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Post by racerrich on Apr 17, 2009 15:46:56 GMT -5
Hey Bob, you could have passed on the grass comment, but I heard that it did finally grow back. PLease understand that poor Joffrey is not the bad guy here. He is doing what he was told/ needs to do. That doesn't make it OK however. The fact remains we can jump on board or overboard, we have a choice.
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Post by ken51 on Apr 17, 2009 19:47:46 GMT -5
Rich and Bob are probably right on target, Joffrey is simply doing as Birel has required. Unfortunately he has probably invested quite a bit of money in Birel, freeline and Vega merchandise and needs to make some return on his investment. We need to be understanding of this when we see him tomorrow, but at the same time we need to let him know how we feel. We need to handle this like a family, Joffrey is not the enemy! We are all interested in the well being of Easykart, we just do not agree on what is best at this time. Birel has invested in an engine program and is looking at it's bottom line to recover it's investment while we are also looking at our bottom lines. We need to find out exactly what Joffrey has committed to Birel and see if we can either live with it or "negotiate" a palatable agreement before we start talking about an "outlaw" Easykart class. Monticello Karting has allowed certain non performance enhancing deviations from the rules for quite a while in order to meet the needs of it's customers such as allowing any MG tires and allowing karts to compete without Easykart stickers. I'm sure Homestead Karting has made similar allowances for it's customers. If Easykart Florida can make allowances for it's customers, I am sure we can work out our differences, if not, there may be no customers. Successful businesses are customer driven, JC and Tony have been aware of this for years. See you Tomorrow! Ken
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Post by briansdad on Apr 17, 2009 20:35:27 GMT -5
Rich,
You said: "Since the Italian tech guys cut our seals off without our permission, we will not have seals...."
This happened at the Ocala FKCS race as well. We had a perfectly good OEM IAME engine--the one that came with the kart--with the original, from-the-factory seal, never rebuilt, and post-race tech made us cut off the seal and take apart the head/cylinder--in the middle of a sand/dust storm.
I personally found the sealed engine concept to be one of the main attractions of Easykart....
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Post by racerrich on Apr 17, 2009 21:00:40 GMT -5
Boy, the forum hasn't been this active for a while! It is my understanding that Joffrey has a bazillion (perhaps an exaggeration) new Vega tires that none of us want. While I feel for the investors behind Joffrey, I didn't place that order, nor did I instruct Birel to create the new engine. These people need to be aware of the current economy and the general way things work here in the states. This is not Italy. As far as the seals go, I was dead set against removing them from the beginning, and still am. Just because Italy doesn't use seals we shouldn't? That's crap! We don't have the Birel mechanics around every corner here to tech. Why do we have to be aligned with the world anyway? Why can't we have US specs and US rules and just face the consequences of new stuff if someone has the good fortune of going to Italy? We shouldn't torture the large majority just to prepare 5 people to go to Italy.
LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!
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Post by racerrich on Apr 18, 2009 6:42:46 GMT -5
Bob Stevens made a comment about bumpers in the Poll thread. Just to share one more opinion, I am actually in favor of the full bumper. While I don't know the handling/weight implications yet, I feel that karting acrooss the board should indeed have full rear bumpers. It takes the fear of that moron behind you climbing up and over you. (Been there, done it!) I sure don't think it's worth the 2-3 hundred dollars though!
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Post by racerrich on Apr 19, 2009 11:10:26 GMT -5
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Post by jlgracing on Apr 19, 2009 12:11:18 GMT -5
I'm with Rich, what's the poop,skinny,story,explanations,well,what did joffery say? ??
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Post by easyrider on Apr 19, 2009 21:31:12 GMT -5
I don’t really understand what the whole fuzz about the new rules is. In the first place we spent a lot of money adding all these things and nobody complained, most of you outspent me with the steering wheel alone, needless to say the $200 Tillet seat and nobody complained. Most of you outspend me every race weekend when you buy those new tires to get that extra 10th of a second and nobody complains. What’s so bad about finally having somebody that wants to take Easykart to the next level and here we are creating an “Outlaw Series”. I remember how the same people that are now creating all this chaos were attacking Rudy for not acting and enforcing the rules and so on, and now that finally somebody is showing that they want to do right we just bully them. When did we ever see anybody from Birel at any of our tracks?, when had we ever seen a tech at a club race like the one performed by the Italians at Homestaed?( and they were lenient), when did they ever announce that they were bringing a technical steward from the factory to instruct the track owners?, come on people, these guys seem like the real thing, they are investing in a class because they see the potential in it, and of course the money in it too but at least they are investing more than anybody probably has done to make it work. If we don’t let these guys do what they believe is the best for the class (It works in Europe), we are doing ourselves harm. Let me explain; we don’t support them, we don’t buy from them, we don’t spread a good word about the class and its benefits, nobody new will come to the class and the Easykart guys will close down and once again leave the already low numbered class hanging. IT WILL EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR! and the ones left will be the 5 guys complaining running by yourselves in a tag class that will probably make you spend more trying to be competitive. We the Easy-karters should be the first to support all these changes, we need to bring new people soon, our class is dying, a year or 7 months whatever time it might be, is too long because the new ones will simply wait or go to another class feeling at a disadvantage with all the modifications we are allowed and that they wont be willing to spend in because those will be outlawed in less than a year. You see guys; the same way you think about spending whatever it is that we have to spend retrofitting our karts, the new guys will too about upgrading to where you are. If nobody buys into the class, the Easykart guy won’t make it that long. Easykart has a credibility issue and everybody looks at Easykart, like a big joke. Ask any Rotax driver and they will tell you and this is exactly why. We have to change that, Easykart has the potential to be bigger than Rotax, is cheaper and probably as fast, but the problem lies when somebody proposes change and the SACRED COWS of the class whine and complaint and threaten until they get their way (Ask Rudy). You SACRED COWS, set the example and help our class, only time will tell if the European model doesn’t work in America, let's give it a chance but don’t believe you know it won’t work because you are by no means marketing experts and neither am I, but I differ from your point of view. Needless to say there are other factors that give that perception to the class, lack of support and parts and the so called GRAND NATIONAL that only has Florida drivers plus the ridiculous techs at our local races (or should I say “the lack of”). Pretty much in every track the class is dying. LETS JUST KILL IT, that’s the attitude, you do as I say or I won’t support you (Bullies). I know some of you do this for fun but many others do it because they are competitive and want to get better. If I wanted to race with my buddies I would go to an indoor track and have fun. I want to compete, race against other people that will challenge me, making me better and eventually win races and championships in a class that could be big and important and earn my way to the world finals because I’m the best in my class. Don’t give me the crap that you don’t care about Italy just because at the moment you don’t stand a chance. It would be a whole different story if any of you were leading in the FKCS or felt that you had a chance at the GRAND NATIONAL. I want to go someday and see how I fare against the best and if I don’t do well, I’ll try to get better with the lessons learned and improve until my abilities let me. The American Way, BE THE BEST. I don’t plan to go to F1 or Nascar, so this is as close to the big time as can be for me. I don’t have the knowledge nor the time or money to go to another class and deal with setups and adjustments that I don’t understand trying to be competitive. I follow what the tech guide that came with my kart tells me, simple. I want to jump in my kart and race. Easykart provides that for me. Let’s pave the road for the newcomers, they are going to get a kart race ready and competitive out of the box, it won’t be better than the one next to you, no need to add anything, we will all have the same(of course it will depend on how much you take care of it) . Isn’t that GREAT?! The driving is what counts. That’s the spirit of the class. You won’t hear the Dad of that kid next to you saying that “right now I can not afford that $200 Tillet or the $150 steering wheel that you think looks so cool on that spoiled kid’s kart”.
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Post by Admin on Apr 20, 2009 5:23:25 GMT -5
Easyrider,
Please sign your post or risk your post being deleted.
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Post by racerrich on Apr 20, 2009 5:36:29 GMT -5
I agree Karl, thank you.
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Post by racerrich on Apr 20, 2009 8:31:08 GMT -5
Whoever Easyrider is, please step up and identify yourself and stop hiding. You have made many excellent points in your post. Most of which are quite factual, not hearsay. For this, I am appreciative. I do however take offense to the name calling such as "Sacred Cow" or "Bully". Anyone who knows me, should understand that I am quite opinionated and often speak my mind. I don't always "follow the flock" and often tactfully cross the line, to make my point. This is not a bash Easykart project. I have been, and still am, Easykarts most avid supporter and have been for almost 5 years now and I truly believe in the Easykart "concept". It is the execution of that plan for which I have the most disagreements. Trust me, nobody wants equal competition more than me. We need to keep the fat wallets off the podiums, and let the true racers win. Joffrey has done a wonderful job since he started in trying to get everyone on an even playing field. The problem lies however in timing. Several series have already begun and to make wholesale changes now is just wrong. The idea of better tech has been one of my missions for several years now. That is the only way the classes will be contained and even. That has indeed started and for that I am very appreciative! While the Italian tech guys did do a much more thorough tech in Homestead, did you notice that they didn't DQ anyone?! This was more of a "Hey, pay attention, we will be watching from here on." exercise. I am all for it. I can only speak for Rich, but I think I have a solution that should be workable for everyone involved. What if we all agreed to replace our bumpers, steering wheels and whatever else was requested and turn them in to our Easykart distributer for a credit and have them replaced with the "specified" products at a discounted price. Not a token discount, but at cost. This will do many things all at the same time. It will take these questionable parts out of circulation, It will immediately bring all the karts into conformance and magically, it will make all the karts equal, which is what we are all after anyway. While this will be an expense for Joffrey, this would align his "flock" with the rest of the world, make Birel happy and make the karters happy. At least meet us half way and we can all move forward.
And by the way. I am a marketing expert. I started a business from scratch, did over 34 million in sales and sold the business and retired. Is that expert enough?
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Post by ken51 on Apr 20, 2009 8:58:57 GMT -5
Getting everyone's opinion out in the open is what this forum is all about. Joffrey visited Monticello on Saturday and had a very "spirited" discussion with the local track owner and racers. Hopefully we have a better understanding of each others position. Some minor changes to the new rules were discussed for use until after the GN's (such as not requiring seat and steering wheel changes), we will need to see how or if the rules are revised. I get the feeling that very little will change for the local events up here. The folks running the state series will have to follow FKCS direction (Joffrey has directed to use Vega tires in Jax but no word from FKCS yet). GN racers will need to stay up to date with the rules/provisionals in effect at the time. Easykart has been a great product up here and is by far the most popular series of classes on race day. Homestead has greater diversity in kart classes so competetors have more class options at local events. We are comfortable with the old rules requiring engine seals and a bit uncomfortable with the new. Track owners will probably drive the acceptance or rejection of the new rules since stocking replacement parts (relying on limited source(s) for parts) and providing race technical inspections will ultimately be their responsibility. Homestead Karting probably already has a technical inspection procedure in place due to their class diversity and technical capabilities. We are all very passionate about our racing and have our opinions on this subject. I know we will weather the storm. Ken
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Post by jlgracing on Apr 20, 2009 19:25:46 GMT -5
Maybe i've said this before, I am not opposed to the new rules as set forth by EKF. I just don't like the timing, almost the middle of the season, we're a new team, we bought an existing EK125 that ran last year. That kart met all the rules then and has met all the rules up to now. As i read the new rules we will have to spend quite a few dollars just to legal at Jax. as i understand. We are racing on a budget and maybe you think i we can't afford it, don't do it, its just like i said before, if you change the rules to much, i'll buy a set of bridgestones and go tag racing, there i can run whatever steering wheel i want, I'm pretty proud of our EK 125 #31, I have EasyKart in big letters across the back of our trailer so i believe in the brand, if i didn't, i would have bought a different name brand kart with a rotax or leopard engine. What i'am trying to say, let things alone for now, institute the new rules at the beginnning of the 2010 season, let us afford to go the grand nats. i'm not ashamed of seeing my son drive that #31 kart. I think its prettier than any other EK125 out there......even if i use possum grease on the chain,duct tape to hold on the body, and a couple of chitlin' bags hangin' off the side(that last part was fer rich) we are goin' be up'n noth fla.
well i've said my peace and after reading through it, i'm not quite sure what i was trying to say,,,,,,,,,,,OH Leave the Rules ALONE for now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nobody said i am the sharpest tool in the shed
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tkovi
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by tkovi on Apr 20, 2009 20:32:17 GMT -5
Please check the FKCS website for our official position on the issues with the new rules. www.flwkasprintseries.comThe board of directors met tonight and we (acting in the interest of the membership) discussed the situation at length. Due to many factors, including the timing of the proposed rule changes, decided the following: - Rules will be retroactive to what we started with at the beginning of the year (EK60 will be 235lbs) - We will post the rules copy on our website once we verify the correct revision - Bumpers will be required going forward, any WKA legal bumper is allowed - Spec Tire will remain as MG Yellow - Spec Oil / Fuel will be Castor / 98 octane (as supplied by track) Please direct any specific questions to either John Devine (Junior Classes) or Todd Kovi (Senior Classes). You can find our e-mail addresses on the FKCS website under the 'Contacts' page. Thanks
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Post by jlgracing on Apr 20, 2009 20:43:22 GMT -5
thanks todd, We want to support EKF but lets do it at the first of 2010 season
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