liquidqwik
Justin Anderson
I agree with everyone that the cost of racing is out of control. My family operated a kart track in Belleville for years and I watched the cost of competitive kart racing continue to escalate year after year. At the end of each year we would get together and discuss what could be done to help control the costs because kart counts were declining. We had lots of ideas (box stock motors/engine limits, tire rules, fuel rules, no prep, etc.) I understand this is on a smaller scale, however, the principle is the same.
I always come back to a few underlying questions when this topic comes up:
What should racing cost at your level? Who makes this determination? Who enforces it?
For example: How much should a person spend yearly to purchase and operate a Late Model to run locally? or a Modified? or a Pure Stock? Who sets the $ limit? Will all tracks adopt the same rules and enforce them?
I think it's great to have limits/rules to keep cost down but they have to be enforced and 'reasonable for racers.' In my experience, tire rules (like the 40's) mentioned above will help if enforced. That's not to say some guys won't put on new rubber all the time, but it will help even the field in certain track conditions. Rev limiters seem to work in several series when the cost of big motors are out of reach for most.
One thing is guaranteed, you can limit/govern racers in all forms of racing but they will find ways to engineer around the rules. Therefore, if tracks are going to help in controlling costs they must enforce the rules that are adopted.
I always come back to a few underlying questions when this topic comes up:
What should racing cost at your level? Who makes this determination? Who enforces it?
For example: How much should a person spend yearly to purchase and operate a Late Model to run locally? or a Modified? or a Pure Stock? Who sets the $ limit? Will all tracks adopt the same rules and enforce them?
I think it's great to have limits/rules to keep cost down but they have to be enforced and 'reasonable for racers.' In my experience, tire rules (like the 40's) mentioned above will help if enforced. That's not to say some guys won't put on new rubber all the time, but it will help even the field in certain track conditions. Rev limiters seem to work in several series when the cost of big motors are out of reach for most.
One thing is guaranteed, you can limit/govern racers in all forms of racing but they will find ways to engineer around the rules. Therefore, if tracks are going to help in controlling costs they must enforce the rules that are adopted.