|
|
In the main some constructive feedback and quite interesting responses.
The top 5 club racers from each club qualifying for an end of season one weekend "Karting Champions League" (What I was going to call it) is something I thought of years ago.... then Whilton Mill did the King of Clubs thing.... sort of the same idea, although never filmed/televised.
My posting was not because I think there is something fundamentally wrong with how Super 1 works now, or because numbers are dwindling. Numbers have dwindled across ALL other forms of motorsport, including dirtbikes/MotoX which I am also involved in filming. It is simply to suggest an alternative that may address concerns about travelling in particular. When I asked the question why some did not compete in Super 1 at the Festival, travelling and the time to travel was the primary answer, then costs.
By reducing the travelling and time commitment to travel I was interested to know if that might make a difference to those people whop would like to do Super 1, but can't or won't because of the travel involved, let alone the cost.
As for the additional cost of doing a national championship compared to a club meeting, it will always be more expensive, and for very good reasons......
£50,000 was spent by S1 on a clutch slip detection system to ensure a level playing field....err.....£50,000! you don't have this at club level....
People cheat if fuel is not tested, and there is a cost to having something on site to test for additives. It is expensive, hence the price of fuel having to be transported at higher than usual insurance costs (both vehicle and storage....insurance is MASSIVE) hence is a lot more expensive. You are paying for it to be transported on a Thursday/Friday, wages, hotel and food for the Fuel man to be on site from Thurs/Fri until the last race on Sunday. Add in the fact the company has to make a profit and maybe you can start to understand why it costs so much.
Tyres have to have parc ferme conditions, manned by additional staff..... and it takes an extra day for three people to remove tyres from boxes, put them on spikes, record EVERY serial number etc etc., you dont have this at club level
The number of officials/admin assistants virtually fills two sheets of A4, most of whom need travel expenses, hotel, food etc. You don't need or have this at club level to this extent.....
There is a HUGE fee (just increased) for running the British Championships..... you dont have this at club level.
And of course....it is televised then on you tube for all to watch. On that subject, the fact it is televised I have always said is secondary to the fact that your memories of a great result are recorded forever to look back on forever...... A ten year old today can show their kids in 25 years time what dad did when he was their age, and from a financial point of view, that memory is priceless, based on the fact that most drivers in karting, including those at the top now, will never race professionally.
I have undoubtedly forgotten something, but these are just some of the things that spring to mind when comparing national events to club events, for those that "fail to see why it is so expensive".
Karting should first and foremost be fun. If you can't afford to do Super 1 and feel club racing is all you can afford then stick with that and have fun doing it. Most fun we had was as a novice.... gets all too serious after that when you are winning regularly (even at club level) and winning becomes the main thing that brings joy! Still fun.... but different.... and more expensive by then.
|
|
|
