"worth a read" is my opinion, of course....
Re: all previous ventilation regarding Shifter and Junior Karts
on team.net:
Of course, this big discussion would come about while I am out of town.
Being "Laptop Challenged", that would also mean that I am disconnected
from team. net during my travels. Normally, I would just read the last one
or two digests, but since the references to prior opinions existed, I felt
that it would be a good idea for me to go back and read all of them from
5/10 forward. Some of the postings I found entertaining, others less so,
and there were some that were just downright irritating.
That is the nature of a discussion, I guess. Although a couple of people
who drive karts did enter into the thread with well voiced support for their
participation and safety, I feel compelled to add my experienced views.
I first witnessed a "Gymkhana" in the 60's, when my elder Brother and my
Dad would run our family Corvairs, mostly with the "Miami Valley Touring
Club". I got the chance to drive a few times in the early and late 70's in
the
'66, before and after I became it's owner. In the early '80's, it was my
dedicated autocrosser, mostly just stripped and occasionally on slicks
of the used variety, running in CP for regional events. It was a blast.
I took it to a mid-eighties PCA event in Toledo, and out of 50 + entries,
only one well prepped 911 beat me, expertly driven by Mark Hopkins.
That day, I had gone from being generally regarded as a poor, misguided
orphan child to either a driver worthy of praise and cautious admiration, or
one considered to be a scheming cheat with a dangerous ride that should
not have been allowed to enter in the first place. Perhaps I now am reliving
that experience on a season-long basis?
In the early 80's, my first wife and I invested in a small econobox front
drive import, primarily for her to use as daily transportation. But we found
that it was quite capable at the sport, and both of us competed in it as
SCCA entrants divisionally and nationally with a high level of success.
Later, I bought a higher powered newer version of the same car, and did
ok with it, but not nearly as well as with the first one. The handling aspect
was just plain gone from the brand.
In between and concurrently, I drove many other rides, courtesy of the
many friends I felt fortunate to meet and enjoy in our sport. Those ranged
from Hondas to Corvettes, and a couple of Modified class rides too.
Some were "one off's", others lasted a season or longer.
I recall a couple of cars from among the many that were not very rewarding
to drive. Not much speed, too much work, lack of feeling/precision, or
some other trait that reduced my enjoyment. There were plenty that gave
me back the grins we all seek in autocrossing; some because of what
happened when I pointed the right foot (the Green Dot and a Red BSP
'Vette come to mind). Others were so glued to corners you'd swear they
were on rails (that '83 Twinstick Colt GTS) and that made up for a lack
of punch. Some I trusted entirely, others I didn't for a spectrum of reasons,
from mechanical dependability to handling predictability.
All in all, the last two decades of autocrossing have been really enjoyable.
I am now having more fun on course than ever before. I own and drive a
Shifter Kart. Is it the Fastest thing I have ever driven? NO. Is it the
Best
Handling thing I have ever driven? NO. Is it the Quickest thing I have ever
driven? YES. Is it my Most Challenging ride? Big YES.
Shifter karts are not really tough to drive at a rate which would garner an
elapsed time comparable to most stock class cars. But as the seconds
spent on a given course are reduced in number to units beneath the reach
of most car and driver combinations in several Modified categories, the
true nature of the challenge becomes evident: The fine line of ultimate
performance usage is extremely elusive. That pinnacle of efficiency is
such a razor sharp edge for a driver to balance on and maintain, that it
has proven so far for me to be virtually unreachable.
Oh, I have come close a few times. Had some good moments at Meridian,
but when I tried to go for what I felt was really there... I found that I
was not
yet up to it. Cone city. Peru? Fageddabouddit! I screwed with the kart so
much that consistency was impossible. Lesson learned. When I am on the
"up side" of the edge, I know I am slow. When I am "over the edge" I know I
am REALLY slow.
Dangerous? Not in my viewpoint. I have a well-developed sense of self-
preservation, thank you. At 49, with a wife and two young (soon to be 6 and
8 years old) boys, the last thing I would want to do is deprive my family of
my
whole able-bodied self through some reckless activity likely to render me
temporarily or permanently damaged.
There have been instances in my autocross "career" when I have felt
danger, sometimes intensely. The two worst of those were as a corner
worker some 5 or 6 years apart, with the second now about 10 years ago.
In-car incidents which caught my attention were, as a driver, the old "earth-
sky, earth-sky" concern (didn't happen), and as a passenger, that, plus the
"big fixed object directly ahead" worry (positive outcomes there too).
Certain situations more likely to engender negative results are ones
which I avoid. Close calls can be quite instructive.
I'm comfortable driving the kart. As a renter in '98 and '99, and an owner
this year, I have never been frightened in the least by anything I could
perceive as a danger to my or anyone else's well-being. I have hit plenty
of cones along the way, and never felt an inkling of roll axis instability.
My internal gyro works just fine. I was more than a little surprised to hear
of a Briggs-kart going over to the detriment of the operator, after contact
with three cones. One of those freak situations where I wish there were
a video available, so I could study the dynamics.
I suppose there are a couple of sites I am familiar with that would not be
appropriate for my kart. Frankly, they are at best marginal for car safety
issues as well. I won't run there. Concerns voiced about kart drivers
flying through the air and meeting some fixed object along the way in an
autocross situation are unfounded. All suppositions regarding that
extremely unlikely if not impossible happening are at best silly, at worst
purposeful pandering of horror stories with no basis in fact. If a curb or
light pole or tree is close enough to the course to be hit by a kart in spin
mode, then it is WAY too close for cars too. Change the course.
As for karters bringing in an increased level of danger, thereby raising
insurance risks to an unacceptable (cancelable???) level... Ridiculous.
It would seem that some would paint kart drivers as senseless idiots
with no rational understanding of their own frailty of mortality, or concerns
regarding the inherent risks of sport and necessary safety precautions.
Not so. What increases risk are higher numbers of participants and wide
variances in experience/skill levels. What increases risk are vehicles
poorly suited to high-g and transient situations on competition purpose
tires, or those which are less than properly maintained. What increases
risk are inattentive drivers and workers. What increases risk are bad site
conditions and poor course design. (No, I am not talking about the Peru
Pro. That is a subject which am qualified to talk about as the closest
witness to the loss of control leading to the accident, if not the accident
itself. Save that for another posting.)
Out of all the kart-related comments, there are a few specific topics I still
wish to address:
As for karts in autocrossing being a "failed experiment".... not
so fast to jump to that conclusion, Mark. As someone related, there
are legions of "sports car" owners out there who don't even know
autocrossing exists. The same could be said of kart owners. That
should soon change, keep your eyes open. While I couldn't possibly
expect w2w kart racers to drop their sport and come dodge cones
with us, the majority of shifter karts sold in this country are NEVER
raced. Those owners will know about SCCA before long. As was
also mentioned recently, parents with youngsters interested in a safer,
controlled beginning to motorsports aspirations should be overjoyed
at learning of our Jr. Program. I do not expect miracles, attendance-
wise, but I do believe that last year was a low point, and that numbers
will increase from there.
Mari and Eric, I am very happy that Matthew had a good time. Some of
us have forgotten that is what it is all about, apparently. When I squatted
down to chat with Matthew prior to Sunday's runs, his face was lit up as
he told me of his red light, his cone, and his spin! My oldest, Colin, turns
8 in July. If he is interested in driving, I can only hope he has the same
fun attitude Matthew has. Autocrossing, even Pro Solo, is supposed to
be fun for all, no matter what someone choses to compete in. Thank
God for the young that can remind us of that!
Susan Delzell, I do appreciate your concerns about squashing one of the
karts and/or karters in the paddock or grid area. I am familiar with the
CP car that is your usual ride, and can imagine the self-contained "Zone"
it would envelop you with when you are in the driver's seat. But to allay
your fears, there is not a karter in the world foolish enough to pull up
close behind such a beast, or anything much bigger than him/herself,
actually. And I'd trust you not to pull up close behind me. The driver of
the black Corvette in the L class which most often gridded behind me
ALWAYS left adequate room so that she could SEE my kart in front of
the car. I meant to tell her I appreciated the attention/courtesy. Actually,
I can't imagine any driver doing anything else. As for the age of your
"bones", I respectfully submit that they appear younger than mine. I am
among the many impressed with your driving skill; you are welcome to
try the Renspeed anytime. You might even find it as fun as a CP car?
Well, faster, anyway...... :-)
Alan Sheidler
96 Renspeed/Honda #21
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