When you ask a Formula Junior driver what kind of kart
he/she drives, my Brother, Scott, is one of the only
ones that doesn't start with the color and paint
scheme. "It's a 100cc two-cycle with almost 20hp...
redlines at 15,000 rpm."
Scott has been running formula junior for the past
year and I think it is the best thing for him. After
the first event of the year in Meridian, while he had
a Briggs modified motor (approx. 10 hp) he won by
quite a margin ( I think 7 seconds each day) but if
you watched him accelerate (if you would like to call
it that) you would quickly become aware of his 100+
pound weight disadvantage. We decided to find a more
powerful motor ( the Komet K-71, approx. 22hp) so he
wouldn't spend half of the course building speed.
This motor was not very reliable but when it ran, it
ran well. Accusations of the 'over-competitive
little-league variety' would come but in this case we
push Scott to his limits as a driver, because the
extra edge on the competition was not needed. Trust
me, I have driven this Kart and can asure you that it
is very difficult to drive and maneuver. In fact,
Scott does all the work on the Kart himself, and the
only wrench being turned by someone else over the age
of 13 is when he needs an extra hand to tighten
something down. At National races, Scott compares his
times to FM and F125. For example at the NT in Ayer,
after the first day he was in trophy position in FM.
Locally, Scott races in Pro class-not to upset the
other kids- now that we have a PAX for him, although
even at his best the PAX is not generous enough to
beat Tim Aro, GH Sharp, Johnathon Roberts or Sam
Strano.
Saying that Scott is over-competitive is pretty bad,
especially in this sport where protests are made for
people missing a plastic piece on the underside of
their car. He is only out there to better himself so
when he turns 16, he's got a good chance at a National
Trophy. I would also bet money that he can drive his
Kart better than almost 100% of team.netters,
including me.
The point I'm trying to make here is that most kids
aren't as serious as Scott is. His motor, along with
others upwards of 40 hp, was compliant with the rules
this year as the Comer was not, but the comer has
probably 15 less horsepower. Now, in case nobody
noticed, the 2001 rules permit it:In Appendix I,
subsection IV.B, should be changed to the following:
"Engine displacement limits will be consistent with
the WKA standards for engine size, type, and
modification versus driver age." Besides, no parent
would protest the kids nor should they mind that the
other kid has a better motor since skill levels vary
tremendously. If you're worried about the kid's
feelings when they don't win the season points, give
out an award for most improved. I can't believe
someone would say that he couldn't run that kart.
Vernon should be glad his parents didn't name him
Richard because in this case it sure would be fitting!
Scott hopes that more kids become competitive this
year, but the important thing to remember is that it
is for the kids. They're out there to have fun, and
not to be excluded because their engine, although not
nearly as competitive, is smaller than the spec.
displacement. The day when there is a level-playing
field in Formula Junior is when all the kids become
interested in improving their skill as Scott does.
And I see a lot of the kids getting much better,
especially the ones that travel with mom and dad at
the NT's and ProSolo's. At Peru, one of the various
times when our kart did not run properly, Ron Conrad
was kind enough to let Scott borrow his son's Kart.
After driving the kart on one set of runs, Scott made
adjustments in the tire pressures and stiffening the
rear end to let Eric improve 7 seconds on each of his
very next runs, only 2 seconds behind Scott. So it's
not only strong motors that give kids advantages, but
like our cars, simple set-up adjustments can make the
kids go faster, and even more so if they know what the
adjustments do.
BTW this year we've got a 18hp KT100 that is more
reliable so hopefully no more scenes of 6 underdogs
running at a stranded kart at the opposite end of the
course.
And if you're interested in that bet, just come to the
next NASA-VA autocross at the VMP.
Sean Minehart
Team Underdog Racing
CS 22-'91 Yellow MR2
--- Vernon Head <vhead@fuelrtm.com> wrote:
> 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, 8-[
> 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
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