Been a few changes going on all, finally I'm at a point where I can talk about after I took my last final of the semester...time for me to write a long blog of things going through my mind now that I have time. This is going to be a long one since I have not posted in a month or so...
It's that time of the year again. I really dislike the cold weather. Not only that but it seems that there is just nothing to do through these months. Football is almost over, (like I really want to watch the rest of the Falcon's right now, at least my yellow jackets did good) No more racing on TV...Deer rut is over...damn dude. Good thing that this is the first year that Dawgwood speedway is doing a winter series. Or I should say attempting with the freak weather we have been having in Georgia this year. Hence the first one was scheduled for the 5th but was rained out, just like many other summer races. Just my luck, as soon as I get back into racing the whole state of Georgia floods. I guess I should have bought a speed boat instead of a race kart.
Once again I'm pretty happy at the way track is managing things. There is a lot of bigger tracks that could learn a few things from this small little 1/8th mile. It is ran like a palace compared to some of the 3/8ths and 1/2th miles I've ran. It's showing too, hence they announced at the driver's meeting during the last race how they had record breaking car counts, which sounds weird in this economy hence all the short tracks that are failing across America (even that kart track that was about 45 minutes away from me compared to an 1:15 minutes that Dawgwood is) but the formula for their success is elementary.
First of all there are many racers such as my self who have raced bigger cars but just can't afford it anymore, whether it be a bad economy or a greedy organization, that are now racing box stock. The one thing that turned me off to karting to begin with was tires. It just looks plan scary not only prepping tires but having so many...Even if money was not an issue looks like so much could go wrong resulting in a major headache. The spec tire aka Maxxis ELs took that out of the game. One tire, designed for spec which also translates to only one size. These hard tires also don't respond to prep the same way a normal tire would. If you over prep, you loose bite. Still there is enough tire game out there to keep you amused in you free time. Learning these tires makes someone more comfortable about going to other classes if you wish. Coming from Legends spec tires were something I enjoyed. One tire, more things to focus on.
Back in 1/4 midgets when we got out I'm not kidding half of the shop was full of tires we just sold. I can say I concord that game back in 2001 though with an all time track record or two.
Speaking of that, you talk about someone who could learn from kart racing. I talked to someone on the phone the other day, seems like everyone has gone to vegas which for 1/4 midgets only last one race, therefore for a heat, and a race, you will need two sets of tires, pricey tires. I can't help to think that they might be helped with a box stock quarter midget class. Budget racers would embrace creating the same effect box stock had on karting. Bigger car counts, pricey racers would just run more classes.
The other thing that is good about the box stock is the engine. A typical flat head or animal engine needs to be rebuilt a few times a year, at a price...Oh and Legends...6k for a wet clutch yamaha xj 1200 (yeah what the hell is that , never racing an uncommon engine again due to the supply and demand rule). Theoretical speaking I could get a brand new engine ready to go for around 100-150...that dose not need to be rebuilt. I get a chuckle when people complain about buying another engine about how pricey its going to be if they get tared down in tech. I bragged to a few people telling me if I wanted to build a cheater box stock engine that it would cost around $500..."DAMN THAT'S CHEAP" (not saying it would cost that much)
Briggs and Stratton is coming out with a
new sealed engine called the LO 206. I guess since a lot of former animal drivers are running to box stock for the affordability, they feel the need to make a box stock competitor. There is too much wrong with this engine. First of all its priced too high. Second of all..."seals". In my humble opinion all a seal is an excuse not to tech. There are racers out there who can pop off any seal and created a monster of an engine. Your going to have to tech an engine sealed or not, so whats the point of sealing them? If you don't, racers will cheat. Happened in Legends. Many people were taking off seals and turning a 1200cc engine to a 1300cc. It has also happen to an extent in the GM crate motors. Its not like you are saving money ether by going to this engine hence the price tag. Sure it might be built better less leaks but how many box stocks have I seen fail.
Do you really want to know where to go get a seal????? Ask your dentist...they have molds. Also try eBay. I've seen a few 600 racing seals on there. I'm done with seals hence why I posted that.
Track has now gone to AKRA rules. Pretty much now we get to run a new header and new intake. Sounds like a real race kart! Takes off better which will help the starts become less challenging. Scott and I rented the track, between the new rules and us playing with the tires, and lines we picked up 4 tenths of a second. I'm wondering how much the other racers will pick up with just the rule change alone. The only bad thing is that there is no box stock medium...no medium in any other classes (finish sooner?)
The change of the AKRA rules was a result of people trying to level the field of racers. There has been a few complaints from racers who are worried that there is cheating going on. Having a claim rule in theory should stop it. I wonder what is the percentage of engines claimed in karting... Back in the INEX rule book there was a claim rule that was laughable. In the rule book it was up to the tech inspector if you could buy the engine or not. Oh yeah if you were the "special" people of Legends cars you never got claimed. Plus did you really want to buy someones engine? Feels like you are stepping on some peoples toes. Only way your going to stop cheating is by tearing down engines, All thought many box stock racers feel like this will make it more costly to race, hence you having to go to your engine builder when ever this happens and buy a new motor or what not. I'm glad to say that from what I heard at the last race they did catch someone with shaved heads. Assures me that I do not have to spend the money to cheat in order to win. Assures me that my little engine I have now its the best.
I'm going to be buying another chassis for Scott in the spring before the season since the weight is so different now. Also its time also. He had a few wrecks in practice, I'm sick of racing a kart that's out of toe. Also its about time where our driving styles are differentiating enough where they need to be setup different. Now looking for another Falcon.
Now its off to winter racing...Pretty happy they are trying to do it this year...I say try due to the weather. This weather is killing me we are having this year. Last race we had it was so cold that the track iced pretty much. It has not been that cold here in awhile. We were to race on the 5th but it got rained out. I'm glad they canceled it the day before. 19th should be our next race if all goes well.
Holly crap I really should have posted two posts instead of one really long one...
