YES by the MSA,
after 50 yrs in Motorsport,I am now retired from work. With time now available to me I have offered to take a dossier compiled over the last 12 months after canvassing drivers and officials,Forum observations etc, on the decline of MSA Racing especially karting in this country to MSA H.Q. No Reply as any interest to date.
I feel some of the staff there are de-motivated and waiting for their redundancy/pension offers. The MSA will not accept the "sport" is going down the pan quickly but acknowledge it is in decline,but do not seem to have an answer,they take too much notice of the traders who "are keeping it going Get to the AUTOSPORT Show at the NEC in JANUARY , go on the MSA stand and tell them your feelings,also put it in WRITING. !!
People walking away because:- Jnr raced every month for 3 yrs,sent home race day as mum was ill on setting out,dad didn't have a PG,despite a Snr police officer offering to stand as reference gutted kid sent home,not come back.
Helmets,as stated elswhere go to local bikeshop ACU approved helmet for racing/ trackday bike,good for 140mph,no good for MSA karting!!
Suits out of date,for gods sake they are not Proban dipped to be Fire retardent or fireproof suits,most I have seen lately do not even have the extra layers of material on the vunerable areas as they used to have to have. Gloves with a pin hole in them,but the kart gets through scrutineering with a chipped brake disc !!
Rules changed midway through a season by sole importer/series promoter,massive costs to drivers to update before National Finals (as cut off date 1 week before it) when according to MSA regulation/rule changes during a seaon will only be allowed on the grounds of SAFETY. How does a key start become safer than the push button still in use at club and International level???. This same promoter is now asking why no one wants to run his series next year.
Like him or hate him,it is co-incidental that the decline of Karting started about the same time as the passing away of Martin Hynes. Whilst in the "Motorsport business" his PASSION was MOTORSPORT
As buzz states the medical fiasco,this is a thorn in my side even more so after a recent event. As an old b#gger of 65 in MSA Racing I have had to have a medical every year for the past 20 yrs @ average of £95 a pop. I have an HGV,PCV licence which allows me to carry 40ton or 65 people,at 60mph with hundreds of people around me and have only needed a medical every 5 yrs. Part of the MSA medical form is "taken by us the MSA from the HGV medical form" ?? why can't I produce my in date vocational licence if it is of a higher or same medical standard, when applying for a race licence. Why am I such a risk just coz I is OLD ,its ageism,. Am I more of a risk than the 17 yr old ,out with his mates the night before,has a diabetic fit at a test Sat morning,just before the first session which is a mixed one usually,then spends an hour in the ambulance,then taken to hospital,who according to his father cannot see when he has an attack !!!,which can never be forcasted,not carrying any insulin......, The MSA HQ says this type of attack renders a driver not allowed to hold a licence unless he goes 10 yrs without a re-occurence,local officials are powerless to act at the 2 tracks he is STILL MSA RACING at as the father signs the declaration. HQ knows of the incident,local officials know,circuit owners know and no one has done anything, I have helped a driver who had a diabetic fit at 8 when trying for a cadet licence,he will not be allowed to obtain a licence until next year(10yr MSA rule) at 18 if he goes the next 12 months without a further diabetic fit !!!!
Sadly as Buzz and others have found out,Non MSA is proving the way to go, 3 X N W. MSA meetings cancelled this year,numbers dropping at all tracks,costs escalating,no I think karting will survive but for the non Super 1 er's,I feel more dis-enchanted drivers will leave and do non MSA karting.
just been txtd apparently Indykart will now allow MSA drivers in but they cannot have championship points,at least the "unknown locally" MSA drivers can now "come out of the closet". Only issue is if the MSA try to enforce its "you can not participate in other non MSA motorsport disiplines whilst holding an MSA licence" threat of recent times, apparently you agree to this when signing your licence form.
I do, try taking mine away,or maybe do it then you will lose another licence holder..
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