Purple in Sector 1

“Necessity is the motherfucker of invention”

Paul Newman

” That kart handles so bad I wouldn’t let a suicide bomber drive it”

Dave Stevens

After five days my wristband is starting bother me.  Seems it’s always in the way.  I wonder if these are the same kind of wristbands that the drivers in NASCAR and IndyCar use?  I’d say I’d had a rough week, but the week isn’t over yet. The beatings will continue until morale improves.  Today was pretty Whiskey Tango, real Beverly Hillbillies stuff.  I stripped the front end and brakes from an 8 year old kart that I hadn’t driven in probably three, maybe four years and put it on the race kart which already is mixed breed mutt of a kart.  It worked.  I did get some laps, some of which I actually had front brakes.  In all this isn’t unlike many of the large road race events I raced.  There were a few where I pulled thousands of miles, only to turn a few laps, break or crash then head home.  The difference is that I didn’t know how woeful my equipment and my expertise (or lack thereof) was.  Just getting a couple of sessions on a real kart, setup and tuned by real pros made all the difference in the world.  just too bad I found out at the time I decided to stop doing any karting but lapping sessions and the occasional club race.  

I figured I’d go out in style, though off the pace by renting a ride with a group that knew what they were doing.  Notwithstanding the questionable decision to enter the race in the first place the best thing I did was hire Evolution Karting in Indianapolis for race support and equipment.  After that chucklehead mangled my rented ride at least they were there to help get my kart in a place where it was at least driveable.  I knew long ago that I had neither the equipment (or talent) to run up front.  I’ve always known I’ve sucked, I just didn’t realize I swallowed as well.  I wanted it to be a good exit from competition karting, even though I’ve only competed locally the last year and haven’t done any national stuff for about four years.  For me the sting of now knowing how good the other equipment was then being teased with it was the worst thing. But, I paid my toll, I might as well hang in there and get some laps in.  I could have shoveled more money into the furnace and risked buy more parts (which at this place is a pretty good bet).  I was already well over my budget and the value/risk reward wasn’t there.  But boy am I pissed about not having a clean ride.  In the last post or so I said I was parked for about 5 sec before I was hit.  Looking at the data today, it was 30.6 seconds.  What kind of asshole drives full speed into a corner under a standing yellow a half minute after the accident?  I really wish I knew who it was because if he’s hurt or not, I’d like a word with him.  Several of those of the four letter variety.   I’m going to be pissed about this for a while.

The event has finally gotten it’s sea legs, as they say.  Race control is on the ball.  One of the few criticisms would be that when you’re giving the black, do it further out from the pit in.  There was one incident in TaG where a kart made an erratic move to obey the black, right into the path of the race leader.  You see, that’s how shit happens, when people don’t hold their line.  The traffic management issues seem to largely be resolved and the presentation is top notch.  One exemplary area has been the issuing of red flags and the medical response of the crews.  Well done gang.  A couple of drivers went to the hospital today and the response from track staff seemed to me to be very good.

Not much sleep and the “big day” is early tomarrow.  Cost so far is about US$165 per mile.

Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.- 

Agnes Repplier

If nothing else at least I have a different perspective on the world of “professional” kart racing than I did earlier in the week.  And by professional I mean spending 20 or 30 grand for a winning purse of 15 grand. Though to be fair most of those this week are imported wringers whose gig to drive karts for a living.  Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.  Or at least they did when people either a) had money (or used their houses as ATMs) or b) willing to part with what money they did have.  There have been a few discussions in the paddock about the almost Pythonesque  death of Super Pro.  No, really, I’m not quite dead yet. The competition at that level is migrating to TaG.  Why spend a ton of dough when the factory and importers are going bring guys over to race against you on money you’re giving them for the arrive and drive that is going to take any money you might get from winning to pay for that ride.  If by next year the importers are asking who killed Super Pro, have them hold up a mirror.  The local dealers are  getting squeezed too as the importers support (euphemism for sell direct) to those racers.  It’s not in any great number save for a few events but in a sport as narrow a market as karting, every little bit helps those shops keep the doors open.

At the drivers meeting during the promoters part of the gabfest I couldn’t tell if we were having driver’s meeting or we were watching Last Comic Standing.  Cause I heard some pretty funny shit.  The all out howl fest for me was the promoter lecturing racers and parents about how important this event is and how every one needed to present the most professional face.  This of course was at a meeting where he announced “shut up and sit down” as a way to start the gathering.  I imagine the director of the National Guard motorsport program, himself a karter was cringing because in the military of all places, one must lead by example.  Let me type that again, just for good measure.  Lead by example.  

Another whopper, the reason for black flagging lappers isn’t so the leaders have unimpeded track.  No, it’s because that’s where we would finish anyway.   Are you shitting me?  You can say that with a straight face and sober? Some of the fights in the back of the field are just as competitive as they are in front.   Look, we knew the deal was what is was when we signed up, backmarkers not welcome.  Because if they were, some of the racers in the lead pack might actually have to learn some race craft and strategy instead of bashing the way to the front.   When they do use bad judgement and tangle with a lapper and eat it they blame the lapper even though that’s how they do it in real car racing.  I guess they don’t do that in toy car racing.  Don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining and don’t even try to think you know how someone else feels about battling for 30th place with three other slow guys.  It is what it is, don’t sugar coat it.  It insults our intelligence.  Just because we spend several thousand dollars to come race in a casino parking lot in Vegas for tee shirts and sunglasses doesn’t mean we’re stupid. It just means we’re addicted.  

Hi, I’m Dave and I’m a recovering race-a-holic.

In yesterdays post I called him the RD when infact, unbeknownst to me, there is an actual, I’m told professional level race director.  My apologies.  No, really…

Some props… Covering items in the meeting with which I had issues, namely the lack of portable toilets delayed a day by the vendor.  Not knowing the plastic crappers came with TP, they stocked up.  They likely have enough that they can TP Seeseman’s house while he’s in Europe at the world finals of karts powered by sealed snowmobile engines.  If Governor Palin and the First Dude are reading, that would be a snow machine.

Garbage cans?  Vendor failed.  Parking?  Hotel juggling it to accomodate other events.  I bet they had no idea there would be this many trailers and large tow vehicles that couldn’t be parked in the paddock.  Unless of course you were on one of the anointed teams that could park in the paddock or use their golf carts in the paddock.  Everyone else, no parking, no powered transport.

More props…  Great presentation by the sponsors/vendors.  Registration was great, well organized and efficient.  Much more than I can say for much of the venue foot and kart traffic and access management in the venue.  Fuel desk, crowded but otherwise fine except for bad traffic management.  Hint, karts are 55″ wide, perhaps moving the entrance forward so all karts had to fight through the line at the desk wasn’t such a good idea.   VP guy on the fuel truck rocks.  PA broadcast on FM but is loud (too loud in some places) throughout most of the paddock.  Small PA for spectator area bleachers.  Those that know me know I have a soft spot for a proper sound system for the application.

The not so props…Flagging still inconsistent and very few getting parked for passing under yellow even though most do.  The problem is that the two fastest parts of the track have minimal runoff with the plastic canyons and at night the flaggers are difficult to see at times.  Lighting?  One word, Musco.  If not that, then getting someone that designs architectural or industrial lighting for a living.  Parking a bunch of Ahern towers and pointing them down isn’t varsity.   It doesn’t have to be Singapore GP level lighting but it should be lit better than my walk in closet.  Flaggers, bite the bullet and get some full time (or as full time as they get) SCCA corner crews.  My closet also has more consistent flagging.  The guy whose kart I was in that some knucklehead totaled Thurs agrees with me.  If you’re smart you should be able to figure out to whom I refer.  He agrees with me about the flaggers, not about my closet.

Gotta go get some sleep.  Well off pace, about 5.5 secs as my trusty old Rocket is nothing like the CRG rent a ride that will soon become a garage ornament, or cut up and reverse engineered or sent to China to have copied in the thousands and sold for fifty bucks each.  I haven’t decided though if I do ship it to China, I better at least straighten it so they don’t copy the bends.  The Rockets brakes and lack of adjustability is no match for the plastic canyons.  My fronts are only good for about four laps before spinning freely and the chassis setup options are minimal and not that precise.  You do get what you pay for and suppose it would help if I hadn’t hammered the old gray mare for almost five years before coming the the race.

Rough start to the week.  In session 3, on the out lap no less, on a slick track and cold tires several karts got together at the braking zone at the fastest part of the track.  I managed to avoid the karts, but the track was impassable at that point and after about 5 seconds of sitting there idling I was drilled from behind by a guy wasn’t paying attention.  We estimate impact in the 40-50 mph range.  The rental frame is totaled and my budget is shot.  He appeared hurt so I didn’t get out and confront him, but I felt like it.  His kart was heavily damaged, likely a write off and he sustained injury to what appeared to be his ankle.  

There is no excuse for that sort of driving.  The enforcement of the flagging has been weak and I think the race direction has been questionable and at times his demeanor  unprofessional.  Particularly for an event this size.  There have been other cases where I’ve seen a couple of flaggers playing security cop on the access fence while trying to flag during a hot track.  That is unacceptable in my book.  A flagger needs to flag, period. I tried to speak with him about it but his minions wouldn’t let me cross the track to have a word with him during the session.  In our case that should have been a red flag.  The track was impassable at the end of the fastest part with three karts stacked together and several others blocking the way.  Rather than focusing on the track during that period the flaggers were looking at the accident.  

I’d be glad to tell him the same thing I’m posting here, but if I’m approached I would highly recommend it be in a professional manner.  Not that condescending, sarcastic tone of his announcements over the PA.  If cars are parked in fire lanes, make a professional announcement then tow them.  No need for drama, no need to insult those that are parked in the paddock.  Call the trucks and have them towed. Simple and professional.  Same with the black flag rule.  Make an professional announcement that not yielding the flag is unacceptable instead of sarcastic, condescending diatribes that do nothing but cheapen the professional tone of the event.  At this level there shouldn’t need to be an announcement to yield the yellows much less with that tone and demeanor.  It was embarrassing, it was an unprofessional display and for the caliber of the event and the money we are paying to be here we deserve to be treated in a professional manner.  Period.  Perhaps if the racing standard rules more enforced consistently parking the offenders would get the message across.  

We thrashed for about 3 hours and got my personal chassis fitted with the rental engine.  I was really looking forward to racing the CRG.  Best kart I’ve ever driven.  It was like butter.  I’d like to thank Garrick Miller, Jason Lee, Kurt Mathewson and the rest of the gang under the Evolution tent.  They’ve been a big, big help and there is no way I could have done this without them.  Hopefully I’ll be able to finish the week.  Otherwise I’ve just lapped about 20 laps at the cost of about US$300 per lap.  I’m optimistic but at the same time I don’t know that my kart is up to the task.  Hence me renting the ride.  I could have had the rental kart rebuilt but at this point my budget is shot buying another frame if that one is totaled.  What was once a Hail Mary effort to try to stay on the lead lap is likely to be me riding around for 8-10 laps until I’m parked due to that inane lapped traffic rule.  It’s not the lappers you need to be concerned with at this race, it’s the unsafe guys fighting for position with an extreme lack of judgement.  But that’s a story for another time. Right now sleep.  Hopefully I’ll feel better in the morning but somehow I doubt it.

   

A Master at work

Originally uploaded by Dave Stevens

Evolution’s Garrick Miller tuning for the #60 kart