2014 IKF Road Racing Cup ~ Interest?

[Beck Duggleby]

Hello, guys (and gals),

I've been out of karting for a while, but I am seriously considering buying a Stock Honda and moving into S2 (I'll be 15 in 2014 so S5 wouldn't be a smart option). That being said, I've been mulling over a prospect and I want to get all of your opinions on the idea.

The IKF Road Racing Grand Nationals will be held in Portland, OR this year, as probably everyone knows. I was thinking that maybe, adding to the spirit of the Grand Nationals, a series or cup could be launched under the IKF banner. Here are some of my thoughts...

I, for one, love racing on world-class, world-renowned racing facilities. This is said with all due respect for the more regional, humble facilities that WKA, WKC, Championship Enduro Series, NCK, and the now defunct PSRRA love to race on. I'm talking about Gateway, Gingerman, Buttonwillow, Blackhawk Farms, Bremerton, Pacific Raceways, Summit Point, etc. I'm assuming most of the forum members here like to race at the "world-class" facilities like Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio, VIR, Sonoma, Laguna Seca, Daytona, etc.

So, what about launching a series under the IKF that races not only in one region, but around the entire United States with 6-8 races at world-class facilities that would cost a small fortune to rent but would attract the biggest crowds? What about seeing 6-8 pins on the map spread out around the country, possibly at places like Sears Point and Miller in the west and VIR and Mid-Ohio in the east?

I've got several ideas for tracks -

WEST -
- Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, CA)
- Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Monterrey, CA)
- Portland International Raceway (Portland, OR)
- Miller Motorsports Park (Tooele, UT)
- Circuit of the Americas (Austin, TX) ... $50,000 a day

EAST -
- Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, OH)
- Daytona International Speedway (Daytona, FL)
- Virginia International Raceway (Danville, VA)
- Barber Motorsports Park (Birmingham, AL)
- NOLA Motorsports Park (New Orleans, LA)
- New Jersey Motorsports Park (Trenton, NJ)
- Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA)
- Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI) ... if we could convince them to allow karting again
- Heartland Park Topeka (Topeka, KS)
- Lime Rock Park (Lakeville, CT) ... do they allow karts?

Here's an example schedule...
1. Daytona International Speedway - January 3-5, 2014
2. Miller Motorsports Park - March 7-9, 2014
3. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - May 23-25, 2014
4. Sonoma Raceway - June 27-29, 2014
5. Heartland Park Topeka - August 1-3, 2014
6. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - August 29-31, 2014
7. NOLA Motorsports Park - September 26-28, 2014
8. Virginia International Raceway - October 31-November 2, 2014

My main questions for you all are...
A) Is this idea fundable; i.e. is it within a reachable budget
B) Would you be willing to drive/fly across the country to reach the final, championship race at VIR (or anywhere else)?
C) How many people would be interested in running any of the races?
D) What should the entry fee be, if any?
E) What tracks should be added or subtracted?
F) Should a few smaller facilities like Summit Point, Roebling Road, Kershaw, etc be added to the series?
G) How many entries could be expected for each race?
H) How many people would be willing to pay $500 a day to run Circuit of the Americas for a weekend (that's if 1000 people show up)?
I) Do you want to administrate this if you're interested?

Also, I was thinking about the idea of running joint weekends with the WKA, NCK, Championship Enduro Series, or Woodbridge Kart Club.

In conclusion...

I am not old enough (or rich enough) to fund this series by myself. Actually, I probably wouldn't be involved in any of the administration. However, I would like to throw this idea out there in case anyone wanted to pick it up and run with it. Essentially the idea of this series is to attract massive grids of karts and offer racing at world-class facilities which are NOT limited by regional constraints (i.e. they are placed all over the nation, from coast to coast).

I'd like to get an idea of who's interest so if you are subsequently interested please let me know. My email is beckduggleby3@gmail.com, so you can shoot me an email there or just post on this thread. I'd like to know your location so I can gauge which regions are the most interested and, likewise, the least interested.

Cheers!
Beck
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[Jim McMahon]

At a glance and off the cuff.... too many races IMO. The economy/karting world can't sustain it right now. There might be a chance for an annual event, but a full series I think there's little hope.
"World class" is great and all, but a great kart track it does not automatically make.

A) Is this idea fundable; i.e. is it within a reachable budget
That depends on the exact track you are talking aboit. Off the cuff, I would say no.

B) Would you be willing to drive/fly across the country to reach the final, championship race at VIR (or anywhere else)?
Once a year, probably

C) How many people would be interested in running any of the races?
Might be interested in one.

D) What should the entry fee be, if any?
Sub $200/day, leaning towards $150.

E) What tracks should be added or subtracted?
Don't really have an answer for you on that one.

F) Should a few smaller facilities like Summit Point, Roebling Road, Kershaw, etc be added to the series?
I think that goes without saying. You'll need to build up a following of solid entries before you can go to the more expensive tracks.

G) How many entries could be expected for each race?
I think you'd be looking at 400 on a good weekend to start off. That's being generous, and a one-off event too.

H) How many people would be willing to pay $500 a day to run Circuit of the Americas for a weekend (that's if 1000 people show up)?
Not me.

I) Do you want to administrate this if you're interested?
Administrate, sure.
"Invest" no
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[Greg Lindahl]

Beck, I admire your ideas and drive to publish them. Many of your ideas have great merit.

I would pay $500.00 for a day at COTA and it would be my travel race. (That said, 50 * $1,000.00 = $500,000.00, which is enough to pay for ten days.)

I would travel >1,000 miles from the West Coast once a year for a "treat".

My personal karts are 80cc powered, a dying (dead?) group on most areas. This limits my racing to West Coast events.