Since the ABkC took over organising a championship for most of the classes back in the early nineties when the MSA decided to give up on most of their British kart championships, the ABkC also had to take on publishing the regulations and organising tyre contracts so that all the clubs used the same tyres. (From 1998 the MSA took back the publication of the regs, in the Gold Book). The tyre companies chosen wished to put in prize money, as did the commercial class affiliates, the ABkC takes none of the money. It all goes to the drivers in 'our' championships, the championships that the collective clubs in the association call their own. It does not go to S1 or NKF etc, it goes to the drivers. One assumes that the drivers in these championships all started at clubs and most continue to race at club level too. That's how its been for nearly two decades. One tyre importer estimates it is worth about 50p a set, hardly going to make a huge difference to a club budget. On the other hand, the tyres used in the championships are the same as the tyres at club level, they could easily be different if it was done a different way. Drivers can move from club to club, and championship to club and vice versa all finding the same regulations and tyres. And whatever you might think, having the contracts and a tendering system has kept the prices down. However if the time has come to change the system, and see if some of these funds can be diverted to clubs, then come to the AGM on 27 Nov and have a democratic discussion. But tyre money is not a bottomless pit, and whatever the outcome the class affilated importers and manufacturers will still want to give the top drivers using their equipment some prizes, so don't think £28000 can just be transferred from championship prizes to a club subsidy. That's unlikely to happen. And even if it were, thats less than £150 per class per club - maybe £50 per driver for the top three?
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