How to enter a championship

[Flapshot]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

TKM 4S is a bot of a dead end as far as I understand it, especially with the new TAG TKM 2 strokes coming in. Having said that I do have a TKM 4S chassis sat in my garage if you want to buy one ;-)

So I can have it sat in my garage too?

Going to concentrate on Covkartsport for a bit and then move on from there. I can't wait for Sunday and I'll be happy with not finishing last!

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by Flapshot

So I can have it sat in my garage too?

Going to concentrate on Covkartsport for a bit and then move on from there. I can't wait for Sunday and I'll be happy with not finishing last!

Monetarilly speaking thats a good plan.

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

TKM 4S is a bot of a dead end as far as I understand it, especially with the new TAG TKM 2 strokes coming in. Having said that I do have a TKM 4S chassis sat in my garage if you want to buy one ;-)

Well all entries have been down this year across the board, especially at club level, TKM 4S has suffered with this mainly at Junior level. I guess all the while people write the class off it will never stand a chance !

Anyway more info can be found a www.tal-ko.co.uk if you are interested Flapshot and the TKM GP is taking place at PFI over the weekend of Oct 31st Nov 1st if you fancied having a look.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by Gilles lives!

Well all entries have been down this year across the board, especially at club level, TKM 4S has suffered with this mainly at Junior level. I guess all the while people write the class off it will never stand a chance !

Anyway more info can be found a www.tal-ko.co.uk if you are interested Flapshot and the TKM GP is taking place at PFI over the weekend of Oct 31st Nov 1st if you fancied having a look.

Sorry GL just reporting what I have heard from people down at Clay and Forest, I personally think 4s is a good idea, although maybe not as well executed as it might have been. However with all the BT82s around and now the new TAG motors I think a lot of people arent sure of the 4S place anymore.

[Gilles lives!]

It depends a lot on what Tal-ko are going to do to further promote the class. The engine rebuilds are on the expensive side which puts some off but the racing has been very good, even though the numbers are down. I know they will have their work cut out with the new Tag motors, as they are keen to keep as many in the TKM series as possible.

F6 is going to survive for another year with the support from circuits like Clay and Ellough which is good. They are aiming for 4 hour meetings next year, which will mean home early for us all !

I was going to enter my son into the TKM GP later this month but was put off by the costs, he would need a Nat A licence upgrade for the event(£42), then there's practice on Friday (£50 approx plus a TVKC membership fee of£22), race entry (£95) and a set of Maxxis required (£115), all for just 2 heats and a final on Sunday. That's not VFM I'm afraid and will put other's off too..

[tonful]

My son races TKM 2/ and we looked at the GP plate meeting but we can do two club meetings for the cost. Also we're only just off Novice plates so that killed it anyway.

To be honest I think its aimed at the Super 1 boys they seem to love spending money.

If your lad wants to do a big meeting look into the Festival at Whilton they had a big grid of TKM 4/ and don't require control fuel or tyres. Its due to be broadcast on Sky and MotorsTV in the next couple of weeks.

Tony

[Flapshot]

This karting business is a minefield isn't it? You want lower costs, but you want good and quick racing. There must come a point where crossing over into car racing is less expensive than running a kart season? I'd considered the MR2 Series run by mr2racing.com but costs (around 6k first season, half thereafter) were too high.

I like the idea of TKM 4/s but if numbers are low and the series is dying, maybe it's not a good move?

S1 is too expensive and would involve seeing "how last" you could come each race. Like, "Today my target is to come a bit last, not very last as I did the race before"

[ghinzani]

Talking of cost cutting this looks a great deal http://www.stormkart.co.uk/ - apparently they saved money by not using mag wheels, mounts etc as well as not chroming pod bars and the like - that costs £120 per kart apaprently. Anyway well done to them for producing a no frills kart thats apparently pretty quick also.

[Flapshot]

So the total cost including the engine and VAT is £3444.25. I gather that is a Rotax 09 engine too.....

Is that a good price then? I have no idea what is and what isn't !

[kimbo]

Originally Posted by Flapshot

I'd considered the MR2 Series run by mr2racing.com but costs (around 6k first season, half thereafter) were too high.

Flapshot, I dont want to be the one who pees on your bonfire, but if 3K a season is over budget, I seriously suggest that you need to find something else to fill your time. I'm not trying to be nasty or clever, just realistic.
Dont forget that the car (which I guess is the difference between year 1 & 2) should still be saleable and the cost recovered.
I dont know how much Club 100 costs, but looking at the average club kart meeting, I would say that your minimum spend will be £200 - £250, if you take everything into account, i.e. tyres, kart fuel, wear and tear, car fuel, etc.
Assuming one meeting a month, theres your £3000, and you havent tested yet, or blown up a motor. And TBH to improve your skills, you will need seat time, so two meetings a month would be sensible, so now you're up to a conservative £6000 a year, plus your kart, club membership, bacon rolls, etc.
Motorsport IS expensive, trust me, I've been there and I'm still wearing the T shirt. It's also addictive, fun, frustrating and exiting in equal measure. If you think about it, you will never do it, as the money just never stops disappearing from your wallet.
Good luck with your first race (this weekend is it?) but if the bug bites, be prepared for the consequenses.

[Flapshot]

Originally Posted by kimbo

Flapshot, I dont want to be the one who pees on your bonfire, but if 3K a season is over budget, I seriously suggest that you need to find something else to fill your time. I'm not trying to be nasty or clever, just realistic.
Dont forget that the car (which I guess is the difference between year 1 & 2) should still be saleable and the cost recovered.
I dont know how much Club 100 costs, but looking at the average club kart meeting, I would say that your minimum spend will be £200 - £250, if you take everything into account, i.e. tyres, kart fuel, wear and tear, car fuel, etc.
Assuming one meeting a month, theres your £3000, and you havent tested yet, or blown up a motor. And TBH to improve your skills, you will need seat time, so two meetings a month would be sensible, so now you're up to a conservative £6000 a year, plus your kart, club membership, bacon rolls, etc.
Motorsport IS expensive, trust me, I've been there and I'm still wearing the T shirt. It's also addictive, fun, frustrating and exiting in equal measure. If you think about it, you will never do it, as the money just never stops disappearing from your wallet.
Good luck with your first race (this weekend is it?) but if the bug bites, be prepared for the consequenses.

Hey Kimbo,

You are right I know, but I think my point was that I'm a relative newbie to motorsport (real life, not sim racing and watching ) and didn't want to outlay 6k for something I might not get on with. That's why the arrive and drive seemed such a good deal

Thanks for the comments and I'll let you know how I get on

[ghinzani]

Yeah best of luck this weekend, be interesting to hear your views of Covsport and arrive mn drive in particular. Id like to suggest it to lots of people who say "I want to start karting" but havent got means or space to look after a kart themselves.

[Flapshot]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

Yeah best of luck this weekend, be interesting to hear your views of Covsport and arrive mn drive in particular. Id like to suggest it to lots of people who say "I want to start karting" but havent got means or space to look after a kart themselves.

Thanks Ghinzani - I'll be certain to post about it here on Monday

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by tonful

My son races TKM 2/ and we looked at the GP plate meeting but we can do two club meetings for the cost. Also we're only just off Novice plates so that killed it anyway.

To be honest I think its aimed at the Super 1 boys they seem to love spending money.

If your lad wants to do a big meeting look into the Festival at Whilton they had a big grid of TKM 4/ and don't require control fuel or tyres. Its due to be broadcast on Sky and MotorsTV in the next couple of weeks.

Tony

Yes we had to miss Whilton this year as we had our family hols at the same time, next year we will be there though. I really can't understand why the TVKC made the GP meeting a 'A' licence event when entries have been so poor, especially when Whilton does so well with the festival, I did mail them mentioning that I had 3 possible entries on 'B' grades but that didn't even manage a response ! There was only 10 TKM 4's at Buckmore for the last S1 round, so they aren't going to get many more entries than that.

I'll look out for the TV coverage, last year's was very good.

[Gilles lives!]

Looking forward to your race report Flapshot, hope all goes well.

Regarding S1, it really is only something that you should only look at if you want to become pretty serious about your karting. You will need 11 sigs on your novice licence first to obtain your 'A' grade, a sponsor to help with the costs and plenty of spare time to practice and test before each event.

Piercarlo (I remember him from Euro F3 !), there was a Stormkart up at Buckmore on static display and it did look very nice, but then they all do when they are nice shiny and new ! There are so many options nowadays in karting that it is hard to decided which way to spend your money. Back when I raced it was either gearbox class 4 or class 1, there wasn't the myriad of choice as there is now. Looking at karting now it is amazing just how much it has grown over the years.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by Flapshot

Thanks Ghinzani - I'll be certain to post about it here on Monday

Speak!

[Peat]

Yeah! C'mon Flapshot. I've been following this thread, don't leave me hanging!!

[Flapshot]

Haha! Sorry Guys n Gals. Had a busy "Internet Down" day yesterday (just changed ISP).

Ok, so here goes :

On arriving at Ryehouse I signed in and completed a Covkartsport form (I suppose this was an entry form) and paid £45 for the race, and £10 for the membership. The membership fee is usually £45 a year, but they will let you pay £5 per race - hence the £10 for the next (and final) round at Ancaster.

Having paid up I went and weighed in - fully kitted up and minus helmet I was 77KG and thus entered into the Senior Lights + category.

The race format was a little different than I had expected. You are allocated a grid slot for each of your three races. First race I was 4th on the grid, second race 5th and last race 8th. They try to give you 1 front, 1 middle and 1 rear.

We only got 3 laps practice! I'd not raced at Ryehouse before (apart from practice laps when I was 16!!!).

There were 15 races in all - I was in race 4, race 7 and race 14. You find this out by the timetable they print out and stick around the place. When it's your turn to race you are expected to be ready at the pits - the race control guy does call your name out, register like.

My first race I was with 11 others and grided up in 4th after running 3 practice laps. I was feeling very excited and although I didn't have much experience I felt I was getting the kart around the track pretty well.

Race started, I took 3rd while exiting the stadium turn and into the hairpin. The pro karts we were driving didn't have the grip I was expecting, but I guess it was because they were running on high durability tyres. Anyway, the race was about 10 laps and I think I was running low 42's and early 41's but I'm not sure. I deffo saw a low 42s on the pit LCD board. Lap record is a late 39s. So I ran in 3rd all race, until 2 to go and I started making mistakes because I was excited at the prospect of getting 3rd in my first race. I cocked up the exit of the hairpin into the back straight and 4th place moved alongside me for an incredable run to the finish line. I beat him by 5 thousands of a second! 3rd in my first race - happy happy happy!

Race 2 for me was bad. I was grid 5 and on the start grid 3 (directly in front) didn't move. One of his engines had stalled I think and I was pushing him forwards while the whol pack steamed past. What a shame. I had the pace to keep up with most of the drivers, but not to close a 4/5 second deficit. So I ran a lonely 10 laps 3/4 seconds behind the field.

Race 3 was my fault for it being so bad. I started grid 8 and was last into the stadium turn (bad start) but I was pretty speedy through stadium and went inside to steal 7th but spun under braking (avoiding another spinner in front). I was so miffed I looked skywards and forgot about even starting going again! When I did I was 4 or 5 seconds off the back, but running with the dude who had spun in front of me. We ran some good laps together and caught the field up, but too little to late and I finished at the back. Shame....

So all in all it was a terrific entry into a championship race for the first time. The standard is high, that is for sure - but not so high I felt I was never going to achieve anything. I'll enter the next race at Ancaster for sure, and I'll run all next season too. They give out trophies for 1/2/3 in each class (junior, senior lights and senior heavy) for each event + a "driver of the day" award.

For £45 it's well worth entering, and there is a good buzz about it. Of course one or two take it very seriously (which is fine) but can be a bit OTT. Same as one or two of the kids parents, who did like to shout and complain at the marshals a lot.

I can heartily recommend racing as an amateur with covkartsport - you will learn a lot before considering stepping up. I can't wait to get stuck in to a full season!

I'll keep a thread of my "happenings" on here I think

Any questions ?

[Fox89]

I'm also interested! I've been loking at Covkart for a while now and hoping to get involved next season, so you gotta tell us all what it was like Flapshot

[ghinzani]

Good stuff Flapshot! Sounds like a good setup.

[Flapshot]

How come I cant see my post??

[Flapshot]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

Good stuff Flapshot! Sounds like a good setup.

For beginners wanting to get into kart racing (like me) it's fab!

[dwf1]

Did you beat me by about .1 of a second at rye house?

[Fox89]

I reckon I might try and get myself a guest drive with covkart for Ancaster, and try out my new suit! It all sounds very exciting

[Gilles lives!]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

Good stuff Flapshot! Sounds like a good setup.

Huh, what set up ? What did you do Flapshot ?