) Sorry,
couldn't resist.
Rick Brown
FP 240Z
----- Original Message -----
From: Vernon Head <vhead@fuelrtm.com>
To: Team.net <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2001 4:44 PM
Subject: Re: kid karts
> I am probably the guy who took the "hard case approach" that Dennis is
referring to in his post. I believe that what I did was not being hard line.
Yes, a local father did bring out two used karts to a NASA school. I was
helping to instruct the kids on a separate course that was set up. When I
noticed that these karts had Comer engines, I informed the man that none of
the SCCA classes used this engine. I also told him that it would be
perfectly ok to run these engines but not for points, at least for the time
being. He did not seem offended in the least. When I found out that this was
a problem, I spoke to him at the next opportunity and apologized for
anything that I might have said or done to offend. I thought the matter was
over, but apparently not.
>
> I guess the central issue here is to have rules or not to have rules. Even
though they are children I believe we should give them a level playing
field. Yes, there have been some hard feelings at National level events when
one kid beat the rest with a blueprinted motor. The rules were changed, not
by me but by SCCA, to help prevent further protests. I thought it wouldn't
matter either, until I witnessed the problem firsthand. I don't consider
these parents to be the over-competitive Little-League variety, either.
>
> Now I don't advocate a lot of restrictions and pages of rules like the
karting community has, but there should be some rules to make things at
least appear to be fair. Kids notice these things.
>
> As the Kart Steward for my region I am *required* to have a set of rules.
I am as open as can be to changing them. Heck, we could even add a Comer
class if those two kids wanted to run them.
>
> -Vernon Head
>
>
> ------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 08:47:29 -0800 (PST)
> From: Dennis Hale <dhale_510@yahoo.com>
> Subject: kid karts
>
> Like much of life and much of SCCA there are two
> answers to one question.
> The tight answer is there is just one specification
> for a kid kart and the Comer would not be acceptable.
> The friendly answer is whatever the fellow competitors
> agree to is perfectly all right, it matters not to
> anyone else. Only safety issues may be protested by
> someone not running in class, and I doubt the kids
> will want to play the protest game.
> Locally [SFR] the fathers of the kid karts took the
> hard case approach and chased off participation before
> they developed a viable class. Shame on them. At least
> one father bought a couple of used kid karts and
> intended to participate with his two kids, was
> attacked over wrong specifications the first time out,
> and took his family to the karting club. He had
> autocrossed for 20 years and was shocked by the
> attitude displayed. I think we have lost him as an
> autocrosser too,
> So checkout who is running the karts in your area and
> how they are doing it. Or start the group in your area
> and see to it that the kids have fun and bag the
> foolish restrictions.
> IMHO
>
> =====
> Dennis Hale
> Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
> http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
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