Oct Fastrack is out

Vernon Head · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:30 am Post subject:

The 385 lb. weight obviously was designed, and not by SCCA by the way, to allow the largest number of participants to be competitive. If you weigh 250 lbs., then I'm afraid you may be outside the window. If you weigh 110 lbs., you also may be outside the window. That's just the way it is. If you have to put 35 lbs. of lead on your kart, be grateful that you can get exactly the weight you need and no more.

Chris M Johnson · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 568

Tim Walsh · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:48 am Post subject:

Just as another piece of data. Steff at her fighting weight would not be able to meet a 350 minimum weight on a modern kart. She should be around the 155-160lb mark ideally. This year she was well over that due to some health issues(knee mostly). She's happy with the proposed 20lb weigh break.

KAC:

If you don't see a letter from Steff by the end of the week, please email/PM me. It's been a couple of crazy days with more coming. She wants to get a letter in, just been tough to find a few minutes to sit and collect her thoughts.

Tim

Edit: Chris this thread is about the women's weight, and not the endless fight that is open class.
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2002 Birel CR32V/ StockMoto w/PI

Chris M Johnson · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 568

Brian Garfield · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:59 am Post subject:

Hey, the 385lb weight is fine, there are people that would like to raise that, claiming people are bigger. Yeah, they are bigger...now pick a different sport if you don't like it and want to be competitive. I wouldn't be a competitive in Football or Basketball and I'm a competitive person, so I don't chose those sports.

Same thing for the kids, if they're bigger, chose a different sport or learn to not be competitive. The short kid can love basketball as much as they want, practice hard, and be the best SHORT basketball player out there. But when it comes down to being competitive at the highest level, you either realize that you can't be and just be happy playing, or pick a different sport.

The 350lb weight for women was fine...but that was changed. We tried for 6-7yrs to work with the 385lb weight. So, by choice, we are choosing (as of right now) for Lisa not to run anymore. Or, at least my back is...

I honestly don't think 20lbs is going to make me change my mind, but yes, I do appreciate the effort in the right direction and I believe it will be better for the sport.

If they're agreeable to moving the weight, why not to where it's even better. Heck, even a male in a TAG kart can run 360lbs... We would've run a TAG awhile ago, but for good reason, Lisa would rather have the thrill of shifting.

Don't kid yourself, if they don't want to lower the weight because of the expected speeds, a TAG will already hit HIGHER speeds than a shifter, it just loses time on the launch and the dig out of some corners (I've done that test), so your autocross course time might be slower, but your max speeds aren't.

Brian

Tim Walsh · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:10 am Post subject:

Also, I don't think she'd complain too much about a 350 minimum weight. She's of the opinion that if she's over by 15lbs like this year, it's no excuse, just suck it up, drive well and the real winner will appear.
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2002 Birel CR32V/ StockMoto w/PI

Jason Vehige · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:09 pm Post subject:

Bill Schmidt · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:18 pm Post subject:

Jason, I think you mean 370 lbs. Dont we add 20 for pi/icc?
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Bill Schmidt

'95 Trackmagic 125 shifter (Kawi)
'88 Red Devil F500 4-link rear (Rotax)

Larry MacLeod · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject:

Jason Vehige · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:08 pm Post subject:

Bill Schmidt · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:43 pm Post subject:

BTW, has anyone analyzed the % of expected driver weight in other Solo formula cars? I'm pretty sure FM is structured for heavier drivers, but I'm just wondering how much.

Larry
too skinny for KM[/quote]

I have ran FM for several years. My car is 600, I am 220 with helmet = 820. Our minimum with 494 engine is 800. Being 20 lbs over is nothing. Some people run 70 lbs over and do just fine. We had a national champ a few years back that won at 70 lbs. overweight. Cant do that in a kart, though.
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Bill Schmidt

'95 Trackmagic 125 shifter (Kawi)
'88 Red Devil F500 4-link rear (Rotax)

Larry MacLeod · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:59 am Post subject:

Robbie Nelson · Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 131

Bill Schmidt · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:59 am Post subject:

When the dust settles from the Runoffs, we need to get the weigh-in list for KM and KML.
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Bill Schmidt

'95 Trackmagic 125 shifter (Kawi)
'88 Red Devil F500 4-link rear (Rotax)

Pete Schaible · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:57 pm Post subject:

As a #220 guy I accept that I am above ideal weight and pay a price for that. I don't want or expect SCCA to accommodate my love of cheeseburgers. My desire to be more competitive has encouraged me to lose weight over the winter. I find it ironic that we will spend hours and hours to make our karts more competitive but we won't spend that time on our own body to be more competitive in our respective class. Wasn't there talk of an 80cc shifter option for the ladies and lightweight men?