Superkart Coverage on this site?

Steve Widman · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 9:41 am Post subject: Superkart Coverage on this site?

I'm a used up retired Karter that is following the growing 250 class. Maybe even get back into the sport. Knowledge is paramount to motivation however. Why is coverage here so sparse? Laguna started off good, with promised coverage mid-week - nothing. Atlanta - who won? - nothing. Always digging for info, results etc. Forkers site and mylaps kick ekartings butt. That is sad. It's even more sad that the top echelon of karting takes a back seat to little Timmy and his taterdigger - on karting's top echelon site. Perhaps the 'new' owners of this site will recognize this. I just don't get it. Why?

Michael Soh · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 8:38 pm Post subject:

Why do we bother to try and promote superkarts at all when no one will take the time and effert to post any results, any where, anytime. JR went through a lot of effort for Laguna, trying his damnest to promote the sport. For what is my question we need these results to keep it going, to keep the interest at it's peak. Come on guys why have a site at all if it's not being used. We need updates from start to finish!!!!! NOT A WEEK LATER WHEN ALL IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT RACE. If the promoters are too lazy to post send the info to Forker's site (the best 250 web site) at least then we won't have to wait a week......or if we get it at all. It is a sad sad thing that the next best thing to F1 gets such poor coverage. And I thought you guys were fans. hhhhhmmmmm!!!!!!!
Steve I totally agree, correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Ron Howden supposed to give us good coverage, if this is good I would hate to see bad, maybe if we raced Rotax Max we could get results.

David Cole · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:58 pm Post subject:

http://www.ekartingnews.com/news_info.php?n=3379
http://www.ekartingnews.com/news_info.php?n=3384
http://www.ekartingnews.com/news_info.php?n=3392
http://www.ekartingnews.com/news_info.php?n=3394
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FIROUZ HAGHIGHI · Joined: 31 Jan 2002 Posts: 402

michael and steve

it is very easy to stand on the side lines and demand answers. i do not know about you but people have jobs. and i as recall today is just three day's after the race (atlanta). the atlanta race was not a world superkart nor the new US SUPERKART event. it was a simply a play time with the WKA group ( great people). i do not see any of you two stepping up and posting the results. so why should you demand others to post the results for your pleasure, so do not hold people accountable when they have not excepted the responsibilty (EKARTING NEWS) YET. after the events that took place at laguna seca. the US SUPERKART has a new start which is going to go to effect on 2005 (great events). so if you don't want to stepup and give positive inputs to the new organization (US SUPERKART) you should keep the neg. comments to yourself. JUST REMEMBER THESE PEOPLE DO NOT GET PAID for what THEY DO. oh, ya you two have one good idea after all. if you don't like what you see maybe a tag class is just a class for YOU.

firouz
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Rob Howden · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 6:07 am Post subject:

Gentlemen,

One of the things that I have come to understand in ten years of karting journalism is that you can never make everyone happy. It is true that EKN is now part of the HCI family and that the website will team with Super Kart Illustrated to provide a great deal of exposure for the sport. But, we are still in transition right now and we are still getting everything in place to properly approach the level of coverage that I am looking for. When we are at 100%, this site will do a great deal to cover 250cc superkart racing (and yes, 450cc as well) but not every race will get full trackside coverage. Truthfully, getting results from most orgs is like pulling teeth anyway. We will do what we can and we'll also do what our readership is looking for.

Our coverage of the World Superkart Challenge was, in my opinion, fairly solid. I would have liked to have been able to include results, but we had just taken over the site and I simply did not know the procedure for getting them posted. Leaving my cell phone back in Toronto on that weekend didn't help either. In the future, we will be including unparalleled website coverage of events from around North America and many of them will include superkart coverage. Plus, the SKI coverage of the WSC is still coming and it will be solid.

Mike et al., there is something you all need to understand, however. Superkart racing is a segment of our sport that does not give back in any way. It only takes. There is NO industry built around it and this is why it is so difficult to grow. Karting grows when there are kart shops that can make money off serving the classes. Superkarting does not have what it takes to properly nuture a business. I spent over $2000 to travel to Laguna to cover the race for EKN and SKI and other than the support that Riley Will and BRC have shown the magazine, I will not see a dime in return. I run a business and superkart racing only takes from it. I cover the class because I love it and the people in it and because it is cool...not because it is good for business. SKI makes money on advertising and loses money on every subscription, that is how the publishing business works. If I stopped covering 250cc racing all together, there would not even be a blip in my business. There is not industry there to help support the magazine.

Just look at the class; no one supports U.S. chassis manufacturers (the vast majority is Andersen and PVP, not P1, Cobalt or the now buried Nemesis), there are no full-time engine builders or body manufacturers. You buy tires, but everyone knows that they make virtually zero money for shops anyway and the tire companies do not advertise or sponsor classes or events because they don't have to.

What this all means is that covering 250cc racing does not help my business. Sending a man down to Road Atlanta to cover ten twins and less than 15 Unlimiteds just doesn't make sense. I know that you all would have liked to have had coverage, but I was in Orlando at the Stars of Karting event where 20+ shop owners were doing business to support their own families. This is a thriving industry that circulates money through the system. There is no circulation in superkarting.

Next year, we'll cover all the big superkart races because I love 250s and we'll cover them well. Ideally, my full-time well-paid web editor will be able to arrange to have results provided to us for races we cannot attend. The people that are running the races normally have ten or so additional race groups to score and stopping everything to send us results isn't an option.

The bottom line is that everyone does what they can for superkarting because they like it, not because its good business.

RH - HCI
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randall johnson · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 359

I would like to thank Ekartingnews for setting up this Forum to allow us
to chat with other 250 guys/gals without interfering with the karters that foot the bill for the race rags. ( 125 gearbox, Yamaha every thing Exc...)
I know we are the exception to the rule ...We Are not right... we drive
these Krazy wild super fast racing mechinges !
But I do it because I have the need for this kind of speed and performance. But I do not have the money to buy a F1 car.
So we take risk of running these things.
I think its the biggest bang for the Buck .
If we were to over promote it You would run into the 125 gig where
everyone runs out buy one then they are over their head and drive that way and start hurting people. This class should be the " Racecraft Engineering Devlopment class . I don't some race ragg patting me on the back in front of the masses. I am in my 40s I am an Engineer
I love this the stuff. I am not ever going to get sponsored by any one
because of my age and thats fine. I do it for the true love of the sport
Not to see my photo on some race ragg.
We can find out here what happend or better yet at the track!
So Steve If you build one show up at the track You'll KNOW the resaults!
Pull out Your wings and bring it on!!!! Laughing

Rob Howden · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 8:12 am Post subject:

This just struck me funny.....

We acquire Ekartingnews, add a 250 Superkart forum to help promote the category, and then someone uses said forum to slam us, saying we're not covering the class.

That's nice. Wink

RH - HCI
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randall johnson · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 359

well put.

Riley Will · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:30 am Post subject:

Rob, this forum is part of my daily routine. I love that HCI bought it. I love the new 250 section. It really saves my "inbox" from filling up and is more convenient for me that any other forum/list I have been a part of.

Mr. Soh, I can sympathize with you regarding the lack of results being posted in a timely manner. However, this is the responsibility of us the racers, not EKartingnews. EKarting is the place where they collect and display the information given to them. It is an avenue to promote at no cost to us. I am also a big fan of Rob Forker's www.250superkarts.com, he too rely's on us to supply him with information to keep his site fresh.

So, in closing, thankyou Rob and Rob for giving us a way to make the world a smaller place to share our adventures. Very Happy

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Steve Widman · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 1:09 pm Post subject:

Rob, excellent post. Thanks for the brutal facts and honesty. That's exactly what I was looking for. I don't like the answer however, as it has no fix. Randy is right, no one is going to make any money from 250's. This includes ekarting.

Judging the responses to my post, it is obvious to me that I am one of the few folks that didn't know the coverage issue is tied to return on investment. Should have known, shouldn't have complained. Geeesh....even my buddys are ganging up on me!

Rob, for any 250 coverage - thanks!

If I ever get back to the track, I'll buy little Timmy a beer (from Randy's cooler)

Michael Soh · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 8:29 pm Post subject:

Ok, I get it I should have done more research before I opened my mouth. Rolling Eyes

For that let me say that I am sorry; however it is nice to see that a simple post can ruffle so many feathers. HE HE HE. Rob I didn't mean to sound like I was bashing you I really do appreciate all that you do for the sport (without anything coming back to you). And also I didn't demand answers I only asked for them. Obviously everyone has a job if we didn't then we wouldn't be able to race superkarts considering how little return any of us receive.

So next time I will just sit on the side lines shut up and wait. After all what do I know about the business of racing I just a driver who loves the game

John Rounds · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 76

Ok guys. I called Rob Forker Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Laguna, It was a SIMPLE PHONE CALL with the results of that day. Can't ONE of the participants take a few minutes each race/practice day and give him the results? I understand Rob can't send a reporter to each and every 250 race but we can supply results that all will hopefully appreciate. John Rounds

Michael Soh · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 9:13 pm Post subject:

Mr Foost said people have job to do so no result get posted

Rob Howden · Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2004 7:20 am Post subject:

As I said guys, there will be 250 coverage on this site in 2005. We will be reporting live from Daytona and Road America and as many U.S. Superkart Championship events as we can hit. The key will be in developing a better relationship with series and their scoring people to get the results we need. In the past with SKI - a monthly publication - I had time to make the numerous calls needed to search out results. The immediate nature of EKN is a different animal and we are now working to bridge the gaps in communication.

For 2005, we will be looking at utilizing the forums for quick updates through 'Official Event Threads' and we will do what we can to get the results as quickly as possible. Remember, most timing and scoing people are volunteers and the last thing they want to do at the end of a long day is save the results for the specific files we need and send them to us. They just want food, a shower and their beds. We're going to have to develop a good relationship with these people to get what we need.

We will be working to develop EKN's coverage...just have patience with us as we ramp things up.

RH - HCI
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Johnny West · Joined: 03 May 2002 Posts: 1180

Rob & Rob.
Thanks for all you do. and thanks for this site.
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