Track Day Discussion

[Robert Lawson]

As requested I am starting a new thread.

I really wanted to see that other one make 100K views before moving on, that’s too cool!

Lets hope this solves the speed and loading issues.

To start, I’m personally SUPER excited about Nelson Ledges getting on a schedule…. and a 3 day GIG at that!!!! Would have preferred to see it replace the FALL MIS date in the schedule but someone much smarter than I must have it all figured out. I have said from day one, my interest in Nelson was to get karts back there and we will be there with bells on. Unfortunately, it will probably keep us from making that long awaited return to M-O. Hence the Aug/Sept wish for a date at the Ledge……

We have lots planned for the Winter and getting ready for the Spring Test at Grattan.

So, here is the current status update :

[Robert Lawson]

Just wanted to share this….

Nelson Ledges, August 25 2017:

Its just Chuck and I, Bobby K came out too, checkin’ it out and shootin’ pics. Fred is the Track Manager, he shoved me off. No EMT’s or corners on sight so Fred said “just take it easy….”

I’m told the curbs are in now, that will help with turn in sighting. It looks so different with all the trees gone. Plenty of flat groomed infield grass to camp on too! There is a 5 minute video at the FB page, take a look. It has the repave and some nice drone footage.

https://www.facebook.com/nelsonledgesroadcourse

[Robert Lawson]

Hope everyone has a safe trip and racing at Daytona this weekend.

The forcast looks terrible, warm for sure but T storms Fri & Sat with rain on Sunday? Long way to go to not get much done, lets hope they get some track time in.

I’ll be watching the race monitor to see what shakes.

http://www.race-monitor.com/

I am working on something new for next fall, also have reserved dates for Grattan in April AND May 2019. This gives us the best opportunity for a full weekend of testing in the Spring.

Cool stuff coming, it will be April before you know it!!!!

Happy New Year Y’all

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Under a bit of a rain delay at Daytona here on Saturday… they got 4 races in then have been in a holding pattern since.

I spoke to JW at the Speedway, was most interested to hear if Jim Brannon actually drove the GSXR600 kart that JW brought down. John said he did… “It didn’t behave…”   So I’m guessing that it just got squirlly at speed. I’ll find out more tonight.

I can let the cat-out-of-the-bag and tell you I helped in selling brother Kenny’s refurbished track ready enduro kart this week. Chris West is the new owner of this kart, its an ARC PP that he will run on a pipe. Best part of this news, his primary use will be for Track Day action and turning lots of laps! I’ll put him on the top of the list for this Spring!! Welcome back Chris.

Spent the first 1/2 of the day helping brother Rich move-in a couple doors down. We are both looking forward to spreading out, getting our karts in our garages, and working out some details for the Spring. Can’t wait to start letting the sparks fly on the project karts, especially that 4 stroker…. someone is gonna have fun in that thing!

More soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

UPDATE: Results are Unofficial, last 4 races had been shortened.

There was a red flag during the F100/Yam S Hvy race group. They did get restarted and finished their shortened race.

JW set fast lap of the day in Unltd. at 1:54.712 on his 3rd of 10 laps. He held a 23 second lead early, it came down to 19, then finished at 21 over Brian Wilhelm (1:56.557) on his new 250 laydown package. A good number of SK drivers down there from what we saw on the RM and the phone videos on FB. Not sure how many were on twins like JW.

More from Daytona tomorrow.

PS: with 12 minutes to go in the last race group (5:29pm edt) its getting dark!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Again, unofficial results from Unltd Sunday:
All race groups were shortened due to AM fog!

JW won again, lost his brakes/brake issue, best time was lap 1 of 10:  1:53.019 and was just able to hold off Brian Wilhelm by 1.184 (thats close!) who ran a best lap of 1:56.189 on lap 9 of 10….. so he must have been gaining the entire way with JW struggling. Good Job guys, glad to hear it was a safe weekend for all.

I’ll tell ya, that is an astounding feat. 1:53 in a sit uppity type kart like an Anderson is pretty darn impressive. Now that its over, I am looking forward to working on a project for JW this year for Daytona 2019 (GOD willing!) We will see, LOTS to do here now and still tripping over this post surgery recovery. I hurt it this week trying to do more than I should out there, thought I was gonna wet my pants it hurt so bad. At a month out, its still real sensitive and limited on R O M.

FORTUNATELY….. I can drive my kart with 1 hand!!!! Its THAT good!!!   :)

So, hope everyone has a safe trip home from Daytona and a safe and Happy New Year Celebration!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Some updates from above:

1. Brother Kenny delivered the kart today, Chris is pretty excited about April!

2. JW made a transaction with Jim Brannon in Daytona for the GSXR kart, Jimmy is now the new owner of the 600. It just got uncontrollable at speed over any bumps in the track surface. JW and I agree, we should have added a bunch of wheelbase to that kart. With all that HP a standard SK legal set-up was just not going to work as a 250 does. I’m glad he found a home for it.

3. Got back out in the garage and started working on the Project Kart. Also it was a nice 48 deg day here so we got karts off loaded from trailer. Rich has his kart at home and mine is back in the garage too. (with antifreeze!) Plenty of room out there now to spray sparks without damaging anything!

Rehabin at home here, its going very well! Instead of 2 x per week at PT I’m doing resistance band training and pully streches at least 1 x per day and if I get sore or stiff I just take a day off. Range of Motion is getting better, slowly!

I’ll get some video up tomorrow. Its a New Year guys…. cant wait to get going!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

This is the train wreck of a video I shot this afternoon. Its a mess but all the things I have been working on are there….and its less than 9 minutes!

Take a look:

If you want to know how we extended the chassis to add wheelbase just visit the channel, the 2 videos from Saturday are right there.

[Robert Lawson]

The April Test dates are in:

Saturday & Sunday April 13-14 2019 @ Grattan Raceway

The intention is to do the full weekend as we had planned last year. I’ll handle it the same way, anyone paying for the full weekend will be refunded the difference if we only do the 1 day.

Which single day will depend on the weather, obviously.

Plenty of time for details, but, both of the first 2 weekends in April were available. I chose the 2nd and will stay in contact with the Boys about any developments on the calendar.

These dates will get filled, the “tuner car” guys are now renting 3-4 times a year and seem to have the same dates in mind as we do. Their group is growing, when they first came out they had maybe 15 cars. (4-5 years ago) Last Mothers Day weekend they had about 50 and are breaking them into groups. They will soon be looking for full weekends as they offered to buy our Sunday last Spring!

Much much more to come, stay tuned!

RPM

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

Been back out in the garage, this time mounting a rear auxilary radiator for testing in April.

I have also contacted MIS about doing a track day out there in the Fall. The idea is a pre Daytona test for those serious about finding a hot set up.

This would be an Oval Only Test. Anyone serious about contending at Daytona would find this a 1 of a kind opportunity regardless of class or kart type.

Me, I would like to see just how fast my lumberwagon will go!

Anyway, I have not heard back yet from the Speedway but I do know from a very reliable source that they will not restrict our access or format. Its not cheap, but with the right number of guys (and $$$!!!) anything is possible!

Be back soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Watching the 24 @ Daytona here online and checking in during a commercial!

Just a heads up, karts will have an opportunity to get on the newly paved Waterford Hills Sports Car Course during Waterford Club – Car race weekends. Full details are coming but it looks like 6 weekends this Season, full weekend program mixed in with all types of race cars.

I’ll provide all the details and contact info when I get it. Will make a great testing opportunity as well.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

My Bro is heading out to Waterford Hills for their meeting of the racing club this coming Wednesday. Info on what is to be offered to karts will be along shortly after. I believe the noise level is going to be an issue but we will see next week.

The subzero weather looks to be ending this weekend, here in the Detroit area it will be back into the upper 30’s Sunday & Monday. I’ll get back out in the garage tomorrow and start working on that intake box for the auxiliary rad. Still have to replace the fuel tank yet too. We’ll get a temp plastic tank on there for April just to get out and test.

More video coming, stay warm out there boys!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

More conversation needs to take place on the Waterford Hills program. That issue could go a couple different directions. “Racing” during a full car event program OR “Testing” with F500’s and Miata’s on various other dates. Both require a minimum # of karts to be feasible.

My Bro got into this as a proxy for a friend, now it looks like more work than it may be worth. I’ll keep posting what I hear up to the point I get a solid contact handling it.

Be back soon!!!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

It was cold out there today so my play time was short! Getting the kart ready for April – 1 project at a time!!!

I shot a quick video, it uploaded OK but is being delayed in the publishing process. I’ll post it when its done.

The past week has been very productive. Cleaned the joint up and consolidated much of the stuff in the Garage. Well overdue. Moved a bunch of things over to Rich’s place, we will do glass and paint in his Garage!!!! Found our old banner, it was a mess. Had been rolled up and sitting for 10-12 years with tire dust from the Indoor karting place on it. I finally got it looking respectable and hung it on the wall. Think we had that made in like 98′ for the Troy OH Winter swap meet, displayed all the bodywork in the stands at the Ice Rink!!! Good Times! Also found a bunch of framed pics, rolls of developed pics, plaques & trophies…. a bunch of junk! The Garage is getting to feel more like the old place now.

So, just a heads up, we have just 9 weeks until April 13-14 so start making plans. In a few weeks I’ll come to wake Y’all from yer slumber and start collecting!

Movies comin’

RPM

 

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

[Robert Lawson]

Some changes and a lil more progress:

[Robert Lawson]

Back out there today and glued up the “skin” panels on the model. This isn’t the quickest form of Modeling but its dirt cheap. We have many Composite Supply Shops nearby with all the junk you can think of to use but its not at all cheap. And, we are making this “moldless” because its simply a test bit so its much much cheaper than a full blow model-mold-part production.

If you want to follow this (Part 3 video up now) or other stuff we’re doing just keep an eye on the YT channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/F125yourself

There are almost 200 videos on there, helmet cam… some tech/mech/fab, DIY stuff, Big Daddy even thumps you with some Scripture now and again! We have over a dozen different playlists of things to look at. Overdue for a “Garage Talk” clip with the Bro’s!!!! Soon, very soon!!!

I hope Y’all are working on yer stuff…. if not, come over and help me!!!

Be back tomorrow!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

No workie today, the weather is just a mess! Digging out melting ice….its WINTER!!!!

I did shoot Y’all a quick update though:

“….gimme a break, I’m on a roll!!!”

[Robert Lawson]

“I have also contacted MIS about doing a track day out there in the Fall. The idea is a pre Daytona test for those serious about finding a hot set up.

This would be an Oval Only Test. Anyone serious about contending at Daytona would find this a 1 of a kind opportunity regardless of class or kart type.”

The Speedway is currently looking into the dates I sent them. I have been corresponding with them this week, no issue has been brought up about running ONLY the Oval with karts.

Obviously nothing in stone yet but I don’t want to waste my time and theirs for nothing. So….

This may be a bucket list gig guys. Where else will you get the opportunity to run a Super Speedway without a road course?

It brings back fond childhood memories of the “Speed Runs” at Daytona back in the 70’s. I spoke with Bob Cole about this today, he has some memories of this long lost opportunity  as well. After practice day concluded you could pay a fee and run what ya brung, one kart at a time, and set an average speed (lap speed). My Pops got a Certificate from the Speedway “100 mph Club” as he ran 118 in a Margay C-Open owned by Gene Kurlonko. Geno had just run 112.5 (he was much bigger than my Pop’s) in the same kart and gave Pop’s some “pointers” on what not to do to go fast! No body work in those days, and they ran 100+ on Good Year Blue Streaks and Carlisle Super Slicks. That alone was nuts!

So think about it, I’ll update Y’all when I know more.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Still no word back from MIS, not surprising, I was told they work a bit on the slow side out there…

I have been working on the kart though, among other things……

[Robert Lawson]

Again, you can see all the installments of what we are up to at the YT channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU__d49WpYDlKa7VRiCL9Ww

Here is the final clip from today:

[Robert Lawson]

Grattan Spring Test Update coming soon. I’ll have all the details begining of next week.

If you haven’t already, put a big red X on your Calendars April 13-14. I’m getting anxious with all the things we should have to try. Maxxis is working on a front tire for us, we should be testing that and some different config’s on rear tire/wheel combos too.

Stay tuned, business is about to pick up!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Closed Private Kart Test – Grattan Raceway April 13 – 14 2019

Friday 4-12:
Entry for Trailer drop off or Paddock/Garage entry and camping after 6pm. Gate closes for the night at 10pm unless you have made prior arrangements for late arrival.

Saturday 4-13:
Gate opens at 7am. Only Drivers and Crew Members will be admitted inside the Track unless prior arrangements for non participants/spectators have been made. ALL others will watch from outside the Circuit, Management may require signing a Waiver to be on the Track grounds.

Drivers Meeting at 8am.  This is mandatory, do not arrive late to the Track. A required Track Prep List for each kart must be correctly filled out BY THE DRIVER of that kart before you can get on the track. It must be signed by an Official and a participant sticker will be issued. No sticker on kart, No kart on track.

Track is Green at 9am. We will run non stop until a kart is reported off Circuit by a Marshal. At that time a 15 minute clock will start, no one will have to sit for more than 15 min and upon going green if the first kart on track goes off we will always get at least 15 min of testing time before pick-up. Be aware, we may have 2 groups in the AM  for New or Young participants. We will take a Lunch break at 12:30. On Track activity ends at 5pm.

Sunday 4-14:
Gate opens at 7am.
Drivers Meeting 8am
Track is Green at 9am
Lunch Break at 12:30pm
On Track activity ends at 5pm

FEES:
Single Day Driver Fee: $220
Weekend Driver Fee: $320
Jr Driver Fee: 1 day – $120, weekend – $200
(if min Participation met, contact for details)

You must pre pay. Entry deadline is April 1st. (this is not a joke!)

Send check or Money Order payable to:
Robert Lawson
17731 Ivanhoe
Roseville, MI. 48066 
*Please include Driver name, number of Crew and kart class*

*** NOTES:
> We will not stop Green running for the gate, BE ON TIME!
> PayPal payments are pending at this time.
> Pit & Paddock Pass Fees are pending at this time.
(may be included in entry/or required by Spectators only)
> Race Gas availability is pending at this time.
> 2 day Participants are required to date & sign their Prep List each day.
(this does NOT require a 2nd form, email of advance copy of form pending)
> We will only accept Single day entries for Sunday after the Weekend
Lease is secured.
> Dinner will be provided Saturday Evening for all Drivers and Crew.
> Camping is Free.
> Garages are Free and open to First come.
> Gate Closes Saturday Night at 11pm.
> All participants to pit in Upper Paddock.
> All times are tenitive and subject to weather and track conditions.
> Entry is NON refundable, NON transferable and NON negotiable!
> A single day Test may be necesarry if participation requires, a weekend
entry would then be refunded the difference.

To inquire about late night arrival, format, scheduling or other questions send email here: f-125@hotmail.com

6 weeks Guys…. it will be April before you know it!

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

In speaking with Sam this week we talked about the latest rumors of a pending sale. I had heard yet again of some type of deal to sell the track.

He didn’t give me the same ole poo-poo story and play it off this time. He said there are multiple players at work trying to cut deals to buy them out. He went on to explain that the bookings this year are in stone and nothing will change, regardless of any sale taking place. IF it were to sell, they (the Family) would contractually stay on through a transition period.

It sure sounded to me, unlike ALL the other times I have asked him about a “sale” in the works, that they are ready to let the place go. He explained all the possibilities. The good news of a sale is it would surely lead to many upgrades that are long overdue. The bad news is that any change will obviously be reflected in the lease price.

An annual lessee would probably be given first refusal of any dates from new Management but anything can happen.

A newly revamped Grattan Raceway, at a much higher lease rate, may be attractive to a healthy Karting Org. Then again, agreeing to pay more may still put you on the outside looking in (VIR). Simply jacking up the entry fee without adding to the total number will not fly when Fee’s have not changed at places like M-O or Pitt Race with the same turn outs. Karters may be cheap…. but they aren’t stupid!

NO SALE HAS TAKEN PLACE, but……………………

I suggest you take advantage of all the track time available at Grattan THIS year.

More to come!

RPM

[Jerry Revely]

Revely’s will be down for the two day weekend.

[Robert Lawson]

Jerry,
You would have needed a darn good reason to miss the Annual Family Reunion Bro!!!

Boys,

Punxsutawney Phil predicted an Early Spring! We have had a cold spell like Y’all but its ending here right quick. We will see low to mid 40’s this weekend and next. No, that’s not “karting” weather but all the ice and snow should be gone from the grounds out there. That’s a start. We will have just 2 weeks to put this all together…… or Cancel.

The New Year this time has been extremely quite, I am usually chasing stragglers by now but we got nothing going as of yet. No need to post info any earlier because I wasn’t getting any feedback.

I predict mid 60’s out there the 13-14, I just hope it is US whom are enjoying it and not another group!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I have a date for an MIS Oval Test!

They are holding Sunday October 13 2019.

I might be looking at this as a kid looks at a new toy, but you just dont get opportunities like this very often. Very surprised how affordable this is for an ISC Speedway. Maybe because they don’t have to do any prep of an infield, placing barriers and such, or just that they will not need to open any walls (other than the crossover for entry). Who knows, but as details become more clear I’ll pass the info along. Now, the Insurance shopping takes place!

 

This much I can share:

*Oval ONLY!

*It will be an 8 hour day

*We will drive the karts to and from our pit in paddock

* I will provide a flat trailer/tow back

* Lunch is on me too

Man this would be huge fun, I sure hope we can pull it off!

More Soon!!!

 

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

I’m starting to get some inquires and e-mails for Grattan so that is good.

We will get a plug next week on the Real Kart Racing Podcast with Greg Wright and TJ Holingsworth. Not sure just yet how or where to watch live but I can find out. Lets hope that helps!

Rain here last night removed all but some small bits of snow where it was piled up. Its in the 40’s today and I’m looking at a 62 deg forecast with rain for Thursday. Warming up but also must consider the ability of snow & rain water to find a place to go!

Just 3 weeks for a go/no-go  call to the Track. I have to give them time to book the date if We don’t get enough interest. Get that check or MO in the mail, I can always send it back guys!!!!

More to come!

RPM

[Greg Wright]

Robert, I think the fall MIS thing just might have legs.

Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
Vintage B-Stock Pilot
"When in doubt Gas it, It won't help but it ends the suspense."

[Robert Lawson]

Glad you stopped in Greg, I was just going to post the link to your Podcast.

https://www.facebook.com/Real-Kart-Racing-Podcast-1630402147073940/

If you would, drop in or send TJ over and let us know when its live so we can participate. I spoke with TJ today and will be sending info for April and October for Y’all to share on the Show.  Yeah, the MIS thing is a real strong possibility. Still waiting on a few things but so far we are on the same page. Good sign!

Was back outside today planning the next bit of work to be done before testing/racing.

April is coming quick boys, just inside of 3 weeks now to the cut-off point.

“I’ll be baaaack” :)

RPM

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

In just about a week you will have to had put something in the USPS to get it to Detroit by the 1st.

Looking at the expected weather pattern I might be very close in calling for a daytime High in the 60’s. The overnight stuff looks to be a bummer though with lows in the 30’s still.

I get it, too cold for most….. I feel it too!  The weekend lease at this point is all but lost, any chance at a single day is quickly falling apart as well. Its all good boys, the few of you on board will have to join me in doing it the old fashioned way….. watching the weather for the first race weekend and making a call to go there!!!!!!

It has been a very strange off season. No interest in October, no motivation through the Winter, Spring bringing mild weather not enough to wake up & get going…… I’m gonna keep pluggin away at it here and maybe July wont be so hot this Summer! (then again, that would be a GOOD test for the aux rad!!!)

Talk to y’all next week.

RPM

[Todd Stoffer]

Still have yet to rebuild my motor, but I’m in for a test day. Just let me know how much.

[Jerry Revely]

Get the money to Robert. He works hard to put together these test days. He shouldn’t have to chase after people.

Thanks Robert for the work. Hopefully we can have enough people for a single day.

[Robert Lawson]

Spoke to Sam, things are slow so he gave me another week to find enough drivers.

I have been scratching names off the list as payments came in this week. If everyone on this list sends an entry we will be able to do a Single day.

Saying that, I dont believe everyone that asked for details is going to send an entry, so, we need to find a few more guys just to cover my a$$. 2-3 over and above the list here would make me feel better thats for sure.

I have also contacted a few “Car” guys to see if they would be interested in testing if we get close but not quite there on $$$. This will be a last resort as we would then have to split the total time to give them a few runs.

Good news is we now have a choice between Sat or Sun if weather becomes an issue. Always nice to have a back up plan! Everything is in the mix right now, I’m doing the best I can with what I have to work with Y’all!

More to come!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’ve got some deflating news.

Nothing has really changed on the track day front, we still need every last one of the guys interested to pull it off. As stated above, I guess we’ll give it the rest of this week.

Bummer is, I’m out!

My leg started hurting again Friday/Saturday and it got much worse over the weekend. Doc said I have another clot, he put me right back on the Xarelto and said…. “I’m sorry, You may be on it for good.”

If we get enough $$$ to do the track day I’ll be there to run it for you, but I can not participate.

I’ll let Y’all know how this thing works out no later than Sunday AM (4-7-19)

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

No sense dragging this on until Sunday.

I would already have informed Sam that we will be canceling if he had answered either of his phones!

So that’s it, we have officially canceled for April 13-14 2019.

I’ll get the few payments I have heading back to you Monday, in the mail.

Myself and 1 other guy, knowing we could not participate, had ponied up an entry so the rest of you could turn laps. This HAS happen in the past as well by a few other regulars. It takes a dedicated group of folks, cant remember the last time we didn’t have a Spring Test at Grattan scheduled….. Times they are a changin.

I will finish my kart and get it all back in one piece, wrapped up & packed up, ready to run in the chance sometime in the future I can drive it. If not, the plastic tanks will stay bright & clean forever!

Any questions shoot me a note. I’ll check back in, I have more details about the MIS gig later this year to work out and share yet.

Talk soon!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I sent all the payments back today.

Dennis, sent your T-Stat back too! Give me a call when it arrives.

Feeling much better, the leg is pain free and the shoulder is about as good as its gonna get. No complaints! Doc has temporarily kept me out of the garage and away from saws, drillin, grindin, hammerin, etc. Basicly just keeping aware of my surroundings and not to do anything that could result in injury until I speak to the specialist in a couple weeks.

I’ve turned the corner, if I’m out for good then so be it but I’m not giving up on the chance to get in the kart again. We’ll see. Everything happens for a reason!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Everyone should have received their return payment by now, if not let me know. Todd told me to save my stamp on his, we’ll have to do a video with the Check Burning and the updates done to the kart in prep to test. The fuel tank set up turned out nice.

Back soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

As promised, I have finally got back out in the shop and shot a clip for Y’all.

I address a few points made by my good buddies and karting friends TJ & Greg from their online podcast/livestream karting talk show. Also, I think its “nice” that the Orgs & Clubs are making alliances to produce well attended events. With each continuing to hold to their own rules & classes its just the SOS with a different wrapper. Not more karts racing for the same award mind you, but more karts coming through the door, period. And the costs still go up! Hmmm…..

Next Video:

I will share my oppinion of what went wrong, ID the causes of these issues, and share an idea or 2 on how and where to look outside the box to help get the health of the sport/hobby going forward instead of backward.

I’d love to do this live and take calls!

[Robert Lawson]

Playing around today and shot a quick clip.

Got a couple more days before I return to see the Doc and get the results of my blood work. I’m about bored to death and got the fingers crossed I will be able to test my updated cooling system sometime this year.

More soon

RPM

[Mike Tracy]

Nice fittings.  :)

I use a little Permatex #2 on the fittings.  Teflon tape is good for fuel, but is meant for filling metal to metal gaps.  With the polypropylene tanks, you need something that will seal potential larger gaps.

Thumbs up for good news from the Docs!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks for the tip Mike!

Hope you had a chance to get on the track there at Gateway, I hear it rained all weekend?

Cher and I went to see the Hematologist and get the test results last Thursday. She doesn’t trust that I’ll tell her the truth of what the Dr. has to say…. so she goes right in the room with me. Of all those tests (30 or so vac tubes) everything came back good or normal, but 1, it was positive. Doc says they sometimes get a false positive for this specific test/problem (I cant even remember how to pronounce it) so he asked if I could come back in late July to give more blood and retest that positive again. But, during the Q&A when he decided to put off making the call for a short term or permanent Med program I asked “How ’bout EARLY July instead???” Cher rolled her eyes, and he looked at me strangely, then Cher blurted out “There is a RACE in July!!!” I go back July 2nd…. hee, hee!!!

Before that though, I go back to my Vascular D.O. June 3rd to have another Ultrasound and see how (if) the clot (both) is regressing. Knowing my D.O., I could probably talk him into letting me “adjust” my dose so I can race at Mid-Ohio, at worst Grattan. I mean, they’ll let me off it to get a Tooth yanked, have a Colonoscopy, or have my Gallbladder finally removed…. why NOT for some fun???

So, I really don’t know much more than I did a week ago about temp/permanent med program. But, there is still a chance of something shaking out this year yet! I told the Doc, “Maybe by December huh? If I have to sit out all Summer I want to go to Daytona!” Cherri is sayin’ Hell No, but the Doc was intrigued…. “You mean…” I said YES, the big Speedway!!!! He just smiled…. Now, if I can just get him to write a PRESCRIPTION to go to Daytona I’M IN!!!!!!   Poor Cherri, she has no idea who shes messin with. Or maybe she does!!!!

More soon

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Getting closer to finishing up all the mechanical changes.

Then the cosmetics, I’ll shoot a video spraying gelcoat and laying up a new Side Panel to extend the body.

Hope everyone is having a safe weekend at Nelson!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

My .02

[Robert Lawson]

A bit more progress, getting closer to getting back behind the wheel!

More coming soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Fresh Air tube finished, leak testing Tanks & Additional Rad:

Installing permanent front bumper too:

Getting ready to do my April testing in JULY!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Obviously I’m slowly (and very carefully) getting back into the swing of things. If you follow the videos I post new clips just about every day, sometimes a few per day. I have a bit to get done before Grattan, and, another trip to the Hematologist yet.

My Vascular Dr. said it was really up to me to occasionally take a 3 day sabbatical from the meds to drive the kart. But, the call to be on these meds forever is up to the Hematologist, he is the blood specialist. I’ll know either way right before Grattan.

I know and accept the risks of going on and off the med. Fortunately its not like PE or A-fib which could lead to stroke. My only risk is another clot, 3 days shouldn’t be enough time for that to happen. I won’t be doing more than 2-3 events per year anyway. A bit of a bummer though, I’m going to sell my CBR250R, THAT risk is just too high.

We play the cards we’re dealt folks…. I’m just gettin a bit creative with mine while I can!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

That bumper project is done now, I just have some std. maintenance to do to get ready for Grattan. Just a big test session for me, pricey for the amount of time but have to take what we can get at this point.

I’ll be heading to Mid-Ohio with Bro Kenny. No kart but it IS a project related trip. When I can share more I will, just want to be sure the bond is strong before speaking out of place.

Daytona. I know, I know… its June how can anyone be thinking about December already? Well, I am! The above project, and its partnership bonds, are related to Daytona and being successful there. So what does that have to do with Track Days? I’m glad you asked!!!!

I just spoke to Jennifer @MIS again this week about that Oval Only Test. The idea is to help Daytona bound Northern/Mid Westerners gain an advantage by offering a real simulation for testing. I’ve given thought to a “road course lane” on the very wide back straight. An area way down low where you could slow the kart enough to use its clutch (s) or gearbox.

If nothing else, its a chance to see how big your stones are. A Bucket List opportunity to drive your kart as fast as you can get it to go.

The date she originally gave me was Sunday Oct 13th, but, she also has the following Saturday open, the 19th. Maybe that can be used as a r**n date?

I’ll need at least 25 guys to do this for about $250 per man. Richard Petty has a line of guys waiting to spend that much to ride around on a speed limiter for 12 laps…. 4 laps at a time!

More yet…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m VERY pleased with the outcome of my meeting at Mid-Ohio. It was also super cool to see so many folks I have missed AND to meet the new folks I have only spoke to on the phone or internet.

It’s no secret now that I am working on a Modena Engine package for the project kart, with Daytona in mind. The secret WILL be that I’ll record every aspect of the build but will not upload & share it until the kart is finished AND unveiled…. GOD willing, at Daytona.

If testing goes well at Grattan next month I have a plan to remove the front radiator all together & build a rear mounted radiator only set-up on both karts.

Can’t wait to get started, one more round of blood testing next week and I can start making plans again.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

So, I gave the blood last Thursday and went to see the Doc today to find out whats up.

The previous positive result came back positive again. The issue is actually with my blood, an “Antiphospholipid Antibody” known as Lupis Coagulation. I will be on the meds long term. More tests in October then every 6 months after that, a reduction in dose is possible but this is not going to go away or get better. Well, the chances are not great.

He asked what my Vascular Dr had said back on June 1. I explained how we spoke about getting off and on the meds for Dental work, Surgery, possibly Karting, etc. We both agreed riding the Bike is now History, its just too damn dangerous out there. He is concerned about an accident in the kart and not being able to go right back to the med. He really wanted me to wait a bit longer, maybe Sept, but then he just listened to what I had to say and said OK for Grattan.

I’m gonna think about it a bit more, continue to go through the motions of prepping & loading, then make a decision by Sunday.

Maxxis is sending me tires to test since no one makes a 5″ bead tire for our fronts any longer. AND I bought 4 – 6″ bead wheels to disassemble and make 1 useable set since no one will make us a wheel that will clear our calipers!!!

I almost feel obligated to go!

GOOD NEWS IS: I lost 17 lbs!!!!! High Protein, low Carbs. I have done no exercise, have not been back to the gym since the clot issue back in April. Walking a bit is OK, walking a bunch is as bad as sitting for more than 2 hours at a time. Its a balancing act. I can feel when I do too much of either, so I take breaks. The compression socks make me look like a dork! The Athletic stores carry some cool looking stuff so I’ll have to go shopping…. maybe some neon orange to match my shoe laces. Its a Fashion Show out there boys!!!

More soon,

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m a little excited about Grattan… and beyond, when possible!

The Maxxis tires are not going to work. Gonna try some Hoosiers on these new wheels.

Got my transponder fixed up today. Did the battery replacement awhile back but didn’t secure them properly and had trouble once the kart got rolling. Shes good to go now, Steve at Battery Giant set me up.

Brother Rich is selling out. He has sold his kart to Tony Herpolshimer whom takes delivery at Grattan. Rich will do the engine break-in on Friday morning then hand it off to Tony and help him get acclimated to laying down. Its a great deal for Tony, he already has a CR Honda from his CIK kart that will act as a back up to the RS. He intends to race it this weekend!

Looking very much forward to his expression after his first laps. Only thing better than a guys first laps in a laydown is his first impression of the straight line speed compared to his CIK.

Tony is already asking about Daytona!!!

Back soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Packin’ and Preparin’ for Grattan…..

Look what I found!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

“All’s well that end’s well…..”

Or that’s what they say!

I come away from Grattan a bit confused and a bit relieved! The wheel work and tire test went well, very well. The cooling system mod also worked, so I went 2 for 2. The confusing bit was how I could so mildly stick the engine in practice, go for a high speed spin, find the damage almost non exesistant, all after I had run the engine hard at Gingerman last September! Oh I got it fixed and running right before the Green flag flew at race time, even found why it may have stuck to begin with…. but after just 12 or 15 minutes of running it may have lost the lower rod bearing. I wont know for sure until I get it apart but I have heard this noise 2 other times, the latest at MIS last August. Confused because I had at least another 5 hours of safe run time before reaching the rebuild window. Confused because all the data, just like the AM issue, looked safe or good.

I ran that VP gas. It smells like a damn Meth lab!!! Multiple people questioned the smell, although, others were running it or the same brand/blend. Who knows!

It was a great weekend though. Met a bunch of folks that look in here, at the YT channel, AND more guys that are interested in April testing that had no idea we did such things!!!

Not giving up on MIS this Fall but I guess myself and 3 others are the only guys silly enough to think its a good opportunity. We’ll see but they are not busting the door down over here for sure.

More to come, here is the race video from Saturday:

[Robert Lawson]

Inspection results:

[Robert Lawson]

OK, So Why???

This is the inevitable question….. and I have the answer.

First the Question: Why did the LRB check out well before its scheduled maintenance window?

Its a bit involved and goes back to the last time I ran it before buying the newer Homologation. You see, I stuck this engine at the April test in 2017…. I have posted the video here. It blew up when I ran it out of gas, it stuck so hard it cracked the cylinder at a mounting point which caused it to leak H2O externally from the water jacket. That cylinder had gone to the plater and back before finding that issue. This was the reasoning behind buying a newer engine…. the spare cylinder for this old engine was also in need of plating so the engine went on the bench. While playing with and testing the newer engine I sent out the spare and my A kit HRC cylinder for Rich to US Chrome for replating. I rebuilt this old spare with new clutch, reeds, plating and top end….. and there she sat until after MIS last year. Another mistake was using the air filter from the newer engine after that rod bearing was launched on this engine. I found debris embedded in the piston & head plus a broken reed after running it last Fall.

Now, to current day, I stuck this old engine at Grattan on Saturday morning. This was due to a lazy change made at Gingerman last fall, adjusting the needle instead of the main….. I leaned the entire throttle position curve (0 – 100% throttle) by dropping the needle all the way down AND removing the washer that was under the clip. (2 full clip pos.+ washer = a full jet size)  If I had read my notes from Gingerman this would have jumped right out, I went through the carb but not the slide needle!

So we have a second seizure, a second lock-up and spin, on the same rod bearing. Then to add insult to injury (literally!) I run it to 14.900+ RPM’s when its back together and THAT is the answer to the question of “Why”.

A hard blow up, ingested shrapnel from a dirty air filter, a second blow up, and to top er off lets run the guts out of er!!!

Mother always said “Hindsight is 20/20”

I say, maybe not Mom’s…. cause I’d run it again if we were going tomorrow!

I’m working on tomorrow right now…..

Peace Y’all,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I just have to share this with Y’all….

John West offered to help me with getting this old engine back up and running. In the process he inadvertently sent me out into the nether regions of internet shopping to find the cheapest price for a rod kit and he would match it.

Guys, I found the honey pot. The poor guy of karting’s paradise!

John has Pavesi rods kits, so I searched Pavesi parts to source out the cheapest deal I could find. It lead me here: http://www.pavesiengines.com

When you get there simply click the blue rectangle in the middle of the screen….. then HOLD ON!

It takes you here: MONDOKART Racing . com Its an Italian online store.

Many different Manufactures of engines, OEM, Standard or HP parts, even Generic Engine Parts or “aftermarket” in straight English!

If you have an ICC, KZ, even some air cooled stuff its worth looking at for your parts. If you visit the site check out the “retail store”, its like a Department Store! Huge!! You can look around at pic’s of the walk-in store front & shop. They have a machine shop and offer to “Tune” your pistons by machining to lighten them! Crazy!!

My Vortex Factory replacement Rod Kit (bearing/pin/washers/rod) is $350 from OTK and only minimally less here. The Pavesi OEM or Std. parts are cheap too but the Aftermarket equivalent was mind blowing cheap. I ordered a rod kit, a Meteor Piston kit, top end bearing, Main bearings, 2 sets of seals and new carbon reeds, all delivered to my door, in just 2 days, for $277.03! Some of the items I looked at just out of curiosity showed 10’s of 1,000’s in-stock. They must purchase in mass quanity to sell these OEM or Std bits so cheap.

I had an issue with their payment page not being “secure” so I went about payment with the help of my Brother, Jerry, via an unorthodox Paypal deal.

Parts will arrive here Thursday, I’ll post up some video of the rod kit so Y’all can determine for yourself it is a good deal or not. I figure to test these parts in the old engine and if they pass, run them in the newer Homolo as well.

Puffy in action, online shopping while my Che’ is fast asleep!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Parts are here!

That rod is sweet! Super happy so far, lets get um in an engine and thrash them and see how they hold up!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

The Crank and Parts are off to be rebuilt, I now have a ton of work to do to the kart itself.

The new radiator is big, but, according to the “rules” I have 110″ of overall length and 24″ straight back from the rear of the axle to fit it in. The plan is to keep it low, on a very slight angle, between the frame rails, just inside the rear bumper. More extending of the bumper was necesarry but as I said there is plenty of fudge factor to play with back there.

I tried to link an Italian karting news site here but it wouldn’t let me do it. They actually want you to “subscribe” to read their articles but they give you just enough of a look to see whats up. The story was about the New Line karting folks and their new radiator set up for CIK shifters, obviously for Euro Sprint Racing. Guys, this rad sits absolutely flat! Horizontal, parallel to the track surface. The artice was about the development of this set up and the composite 2 stage “scoop” and deflector used to produce a water temp of 47C (116.6 F) on a Sunny 13C (55F) test day.

I think you’ll start seeing these things soon, maybe by Daytona.

Take a look:

https://www.tkart.it/en/magazine/tech-focus/new-line-presents-horizontal-radiator/#1

I have no intention of trying to bring in cooling air from under my full bodied, full floor trayed, laydown chassis to feed my rad ….. this practice did not work for us in the past! But I do intended to keep the full radiator under the standard enduro bodywork and duct the cool fresh air to it, AND use the flow of air exiting the  under side of the kart to help draw away the forced air coming in from above.

With the added length comes added bodywork. I’ll make a new side panel and split it in half using each bit to extend the exsisting right and left sides. A center panel will be worked up too to complete the new extended rear.

IF we make Gingerman and IF we leave there with a running kart I may try to work out a day to test Pocono before it gets too late in the season. That would be a nice way to finsh off the year.

More to come, check the YT channel for whats going on….. I record everything!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Among other things I have been in heavy contact each morning with a Karting Suit manufacture, having my new suit made. I designed it myself, size and location of logos, cut/crop/trim, colors & tints….. the works. After well over 30 emails its finalized and being sewn.

I should have it in time for Gman, although the kart will not match until April. (its a fashion show out there boys!)

I’ll share all the particulars on how you can do the same when it gets here.

I may need a new helmet now……. hee, hee, hee!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Check out their website and design your own!

https://www.sawan.com.pk/

[Robert Lawson]

Attention!

For those of you whom asked, here is your video…. spread it Liberally!

Contact me if you are interested in either venue.

More coming,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I have 5 guys for each venue as of now. Were 1/4th the way there!!!!

Not getting too excited about it just yet, thats for sure.

Got the engine rebuilt today so I’m looking forward to Gman in a couple weeks. Chuck has his little project done and will be bringing his Smoker out to the track. Smoked Brisket all weekend sounds good to me! I hear rumblings that the Rumsey Team Boys, Matt & Johnny, will be running a couple of Larry’s shifters in Unltd. That should make the helmet cam video interesting!!!! Again, I’m aproaching this as testing, otherwise its really like a RWYB without a class.

Its all good, food fun & friends is what its all about. Gonna beat up on this new rod and see how it holds up.

If we dont get the numbers for either test by October 1st I’ll have a plan in place to get to Pocono and do a config/surface test. There is talk of an event there in the future……

More to come,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Loading up tomorrow, heading to Gingerman this weekend.

Got a note in to Steve at Pocono, hope to hear back from him soon with a window of dates to run over there and figure things out.

These Test Day dates are dead in the water right now, no new inquires.

More coming,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Sunday afternoon before heading home from Gingerman I took a tour of the paddock, pen in hand, and gathered many email addy’s and stirred up interest in a Grattan test in October. Also, spreading the info of April testing to many whom still had no idea it had been going on for years.

I’m cautiously optimistic about getting one of the available Sunday’s in October locked down. I need the testing, we broke a piston during break-in at Gman and didn’t learn a thing.

The MIS gig isn’t dead yet, I’ll give it until Oct 1st as I intended. It certainly doesn’t look good though.

Never fails, 3 years in a row now I call Pocono and then saw an engine in half before getting over there!!!! I REALLY need to get the laydown 4 banger together so we have at least 1 reliable kart in this garage!!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Getting 20 guys together for any kind of testing isn’t going to happen.

Called Sam and made a plea for him to accept a much reduced amount for the lease. He declined!

I then sent a note out to the list of guys I got a previous positive answer from, asking them if they would be interested in paying more per driver. Some have not responded yet but its only an additional $25, so I’m counting them as “in”.

We are just 3-4 guys away from getting the Grattan gig financed. 15 is the minimum, I’ll pay the rest, but I won’t go more than that.

Options:

[Todd Lorang]

Hey Robert, I think your absolutely right about the hand-held hone.  Back in the day when we ran the Corsair T-72’s, we always used a hand-held hone whenever we stuck a motor.  We’d fit a new piston, and most of the time it would run just fine.  But every now and again we would stick that motor again and we couldn’t figure out why.  Then one time at Mid-Ohio I stuck it in practice and my dad was having all kinds of trouble with his twin, so he told me to take the cylinder over to Don at LAD and have him hone it for me with his Sunnen.  So I did, and as Don was measuring the cylinder the first thing he said to me was, “so you honed this last time with a hand-held right?” I asked him how he knew that, and he said the cylinder is cone shaped.  The bottom of the cylinder is larger than the top of the cylinder (or vice-versa, it’s been over 30 years so I can’t remember exactly).  Either way, he said that is common for hand-held hones.  So he cleaned it up, we stopped using the hand-held, Dad bought a Sunnen, and we never had that problem again (that is, we never had the cone issue again, but I still blew up a few motors lol).  Good luck at your next test.

[Robert Lawson]

Todd,

ANY story from the past is a GOOD story, regardless of the outcome!!!! The portable I used was a “mandrel” type hone like my Sunnen midget hone, it was just “well used”.

I ordered a new piston kit & bearing, from Italy, it will be HERE Monday! Now, it was a whopping $67 with the shipping, so I took a chance and went with the cheap “uninsured” method for $6. Its going UPS, I just hope Jim Carrey isn’t the delivery guy!!!!

US Chrome will receive the cylinder Monday as well. With the new elevated costs I chose to only send 1 and to wave the $100 “in a rush” fee to get it back right away. So, Pitt is out! Grattan is lurking, I really would like to see a few more guys signed up so I could rest easy. But if it doesn’t work out there is  “The Frozen Tundra of the Corvette Museum Speedway” in Nov.

Will just have to wait and see how it shakes out.

Fortunately, I now have a bunch of time to get some other things on the list done. Going to address the trailer roof this weekend!

Later Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The WAITING is the worst part of engine rebuilds….

….. what is a guy to do????

Turn up the SOUND!!!!

[Steve Pasteiner]

You definitely need to work on your Toe and Heal techniques Robert!

Count Max and Steve Sr. in for your Grattan test.

Steve Pasteiner

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks Steve, I’ll put you guys down in Ink!

We still need a couple more. I have a few I’m poking at yet so it looks good thus far.

Yeah, my dancing days are far behind me now. I was watching it on the monitor while recording which makes it more difficult….. like cutting your hair in a mirror!

The trailer roof project is a toughy…. hours and hours standing on a ladder is killing my feet. It will be worth it when its done though, will outlast the rest of it for sure!!!! In the Spring (or maybe yet this Fall?) I plan to paint the trailer the same color as my truck. The white panels are so hard to clean and the paint is actually getting thin from doing so over the years. It needed a refresh, I’ve done the frame once before but it may need another grind and paint soon too.

The MIS gig is officially OFF. My contact at the Speedway sent a note yesterday wanting to know what was happening. It never took off so we shut it down.

Much to do while waiting on the cylinder to return!

[Robert Lawson]

We are slowly making progress on the October track/test day. A few have sent their $$$ already and others have given me a date to watch the mailbox. I’ll ask the rest of you to pony up at this point as well. Check or M.O. is best, if you are super-tech I can also take PayPal but prefer the old fashioned methods.

I know late October can have overnight lows in the 30’s with High temps only in the 50’s BUT, the sealer the boys put down in early July right before the CES race had TONS of grip and I do not expect that to change in October. On stone cold new “sticker” tires right out of the pits I had full grip. Curt told me as we circled the course that Thursday evening, pointing out the work they did and how they kept everyone off of it before the event, that a “Track Record”  could be achieved that weekend because of the aggressiveness of the sand/aggregate in the polymer. Guess what happened? Thats right…. track record!

So, the cold will play a role on your coolant but not so much on your grip level. Its best to transport with Antifreeze if you need to run the engine before arrival, and flush in the AM before hitting the track. Or, bring it empty…. just be sure to empty the engine completely! Much easier to deal with on a CIK as compared to the enduro.

I’ll want to run the rebuild before getting loaded up so Antifreeze will be the ticket for me. I also finished the roof prep and sealer on the trailer. Man did that turn out nice! A bit of foam insulation inside the roof panels now should make it toasty in there when its cold outside!

I shot video of the process, check it out on YT.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU__d49WpYDlKa7VRiCL9Ww?view_as=subscriber

More to come!

RPM

[John Ferreira]

Robert,

When making a choice for resurfacing the roof, do you consider these other solutions?
Eastwood Rust Encapsulate Platinum
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-rust-encapsulator-platinum.html
At $130 a gal, pricey.

POR 15
https://www.por15.com/POR-15-Rust-Preventive-Coating

Suprisingly Utube gave POR 15 a not so good review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovcxJt1a5-M

John

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by John Ferreira.
• This reply was modified 4 years ago by John Ferreira.

[Robert Lawson]

John, I did a bunch of research before choosing a product.

Rust was not the only factor, actually, the bonding & sealing effect and properties of the silicone was most important.

After calling the tech line, this was suggested for all types of roofing,

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Henry-0-90-Gal-887-Tropi-Cool-100-Silicone-White-Roof-Coating-HE887HS142/206029976

and, was best suited for the flimsy thin metal roofing used on Utility trailers. It also claims to stop rust if properly dressed prior to application.

We used the POR on the chassis about 10 years ago, its still holding up very well! If we do it again, I would not hesitate to go with POR. On the fender well rust, inner and outer, I’m gonna try this:  https://www.autozone.com/paint-and-body/truck-bed-coating/rust-oleum-truck-bed-coating-32oz/827170_0_0

I used that stuff on the old truck rocker panels and it is super tough.

24 hours after painting the “trim” it wrinkled up! The Wife says not to worry though, it looks like the hammer tone finish I used on the wheels!!! From 0-8 feet away it looks terrible…. further away you’d never know. I won’t bother to strip & recoat it until Spring.

I’m adding some support to the AC unit cross member, then the roof insulation and paneling is going on. After Grattan in a few weeks I may remove the rear doors and reskin all or part of them before Winter arrives.

I’m not investing in another trailer, this one is paid for so we have to keep it together.

[Robert Lawson]

Tomorrow is October 1st, the time will fly right by.

I asked 1 week ago to get the $$$ moving in this direction to secure the lease and help me sleep at night.

Thanks:

Chris West (sent check before we had a date!)

John & Alan Brasher

Tony H

JW +2

I appreciate the rest!

I’ll sleep even better when all there is to do is watch the weather!

We have a full list of drivers, even a couple to spare. If everyone stuff’s an envelope we can all watch the weather together!!!!

Help dear Puffy fall asleep, and stay sleep. Send that check or MO today!

Robert Lawson
17731 Ivanhoe St.
Roseville, MI. 48066

 

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks:

Steve Pasteiner Sr.
Harry West
Tony Catenaro

I had a feeling something was wrong at US Chrome when they had my cylinder for 2 weeks and no call.

Come to find out, they missed something. It was cracked! Had to go back to stripping, be welded, then recoated again. Its in the boring/honing stage now and should be on its way back here Tomorrow.

More soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks:
John Debats

My cylinder showed up today! Thats where the good news ends….

Looks like getting Nikasil repaired, correctly that is, will now require using a Professional Porting Dresser as well as the plater themselves. Its obvious none of these Company’s (Lancourt, Millenium, US Chrome) have a clue what the hell they are doing. Or, they just dont care. US Chrome does provide a porosity free surface, unlike the other 2, but all of them SUCK at using a die grinder.

I’ll run it, its a spare, but I wont let them touch another one.

On top of that the spool of wire on my welder “unwound itself”! All knotted up I salvaged just enough to get the roof support tacked in place before running out. Of course the welding shop was closed, Sunday too, so I cant finish that gig till Monday.

“Que Sera, Sera…..”

Tomorrow is another day, with any luck, a better one than today!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks to Tony C for the heads up! It WAS a better day!!!!!

I took a ride over to Harbor Freight and got a spool of wire for the MIG and finished the roof support job this afternoon! A couple minor flare ups on the old blankets used as throws but I didn’t burn the trailer down and most importantly the roof coating was not affected.

Found a NOS Vortex cylinder head for the ole RVS on ebay. $40 shipped to the house, I stole it! Will be waiting on it to show before assembling, should be here mid next week (15-16) so I have time to do more 5 minute jobs before Grattan. Have a couple things I want to set up to try on the back of the kart related to the radiator back there.

Its the 6th, just 2 weeks to get this thing paid for. If you are watching the weather don’t bother, its gonna be beautiful… Puffy said so! Seriously, if we cancel I send it back. You have nothing to lose. Cold? It might be cold you say??? Girls, please, they are Racing 2 weeks later in KY. Um-K?

I’m looking forward to getting some laps in, its been a long Summer of watching!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Not sure if I posted this here or on the old thread… still impressive.

-6C is 21F guys…… 21!

“They cleared the track this morning?”  Wow!

No need to worry about melting snow running across the surface, it looked to be good and frozen still!!!!

Chunks of Ice on the floor tray during warm-up??!!!!!!!

Richard, the rookie, was on it! He ran well and never let the cold weather deter him!!!

Lets go Boys! Get something in the mail today!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Here is more motivation….

Personally I wouldn’t do this in my Enduro but I would pay my fee to watch you nuts do it!!!!

The address has not changed…

17731 Ivanhoe St.
Roseville, MI 48066

[Anthony Herpolsheimer]

Any movement on this Robert?

All I have to say, I have no problems running in the snow as long as I can get a few test laps in.  We have a new cooling system to try.  At least we should figure out if cold weather helps or not LOL!

Looking forward to it.  I’ll keep an eye on this for updates.

2008 GP 8 Honda 125 / TM K9B
Building F125 Enduro

[Robert Lawson]

H,

We are sneaking up on the minimum # of dudes. I won’t be able to relax until I have the lease covered, here, in cash!

Got my brand new head today so I can work on the engine this weekend. The trailer insulation will be finished tomorrow, it really turned out nice. I’m happy. I too want to turn laps at speed to get data on cooling. Will have a couple quick things to throw on to compare back to back.

Long range weather says 34 overnight and 53 for a daytime high. That’s about all we can expect, anything more is a bonus. We are still more than 2  weeks out so like Y’all I’ll be watching it.

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks:
James Ferguson (aka “Russell”/ “Rusty”)
Jeff Peschang
Randy Johnson

We are sneaking ever so close to the minimum required to pull this off.

With what I know is coming in, the few 90%’ers in waiting, and the solid base list of paid participants, we should be just fine.

Should be done chasing by mid week, thank God. Lets pray for a good, above average day out there! It wont hurt my feelings if I don’t get to run the heat and test my newly insulated trailer till the Spring!!!!!

More Coming…..

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks to everyone that sent a check or stopped by with some $$$. We will easily make the minimum requirement to lease on the 27th.

Now we need the weather to play its part and give us, at the very least, a dry day at Grattan. I have been watching some interesting video on YT about the jet streams, the coming Winter and how things are projected to look. Through the end of the month there is this pattern of Arctic cold pushing down then moving away… in cycles of 3-4 days. This results in first a cold trend, then a more normal or average trend, every 3-4 days.

This is what we are looking at right now:   https://darksky.net/details/43.0738,-85.3717/2019-10-27/us12/en

That’s about average!

Keep yer eye on it guys, prayer won’t hurt either!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Spoke with Sam this AM. We are all set for Sunday the 27th.

There is no lease activity on Monday the 28th so I’ll be staying over Sunday night too. Personally, I intend to start late, after lunch instead of right out the gate at 9am, and run to the buzzer at 5pm. I’ll take my time getting sorted and load up in the AM.

1-5 pm will be the best part of the day amb temp wise. Needing just a couple runs after break-in it just makes no sense to run all day….. especially with my recent luck.

Bringing a bucket and 50/50 anitfreeze just incase. With the elec H2O pump we can easily pump coolant out while flushing/filling with the other. I may bring it full of AF and flush on Sunday. Friday night looks like it could be close to freezing, not taking any chances.

I’ll have something for lunch. Bring your favorite drinks.

Will have the kart running today, work to do!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, the 1 good thing going for us right now is there is no chance, or VERY little, of any R***.

According to the forecast, looks like the early AM is getting colder though.

I’ll have Tony C’s big Coffee pot going all day for those who want something hot to drink. I heard Greg Wright mention this and I have used this myself at the Indoor track when the ambient was in the teens… wear loose fitting mechanic or medical rubber gloves under your driving gloves. Believe it or not your hands will not get cold from the wind. Lunch should be pretty well attended!!!!

Keep watching it Y’all….. I know other outlets may be providing a different forecast but this is specific for Grattan Twp, not Belding or Greenville or GR.

https://darksky.net/details/43.0738,-85.3717/2019-10-27/us12/en

[Robert Lawson]

One step closer….

[Robert Lawson]

Look at this:

Corrigan Ave NE, Grattan Township, MI

Sunday, Oct 27th, 2019
Clear throughout the day.

L 41˚7am

H 61 4pm

  8:10am
6:42pmRain 0 in

Maybe if we keep praying it will be in the 80’s….. hee, hee!

https://darksky.net/details/43.0738,-85.3717/2019-10-27/us12/en

 

 

 

[Robert Lawson]

Looks like its going to Rain overnight, possibly into the morning, ending around 8am.

You will get laps in your tow vehicle early, if you want them! There will be a good breeze all day, we should be able to get it dried up in short order.

IF :
There is too much standing water
Endless  flowing water over track surface
Forecast for rain all day

I’ll cancel.

Keep in mind, because of my personal relationship with the Management we are never required to post a non refundable deposit upon booking a date. So, we ARE responsible to pay EMT’s and Marshal’s show up time. It equates to about $50 each. Again, this applies only if we cancel AT THE TRACK. (the day of)

Once we take to the track…. its ours for the day. No discounts.

I plan to head out tomorrow (Sat 26th) about Noon et. I’ll post again if I have time before taking off. Otherwise, I’ll text you in advance if we are to cancel Saturday once arriving Trackside.

Back in 24!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I gave it an eyeball this morning.

Guys, I just can’t do it.

Dealing with cold AM temps or average Fall daytime weather is one thing. Having to dry/clean up the track for hours after it rains all night long is not something I can ask Y’all to do.

My concern is the standing, running, or seeping water.

If it were simply a “shower” we would go for it. All the forecasts have the same bad news, Rain starting at 5pm Saturday (heavy at times) and stopping by 8am Sunday.

So, I am calling Curt back to Cancel.

Y’all are welcome to come over to Puffy’s and eat this food though!!!!

More Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I have some good news, and, for myself, some “feel good” news!

Just off the phone with Curt we absolutely made the right call. We may have gotten 1/2 a day in as I expected but it would have required a good deal of physical labor. Brooming puddles and track drying was not what Y’all signed up for. So, I’m happy that I made the right call.

The Good News is, T1 will get milled and repaved Wednesday & Thursday this week!

I tried boys trust me I tried to get T3 worked on too. The 3 pronounced “bumps” in that corner just kill the lap time of a laydown (at least a fast one) as you just cant get back to the gas when: 1 – you cant see, and 2 – you have no directional control for lack of contact with the surface! I hope to convince the Guys to make an attempt at a manual repair anyway.

We will be the first to drive on the new turn 1 in April!

April!!! WTH??? Yeah, April… Chris West and Steve Pasteiner both have said to keep the $$$ and add us to a new list for April! So, we start by setting records already… never have we started working on April before the 1st of the year. And, we hope to set another record by hosting the largest Test & Tune ever by leasing the entire weekend. Financially we pulled this off already, but Old Man Winter was not finished with Grattan Township at that time and we were denied.

I did a ton of leg work this past Summer at Grattan and Gingerman getting these Testing opportunities out into the ear of the karting public in person. By the surprise reaction of the many I spoke to, it should do well this coming Spring. A large number of CIK shifters are expected.

There is much more to come this Winter.

We are building karts and working toward April right now.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A quick update.

Just off the phone with Curt at Grattan, rain on Wed/Thurs this past week stopped them from getting the T1 work done.

They are looking for a weather window conducive to milling & paving. Honestly, the chilly weather now will be better than the colder weather to come. If nothing can be done soon they will look to Spring, in his words: “It has to be done before we get goin’ (20′ schedule opens), maybe April, but it can’t go another year like it is.”

Also: “We may have them do some surface grinding in places, I don’t know, we’ll see…”

I’ll let you know whats going on out there as it happens.

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Seems I’ve hit the rev limiter of life….

I feel amazingly well for 4 days post op. Being down for 6 weeks is a massive bummer but a great trade for the level  of pain I endured this past week.

Getting old Sucks. I may have looked old, tested as old, physically or mentally responded as old…. but I never felt old until this week.

Well, they can’t keep me off the race monitor!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Y’all!

Well, things are moving along slowly. I want desperately to get outside but have thought better of it. Staples come out Wednesday, maybe the Dr will clear me to drive and I can get back to the gym and start walking.

Called Curt @ Grattan since we seem to have a 50 degree day in store for us here this week but he said the repair of T1 probably wont get done until Spring. I certainly hope we see some unseasonably warm weather for April and they get it fixed before our Test date. If not, more of the same temp patching and sealing will be done. He said the permanent repair/repave will surely be done before the race in July. Which brings me to the this…..

In the News….

Because I have a different view of the “new  found collaboration” of Karting Orgs and Clubs, sharing race events, many will not understand why I think this is a stinker for “us” the customer or end user. There is far more to this “coming together” than Multiple Orgs lending their name to an event and…. sharing the “love”. The only love that will be shared will come directly from your pocket, as Pit Passes and Entry fees will now jump considerably due to this brain storm of collectivism.

Expect a PP including Thursday “drop off” to be $45 – $50, and your Friday-Sun fee’s to be $150. Why? Because you now have 2, 3 or 4 Orgs ALL bringing “members” (cough… working together) and will want (need) to get paid for their part in it. Also, each org will be represented at said events and they will need to be paid as well.

PS: forget about the “weekend pass” or temp license. You will be required to join 1 (or more) of these multi orgs to be eligible for these events.

Again, why? Extinction. Need an example, look no further than MKC.

Is all this going to happen right out of the gate? Maybe not. But just remember I told you about it HERE, in Nov of 19′.

This news will undoubtedly piss some people off, wouldn’t be surprised if I got “uninvited” to attend an event or 2. Listen up, I’m one of you…. never have I indicated doing track days or tests for the sole intent of making money so I could do it again. I love doing it! The challenge to raise the interest, to meet the lease, to motivate, to grandstand if you will, its good fun to me.

It’s my way of giving back…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

This injury has me scratching my head. I didn’t crash on a massive triple with a dirtbike, no high side off a sportbike or tumble off a roof! I lifted my kart and that set this in motion. I feel a bit cheated in that aspect! But, I AM a believer in everything happens for a reason.

Can’t wait to share my X-Rays with Y’all! After removing the staples the Doc showed us the new “Hardware Dept” at RPM!!!!

I was actually a bit sick at first, when its your body…. its different.

Getting around well, feeling better and will start walking/treadmill this week. Hoping to get some old VHS back-in-the-day videos up soon, I have plenty of time!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Passing a milestone last night, no more dressing needed on the surgical site. That’s a relief, infection is always a concern. The last couple staple holes have healed and we are not seeing anything on the bandage.

I’ve been to the gym, walking, but still good to be back over there. Made a few trips into the basement too, climbing steps is getting much easier. My left knee, from nerve damage, seems to want to give out if I’m not careful. Most of the nerve issues have subsided, and muscle spasms have been gone for 2 weeks. The nerve pain in the hip is really all that bothers me and only when standing but its getting better. Doc said it could be 6 months before we know if all the nerve issues will be rectified.

I’ll be sneaking back outside to the garage here soon, over to Rich’s shop as well….. the snowblower engine needs to be reassembled before we get hit with a storm. As soon as I get the driving privileges back I’ll get things moving on the 4 stroke laydown kart. I really want that kart done and running for April. My Hot Rod could use some front end work but nothing that can’t wait until after April. The only event I would like to run is Nelson. Maybe we’ll break down and hit Pitt this Fall, have to wait & see.

Working on some other things too, I’ll share details when they are more certian.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Back to driving now, went for a ride yesterday to a Dr app. Getting in & out of the truck requires patients, twisting or pivoting the slightest bit reminds me where I’m at in the recovery process. I can move about though, I actually did a bit too much Tuesday (and maybe today!) and can feel the result of it.

Its going very well otherwise.

Ive been reading some old posts here and I wanted to say I am STILL on board for the Modena engine deal. Phil at CPI (Modena Importer) wants to be sure our water temp issues are solved before submitting one of his engines to my thrashing. We have not proved out the current set-up yet so moving forward with it will have to wait. I do want to get out there and start working on both the chassis’ for the project karts. We can certainly build a bunch of the f-125 without an engine AND use what we have for mock up when we get there. Maybe testing that kart would be best with our own engine first time out anyway.

DKC hasn’t posted a 20′ schedule yet but I hear the Nelson weekend is now late in July. That will work out nicely if our April gig goes off on time, should be able to get the f-125 track worthy by then and still get a shot at another venue or test before getting serious about Daytona. All of this, GOD willing!

I have been working on something for a few months now. We have just submitted our paperwork for this new tentative venture. If it works out we’ll have some very interesting news, Soon! Big step for us.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Hmm, I just tried it again and still no luck.

It seems it won’t take a video, but will take text!

 

Maybe this way will work?

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

Bingo! Enjoy!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Our Test dates for 2020 are April 11-12.

I believe the previous weekend (4-5) is also available. Lets hope the weather is mild enough to get that T1 work done by then at the latest. AND we get good weather a week later. To be honest, T3 is far worse IMHO.

More coming.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m back on FB, only to promote these test/track days.

This didn’t work last Spring, actually, getting on SM was like Kryptonite for me and it did nothing to attract more interest. As you know, for the first time since the 90’s no Spring testing took place because there was literally no takers.

This will not be the case in the Spring of 2020, I’m hearing from altogether new guys so I’m very hopeful that pummeling folks on FB will ultimately help.

We have had a few VERY mild days here in Motown so I already have the itch. Working off these added LB’s will be easily motivated by the anticipation of getting in the kart, in my new suit, in just 16 weeks!!!!!!!

It will be here before you know it guys!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A very Merry Christmas to Y’all!!!

I have been watching old VHS tapes from all our trips to Daytona this afternoon. We had some good times, and good runs down there. You almost always seem to run by yourself before the race is finished. I know guys that say “that must be sooo boring!” but ya know, it really isn’t. Racing the clock is very challenging at Daytona because every move is amplified at terminal velocity. Of course you’d like to play IROC cars with a gang of dudes but that just doesn’t happen anymore, even in the low HP classes.

Anyway, I’m all fired up for the Kart Week  action to get started. I certainly hope the Race Monitor will function and we can watch things unfold as they happen.

Practice starts on Saturday the 28th, racing 29 & 30. I’ll be watching Johnny West’s progress as he takes a shot at lap & speed records in his West/Gibson DEA FE 250. Also interested in the F-125 times and finish too.

Wishing all a safe and enjoyable Kart Week!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Practice day was a wash. They may have gotten a group or 2 out but from what I understand no one got any practice today. It was called by 2-3pm.

I’ve been down there watching it rain all day, it sucks. Long and very expensive trip to get rained on fer sure.

The Race Monitor site doesn’t even have a listing for the Speedway proper (Dirt & Sprint, yes) so there is a good chance we won’t get real time info.

We’ll have to wait and see tomorrow.

[Robert Lawson]

It looks bad for the folks down in Daytona. 70-80% chance of rain most of the day. Tomorrow doesn’t look much better if at all.

Man, WE have been there! Forecast looks great, then you get right to it and the bottom falls out. I feel for them that traveled a great distance.

Regardless, someone at WKA has some explaining to do. Not getting the RR series Set-Up on Race Monitor with the other 2, is just insulting.

Out in the garage today, taking another shot at removing these bearing races from the crank. I’ll share that experience with y’all later!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, strange morning to say the least!

Our livestream feed from Church went dead, refired then was all out of sync before stopping for good. This never happens!

Then, the weather broke in Fla, still looks spotty at best, and they got a round of practice in. Now, the dang Race Monitor is up AND suddenly has a description for the RR series?????? Its irritating as hell that they wait and piss everyone off.

I want to see if JW runs the laydown or not. He posted a pick of the Anderson this AM on FB so not sure what going on. He is not answering calls or text???

Its 76F, 70%  chance of precip and 85% humidy. Tough to turn record breaking laps in these conditions.

Aaaaaand as soon as I post this it started raining there! The first race (Cadet 206) ran their full 15 min and before the next race could start, it started raining. On hold down there!

 

[Robert Lawson]

Success!!!

Finally got those main bearing races off!!!

PS: Ole Puffy must have been sniffin the High Test! Its been 6 years since my last trip to Daytona but we’ve done that ride plenty of times. Enough times to know that its about a 18 hour drive with a trailer on back!!!!

Still no activity on track in Daytona since the Cadet race this AM. I did talk to JW, he did get a run on the Laydown and saw 154mph so he is hoping to get a dry race tomorrow and see what it will do.

More coming…

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Looks like the weather will cooperate in Daytona today.

Watching the Monitor I’m surprised that guys are only registering a couple laps. Everyone posting a lap has a transponder. With the few attempts they’ll get and all the down time they had one would just think they would be prepared to crank out some laps.

We’ll see what shakes.

I’ll be back…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The 1st race had Stk. Honda in it. Its listed as race 2 on the schedule, and it was only a 15 min run. They actually started a bit early as the schedule also lists racing from 11-5 and that 1st race was already over at 11.

Not sure what they are dealing with down there so we’ll just have to wait until its over for someone to clue us on why things are not to schedule.

Cadet is up now, they too are a 15 minute race (normal)

Be back in 15 or so…..

[Robert Lawson]

Enduro group just finished a 25 minute race.

There must be something they see on radar I’m not seeing. Thats the only reason to cut races short all day…. especially after having everyone sit in the rain for 2 days!

A Sprint group is next, then the Unltd race. What I have been seeing for entries starting these races looks terrible. Where did everyone go????

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The Unltd race is finished.

Like everything else down there the listings on the scoring was botched.

1st and 3rd place, as of right now, were unrecognizable as the were listed as “Waiting for Data”. Denver Liabenow was 2nd.

I’m guessing 1st and 3rd were JW and B. Wilhelm but I’m not sure of the order.

NO new track lap record this week, Jim Russell’s time is safe for another year!

I’ll be back with the who’s who from the Unltds.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

All racing over…. by 2:45!

Last race group had the only Red Flag of the day. My eyes on the ground say it was at T3 and, it was “bad”.

I just asked if WKA was going to open the track for practice since it never rained and they cut everyone short. I got a laugh, and the expected answer…. NO.

Other behind the scenes story’s make this gig sound like a fiasco. I’m really starting to re consider this trip next year.

Still waiting on JW’s call.

More comin’

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Got a text from JW, he did win the 8 lap Unltd race.

Denver was 2.38 seconds back in 2nd, and Wilhelm was 3rd,  22.64 sec behind the lead. All 3 turned in their best time on the last lap. Denver Liabenow getting the fastest time at 1:54.611, less than a full 10th better than Johnny’s.

He is going to buzz me later, I have to know why all class laps times were down this year. Of course the green track could have played a part, the warm humid air maybe, who knows.

Daytona is over, so its back to reality. My rehab along with diet and exercise program get started very soon. I’m actually looking forward to getting out of here with a goal to chase!

Happy New Year!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Closed Private Kart Test & Tune

Grattan Raceway April 11 – 12 2020

Friday 4-10:

6pm: Entry for Trailer drop off or Paddock/Garage entry and camping.

10pm: Gate closes.

 

Saturday 4-11:

7am: Gate opens.
Only Drivers and Crew Members will be admitted inside the Track unless prior arrangements for non participants/spectators have been made. ALL others will watch from outside the Circuit, Management may require signing a Waiver to be on the Track grounds.

8am: Drivers Meeting.
This is mandatory, do not arrive late to the Track. A required Track Prep List for each kart must be correctly filled out BY THE DRIVER of that kart before you can get on the track. It must be signed by an Official and a participant sticker will be issued. No sticker on kart, No kart on track.

9am: Track is Green!
We will run non stop until a kart is reported off Circuit by a Marshal. At that time a 15 minute clock will start, no one will have to sit for more than 15 min and upon going green if the first kart on track goes off we will always get at least 15 min of testing time before pick-up. Be aware, we may have 2 groups in the AM  for New or Young participants.

12:30pm: Lunch break.

5pm: On Track activity ends.

6pm: Dinner for Drivers and Crew.

11pm: Gate is Closed

 

Sunday 4-12:

7am: Gate opens

8am: Drivers Meeting

9am: Track is Green. 

12:30pm: Lunch Break. 

5pm: On Track activity ends. 

FEES:

Single Day Driver Fee: $225

Weekend Driver Fee: $325

**Single day entries will be limited, Saturday AND Sunday**

**Entry is NON transferable and NON negotiable!**

**Refunds will be sent if cancellation takes place PRIOR to the date of the event.**

**You must Prepay. No entries will be accepted at the Track.
Entry in-hand deadline is April 1st.

Send check or Money Order payable to:

Robert Lawson

17731 Ivanhoe

Roseville, MI. 48066

*Please include Driver name, number of Crew attending, and kart class*

 

*** NOTES:

> We will not stop Green running for gate traffic, BE ON TIME!

> PayPal payments welcome. (please use Friends & Family option)

>NO pit passes Issued, All must sign the Track Waiver before entering.

> Race Gas will NOT be available from the Track. BYOF

> 2 day Participants are required to date & sign their Prep List each day.

(this does NOT require a 2nd form, email of advance copy pending)

> Dinner will be provided Saturday Evening for all Drivers and Crew.

> Camping is Free.

> Garages are Free and open to First come.

> Participants may pit in the Upper OR Lower Paddock.

> All times are tentative and subject to weather and track conditions.

 

To inquire about late night arrival, format, scheduling, to pay by Paypal or other questions (Spectating, or bringing Children under 12)

Send email here: f-125@hotmail.com

April deadline is just 3 weeks away!

More to come,

RPM

 

[Tom Turner]

I have been in karting a long time, I have raced short and long tracks, but I have not been to Mid Ohio Sports Car Course.  I am in the Yamaha Heavy with pipe Class and this will be a so called “Bucket Event” for me as I am not as young as I used to be ;)  So, as to not get blown out on the first lap, I am asking what gear ratio might get me in the ball park. ??  Thanks for any response.  Tom

[Robert Lawson]

Tom, I sent you a PM.

Boys, (and girls!)

Its just been 2 days since posting the info for April and we have more interest than all last winter. I’m cautiously optimistic, but, if this thing blows up, I will put a cap on participation.

The idea of a test day being Closed & Private is the fact that there is lots of open, uncongested track to work on.

Depending on the mix of 1 day / 2 day entry’s we could be as low as 25, or as high as 40 drivers to pull off a weekend lease. We won’t go over 40, that’s the limit.

Insurance meeting on Monday, should know more about how that plays in afterwards.

Were just getting started!

RPM

[Tom Turner]

Thanks Robert Lawson !

Info appreciated, For sure!

[Robert Lawson]

Your Welcome Tom, that ballpark figure came from Steve Pasteiner a long time Yamaha pipe class guy.

I see you are from MN, long haul to Grattan Twp. MI but it will be worth the trip. You could come, make a weekend of it, even if you just run on Saturday. Sunday could be used to get back home. You’ll get as many laps as you can handle in 7 hrs!

Think about it, its 2 full months before Mid-Ohio.

[Robert Lawson]

Well, 1 down and 1 to go!

That “meeting of the minds” went about as I expected. The next is really a formality, maybe a tiny bit cheaper but much the same.

Dealing with Insurance Co’s is like sitting with a Lawyer. You get the feeling they do not have YOUR best interest in mind.

I’ll keep you updated.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

*** The info above has been updated! (1-9-20)

Yeah, this Ins. thing never goes well.

So I think were just gonna go with the Track waiver!

We’ve done it this way for 25 years or more with no issue. Our safety record is unblemished.

Looking over my lists and notes from 17′ when we pulled off the financing for a 2 fer, most participants were full weekend entries. If that is the case here we will be ok. I do not want Saturday overloaded with single day guys to be able to pay for Sunday. Again, Big Daddy will accept a couple bucks free & clear of the lease… but it is NOT my goal. And most certainly NOT if the safety of all involved is compromised.

So, I’ll cap it off.

There is a magic number of mixed Sat/Sun participation to still have the relaxed atmosphere we have all come to enjoy.  I’ll let you know as I start collecting fees how many of each are available.

Business is about to pick up boys!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’ve been aware that Easter is April 12th for some time now…..

It was only a matter of time until someone else raised an eyebrow. Its too early to start changing up the date until we know how it will effect things.

The  4th & 5th of April were also available, as usual, so it isn’t off the table yet. I’ll have to call Sam to be sure its still open, AND get feed back from Y’all before making any changes.

Most of Y’all that know me know that I bring a Bible with me everywhere, especially the track. When I can’t be at a Church Service because I’m racing I just do it in my trailer!!! I know a few of you have overheard me in there making a video on a Sunday morning. Its all good. Last June my Bro Kenny and I hit a local Church for Sunday Worship Service on our way to the track in Mansfield. We were not racing so arriving late wasn’t an issue. To be honest I wish there WAS a group doing some sort of Church meeting at the track early in the AM on Sunday’s. Just in the last 2 seasons have I been pleasantly surprised to find others at the track that believe as I do. I thought I was on an Island!!!

Anyway, April 12th being Easter is not an issue for me personally. If feedback tells us it will become a deal breaker then we’ll see about changing it.

Send an email guys if this is something you just cant do.

Thanks!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

GREEN FLAG!!!

I wasn’t going to start the sales pitch, the fundraising and grandstanding, for a couple more weeks but I got a check today!

Adding to the October holdovers Chris West and Steve Pasteiner, John and Alan Brasher are first to send their entry for the April test weekend.

The gates have been opened, it’s on guys.

I will wear this fact out over the next 10 weeks but as soon as we clear the lease, its done. No more.

Don’t take the chance of being left out, do like John & Al, write the check & drop it in the box.

I’ll warn the Postman!!!

More to come…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Jerry Revely is our first Pay Pal entrant!

Thanks Pop’s R and Jr. for being a staple in these Test & Tune Track Days!

Welcome back Eric Chappell!!! (PayPal #2!!)

I’m in the garage today, working on the Animal Project chassis. Next week we’ll make our first parts purchase for this rig and really start making ground for an April debut.

Yes, we finally got Winter here in Metro Detroit… it snowed. But 10 weeks will fly bye and I still have a feeling we will see fantastic weather for April in Western MI!

Back soon!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Another week gone!

Between the gym and the garage I’m feeling pretty good. Sometimes I think its going to be a stretch getting in the kart by April. This is going to be a longer recovery time than a broken bone. Much more “growth” has to take place for the vertebra spacer to be stable. I keep plugging away though!

By this time next week I should have 4 corners on the Animal Project kart. From there the ride height can be tuned in and its a-welding-we-will-go! Things will really start happening quicker at that point.

Got my Primary engine completely rebuilt and sitting right here in the house with me! After testing I’ll get started building the kart for that engine and with any luck should be able to shake it down at Nelson, Gingerman, or Pitt. Worse case, we try to do a Grattan test in October again. This kart is my Daytona project and just needs a shake down before Dec. The plan was to run it with a rented Modena at Daytona so we’ll see if that works out.

Super busy! All kinds of things going on here but I still can’t explain yet.

Get off your wallets boys and send Big Daddy some $$$$$!!!!! I would really like to put this thing to rest EARLY!

See you soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Things are slowly picking up.

We got another Paypal entry and spoke to some folks on the phone who are sending their entries in as well. LOTS of looks here on EKN too! Thanks to Y’all that have posted links on SM to get as many looking at this as possible!

Like last time we are getting more full weekend participation than single day guys… lets hope that continues!

I’m tearing it up in the garage building that “T” car. The 4 corners are mocked up, we’ll make a decision on what to do with the front width next time out. Then a ride height check/adjustment will lead to welding all of that in place very soon! Already have a couple guys asking about rides in it!

9 Weeks to go….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its Official!!!!!!

Punxsutawney Phil has declared: “Spring will be early, it’s a certainty.”

What else do you need folks? Send that check or money order now, or hit us up on Paypal at f-125@hotmail.com

Packin’ up the long johns, I’m getting my shorts out early!

[Robert Lawson]

8 Weeks to the entry deadline!!!

We are already 1 week into Feb, its flyin’ right by!!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

T minus 7 Weeks and counting……

Things have slowed right down here at the mail box. The Paypal has been inspiring though! I set up a Paypal only account at a different bank than my Personal stuff and just trying to get comfortable with their online format.

Nothing new just yet, its the calm before the Storm!

BBS!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Happy Valentines Day to all the Karts out there!!!!!

I know you have been ignored since October but your special guy is gonna do something for you that will have you turning laps in no time!!!

Thats right, he will make a commitment to you to spend the WHOLE WEEKEND alone on the track in Grattan TWP in just a few more weeks! If yer patient, you might just get new Rings AND Shoes!!!!!!

We LOVE our ladies, do we not????

Enjoy the weekend fellas but remember…. if you take care of Her, she’ll take care of You!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

6 Weeks and counting….

We still have a week or so of Feb so I won’t freak just yet. The mailbox and Paypal have all but stopped dead, but come the 1st of March I am going to push very hard.

There is much more that goes into to this than typing and phone calls. I too would like to test and participate, along with the planning & logistics of things running smoothly and getting everyone fed.

I have a huge list of peeps that said “I’m in” but that number is not realistic, it never is. We’ll see, its still early but the time is flying by!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I know my buddy Tony C. looks in here so I thought I’d share about a road trip him and I will be taking before the Test in April.

Will be visiting Johnny West in Illinois next month, he invited us out to do some Dyno tuning and testing. Super excited about trying some things in direct comparison to what we already run. Going to feed the ole Girl some different flavored fuel/oil “Cocktails” too and see what it produces.

I hope to share what I have been working on in the background here since August very soon! Don’t want to jinx it until its set in stone!

More to Come!!!!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

5 Weeks to entry deadline!

We are getting a great many “views” but no action at the mailbox or email.

It was 50 degrees here Sunday, far nicer than our planned October date!

Snowing out there right now, of course! End of Feb weather is unpredictable anyway, but, I feel a beautiful weekend awaits us in April!

Be back Sunday!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its March 1st, that means just 31 days remain for go-no go.

To be honest I think we’ll easily get a single day in but that just seems like a consolation prize.

We are a 1/4 of the way to a full weekend, of those paid at this time 3/4’s are full weekend entries.

The time is literally flying by, its time to drop that check in the mail!!!!

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Getting some calls and texts, I guess Y’all are having a few nice days as well!

I call it our “Kentucky Winter” here in Detroit! I can surely get use to this!!!

Just off the Phone with Curt on the Grounds at Grattan. No snow out there,  and, the ground never frost/froze just like here either.

I shared with him my go-to Weather Source, you can literally focus the location very closely to where you are. For Grattan I got Corrigan Ave. NE which is less than a mile from the track itself.

Type darksky.net into your search bar and go to their site. Set your default location and add a few for reference this Summer (Mid-Ohio, Nelson, Etc)

It is incredibly accurate. It said rain in 12 minutes and I’ll be… it started raining 12 minutes later! Much to look at there but the extended forecasts are accurate too. Grattan is going to see Sunny and 52 THIS Saturday, and Mostly Cloudy and 58 on Sunday! NO RAIN!

Take a look and test it out yourself!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

27 days to go boys….. maybe a 60 degree day this weekend will change things.

Talking to guys is one thing, paying this lease is another. Yeah, my confidence is down!

I’m starting to feel a bit foolish predicting “I think we’ll easily get a single day in….”

…. because right now we are not doing any better than the dismal performance of last Spring.

[Robert Lawson]

We now have just over 3 weeks to go-for-launch. 24 days.

I appreciate the calls and text/email, the nice weather doesn’t hurt for sure.

Thank You to Joe & Jacob Wallace, they have ponied up for the weekend.

Started scratching off the names of the marginal from this penciled list here. We’ll see, the only investment made thus far that is non refundable, is time.

I’ll be back!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Just posted the “21 day warning” at the enduro group page on FB.

I started with a clean sheet and relisted the names on the penciled-in list I had here. Scratched off 7, have 28 remaining, and can probably scratch another 8 or 9 to be honest.

I’m still healing here from the spine surgery. Its taking much longer than I expected. In some pain, at times, because I was stupid and over rotated trying to force this process, injuring the healing of the vertibre. Visited the Surgeon last Friday, he looked at new films and said nothing has been dislodged or moved so I should stop the PT portion of my gym time and just continue work on the weight loss for awhile. The treadmill work actually feels good on the back. So, why all the history? I may not be able to drive in April, heck, I may not be ready to drive until later this Summer. So I’m not going to get out of joint about Grattan, if it happens then cool. If not, I’m already more focused on hitting the dyno now so it won’t be as great a loss to me in the condition I’m in.

On the BRIGHT SIDE….. my work of many months is nearing the end of its long and weary path! I have been chasing an opportunity, fighting a language barrier, overcoming a misunderstanding of a foreign system of operation, and generally getting PO’d by the unwillingness of this International Corp. to bend its rules and work with me on making this endeavor possible…… the First in the USA.

In just 1 more week, GOD willing, I’ll be able to share it with you!!!!  ;)

I’ll be back…..

[Robert Lawson]

I have to laugh….

Foolishness will probably be the end to our Test AND anything else you enjoy in life.

Could a Flu epidemic close down our entire country?

Our Dem Gov here in MI just closed all schools for a month….. what the hell will they do after that? When the 1st Trucking Co. decides to shut down the rest will follow out of fear of ridicule and the inherent “labeling” that will go with it. Then it could get real ugly. TP will be the least of our problems.

I can solve this right here, right now.

“We will be canceling ALL Campaign Rally’s, Conventions, and closing ALL voting polls and allowing Donald J Trump to serve a second term. The National vote will be re instituted after this terrible Global Pandemic has been Completely Contained.”

THAT will end it.

Otherwise, we’ll lose our entire summer until he gets re elected in Nov…. THEN it will surely disappear, like a fart in the wind.

Waiting to hear that WKA has cancelled Charlottle, ya know, because there won’t be any TP at the track!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Spoke to Sam at Grattan on Saturday.

We are all clear to run the test.

MI Gov has set a peeps gathering limit at 250 max, we will not be anywhere near that. He also assured me they have sufficient TP!

I’m dropping the Lunch/Dinner deal and will suggest we all bring our own eats, it just makes sense in this environment. Sorry guys.

We have 17 days to go, the entries are trickling in but the full weekend lease has not been met.

I’ll keep you updated on whats going on.

Back Soon,

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just to update Y’all,

I spoke to Curt Fassen at Grattan Tuesday. He said the T1 Repair is scheduled for April 1-2, Milling on the 1st and repaving on the 2nd.

I myself AND the Management of the Track have been confident we would not be affected by the panic and mayhem of this Wuhan Flu deal, but we will have to wait and see. The Gov of MI is an idiot, she will have us locked down like CA if she has her way.

I’ll bring info when its available, as of right now we do not have enough participants to do Sunday.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We still roll on with the idea we will get to use the track in a couple weeks.

Just 2.5 weeks to the Lease date and 1.5 to get an entry here. We can assume that Sunday is not going to happen. Saturday is just about paid for and those that responded positively to my calls or email in the past week will put us in the Green.

If you are one of those who remain to send something, just do it. Keep our USPS folks working!

I spoke with Jerry Revely in Ill. His State has requested their folks “Stay at Home”. It is NOT a Law, its a request. They can go out, the roads are not blocked, Highways are not shut down. I’m hearing that Our Quack Gov will call for the same on Monday so we’ll wait and see. As I told Jerry, if we have met the Lease, the Track is up for it, and the roads are not forcibly blocked…. I’M THERE!!!

I have already stuffed individual envelopes with $$$ for all whom sent full weekend funds. Your refund of the difference will be waiting for you at the track unless something changes.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

MI. has joined a few other States now in suggesting we “stay at home” for an extended period of time. This is not a Law, it isn’t even a requirement as I understand it. People in these places are still able to drive and move about, most of the social infrastructure is being throttled back or closed.

I just posted this at FB:

Here is a bit of LIGHT in the darkness, and maybe answer to Prayer:

Just spoke to Sam at Grattan, the Audi Club backed out and rescheduled for October which means…..

We now have the choice to push/move to the open date of April 25-26!

Even though we hear MI. has adopted this suggested “Stay at Home” plan and gatherings under 10 peeps, The Management and I do not see how that applies to us at a race track for a closed private test of very limited numbers. If there is clear cut penalty then OK, but if it remains a suggestion and not a requirement I also don’t see why we should not do it.

The Guys at the Track are looking into it and will notify me if anything changes.

I’m still building a kart here!

RPM

Please, if you have my cell# shoot me a text, or email to let me know if that Late April date is good/bad for you.

f-125@hotmail.com

Updates as I get them.

 

[Robert Lawson]

CORRECTION ABOVE!!!!

I had the wrong month pulled up!

Sam said the last weekend in April….. thats the 25-26th

I have corrected FB as well…..

[Robert Lawson]

Its official, we HAVE MOVED THE DATE to April 25-26.

2 weeks probably will not make any difference but I have to try.

The entry has been extended as well, April 15th is the new cut off.

Anyone thinking they may not be offered a large gathering, like a race event, soon after travel restriction is removed…. could very well be correct.

Jump on this opportunity for a small group outing, what do you have to lose?? The gig gets canceled I send it back….. no risk Y’all, no risk.

More as it comes in….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The Wife has been set up here at home to work for a couple weeks. She has had multiple conference calls but the AM call today was interesting.

The Big Boss said FORD is shooting for 4-14 to open factories, and, that the MI State order was until the 16th…..

TRUMP has been saying he would like to see us back to work by Easter.

We may have gotten a gift Y’all by having that date open up!

I’m STILL building that kart over here!!!! :)

Update 3-27: MI order is set to end 4-14.

[Robert Lawson]

Guess you can’t attach a link to a State Gov site without EKN going haywire!

A new post, then edited and added a link, then a second new post….with that same link, all done today within an hour or so, all of which I can not see!

This is ridiculous, I give up.

[Robert Lawson]

Guys,

I have spent most of the day chasing this “loop hole” in the stay at home orders issued by Ill., OH., IN., and MI. I’m sure WI. is the same as they all seem to be using an Outline and adding their specific State’s name to it. The text is practically identical.

The MI order, being #2020-21 states this:

“Section 7: Exemptions

a. Individuals may leave their home or place of residence, and travel as necessary:

1. To engage in outdoor activity, including walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity consistent with remaining at least six feet from other people from outside the individuals household.”

There are 11 different explanations of exceptions to the “stay at home” Orders. This is the first, and all we need.

As I said, the other States say the same thing. I called the Indiana State covid call center and asked if I were to travel from Ill. to MI. (or vise/versa) for an outdoor activity fitting the description as Essential in all 3 State’s Executive Orders to shelter in place (IN. order #20-08, MI. #2020-21, ILL. E.O. #8) “would I be stopped or otherwise not allowed to pass through their State to do so? ”

The answer was: No, I don’t think so.

I’m just laying the ground work here Boys, the MI Gov will extend this order just as Ill and Oh just have. But, according to their own Orders, we would be within the protocol of these Orders keeping the required distance between us at an outdoor activity.

Obviously, the final call is Sam’s. Speaking with him today he agrees we should be OK, and, still plans to have us out the last weekend in April. If we must exercise this interpretation of these Orders I would suggest everyone print copies of their State’s Order and the MI Order to present to a State Police rep in case of being stopped. I will also ask for your GO-NO GO before forcing you to come or lose your investment as I did when changing the date.

Thanks for hanging together thus far, I am actually STILL getting interest here and there.

More to come!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Lets see, will EKN allow me to post today…..

[Robert Lawson]

Yes…. and NO!

I just tried to post YET AGAIN the address’s to each State Order to “shelter in place” and the post will not go through! I even removed the “hyperlink” to standard text for copy/paste….. still no go.

Now, I find it hard to believe that EKN is CENSORING posts.

Guys, do a search on the particular State and the corresponding Order number as listed above. For Ohio, search “DirectorsOrderStayAtHome” .

John, what the heck is going on???? The “old” EKN was user friendly, all the BS put in place to keep bots out has destroyed this place. No wonder they all left!

[John Ferreira]

Not sure if you were referring to this ‘John’, but. A few things to try.

1. I noticed that EKN does NOT “remember me” when I log in, either entering from a browser (Chrome, Edge or Explore) or from the daily email notification. You can read/browse without being logged in, but you can’t post or reply.
2.  Try clearing Cache on the browser you are using. Open EKN. By clearing cache, you should be logged out. If not log out and then log back in.
3. Try using another browser.

(lets see if my ‘Reply’ gets through.

[Robert Lawson]

I don’t have too many problems remaining logged-in between visits, actually I only have to log-in every few weeks.

As you can see I was able to post, just not a link or the addresses after removing the “link” using that option in the bar above.

I’m on Avast but had been using Firefox after dumping Explorer. I tried to post on both of those providers too, no help.

I’ll try to log out/log back in and see if that helps.

[Robert Lawson]

Nope…. no help!

That was a straight copy/paste from a draft in my email. No “link’ to it.

[Robert Lawson]

So, I’m reposting the info from above.

To get a printed copy search on the State & Order number and you should find them. Again, Ohio didn’t designate a number to theirs as the Health Dept Director issued the Order. Search: DirectorsOrderStayAtHome for the Ohio version.

Guys,

I have spent most of the day chasing this “loop hole” in the stay at home orders issued by Ill., OH., IN., and MI. I’m sure WI. is the same as they all seem to be using an Outline and adding their specific State’s name to it. The text is practically identical.

The MI order, being #2020-21 states this:

“Section 7: Exemptions

a. Individuals may leave their home or place of residence, and travel as necessary:

1. To engage in outdoor activity, including walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity consistent with remaining at least six feet from other people from outside the individuals household.”

There are 11 different explanations of exceptions to the “stay at home” Orders. This is the first, and all we need.

As I said, the other States say the same thing. I called the Indiana State covid call center and asked if I were to travel from Ill. to MI. (or vise/versa) for an outdoor activity fitting the description as Essential in all 3 State’s Executive Orders to shelter in place (IN. order #20-08, MI. #2020-21, ILL. E.O. #8) “would I be stopped or otherwise not allowed to pass through their State to do so? ”

The answer was: No, I don’t think so.

I’m just laying the ground work here Boys, the MI Gov will extend this order just as Ill and Oh just have. But, according to their own Orders, we would be within the protocol of these Orders keeping the required distance between us at an outdoor activity.

Obviously, the final call is Sam’s. Speaking with him today he agrees we should be OK, and, still plans to have us out the last weekend in April. If we must exercise this interpretation of these Orders I would suggest everyone print copies of their State’s Order and the MI Order to present to a State Police rep in case of being stopped. I will also ask for your GO-NO GO before forcing you to come or lose your investment as I did when changing the date.

Thanks for hanging together thus far, I am actually STILL getting interest here and there.

An extension of the existing State Orders doesn’t change the Exemption Section for Essential Activity. Only a complete shutdown will close this option for us. I have to collect from a couple guys local here, then I think we should just close it up. 1 day is better than none.

I’ll be back!

[John Ferreira]

above corrected by Robert …

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by John Ferreira.

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks for the help John!

Well, we are just in a holding pattern now.

Over the next 2 weeks the story will become clear.

Its all good, I have 2 more karts to build…. time is a commodity!

Hope All are Healthy!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Guys, please watch the update here and let me know what you prefer to do from the options I mentioned. I’m also open to your ideas as well, maybe a Big A$$ parking lot will suffice!!!!

Email here: f-125@hotmail.com

Thanks Boys! And Happy Easter!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks Guys for being decisive and prompt in returning an opinion on the options mentioned above.

ALL are either open to a weekday OR prefer a weekday at Grattan. Of those, a major majority would rather get refunded than go to MIS on a weekend day.

I was very surprised by the outcome, surely no one would want to do a weekday anywhere I thought. Boy was I wrong. Thanks for saving me the work of chasing MIS for dates then chasing all of you to coordinate a date that would work for enough of you to pull it off.

A list of weekdays for the month of May is coming, hopefully today. Once we know what kind of weekday “cycle” of booking is happening we can further weed out particular days that are go-no go.

Boys, I don’t mind doing the work if Y’all are going to stay with it.

More coming, hang in there!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Sam sent what he has OPEN for May and June.

May 1-11-12-14-19-20-22-26-27-29

June 1-2-3-9-11-23-25-26

Considering the Gateway date, May 8-10, and the work schedule of a couple others that do not have “regular” M-F jobs, we can narrow this down to a few dates right now.

What we are left with looks like this:

MAY: 14 Thur, 19 Tues , 20 Wed, 26 Tues or 27 Wed.  

Going into June, I think most all will be looking at Mid-Ohio 19-21

That leaves:

JUNE: 1,2,3 Mon-Wed, 9 Tues, or 11 Thur

Let me know what you think.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m getting some feedback and some insight, actually.

We can probably forget about those first 4 dates in May (1-11-12-14).

If MI. doesn’t extend the order again when it expires May 1st its pretty safe to say they won’t just go “Hog Wild” and throw open the flood gates of freedom to every business’ door.

Also, June 23-25-26 is the week following Mid-Ohio and that makes no sense either.

So, IMHO, it looks like Mid – May as an earliest opportunity and 1 of the 5 June dates listed as the latest of prime time weekday dates.

I’ll share my vote for best date, June 1st.

Its a Monday so it extends the weekend, allows us to get out there in the afternoon Sunday, and wait to be let in after that lessee is off the clock (5-6pm) to set up.

Worst case the following 2 days are open (currently) and can be used to adjust for weather in advance???!!!

And…. its perfectly placed to tune for Mid-Ohio.

I’m totally open to whatever Y’all want to do! Local Mall, private road, new contruction subdivision!!! I’m flexible, many of Y’all seem to be as well!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’ll try this again. No “link” and yet it didn’t post my note.

The “old” EKN never did this!

So, by unanimous vote, we have moved to June 1st.

Will find out what/who is leasing May 30-31 so we know how to approach getting in the Paddock Sunday PM.

A couple Positives:

1. They should have Race Gas then!
2. T1 repair should be done too!!
3. Better Camping Weather!!!
4. Much Better KARTING WEATHER!!!!

My guess, from overhearing Cher’s conference calls, this return to normal in MI. will roll out slowly. By demographics based on age/health history & area by number of cases. We’ll see, NY extended to 5-15 but they had big #’s of cases.

Not sold on all this just yet but all we can do is set it up and hope we get to play a bit ASAP!

Take Care Y’all, more to come yet……..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Another Update:

Guys, the May 30-31 booking was a “Track Sponsored” event and has been Cancelled as of 10 AM today.

That weekend is now Open. Yes, I did ask for 1st refusal. With the additional time we can still take weekend entries and try for 2 days.

ALL of this hinges on the MI. Gov. In the case she does not extend further AND Golfing (code word for Racing) is returned to the Public, the Track will then be opened and we can proceed.

SO: Golf Courses Open = Track can also Open.

We have exactly 2 weeks until May 1.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well boys, we didn’t have to wait until the end of the month after all.

Yes, the MI Gov extended the order through May 15, BUT, the Golf Courses can (AND ALREADY ARE!) open with no carts. The 6′ “no mans land” radius still applies, we’ll see how it gets adjusted (yes, it CAN go back) as the next couple weeks pass.

I had a feeling that rescheduling from early April (that no one wants) to later into Summer (Normally Booked up) would bring some kind of difficulty once things were opened up. We pay much less in April and Oct. than even Summer weekday bookings, so what happened doesn’t surprise me.

May 30-31 was given to a car group. It sucks, I know, but they are paying double what we would have.

Sooooooo….

June 1 it is boys. I’m done, no more playing around. STILL a great opportunity for awesome weather. Just happy to have a goal to shoot for now!

Details will come, I still plan to drive out Sunday and get in whenever we can. Hang in there boys, it’ll get better!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason”.

The 2 dates we had been scheduled to test have not been ideal. Easter weekend was OK, Saturday was clear and cold at 9am (37) topping out at 57 and cloudy by 4pm. Today was our 1st attempt at a reboot and it was mostly cloudy all day, about 40 at 9am topping out at 56 by 3pm. Both days completely dry.

The outlook on DarkSky.net for June 1st is: Partly cloudy all day, 9am at 58 closing out the day at 70 by 5pm and topping out at 71 between 3-4pm. Currently at a 20% chance of precip.

A great trade in my mind!!!!

Yeah, we have an entire month yet, but I’m a glass 1/2 full type of guy so I want to share my optimism. We will be the 20 most prepared guys at Mid-Ohio a few weeks later!

RPM!!!

[Robert Lawson]

I’ve been getting lots of calls, texts, email from new interest.

We did actually need a couple additional guys after losing a couple so that was good. But I have shut it down now, we can’t go all-in because of the 6′ radius thing.

I have a short list of guys that waited too long or never sent a check that would be considered if the reins get loosened up a bit more and can be added.

Last thing any of us need is to be turned away or worse, get selected to go home, because there are too many for the Track’s comfort. We will have to wait and see what the State will do.

With that said, at this time, plan on bringing no more than 1 guy to help you per driver. And, unless the regulations change there will be NO SPECTATORS allowed inside the Paddock of  the Track.

More as it Comes in Boys……

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Things are looking better all the time!

Seems our lovely Governor and her Health Dept leader are being sued in a Class Action Lawsuit by 4 Business’ here in SE lower MI. On top of that, she has had her “Emergency Powers” reigned in and now has to have approval of both State houses to extend any more “orders”. Otherwise, wait for it….. she will be SUED personally by the State she works for! They are saying the MI economy will not be opened in phases but turned WFO on May 1st.

We will see….

As for us, June 1st is slowly looking like a return to normalcy!!!!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I have to laugh. The world is upside down and commonsense seems to be a lost art at this point.

But, the Lawson Boys don’t care what the damn Gov is up to….. we are getting ready to make some noise!

 

 

[Robert Lawson]

Its almost not worth posting here anymore.

You can’t copy & paste in a post or it just doesn’t show up…….Ridiculous.

Long post abbreviated…

Gingerman IS open for test & tune/private rentals. You will have to do a search for their website, if I leave it here…. no post! Take a look at what they are doing to open their facility.

Red Bud MX Park in Buchanan MI has listed on their website that they too are open, in a limited capacity. Look them up as well.

These are just 2 examples of like business we are also looking to do June 1.

I was going to wait until at least the 15th to call the track and see how things are going. But, idiots are running the world and others are freaking this AM out about kart races being run or not on SM. I called the track and Curt who lives on the grounds and got VM from both.

I hear Bars and Restaurants out by the Lake just minutes from here are opened so I just thought an update was warranted.

I’ll be back with an update from Grattan.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, there WAS an update here for about 8 hours!

I made a stupid mistake and edited that post with a video, and when I hit “submit”…….. Pppfffftttt like a fart in the wind Its GONE!

UPDATE: We are all set for June 1st. T1 is being repaired instead of resurfaced due to the Paving CO going right to road work. Race gas IS available, Sunday overnight camping IS available, also keeping some distance/space is expected.

Personally, I’ll shake your hand…. I’m not freaked.

More as it comes, but, no more videos….. just ridiculous.

 

[Robert Lawson]

Boys,

I spoke to Sam today about a max number of karts/drivers SAFELY allowable to stay within the Order of State regulations.

Mentioning that we initially wanted a full weekend I was persuaded to ask the 2 day guys that were in line for a cash refund if they would be available to do a weekday 2 fer. I don’t have all the responses in yet, but, with what I do have and these new drivers wanting track time it looks like adding Tuesday June 2nd may very well be possible.

Due to this increased interest I will take New Drivers for Tuesday Only.

Monday is full, no more karts/drivers will be added to avoid overcrowding.

New Tuesday only Drivers will NOT be able to enter the Paddock until the Monday Program has concluded and some evacuation has taken place.  Respecting other’s space, as requested by Order of the MI Gov, applies to the entire facility.

*Tuesday Entry Fee: $225 Per Driver, *must prepay
*Monday Driver adding Tuesday: $100 *must prepay
Paid Weekend Drivers: Your Choice, $100 Cash Refund OR Stay Tuesday

Adding Tuesday is a full day lease, so, I have to know guys are not going to pimp me and sit home & watch the weather. You’re in or you’re Out!

As JW always says…. “Nothin says I’m IN like a Check!!!!!”

Did I need this headache? No, absolutely not. But I feel for all these guys that have no opportunity near them. We are very fortunate to have the guys at Grattan working with us as they do…. They don’t need us, that’s for sure!

More coming!!!!

RPM

UPDATES 5-14:
10:32 am *Money talks, If all “talking” send an entry, there will be only 4-5 spots remaining for Tuesday June 2nd.

12:38 pm ** Tuesday is NOT in stone until its paid off. For the prepaid 2 day guys that said yes to Tuesday I will refund as planned if this doesn’t shake out.

UPDATE 5-15:
* The long distance guys have been sending payments so I can say with confidence that Tuesday HAS BEEN ADDED!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

After all the energy and effort put into this thing, its done!

Come rain or sleet or snow or hail…. we are going to Grattan June 1 & 2!!!!

I do have to remind one and ALL…..

WE CAN NOT HAVE SPECTATORS IN THE PADDOCK

Please limit your personal group to help/crew only.
Please park/pit courteously so others can pull in/out easily.
Please stay in your pit or 6′ from others if they do not openly engage you.
Please be aware of others around you in the Bathrooms or at a Port a Potty.
Please coordinate any business (buying, selling, delivering) OUTSIDE the Paddock.

I will not allow anyone inside that is not on the list of Participants. No Guests or Enthusiasts will be allowed.

ALL of this is in direct cooperation with State Regulation of the Stay at Home Order. Tell your friends, not this time, we can not take a chance of overstepping the boundaries.

Updates as they come.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just to settle your nerves….

I got a few texts about the MI Gov extending the stay at home order. Guys, its been in play since March, Golfing has been off the chain since allowed to reopen a few weeks ago. The track opened last Friday to a small private group for test/tune and they have had no issues with Law enforcement.

We are going to be fine.

ALL Monday Only drivers will be positioned in the LOWER Paddock.

ALL 2 Day drivers will be utilizing the Garages and UPPER Paddock.

ALL Tuesday Only drivers will begin loading into the LOWER Paddock Monday evening AFTER 6PM  to allow the Monday Only drivers to vacate pit spaces.

This will help avoid any ingress/egress issues of traffic.

More to come, just 1 week to go!

RPM

UPDATE 5-24:  Spoke to Curt at the track today, things are going very well. No neighbor complaints, no law enforcement visits, and the crowds were much bigger than what we expect to bring. Spectating IS allowed on the grounds, they won’t run anyone off. I still do not want any spectating or visitors/guests in the Paddock during track hours.

[Todd Stoffer]

Hi, folks,

Robert called me this morning and asked me to let you know that he is having computer problems and will be unable to post any news for the next couple of days. We are still on for Grattan next week, the weather is looking great and we are both looking forward to seeing everybody there.

Todd

[Robert Lawson]

I’m back up and running and Better than ever!!!!
I actually regained access to my other YT channel and can post there too!

Lost a bunch of stuff but I have the old hard drive AND I had backed up the PC on disc so I can get most of it back quickly.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CAME OUT TO GRATTAN!!!!!

2 Beautiful days of open running, 40 total drivers and a count of 60 over those days made for an unprecedented never before done WEEKDAY edition of Testing specifically for Karts only! Pat yourselves on the back, you made karting history!

Rich and Kenny, Dave Ahrens, Bob Cole, & Larry Rumsey made life for me over the 2 days much easier!!! Bob Kurkowski came out and took photos of the action both days and I have posed most of them on the “Enduro Go-Kart Racing” group at FB. A bunch of the guys offered to help in the future, and that made all of the work and headache worthwhile!!!

I can now officially announce our position of US supplier of the Moto Line of Repsol Lubricants. We are not yet a Distributor but the American Dealer, so retail will be our goal as we get started. Just got our first samples of the high end 2T Racing premix oil and some wet & dry chain lubes to test just in time for Grattan. I LOVE the dry lube! Never tried that type before and always hated cleaning up the sticky mess that was left behind from the wet stuff we used to run. Planning on dyno testing the 2T and comparing the chain lubes on the dyno too as soon as I get a minute to do it. The Repsol line is not just a karting venture for us, we intend (GOD willing!) to open a store front and work on non DOT track bikes… and karts if we get the work, but primarily aftermarket bike supplies and gear. My Repsol edition CBR250R will make a nice artistic piece in the showroom if we get that far. I have no interest in riding it anymore with all hell is breaking loose out there.

Hope Y’all are well, healthy, and safely back home!!!!

Talk Soon!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

This is helmet mounted video. What you see is what I see.

That track is getting bad rough in a laydown!

Along with this one all our Test day video is at this new/old/new YT channel. Bunch of old school Analog handheld clips there too!

I’ll be posting on both channels… still building karts and planning on being ready for Nelson Ledges in 5-6 weeks!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Guys,

I have 2 Saturday dates in October for Grattan.

The full weekend 17 & 18 is still available and the following Saturday 24th is also open. I will keep you informed of the happenings involving these dates.

Rich and I have taken on yet more work to do before our planned trip to Nelson. A complete refurbish of the exterior of the Trailer is now in full swing. We removed the rear doors and broke them down, what we found was startling!  It is my intention to make Nelson but if we get closer and it looks tight we may just resort to Gingerman OR just heading back to Grattan on one of the listed dates above.

On a more somber note, we have lost our good friend and mentor Tom Barth. His health had been degrading the last year or so, he fought right to the end. He ran his race and finished the Course! He can now rest and wait for the rest of us!!! Tom allowed me to help him build my first enduro shifter kart. That adventure touched so many others as I too paid it forward and help guys get up & running.

Thank You Tom for the Gift, Godspeed!!!

More to Come,

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I asked for a hold (pencil in) on the 17-18 weekend in October.

Some of our regular guys will miss it because the Org’s have been pushing their events late into the Season. For the most part, the racing in the region will be over and getting new Sprint drivers to come out may be a good possibility.

In my opinion, in a laydown kart, its just too rough for me…. I have not given up on driving a kart there. I asked Larry Rumsey to get 1 of his CIK 125’s ready for me to try…. thats right, Robert in a Sprint kart! If some of the G125 guys will come up then I’ll try to hang with them!!!

In the mean time I’m working on a new headrest system for my ride to help keep my vision “in focus” over the bumps!

So start saving your pennies for October now…. I promise, BRISKET this time!!!!

RPM

[Jeremy Baldi]

For bumps I have found the superkart chassis the best.  The sprints are okay but so hard on your ribs that even with rib vest I separated ribs at Grattan a few years back when I drove the KZ sprint.  The handling also feels more like laydown which is nice.  A few guys are talking of putting 125s on SK chassis so you could do that too.  I know you had your converted sprint chassis at one point which I know you had issues with handling but I have been very happy with my Anderson chassis.

Jeremy Baldi

[Robert Lawson]

I’ve never been comfortable sitting up. In the CIK/SK it was very comfortable, that seat was leaned back almost like a laydown. Problem was it didn’t lap as quick as the laydown. Tried to keep that kart to a 45″ max width…. it won’t handle like that! We eventually widened the rear until the handling was super good but again, we were a full 3-4 seconds slower because you then had to drive it like a CIK…. like an indoor kart!

After hearing from the boys at M-O about the crashing, wrecking, and Ambulance runs this afternoon (Sat.) I won’t be driving that CIK kart after all! Maybe on a track day but not in a darn crowd, just stupid decisions being made out there.

We’ll concentrate on a new better headrest to keep our helmet down in front and supported side to side…. hopefully that helps!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

We continue moving through the pile of work we took on.

I’m laying up a full set of bodywork this week, have not done that in at least 6-7 years!!! That set will be delivered to Tony H. at Grattan. Will do a 2nd set heading to Chicago in the following weeks and a “custom set” for my new F-125 with new style side panels before long as well. Its Summer time, prime time for the composite projects. Without a controlled temp shop doing this stuff  in the Winter never produces anything consistent. Lots of other small bits to do too, trailer fenders for sure and Briggs Kart stuff between finishing the cosmetic work to the trailer and painting it.

So Grattan in July is out for us. I’ll go up to drop off Tony’s bits but won’t go inside or stay for more than a couple hours. We are full-on working to get to Nelson, Ill even put off the trailer Paint job to make it.

There is talk of a reunion over there….. some Old Guys threatening to get together!!! It will be a must go! Besides, I really want to see this 4 banger out on the track, and, before our Test in October so any bugs can be fixed.

Hittin’ it hard first thing in the AM….. now, I need sleepy!

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Heading out to Grattan Saturday morning. Bringing a Pop-Up and a couple chairs, a cooler with some refreshments and maybe something to BBQ.

Anyone want to hang out and spectate with us you are welcome to pull up some shade Track Side, at T1, and enjoy a few hours of Karting action… free of charge! We won’t be going inside.

The MX track will be maxed out along with the Road Course, T1 will be the only place to comfortably sit without being run over!! Spoke to Curt this AM and we should have no problem setting up there.

With the weather being so hot I’m not going to try to paint & clear coat the trailer until things settle down. Working on karts today, just the little stuff though. The bones in my lumbar hurt… this should have been healed by now, no? Anyway, sitting just makes it worse so I’m outta here!!

This is what I have been up to:

Talk soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Got all of Tony’s parts ready to go so I’ll be heading out to Grattan Saturday AM to meet and hangout for a bit. No time to make up a flier for ELKT so that will come another weekend.

LOTS to do yet in prep for Nelson though!!!

Hope the mask issue resolves itself by then. If not, it just buys me more time to get the trailer fully finished and we’ll just head to Gingerman instead.

I have also been calling around to guys with karts just sitting…. trying to find guys to buy them and put um to use! I may just snag 1 or 2 myself if I can get them cheap enough. Don’t care about making a dime, just getting more guys out to the track.

I’ll take the cams with me and try to get some clips of the races from outside T1. Weather looks great for Early July, low to mid 80’s! Its been in the 90’s the last few years.

More coming…

[Robert Lawson]

Well, the weather was fantastic out at Grattan. Saturday there was a good stiff breeze out of the West that had a nice cool feel to it.

Took some Trackside clips with the old Gopro, not ideal for that but it was more my commentary on what was happening!!!

Not surprised they were combining classes and race groupings, it was visibly down in participation from the past 3 years or so. I got there before lunch break and watched the combined enduro race group that had 250’s, F-125, 100 controlled/PP/Y pipe. Here is a clip of the first few minutes:

 

Had some overheating issue with the GoPro after sitting it on my tonneau cover. i actually had to put it in my cooler for a few minutes so it would record again!!! That explains the missing video action I speak of it the 2nd clip. I have to apologize to Dave & Patty HECHLER….. We just always think of Patty as a Heinrich!

Hope my buddy Harry West is ok, he dropped out of this race after getting the elbow of his driving suit wound up around the starter nut on his TM KV95 and it literally tore his suit off!! Got a bad hematoma on his right arm, said it pulled him out of his seat!!!

Back to it today, I actually got my Euro rear brake hub/rotor squared away yesterday and will try to get it installed this afternoon. It looks like loading the 4 banger in the truck and roughin it at Nelson is a possibility. Rich just got called back to work so he can’t get off to go and I really want to see this thing run. Driving it myself is NOT out of the question!!!! The F-125 would be too much to do on the fly like this so Gingerman is looking more and more likely. Buys me more time with the trailer projects too.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Was really trying to get at least the 4 banger in shape to hit Nelson for a shake down. The F-125 is finished short of the new headrest being mounted but no way the trailer would be ready for the road this weekend. Was going old school with the Briggsy, stuff it in the truck with a handful of tools and some gas and rough it!!!!

Not sure I’ll make it at all now, have to wait and see how far it gets by Friday. Waiting 6-7 weeks for Gingerman makes more sense, but with the way things are unfolding I should take my own advice and have fun when I can!

We’ll see!

New Go Pro on the way too….. if it shows up, “I have to go” don’t I ?????

See Y’all!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Did not make the trip to Nelson.

The race group the 4 banger runs in is sketchy…. Vintage Twins, 3 TAG classes, 206’s, more vintage karts, Yamaha enduros, etc, etc,etc…. many stories/incidences of guys getting taken out or just roughed up by overzealous guys point racing for a piece of plastic.

We’ll take it to Gingerman but probably will not run it there either. Just have to wait  see, if the turn out is slim in that group then you never know. I’ll take it to the Community College right round the block here for a shake down….HUGE parking lot dead empty!!!!

Been super busy but took the day off and rode the CBR all day. Back and Bike feel good, thought I was selling it tomorrow but the guy backed out. Its all good, back at it tomorrow. Painting and trying to get these beautiful new rear doors on the trailer this weekend!!!

Back Soon!

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A few new issues have come up in the past week.

Cherri and I both are wearing wrist braces, I think mine is actually getting better and hers…. well, that car accident she was in was pretty serious. I just twisted mine real good with a drill! Che’ will get an MRI and maybe surgery, me…. I’m going to drive at Gingerman!!!!

The new GoPro was a flash in the pan. It needed “updates” to work and record properly and I just didn’t have the patients to work through it. Sent it back and will probably just wait awhile to look at another one.

The same kid that backed out on the bike purchase has made another appointment to come and get it Wednesday so we’ll just have to see what happens. The bike is good fun, and, if Rich had one we could go at it. But, riding alone is all I’ve done with this bike and its just time to send it down the road. I’ll never forget going to Atlanta to buy it from Jim Brannon at Freewheelin’ Honda! The dealership has been sold but the memories of that trip live on!!

Sell the bike and I can build more karts!!!!

Speaking of karts I have found a few that have been sitting, now for sale. I may just buy one to resell, maybe a couple! Building the new kart for Daytona just feels unlikely now. Think of all the major City’s we would have to pass through on the way to Fla from MI. That’s a lot of highway riots and I have 4WD…. yeah, so, why spend my every last waking hour busting my ass to not get to go anyway?

I hurt the wrist drilling the tap-drill holes for the rear trailer door hinges. Yes, I finished them all, but that 2nd to last one bit me! You have to be super careful with this Dewalt 1/2″ drill… its a torque monster and has hurt me at least 2 other times. I knew better to become complacent using it annnnnd it got me!!

So, doors still not on. Door frame is all in primer though, just a bit of scuff & mask and I can paint that, get door seal installed and work on getting the doors hung all this week, GOD willing! Will have to paint the body of the trailer after Gman and before testing in Oct. The rest can be done after…..we did have 50 deg weather in December last year!!!

Cher and I will be taking our Niece and Nephew to the track for their first time at Gingerman. They are so excited…. they just want to see the little fridge workin’ & full of goodies, sleeping in the trailer, and watchin “Uncle Bub” racin’! Braydon wants a go kart…. which means his sister does too…! They are too young for track action but we have a chassis, components and engine so maybe we’ll get them to that BIG parking lot….

Getting good interest in the October gig at Grattan. I think the F125 class may make a regional comeback!

Cher will work me up a nice flier to make that trip out to ELKT, hope to do that soon.

And, lastly, when I went to Grattan to meet Tony H we talked briefly about his weight loss, then more since in email and phone convo’s. I have been on the Keto diet for about 2.5 weeks, 20 days maybe total.  The first 4-5 just climbing in and working on cutting the carbs down before completely out. Its amazing, I’m eating all the meat & cheese I want, eggs, greens, and even low or no carb snacks. And I’ve lost 8 lbs…..doing nothing! I had to work my tail off at that gym for an hour straight daily for 4 months and lost 20lbs. Not being able to go back I just kinda hovered at -20 for 2 more months but then started to gain a couple LBS. I giggle each time I get on the scale….its just fallin off!

I’ll be super comfy in the kart next month and on my way back to where I was when I quit smoking.

The world is upside down Y’all. Wrong is Right, evil is good, the normal get arrested and the extreme get a pass….. so, knowing these things are Biblical in nature……. I do Pray for all of You!!!!

Until Next Time,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Pluggin’ away Folks!!!

Took bike ad off net, too many jabronies trying to low ball me. The kid made a total of 3 appointments to buy the bike and had an excuse each time. Too bad, so sad… Puffy is KEEPING his Bike!!!!

Off to the Composite Supply stocking up for short term, will have to revisit next month for sure!

Everything is in place to get our rear doors back on this weekend. Sat-Sun only time I have enough help to hold things in place… Shim them up, measure 5 times, mark them, measure again…… then hold breath and drill holes! Its gonna take 3 guys for sure.

Karts are coming together, the F-125 just had the new headrest idea being added but the 4 banger had unfinished business. Much of that done now too, headrest’s are mounted just working on padding them up. Should certainly get both out to Gingerman in 4 weeks to unwind a bit.

Looks like waiting on the trip to East Lansing Kart Track will be the best move. Catching um’ at the end of their season will keep Grattan fresh in their mind!

New helmet arrived, too small even though I followed their chart…. I knew it. Sent it back, new replacement came and will do the job. Not crazy about the feel but like jumping in new shoes….. you always miss the feel of your fav’s! It will be fine, gotta find time to get paint on it now.

Gotta plan for Daytona IF in fact we are allowed to go…..

Will alter what I have, cool stuff under the body too that we had planned for the new stuff may be incorporated in this “prototype”. Will still be 1 of a kind but not equipped with all the whistles & bells we intended for the new kart.

Hope some of you are planning for October, either after Pitt or just before the Snow comes!!! Will be a fun time for sure, man I can taste that Brisket now!!!

Still losing weight, gotta lower the steering on the Hot Rod!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m getting email, text, and calls on the Dates for our October Test!

The attention makes me want to run right out and start pushing info fliers. Thinking about it more, I believe 2 trips may be necessary and maybe adding a trip to Newcastle as well.  Wish I had a connection to some Vintage enduro guys, the track day format would be ideal for the kart guy that doesn’t care to do the race event “dance”.

This is a quote from Nov 3rd 2019, post #150356 right here in this thread:

“Because I have a different view of the “new  found collaboration” of Karting Orgs and Clubs, sharing race events, many will not understand why I think this is a stinker for “us” the customer or end user. There is far more to this “coming together” than Multiple Orgs lending their name to an event and…. sharing the “love”. The only love that will be shared will come directly from your pocket, as Pit Passes and Entry fees will now jump considerably due to this brain storm of collectivism.

Expect a PP including Thursday “drop off” to be $45 – $50, and your Friday-Sun fee’s to be $150. Why? Because you now have 2, 3 or 4 Orgs ALL bringing “members” (cough… working together) and will want (need) to get paid for their part in it. Also, each org will be represented at said events and they will need to be paid as well.”

My point is not to say “I told you so” but to point out the extreme costs.

Going to a race event this year, single day, running 1 class, is going to cost you right about $200 with Entry, PP, and Membership… weekend or otherwise. That pays for a grand total of 62 minutes of track time for a 30 min race class or 77 minutes for an enduro class….. assuming you get 4 – 8 minute practice sessions and run every lap of each, and your race. That’s simply cost of  “track time”, please consider you will be sharing that piece of pavement and pit with 100’s of others…. 30-50 or more for just 8 minutes at a time.

The cost of “racing” will continue to go up, exponentially. We all know it and accept it, if we attend. At this point, I’m only in it for the fun and fellowship.

The above equates to this:

Single Day at Race Track w/assumed practice time

30 min race = $3.22 per min on track. Not bad!
45 min race = $2.59 per min on track. Pretty Good!!!

These are not bad values for the $$$!

Single Day Private Testing (only 7 hrs, after sub 1 hr for lunch)

420 minutes @ $225 per driver = .53 cents per min on track. Umm, hmm…

That just doesn’t seem fair…………..

I hope none of these Sprint Folks I’ll be handing a flier to ask me about the cost of “Racing” on the big tracks, because, its not good news. Is it?

Back Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I am now accepting entry’s for the October 17-18 test days at Grattan.

As always, if we don’t get all we need to do the 2 days we will condense and lease a single day. Weather permitting, I would assume that to be the Saturday date. Only time will tell.

We will not be up charged for the weekend, same as we were not rebated for the Mon-Tues in June! So, same price as the Spring program.

$225 single day
$325 weekend

The Brasher Bros are the first to pony up for a weekend! The Pasteiner Family was right behind and is coming for a double as well. Some of our regulars will not be able to make it as CES has rescheduled its early race at Gateway to the weekend after us. Will be hitting up James “Rusty” Ferguson to promote for us at Newcastle as he is the Head Flagman for Stars or some touring Series. Why make the trip if we got a guy on the inside right??!!!  Hopefully he can get his rig out for some lapping with us too.

The 4 banger is so close to being track ready but I have decided to leave it home from G-man in a couple weeks and have it put through its paces at Grattan instead. I just hate operating on the rev limiter, it takes the fun out of it ya know? So I’ll get the trailer in order, get the hot rod prepped up, and we’ll go find out if our new headrest assembly will work…. and that H2O temp data issue.

Looking forward to offering Y’all a nice Brisket & Fixin’s meal this time!!!

I’ll take Ck or MO, Paypal too.

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Things are moving along very nicely.

The test/tune has good momentum, our trailer upgrades are coming along, and the headrest project for the F-125 is DONE! We will test it at Gingerman in just 2 weeks!

In the mean time the 4 banger is going to Grattan, probably half naked. And, I did it again…. I mentioned back a bit that I would “buy a kart” if it was the right deal and… I did! Barring any surprises it will be at Grattan as well. I was fortunate enough to have Brandon Schenkel agree to pick it up or I wouldn’t have done it. We will take possession at PITT when we meet him to make the hand off. Its a Vintage Zip Eagle “American” ENDURO. I was attracted right away to its Lineage and History of the Zip brand plus being a Euro version of a purely American formula… the Laydown Chassis. DAP built some US style Laydowns back in the 80’s as well but none of these Euro manufactures could justify continuing to do so for more than a couple years. So, there are not a ton of them around… and we got one that is ready to run as is! Yes, we will “RPM” that bad boy…. returning it to its OEM color and “tidy’n” it up a bit.

I have 2 other karts here to build now so I really have no idea what I was thinkin! Maybe its time to play with the 4 and the Vintage a bit and do a badly needed refurbish of the TSR while building up that 2nd F-125 too? Either way, we have karts to play with at these Test/Track Days and that’s all that matters. Dang…… I might need a Storage Unit!!!

Hang in there Folks….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Frustrated……

I spent 45 minutes, on 2 attempts, different attachment procedures, and still came up with ZERO posts.

Man, I need my own website or something.

[Robert Lawson]

Off to Gingerman in the AM.

Not in “race” mode…. its hard to get up for these gig’s. A cluster of a class called Unltd where you cant compete with twin 250’s and there are not many if any F-125’s. So, its not really “racing” is it? I do have to get this Data collection issue figured out and give the new head rest set up a go so we go through the motions.

I’m more interested to see how my little Niece and Nephew are going to take to the Track life. They are so fired up to go, hope they enjoy it.

Tons of video coming, 4 cameras this weekend so should get some cool stuff for y’all to check out!

See You Monday!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, you know what they say about “the best laid plans”!!!

We got every lap of AM practice Saturday morning, I was SO prepped that I was 1st on track 2 of the 3 rounds!!! We all knew rain was forecast for the afternoon so I went to Dave and asked if the race 5 “enduros” could be combined with the race 3 “enduros” to avoid the coming rain. He checked it out and hooked us up!

We would go 1st after lunch…..

The new headrest didn’t work with my old-old helmet, even after making an adjustment to add height with additional padding. 3rd run was with the new-old helmet and it was as if I had new glasses or something!!! Never once touched my helmet to pull it down…. When you can see, even over rough surfaces, you can haul ass!!!!!

The old VL/RVS 125 is still super fast. The kart was perfect, braking, handling, just everything. The tune was fat and broke up in 5th-6th gear and I still have an issue with my data. With limited time due to moving up in race order I swapped Temp 1 & Temp 2 for the race to see if the issue followed the change but as you see we never got back out. Will simply change out the unit for another, I have 2 more MyChron 2’s. 1 being factory refurbished and never run so we’ll see if it was simply the data collection itself. These units are old, many years of vibration will take its toll eventually!

Sunday AM had track drying take up a bunch of time and left just a single run for each group. The track was still wet so I just called it a weekend and started packin up.

Back home, working on the trailer again!!! Going to PITT next weekend, thought about bringing the F-125 for a sec, then thought better of it. We’ll run her again next month at Grattan, Which by the way, MAY have some surface repairs done before we get there!!!!!

More to come!!!

RPM (stay dry, rain sucks!!)

[Robert Lawson]

Been busting a$$ on the trailer here and chasing down parts for the new kart. Hoping to run that kart at Pitt this weekend.

Heading out EARLY Friday AM, solo, in the truck with some clothes, gear bag, fuel jug, little cooler, sleepin bag and some gears & misc bits. No tools, no stand, no starter, no pop up, won’t even be able to put air in the tires!!! Its not all bad though, Ronnie Lorang and I have known one another since we were both 5-6 years old running around at race tracks all over the country…. he’s gonna hook me up!!! I’ll work on this thing all day Friday, IF I can fit in it without needing fabrication!!! If I can get it together, its track ready and safe, I’ll enter a Vintage class and run it. If necessary I’ll enter a Sunday Race and get Saturday AM practice too. I have not run the additional course, my experience was on the old Original layout so I may need the extra time. Its been more than 25 years since I slipped a clutch, and, I have no experience with the Mickey-Mouse Walbro carb that is completely a$$ backward from anything I DO remember from the old days!!!!

Sleeping in Ron’s trailer, no coffee, cooler food, completely unprepared with a kart I have not yet seen…..

Should be fun!!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Wow… what an up and down week!

The kart will not get to the Track until late Friday so my plan is now shot. I’m just not THAT motivated to “race it” that I’d have to thrash on it most of Saturday to run it Sunday. Fuhgetaboutit!!!!

So, Im not leaving until Saturday AM. Will buzz over there, pick up the Kart & Parts, hand out fliers for Grattan, meet Bruce and pick up a set of tanks, buy some carb kits, have some chow and away I go!!!!

That’ll make for a long day, hope to be heading back by 1-2pm.

Gonna be a busy weekend at Grattan!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Back home here, I’m just drained…. beautiful day but very very long!

Rich helped me off load the kart, I sat in it while it was still in the bed of the truck. It needs A LOT of help! There is so many things “wrong” with it I may have to park it until April. We’ll see, but with all the other things that MUST be done to go to Grattan…. this may not make the cut.

I may catch hell but I dont care, I dont like that place….. the paddock is very confusing, the announcements were for $hit, you cant see ANY of the track without intentionally walking to a place to look and then you cant see much. Dont care how cool the layout is, the place stressed me out the way its randomly set up.

Needless to say, I wont be going back there. And, no one will miss us!

Its back to work tomorrow. The 3 weeks will fly right by.

IF you intend to do the Test Day with us please dont wait to send something off, I’m stressed out enough already!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

As much thinkin out loud or “talking to myself” I’ve been doing while working on this kart we just bought you’d think I had multiple personalities!!!

I remember all the reasons why I got out of clutch karts…. and have been chastising myself, while working on it ever since!!!!

I have accepted that the Trailer Body will not get paint before Grattan so that actually takes a bit of pressure off. Still have plenty to do though, on Karts AND getting the rig back to road ready.

Right now, we have enough cash & commitments to do a single day. We’ll keep all options open until the call must be made. Looking at Accuweather way out to the 17th yesterday it said H 71!!!

I hope we get a super nice day (or 2!) out there, with the uncertainty of what is past Nov it will be a nice gift!!! Take advantage while you can Y’all, there are NO guarantees of any freedoms these days!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

One day this website is going to self destruct!

Did you notice there was a “new post” #109530…. but you can’t see it???

I got tired of trying to post a video so I just wrote a nice message and included the link in Plain Text…. so it would go through. I then decided to alter the post with another link but forgot to make it Plain Text and POOF…like a Fart in the Wind, its gone!!!!!!

It doesn’t matter how I do it, Cut & Paste, Copy & Paste, Copy URL, “Insert a Link” from the menu above…… it just doesn’t work. Can’t figure out HOW I did it a couple weeks ago!

Anyway, I plan on having the trailer back together on Saturday. I’ll have about 3 days to get all 3 karts finished up and ready to go.

Boys, it looks like a single day gig at this point. I plan to drive out Friday and NOT return until Sunday. I’m planning Dinner for everyone Saturday directly following On Track activity at 5PM. You can dine & dash, take out, or eat/relax/hang and campfire with me. Again, who knows what will come after this election so LIVE IT UP while you can!!!!

More to Come!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its official, we are only running 1 day this weekend, Saturday 10-17. ALL drivers that paid the 2 day fee will be reimbursed in cash at the track.

Its going to be cold so please prepare. I pumped Antifreeze through my system today, I suggest you do the same OR drain your karts system and fill it Saturday before getting on track.

My kart is a pain in the a$$ to drain down completely so pumping through AF is a better choice. I’ll push it out with fresh H2O in the AM Saturday and then do it all again Saturday night for the near future.

YOU CAN NOT RUN GLYCOL IN YOUR KART ON THE TRACK!!!!

I will speak with the Track guys in the AM and check back tomorrow about when we can load in on Friday, Saturday night camp over, Pavement plans, and other details.

BRB!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

GOOD NEWS!!!

The Asphalt Pavers are scheduled to be there Friday, Grinding & Paving T1!

I spoke with Curt about my very positive experience at Mid-Ohio a bunch of years ago. They had milled or ground all of the Corners on the track and the Club was concerned that the abrasiveness of the raw surface would wear tires and cause trouble. It was AWESOME! Smooth from the lazer guided milling machine and super grip….. it was a joy to drive on!!! You don’t always have to Pave to upgrade the surface, milling does wonders!

Curt said he will inquire about the Paving Co doing some milling with a similar machine to other turns as well. Of course I jumped right in and suggested T3 and the Bowl get some attention before anything else. Not sure if that will get done the same day or if they will come back and do it after this weekend but its ALL good news!

I plan on getting out there between 1 & 3 Friday.
Race Gas IS available at the track.
Curt is pickin up the Groceries for us!
Staying over and heading out Sunday is OK!!

We are all set guys, now we need the weather to turn in our favor.

Looking forward to the look on the faces of CIK guys after taking the 4 banger for a ride!!! I’ll get video!!!!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

<span style=”color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, serif; font-size: 12px;”>”We are all set guys, now we need the weather to turn in our favor.”

</span>Well, well, well……

Ridicule if you like, Prayer works!

Its not going to be Summer weather but just a week ago it was L 27 – H 40….

This AM I’m seeing L 33 – H 55, a considerable improvement.

Worked on the scrapper all day yesterday. its as done as I’m willing to get it!! Ultrasound this AM then over to Rich’s to mount the fenders on the trailer and drag it over to my garage to load up. Leaving the F-125 home, just not motivated to purge and fill H2O & AF this weekend. So, we go just for fun!!! If everything blows up or breaks down we still have BRISKET to look forward too!!!

Video coming!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Got some video uploading now… 3 in car clips and 21 hand held recordings!

Friday afternoon/evening I set up the course with entrance, apex and exit cones for visual aid. My toes, fingers and face were numb, lip is chapped, joints ache, it was rough!

Short story, it was cold and wet Saturday AM, it took until Noon to get the new pavement in T1 dry enough to run on, sent Rich out in the new kart as a test dummy to see if it was good for the group to go…. he spun in THE PADDOCK at the bottom of the hill!!! It was all good from there on out. The 4 banger had a few different drivers try it out before the fuel pump took a dump and I got 3 rides in the Zip Kart before it blew up and it was STILL a good day!

We busted A$$ to get the place in shape to run.

Thanks to the guys that drove their vehicles around or picked up a broom to help….. AND the Marshals that took action and grabbed the side-by-side with a blower and jumped in too!

Bob Cole was our Pick up driver, Rich & Kenny made announcements so I could play, Curt Faasen prepared a great spread of Groceries for us and Jan Pasteiner baked us some fudge/butterscotch scones that went VERY WELL with the Coffee!!!!

Thanks to everyone for their patients, and, keeping others in mind and making good choices on track keeping our Safety Record at a Perfect 100%!

Ill post links for video and pic’s soon!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Was “geared up” mentally for Gallbladder surgery/removal today, got rescheduled for Friday so…….

I got a mess to clean up in the garage! Rich helped me to hurriedly set the place up for Winter, stacking karts and storing totes/bins. Still have quite a bit of stuff to arrange and store away so I’ll be out there today getting that done. I may tear the Zip Kart down today/tomorrow too, that will free up room to “create”!!!!

Every year I say “I’m doing this…” and it still sits. The first page here is proof of that! We decided to leave the 4 banger chassis unpainted, that will save a ton of time. We are replacing king pins on the Hot Rod, that’s not as easy as it sounds. They are adjustable ride height (weight jacking) king pins and the design has been changed by the manufacture from the originals I have. Its a clearance issue with the brake hub/rotor. I may also install the new spindles I have too, which will need brake caliper mounts and hours of fitting/finessing to keep the overall track width the same and clear the chassis & bits up front there. Then, there is this Other f-125….. build it up, tear it down, paint & reassemble, seat, bodywork, floor tray, etc…. Ugh! I have a bunch of fiberglass work to finish somewhere in there as well.

All that said, April will be here before you know it. I won’t go full on with any of this until we see what will become of our World in 2 weeks.

Hang in there Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

OK, lets try this again….

[Robert Lawson]

It must be the meds…..But I cant stop thinking about Daytona!

To be honest I hate the drive down there and I really have nothing I want to race….. maybe its because, Ugh…. mah belly hurts.

When you “cant” you want to…. when I’m able, I’ll probably forget all about it.

I did order up some powder coating swatches/samples to look at. May as well LOOK while I’m racked up here. Might just run a chassis or 2 and some wheels over to Jim Anthony and get some color on this stuff. The new F-125 will need a bunch of fab before we can get it in color so it may be a couple month yet. But gotta plan things out for when I can get out and do it while sitting here waiting to heal.

I’ll shoot a clip when I get these samples, they are super cool 2 stage powder coat.

I survived, I think, Ugh…. I’m gonna laydown!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks to Steve Pasteiner for the COOL new Repsol “Lucky Racing Socks”!!!

Yeah, I’m still feeling rough, but Stylin in my new go-fast socks baby!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

I visit the Dr on Thursday and will find out how things went during Surgery AND what my new level of restrictions will be going forward. This sitting around has me shopping like a Teen girl during Prom season!!!!

Have not purchased anything but have tried cutting some sweet deals, what do I have to lose??? Been trying to steal some things offered OBO…. its actually good fun!

I think the Vintage Racing is going to be a heck of a lot of fun. That group seems to be growing. I just want to enjoy Karting again, racing the Zip kart will bring some of that “Old Days” feeling back. I’ll build that F-125 anyway and we’ll keep it and our current kart waxed up and waiting for a time to play with them but that class is all but dead these days. Part of me wants to try to build that class back up, but I know what has hurt it and nothing short of rule changes will help to get guys interested in it again. Not sure I want to put in that much effort.

Got the 6 orange samples from the Powder Coating Co. this week. I finally found a tint/shade/effect I like….. but now I think I’ll only use it on wheels! We will paint the Zip chassis and tanks and put some crazy cool wheels on it.

Daytona, even after the med haze has cleared, is still in play. Just waiting out the result of how the kooks & nuts will handle the news Tuesday night and what our post Nov 3 world looks like. Don’t want to make a habit out of taking a firearm with me on the road to a race track because of psycho “protesters”.

Hang in there Y’all.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Wow, well…. uh, hmmmm…….

Just when you you think humanity cant do anymore damage, we have an election. The burning down of the Country that I truly expected has not happened…. yet. Its coming though, because this is far from over.

So…..

Thinking better of thrashing to prep for a Vintage ride at Daytona. Not going to bother. Instead, I’m taking a road trip and doing some shopping tomorrow! Off to South Bend IN. to buy a couple Yamaha’s for the Zip kart to eat next year. If you LOVE your kart you should keep it well fed!!!!

The Doc checked me out, answered ALL my questions and even showed me the surgery on video…. right on his phone! 4 more weeks of “easy”….. no ab or core activity other than the everyday movement/motion. I can cut grass (push the mower), rake leaves (carefully) but not pick them up, and “play lightly” in the garage, but no lifting at all….. 20 lb max.

To stay distracted from the World out there I’ll keep pluggin away until the SHTF or April arrives…. and we go back to the Track!

Hang in there Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Last year I did something most thought was a little nuts…. I took 4 new “off the shelf” wheels and cut them apart! It was necessary to make 1 set of wheels that would clear my front brakes and also provide a usable front tire width ALL while not adding to the overall track width of the front end of the kart.

That was a mouthful!

Why tell you this? The disguarded 4 pieces from that project now form a perfect set of new front wheels for our Vintage kart!!!! I LOVE IT when a plan comes together!!!!

Now, on the F-125, I simply treated them as a 2 piece wheel. Must use silicone and an O-Ring to keep a leak proof seal…. a bit of a hassle! Its also a pain because even after evacuating all the air pressure from the tire, when you take the wheel off the hub it separates! This also requires Beading the tire ON the hub you will run on the kart, no biggie because we balance that entire assembly as its run anyway….. but if you need to gain access to a front corner the hub has to be removed with the wheel or you start all over again!

So, with this set I’m going to try that crazy Aluminum Welding (Brazing) rod that is advertised everywhere. I still will not bead up a tire without it being bolted to a hub, but, I’m hoping it will give me the option of removing the air and not having to reseal the wheel again like the F-125 set-up. I was going to go the route of lazer welding, as you may remember, I posted a video of the local shop that utilize this. But, it would be expensive AND it also is NOT a penetrating weld… like this brazing rod…. so what the heck I’m gonna give it a try!

For this to be successful it must completely fill the seam and be air tight.

If it works this really changes our options for getting a proper sized (custom) wheel for the big front brakes needed on the heavier/faster laydown 125 or 250. No wheel manufacture offers a 1 piece wheel with the needed 1.625″ backspace in a width wide enough for us to use as front’s. DWT offered to make our wheel if we bought 24 of them at a time! Naw, we’ll do it ourselves!!!!

If it works, I’ll do the F-125 wheels as well!!
If it works, I’ll post the video for you to check it out!!

Also bought new rear wheels so I’ll box this stuff up and send them off to Jim for Powder Coating. If you are wondering how the heat of brazing will effect the wheel strength, they will get “normalized” in the baking process of Coating @450 deg….. twice, because they will get a base color and a top coat!

Hope to show all of it off when its finished.

Hang in there Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Ok, ok…. I should have known better right???

The Aluminum “Rods” were not going to work. They sure look good in those video’s but there is no way of getting the wheel that hot (730 deg!!???) for them to work as….. advertised. I’ll index them on a different set of hubs and send them to work with Rich for TIG welding. If they stay “in shape” cool, if not… they were scrap bits anyway.  In the meantime, I just ordered new wheels.

If anyone needs their beer or soda cans welded up just stop by and you can do it yourself!!!!! Thank GOD I bought the small pack!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

New wheels off to Powder Coat and Rich has the spare set to weld up when he gets time.

Made up an extension today for the short fuel tank on the Vintage kart. Its just a shroud that covers the engine but if I was going to replace it that needed to be done now so the tanks can head to the prime/paint process same time as the Chassis. Not much remains to be done before tearing it down (less than an hour) and getting it ready to paint.

With any luck we should be starting the reassembly of the Zip Enduro by Jan 1st. Sooner if there are no wrinkles.

Pluggin away, stay thirsty my friends!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We have been busy!

The Zip kart is completely torn down. Took the day off today but will be right back out there with the heat running tomorrow. Stripping all the paint and metal finishing the clag spots of the bits we cut off first. After welding on a few pan tabs and adding additional support to bottom of the seat it will be ready for primer, paint, & clear.

The tank extension has been bolted up and access slot for the starter cut out, just a quick look at any needed bodyworking to be done and they will be ready to shoot at the same time as the chassis.

Fingers crossed….. I’m ahead of schedule!

[Robert Lawson]

I sent the Zip kart tanks to Rich, he is welding up the flaws and metal finishing them at work. The chassis is just waiting for the pan tabs to be welded on.

I took on a quick project this week that has all of that sitting in wait. Ya know, cause I was ahead of schedule!!!!

John West came over on Tuesday and I put him in a form and foamed up a seat casting for his Laydown 250. I’ll be laying that up Saturday and shipping it out Monday.

I did go out and get a catalyzed Urethane primer for the Zip chassis. Now a choice must be made on which color to paint it!!! Waiting on the wheels to return yet. I did see the sample… they do look sweet. This car is gonna turn some heads when its finished!

Starting to reassemble by the 1st is looking good. Got lots of things lined up to do, hope we actually get to play with these things in the Spring.

Chin Up Y’all, I’m praying for Ya!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We shipped out JW’s seat this AM and then took the day off.

Rich brought the Tanks back yesterday so tomorrow its back to it! Fab & weld the pan tabs and add support to the seat bottom. Dress up a few welds and it’s ready for paint. Tanks will need just a tiny bit of filler but they turned out pretty good considering their condition. Will have to decide what to do with the new helmet to as it will get the same paint as the tanks…. 3 birds, 1 rock. Love to paint, hate to clean guns! Typical I guess, so I’ll try to get as much prepped to go as I can.

Started my list for April. Yes, I have names for April already! Will get firm dates this week but I’m already getting fired up for it. Working on Big Carb and Big Pipe to test on the 125 AND running bodywork on the 4 banger & dressed up Zip kart.

Its THAT time of the year….. everything just makes you itchy!!!

Back Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We are getting muscled by Car Guys!

Sam gave away our week 2 date in April AND our 3rd weekend in Oct.

So its April 3-4 for weekend days, or, the Fridays of (2nd, 9th, or 16th) everything else in April is gone. Y’all know I’m UP for a Monday-Thursday so keep that in mind for later into the Spring/Summer for getting better weather. As of right now, I told Sam to hold the 3-4 for us and we’ll just have to see how it goes. There will be no fighting over Monday-Thursdays, just working around the State Police dates out there.

Besides the Vintage kart and the 125 Project I have lined up some “parts” to test the next time out….. and its not even Christmas Yet!!!!!!

Much, much more to come…..

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Merry Christmas Y’all!!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Y’all!

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the new year.

I have just 4 days until the 1st and the chassis is not yet painted. It IS hanging in the paint “box” I put up in the garage. I’m waiting on some of that “low temp” aluminum brazing/soldering rod for the repair on the long fuel tank for the Vintage Kart. Other than that the tanks are sanded & prepped, all but ready for Prime & Paint. I ordered some “effects” to add to my paint and picked up the rest of the colors I was looking for. I love to paint, hate cleaning guns but love the artistic freedom to play with pearls & flake.

New wheels finally came back after being held hostage by the US-BS!!!! Just a 4 hour drive away it took the box 17 days to show up. Unwrapping one and taking it out into the natural light….. WOW, just Wow. These wheels will outshine the rest of the kart!

I have ordered a bunch of parts for the F-125 as well. After spending a few days working on the intake, the BIG carb project is finished! Now need to set ride height of the chassis, measure thrice, then weld the bearing hangars on the rear, then start to work on engine mounting system. With Daytona running this week (and learning from some mistakes we are hearing about down there) I’m super excited about getting the Daytona kart built and shook down this Summer, ready to go for Daytona 2021…. GOD Willing!

Hanging in there, we’ll know shortly exactly where our Country and World will be headed and hopefully go back to making plans to do things!

Peace Folks,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

 

[Robert Lawson]

End of day 2 and I still have yet to spray anything!

I believe everything happen for a reason. Long story short, the Chinese crap I bought didn’t work (surprise!) so I took that tank back to Rich so he can take another go at welding the crack in it. Not feeling motivated to run 1 tank through the 2 primer process I gave up and called the day early. Checking in to the FB messages I find a note from the former Zip Kart Importer. He’s interested in buying the vintage kart, to restore for his showroom collection. After some banter back & forth he says “I want it just as it is… DONT PAINT IT!!!”

So, there it is….. my pearl & flake are lost in the damn mail somewhere, the long tank needed to go back to welding, and I just had no mojo for doing 1 tank today.

The ball is in his court, I did make him a good deal and offered to deliver it up to JW’s place in Illinois (2 birds, 1 stone…) to sweeten things. I may be out of this thing without doing anything else to it.

Before all of this I spent 30 minutes on the phone with Ed at Jaguar Karts. This Zip kart will need new spindles, Ed could make them but it would be very costly. I will buy the bits and put them together here if infact the kart doesn’t sell. No biggie, I just didn’t want to go to the trouble of making a jig for 1 set. But thats how it goes with Enduros, most of the Manufactures are out of biz so you have to make this stuff yourself!

Gonna be a big week!

Back Soon!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

End of Day 6, still no answer from Mr. Mayr so tomorrow its go – no go time for ole Doug, Crap or get off the pot!

Rich brought the tank back this evening and it looks great! I’m ready to move on getting things painted and reassembled.

Some parts arrived so it was time to drag my kart out of the trailer and into the Garage at Rich’s house. We removed bodywork and all the wheels and front hubs/rotors to use on the F-125 Project kart. Setting up ride height, track width & wheelbase before welding the bearing hangars on the chassis. Been making some progress and noting dimensional positioning of the 4 corners, its starting to take some form! Getting excited about that kart, may just go 10/10 ths and install adjustable Caster/Camber plates on the chassis replacing the std bearing tubes. With the addition of the “L” bracket assembly to finish it off we’ll be able to dial that chassis right in! That means we make new spindles too, which probably should have been done without the change.

My kart will get king pins replaced, they are the “weight jacker” adjustable ride height type. The manufacture doesn’t make them like they did back when the originals were installed so the new set will need some “modification”!!!! That kart also needs new spindles, thankfully I got a new spare set with the kart…. they just need the Kelgate brake caliper mounts welded on.

While we are talking spindles, the Zip kart will need a set as well! My good friend Ed McGlone sent pic’s of his spindle fixture for me to replicate. The least he could do since he really didn’t want to make the spindles for me!

STILL waiting on my paint effect additives. The dang package has just not arrived at its next point of the trip. Just as well, I’d want to drop everything else to paint the new helmet if it were here!!!!

Hope Y’all are settling in to this new year. Personally I like having the distraction of the Garage and karts to keep my mind off the insanity out there.

Maybe some video next time, if this joint will play along!!!

Back Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

While waiting for info on spindle parts I moved to primer mode on the Zip Kart. Got the chassis primed in the Zinc Chromate, will get the tanks caught up through that process as well before hitting all of it in a catalyzed Urethane primer as a base for the paint. That long tank Rich welded needed a bit of filler, I was gun shy on trying to remove the low area again and take a chance of screwing up his nice weld job so fillin’ it was my only alternative. I added a bunch of Aluminum grindings to the Polyester filler (bondo) which really helps stop the shrinkage. Don’t want the filler to be visible after paint & clear.

I also started/added to that Big Pump Carb project! While waiting for bondo & primer to dry I started working on the bore of that carb. After breaking it down to install the rebuild kit I decided to remove the Std. choke shaft air flo stabilizers from the bore since we removed the manual choke anyway. After doing that I went 10/10 ths by smoothing &  polishing the bore. It turned out really nice, like a mirror!

Contacted the paint additive place and complained, my shipment is lost….. They sent out a second order FedEx 2nd day for free… it will be here Tuesday. Just in time to start applying some color!!!

So, things are working out in the end….. aaannnnnnd I think that trend will continue!

I have been getting inquiry’s on the April dates. Unlike the past I will not be advertising a free for all involving anyone who sends a dime. I also wont look past just 1 day. I’ll only solicit to former participants and once I have a single day…. DONE. Too may foolish types getting involved recently, because its not a “race” event they don’t take the rules seriously so no more dudes just out to turn laps. I too have a program to run and cant get anything done while babysitting the group. So this Spring, when I say there is very little room left….. I’ll mean it.

Talk soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

[Robert Lawson]

I was going to wait on the April Test info but I have been getting a bunch of interest so lets just go ahead and do it.

Our dates are April 3-4.

If we have participation for 2 days, cool. If not, anyone sending 2 day fees will get a refund on the difference in Cash at the track. IF the weather is not favorable for that Sat/Sun in April I will look to push out to a weekday, possibly in May, no less than 2-3 weeks BEFORE Mid-Ohio in June.

Its a lot of work, but, I WILL work with each of you on a weekday that suits your needs. Having to move 2-3 times last year proves that anything can be accomplished if everyone is willing to work together.

Once the season starts here in our region testing will not be very attractive to some. At this point I do not intend to race at Mid-Ohio so if there were still enough of you who want to try something later in the Summer, on a 75-80 degree weekday….. I’m game.

Just be aware that we could very well have to change from an April weekend to a weekday in better weather.

There has been no change in cost this year…. the first Positive of 2021!

All the same things are in play, early arrival, overnight camping, garage use, extended stay camping, lunch/dinner, etc.

1 day= $225
2 day= $325

Check or MO here:

Robert Lawson
17731 Ivanhoe St.
Roseville, MI. 48066

PayPal here:

f-125@hotmail.com

Use the Frens/Fam option please so no fee is required, after all… we ARE Family right!!!

Hang in there Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Have made progress since this clip!

[Robert Lawson]

Sent out a mass of email & text yesterday to just about every contact I have from past Test Days….

The response has been overwhelming, my incoming text notice was going off like a popcorn machine! The Paypal blew up!

We are off to a Great Start, I couldn’t be more impressed!

Last year was a Record Setting Achievement. 75 mixed entries, over 2 full days of Testing, on consecutive WEEKDAYS! Granted, the Bug put us in a “lock down” for awhile and being the first opportunity to Play with a kart probably had a large impact on that Achievement. But I’ll tell you, we have never had a first day rush like this.

Its my Birthday today so the timing is perfect! Waking up to a foot of snow was a bummer but we have a little over 6 weeks for things to turn around. If it doesn’t, the input I have received is very positive for moving to weekdays in better/warmer weather. I think we could still pull off a double even if we have to move from April.

As we get more entries the picture will become more clear. We may just have the bonus option waiting for warmer temps. It sure worked out last June didn’t it!!!

Much more to come,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m inspired by the weather Y’all.

We are seeing a bit of a warming trend here, 42 in Roseville today with a H 45 and ALL Sun. We have less than 1/2 the snow we had just a week ago.

Spoke with Max at the Track just now. They had a solid 2 feet of snow with drifts as high as 6 feet! But, he said water is flowing, and he too has noticed the accumulation is 1/2 of what it was.

My Accuweather forecast has us a 51 on Sunday, the Darksky.net forecast is a little cooler. Same for the Track forecast, but 40-45 and some sun will burn up whats there before you know it.

Unlike my Mother In Law whom is always the harbinger of bad news… especially weather (why are old folks like that???), I tend to see the glass as 1/2 full and hold hope we can get a nice 2 days right on schedule with no hiccups!

We’ll see.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

4 short weeks to go!!!

Other than an errant snow pile remnant….. ALL the snow here is GONE!

Anything can happen, but I’m praying we are done with the accumulation of frozen precipitation.

Action at the mailbox has slowed to a trickle…. but it hasn’t stopped completely. Looking over the list of those whom responded positively after the message push 2 weeks ago AND the paid list of entrants I have it looks like a squeaker for a full weekend. We are either going to make it to the dime, or fall slightly short.

That said, we will easily make a single so I’m sleeping well!

Working away on these karts too!!! All the Paint work is finished on that Zip and I made all the new spindle bits for it today. Hope to be back on schedule and getting this thing closer to track ready very soon. The F-125 sits in wait and probably won’t get its upgrades until AFTER April! I have repair work to finish and 2 more karts coming in the door. All the unfinished Fall work needs to be done before too long as well….. I really don’t have time for the weather to postpone this Test and ruin all my perfectly executed procrastination!!!!

More Coming Y’all, I’ll have an update on the Track Grounds late this week!

RPM

 

 

[Robert Lawson]

Take a look at this, scroll down and hold on!!!

https://darksky.net/forecast/43.0977,-85.3793/us12/en

[Robert Lawson]

68 next Wednesday @ Grattan…. 68!!!!!

I’ll be calling Max tomorrow for an update on the condition of the grounds…..

In my best “Grinch” voice……….

“I’ll get the info over there……. and I’ll bring it back here!!!!”

We have some new guys coming out. 1 is an old new guy coming back to karts after 30 years, and the other a 40ish new guy from track day Bikes. Both have been around Grattan plenty and have a good sense about them…. they’ll be fine.

Still no 250’s signed up???

We are still pluggin’ away…. a check or two every couple of days.

Be back tomorrow with more….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Sorry bout the delay!

I did talk to Curt AND Max at the track on Sunday and its looking very good out there!!!

The only snow remaining was on the flat between the Bowl and T10, probably due to the late day sun and the trees. NO running water anywhere, its melting at what seems to be the perfect rate. The ground has been soaking it in, no puddling on the grass means its going great!

Now, if we can just avoid any large amounts of rain in the next 3.5 weeks we’re good to go.

I think the temps will be favorable. We are overdue for an unseasonably warm weekend in April out there.

Nothing new on the 1 day vs 2 day call yet. We are still plugging along at the rate I expected, if we get that unusually warm week maybe a big rush will come at the last minute. The projection still looks like we will come up a little short of the 2 day.

On a different note, there has been talk again of doing the Oval Only pre Daytona Test at MIS this Fall. Unlike the other facilities MIS has plenty of weekend dates to work with as the trees change color…. some even sooner.

More to Come!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We continue to have good fortune out in Belding as the weather is really playing nice!

I sent out a LAST CALL notice early this week to all whom did not return a note after the first message went out. I got nothing back. A couple guys have come on board I was not really expecting but they are singles, we are still quite short of the 2 day Lease. With just a week to go to collect and get finances in order I’m officially calling it a 1 day gig boys.

We will shoot for Saturday 4-3, watch the weather and make adjustments if needed. Sunday 4-4 will be next as a reschedule date so keep it open. ANY call to change will be made no later than Thursday 4-1 PM. Keep checking here for updates, I’ll post each day that week.

IF the next week produced fruit then you 2 days guys will be right back on top of it. If not, as always, I’ll have a cash refund for the 2nd day for each of you. Some have already said to roll it into the Fall test session. That’s an option too but it will be available at the Track.

This is the weather I will be making my judgement from:

https://darksky.net/forecast/43.1018,-85.3776/us12/en

Save it or check back here to see what’s happening.

Friday and weekend details will come over the next week or so.

I think we are going to get a beautiful day out there, we’re due!!!

Back soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

OK, just inside the 2 week mark now….

A couple things to keep in mind.

IF SATURDAY ONLY:
* We will NOT take the standard “lunch” break. To get as much On Track time as possible I worked out a deal with the Marshals to work through out the day.

SATURDAY ONLY AND 2 DAY:
* I will feed ALL drivers and crew, EMT’s, Marshals, and any volunteers in the MX garage immediately following the end of On Track activity at 5PM. A BIG Thank You to Larry Rumsey for supplying the munchies, sides, and hardware for the feast. Curt will smoke up some Brisket and Pork Butt right there at the Garage and prepare a great meal for all of us. I will have bottled water to offer to drink, otherwise its BYOD.

With this being End of the Day you are welcome to get it “take out” – “dine & dash” or stay and hang…. I am staying over and not heading home until Sunday reschedule or not!

SUNDAY WILL BE OUR RAIN DATE!!! Boys, Easter or not this was the date we were offered. IF the entire weekend is obviously not looking good I will shut it down no later than Thursday AM and contact each of you. A reschedule for a weekday OR complete cancelation will then be worked out. A last second reschedule at the track will result in a “show up” fee being administered. Its imperative once the call is made we make the best of what we get. Last October we were clear of rain but there was a gray/overcast day in the forecast. Well, it rained overnight! With the 18 hour old pavement in T1 being a bit water resistant we lost about 2 hours drying the track and blowing down T1. BUT…. we still got a ton of laps!!!!

IF SUNDAY ONLY:
The Std format will be in place, we will have a 1 hour Lunch break with food for all in the MX garage.

So, just be prepared for a change and lets hope we won’t need to!!!!

More coming??? Yes, there is always More!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

BIG DADDY IS BACK!!!!

Ugggh! Finally got my PC back and running, just in time!!!

Bring all the tires & fuel you can boys because we have one heck of a WEEKEND filled with Perfect Weather on tap!!!!!

There will be no track drying, no waiting on the frost or freezing temps to subside….. were gonna have 2 gorgeous days April 3-4 at Grattan.

We will run some 2 group sessions until the newbies get a handle on how to get around then its ALL OPEN TRACK TIME!

We WILL take a mid day break BOTH days for the EMT’s and Marshalls since we did get the full 2 days in.

Check this weather:  Dark Sky – 7418–7678 Lessiter Rd NE, Belding, MI

70 on Sunday…. Easter….. Prayer works boys!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

If you woke up (or in my case went to bed…) and saw SNOW on the ground fear not!

There is NO SNOW on the ground at Grattan!!!

Our forecast STILL looks fabulous, with NO issues other than a chill in the air early on.

We are GO, GO, GO for the entire weekend!!!!

Bring race gas/fuel there is none at the track this early in the season.
Bring anything you’ll need to hold you over in the daytime hours BOTH days as I will be providing after Track time Dinner for all Saturday evening only.

Also, for anyone (like me) whom doesn’t want to drive home Sunday night you can stay over, right in the upper paddock, and head out on Monday. There is no charge for any camping, power, or garages the entire weekend.

I plan to arrive no later than 4 pm Friday at which time you will be let in to camp, unload, or drop off.

Gate open at 7am each day, closing at 10 pm Fri/Sat

Driver meeting at 8am, orientation for newbies right after, live track at 9am.

DON’T BE LATE!!!!

Have a Safe Trip, we’ll see Y’all at Grattan!!!

Robert

[Robert Lawson]

Been home a few hours now and if the early stages of “re-entry” are ANY indication…. I’ll be paying for those laps ALL WEEK!

I’m sore and have tender/bruised spots in multiple places!

T3 and the Bowl were in VERY BAD condition. Even some of the CIK guys said it was rough through these areas. 3 was so bad, IMHO, there was NO line to avoid the “positive pouting cracks” that were literally raised up 1/2-3/4″ above the rest of the track surface. My best guess is water got into these cracks when exposed and then froze, this led to the sealer spread over the surface to swell to a peak, and in the case of the bowl as we ran on it these peaks broke off and started a deterioration. It started spreading “gravel” on the surface which the boys went out to sweep during mid day break Saturday afternoon. If left unattended it will result in exactly what was going on in T1 last year – large areas of sealer missing like 3/4″ deep potholes!!!

IF I actually go back in July to run the CES event I won’t bother to bring the F-125. Maybe the vintage kart, it seems to be far more acceptable in a slower/low HP ride for sure.

Not sure the “boys” want to do the major repairs at this point. Its probably fine for Bikes & Cars and with just 1 kart “race” per calendar season AND the fact these guys are ready to sell and retire….  not holding my breath.

We had a windy day Saturday, sunny…. but the coolness of that steady wind didn’t turn mild until 2:30 which made for a long day. AND wind burn! I didn’t turn any laps until Sunday when the group was kinda self-serve, no “visitors” or late arrivals to watch for so it was a full day of long green flag sessions with no work for me to do. The new guys had mixed results but there were NO incidents and our 100% safety record is still in Sterling condition.

Dinner went over very well, we went through 60 plates and Curt guessed right on the button for lbs per person!!! The Wife asked that I order extra lbs of Smoked Pork so I could bring some home, we will be eating good for days!!!

THANKS TO:
Larry Rumsey
Bob Cole
Bob Kurkowski
and
Kenny & Rich Lawson

……. for helping out and adding to the convenience & service of these “Test Days”!!!

Pic’s & Video will be along soon

I’m on the Lazy-Boy Y’all, back soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m Back!!

My PC finally gave up the ghost. It will not do the boot repair and its got a new hard drive. The Motherboard, Processor and RAM drive are all 10-12 years old so that has been blamed. I have all the Test Weekend videos on that HD, one day I’ll get the files off it OR get the new board and bits and resurrect it. Its been down for a week, I couldn’t take anymore… I went out and bought a brand new Dell PC that is so squeaky clean it echo’s!!!

Now the real work starts, we have a bunch of karts to work on and get ready for various dates coming up. We have 2 left hand drive Enduro’s being cleaned up and readied for our Vacation to Mid-Ohio!! We are taking these karts to sell, not to run. No trailer or karts going with us to M-O, just a sales trip and a little R&R with old friends. Then its right back to it when we get home building the Daytona Special.  The Zip kart is getting the finishing touches to the new spindles/brake mounts right now, then its straight down hill with the reassembly to run it at Grattan in mid July. It should be ready before M-O. The F-125 we tested at Grattan still has that water temp reading issue so changing the gauge did nothing to help. I have a Direct Mount liquid filled 0-250 degree dial Water Temp gauge to mount in a newly fabricated aluminum elbow  just out of the head. That kart was super fast at Grattan so its sorted and will be ready to run at Nelson. With any luck we’ll have the Daytona kart ready for a shakedown run that weekend too and kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If not we have Pitt, a Grattan Fall Test, or an MIS Oval Only test to get it on track to check out all the mechanical’s before showing the world its new dud’s!

As we all catch our breath after Grattan its gonna be a very busy Spring and start to Summer. I hope the “weather” holds out, if you know what I mean…. There is surely a storm on the way, its not a matter of if…. but when.

GOD Bless Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Pluggin’ along here and starting to look forward to spectating at M-O.

Parts coming any day now so the Twin kart brake project will be done and we can deliver it back to Larry Rumsey in West Olive real soon.

We have run out of room in 2 garages here!!! Karts on every wall, cleaning, polishing, repairing, reworking, rebuilding, fab’n, welding! Chasing down parts and pieces and working on getting all these karts either in someone’s hands, or ready to run on Track.

Our 4 banger is getting a new engine! Well, new to us anyway. We will go old school as a good friend has offered what they had stored up in the form of Brigg’s Flatheads. Lets be honest, if we WANT to run it….. they’ll take our $$$ and give us the time. Again, this ride is still primarily for newbies but will also serve as a source of just plain fun for anyone! We also have added 1 of the 3 Mike Tracy karts we obtained to the RPM stable as a 2 stroke “trainer” to serve the same purpose as the 4 banger. It will have the ARC PP engine with Horstman axle clutch and RLV A4 pipe. BOTH these karts will be finished with full enduro bodywork.

I still have the side door on the trailer to refurbish AND the Paint Job and New Logo to get on it before hauling it back to a race track! When it arrives all newly spruced up it will be stocked with Repsol products as well.

Still hoping to get to JW’s with Tony C and test our Repsol oil against others on the dyno. With the constant development of their products and devotion to World Championship Performance I’m confident where it will stack up against the competition.

They say Snow tonight…. I say bring it, we are past the Test weekend and I have long put the shovel away…. I have no intention of frettin’ over snow. We’ll keep pluggin’ away…

till next time Y’all!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its been one heck of a day….

Its 1:18 AM, was on the phone talking to the guy that bought the kart I put up for sale just an hour earlier!

Rich and I busted rear today to get this kart back together and take pics & get video while the Sun was shining. I got back home, got some dinner and watched the PM Church service then uploaded the video and pics. From there I simply posted the pics and description on the enduro group page of FB and BAM! An hour later I got a PM, then a text, made a call and after 2 hours of bench racing and finding we know MANY of the same folks in Karting he took my address and is sending a check to purchase the kart.

I love it when a plan comes together!!!!

What a LONG day…. but it sure ended well!

[Robert Lawson]

Speedcraft 100cc Kart Cleaned Up & Ready For Sale – YouTube

Thought I’d let Y’all see what sold so quickly last night….. I still cant believe it was spoken for in just an hour.

[Robert Lawson]

Its a transition day…..

After rebuilding & repairing the complete brake system on Larry Rumsey’s B-Stock kart I delivered it to him Saturday on the West side of the State. Taking Sunday to catch up on the overgrown lawn and tidy up the bench in the garage its an easy day of Bank deposits!

The Garage needs a MAJOR Spring clean out as the Winter crap has really piled up. No better time than tomorrow! No really, Wednesday is garbage day!!!! I should be well into the Vintage kart by Wednesday and back on the proverbial schedule. Our New Welder is finally headed to us so no more delays in any of the projects I have to do.

1. Vintage kart finished ready for Grattan
2. sale/sold karts ready for Mid-Ohio
3. Full Steam Ahead on the Daytona Streamliner (big news coming)
4. Ready the F-125 for Nelson

That leaves a Pitt trip to test and/or a Grattan or MIS test for the southbound karts headed to Daytona before it gets too cold. THAT is the year for me, Spectating at M-O, Vintage ride at Grattan, F-125 BIG carb/BIG Pipe shakedown ride at Nelson and a fingers crossed end of the season shakedown of the Streamliner before getting it dressed up for the BIG run at Daytona.

We are deeply contemplating the offer of an “Unlimited Package” to fit on our Daytona project. We’ll have to see what the details of that “offer” is before elaborating further.

Enjoy the day Boys (and Girls!) we dont know how many more we have!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Y’all,

I’m just about finished with this 2nd kart that will be headed to Mid-Ohio to be sold. Hopefully delivered, as I have been talking with a very interested buyer for over a week. As I see this interest in the enduro formula and get inspired by it, I’m also concerned to see whats happening to the format at Road Race events. The attitude and lack of concern for the participant by the Orgs and Clubs as dictated by the class structure and race grouping is troubling. Personally I stay away for that reason, and only a wide open circuit OR a small group like a Track day seems comfortable to me.

I’m taking all my GoPro’s to Mid-Ohio to document the goings on, I have a feeling the 5 red flags of 2020 will be outdone this June.

Just a heads up, the costs have not gone up, like everything else today its all about the $$$.

 

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The CKT Slingshot chassis (kart 2) has been up for sale for 1 week. Talking with a few folks but no $$$ here yet so we’ll let it ride for now. I won’t be taking it to M-O to sell, only to deliver to a pre paid buyer. At the track I’ll get lowballed and I just don’t want to deal with it. Instead, if it doesn’t sell we’ll drop one of our Yamaha’s on it, a clutch from the collection and a pipe. Throw a body on it and let Kenny & Rich run it OR offer it for rent. Its too nice to just give away. We already had decided to keep the TSR Hurricane chassis kart and put our ARC/Comer piston port engine on it with yet another clutch from the collection and a pipe. Because we intend to use this ride for newbies, like our 4 banger, we will experiment with it a bit and add a Tillotson carb scrapping the Walbro in an attempt to make it run a bit better.

If ALL of what we would like to do actually comes to be…. I’ll have gone from 2 karts and the 4 banger to 6 karts altogether with the Daytona kart coming along as well!!!! We are gonna need a bigger trailer!!!!

Honestly, we’d bring certain karts to certain events. Take M-O for instance, no chance I’d run the Vintage kart there in this run group:

Race 3
4-Cycle Sprint 360 Final 1, Vintage Piston Port USA Final 1, Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 1, KART CIK Yamaha Sprint Final 1, 100cc Air Cooled TaG Senior Sprint Final 1, 100cc Air Cooled TaG Junior Sprint Final 1, TaG Junior Sprint Final 1, Junior Sprint Final 1, CIK/LO206 Heavy Final 1, Clone Sprint Final 1, LO206 Sprint Final 1, 4-cycle Junior Sprint Final 1, KART CIK/LO206 Open Heavy Final 1.

Take a look at THAT mess, which class doesn’t belong in there??? ALL sit up classes except that Vintage class of MINE!!! No thanks!

The F-125 race group does look attractive though:

Race 2
Formula 125 Final 1, Formula 100 Final 1, Yamaha Pipe Final 1, Yamaha Sportsman Heavy Final 1, Junior Enduro Final 1, Air Cooled 100cc TaG Enduro Final 1.

At a Grattan or Gingerman (CES) all the enduros regardless of type all run in the only laydown race group of the day. So again we can choose what to bring and what to leave home. In any case, if motivated, we could carry 4-5 karts between the truck & trailer. That would would make for an interesting weekend indeed!

Once past fitting up the new steering shaft kit and rods the Vintage kart will fall right together. Finishing it should be ahead of schedule. The other karts will be projects for Rich and Kenny to put together while I hit the Daytona kart hard after M-O. Very little to address on the F-125 before Nelson so we will be painting helmets and the trailer in no time.

Busy is good, it distracts from the obvious.

Hang in there Y’all!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Mild then Hot, now Cold! The weather cant make up its mind!

Just hammering away here in Roseville regardless of the weather! The steering and brakes on the Zip kart will be done-N-done this weekend. Will have to wait to bleed the brakes until a few more bits arrive but I’ll be able to move on to mounting the tanks, then engine & pipe. We will easily have this kart done before taking a weekend off to visit at Mid-Ohio in 3 weeks.

Knowing that, I’ll get over to Rich’s and remove the antifreeze from the F-125. I have all the bits for the “hot water tank” fab’d up. Need a final fitting to properly locate the inlet/outlet fittings before welding it up and completing the installation. Will also be mounting new tires on it for Nelson. While doing that I’ll have Rich weld the front wheel halves we made up into 1 wheel so I dont have to mess with it anymore. A little carb work/resetting and that kart will be ready to run. (Todd, you better be there!!!)

Not sure about Grattan just yet, we’ll probably go and run some clutch karts. Having the Daytona kart in a shakedown form by Nelson is unlikely BUT opens the door for a Pitt trip which I’d like to do to run the Vintage gig there on Friday.

So, between M-O and Grattan (about a month) I think finishing off the trailer projects and doing a bunch of painting will fall right in that gap quite nicely. I’ve been looking at these blow-up Spray booths…. maybe buy one and paint the trailer in it THEN rent the darn thing out and get my $$$ back!!! We’ll see.

We will attend Mike Kramb’s Memorial Service tomorrow morning. Damn cancer…. he was only a year or 2 older than me. Great memories of “Cuz” and I racing together at Daytona, one day were on the Beach waxing our karts and the next chasing each other around the Speedway! I had his number all week down there, come race time we took off and he drove by waving at me!! After the race I asked WTH happened, he said he had been “saving his engine” all week!!!! In his memory we will rebuild his pristine “California Quicksilver” and select one of the many engines he supplied us with….. hoping to do a run in it next April.  Godspeed Brother!!!

Hope Y’all are Well, see you soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We worked out a deal and Sold the Slingshot Chassis!! So we’ll be delivering 2 karts at Mid-Ohio!

This frees up some spares for the karts we are going to keep and run, which is good. We were always good at blowing up air cooled/clutch kart engines back in the day and now we have some breathing room!!!!

Things are falling into place nicely, we remain on the projected schedule for the next month. All is well.

I am mulling tossing a paint job on the F-125 when I do my new helmet since I’d be spraying all the same colors anyway. We’ll see, the paint on that thing is 11 years old, its due.

It looks like Grattan will be a stupid fun weekend taking the 4 banger with a different engine (or engine’s?) AND the TS Kart with the ARC/Comer and a big Tillotson carb for Rich and I to play with. Just out to play….. like back in the day, no competition to chase just running laps. Looking forward to it!

Trying to enjoy what we’ve been given, for as long as its still possible!

Fall Test info will be coming soon, be Well Y’all!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Off to M-O in the Morning. I moved our launch time back to 6am, no need to rush down there!

It rained most of the AM down there but they did run some practice after 1pm.

Looks like rain in the forecast tomorrow too, our plan now is to get in and out as quick as possible Saturday. We may hang and watch a race or 2 if the weather plays along but standing under a canopy in the rain is not gonna happen.

So we’ll play it by ear and head to the Hotel when we’ve had enough!

Have a great weekend Y’all!

Fall info coming next week!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

It was raining when we arrived, during both off loads (deliveries) and while we started our shopping spree. It stopped about 10:30 and with NO practice they started racing at/near 1 pm on Saturday. We bumped into a TON of friends! When we were pulling out Rich and I both were exhausted, I was sleeping by 9pm!!!!

I posted the clip and it worked!!! So, I came back to edit and add a note.

Sam is getting us a date for late October, should have some info SOON!

Back shortly!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Heading out to Grattan NEXT weekend for the CES event.

I’ll be running either the 4 banger with a Revely Flathead on Alky or the Vintage kart…. maybe on Alky!!!! After Grattan we’ll probably be down for a bit as I try to get things together. Secured a climate controlled storage unit to stock pile product and to house finished karts etc while we build, paint, and make fiberglass bits back home. A 2nd Daytona kart for a customer will be a big deal for our little home business but will also require all of our attention if we are to start & finish it on time. Hence needing the storage now enabling us to build my 125 and this other kart side by side all at once.

Very excited about my meeting with Chris at MI Fiber Glass Sales. We are starting the process of designing, 3D printing, molding and producing NEW enduro bodywork. I have been working on this on and off for 3 years, just recently did Chris show a great deal of interest in my Daytona project and the possibility of producing quality parts for karts. This is WAY overdue for the karting community, short of a new “style” of nose here and there nothing has changed since first putting glass body’s on karts back in the 80’s.

The Repsol deal is just sitting there waiting for me to make the call and place my order. We are quickly outgrowing the 2 garages and with any luck will be looking at a Building. Hopefully before the end of Summer. Many other dealer items are set up and waiting for that building as well. We have not made a move because I have a bad feeling about where we are going as a Nation and how that will adversely affect a small business.

So we go slowly, which is very hard for a guy who likes to step on the Gas!

More coming,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Plans are up for adjustment just about daily here… Now Grattan is 50/50!

I’ve been spending time & $$$ working on the 4 banger instead of the trailer. In my defense it has been RAINING quite a bit the past week. Skipping Grattan to get the Zip and 4 banger DONE and off to Storage, rehabbing the side door and painting the trailer IS possible before doing a Nelson trip if the weather plays along. This is the right and logical move, we have not made a Nelson event since its comeback at the start of this Thread!

I think I just talked myself into it……

I DO have the weekend dates for the Fall Test at Grattan. Its late, very late, as late as you can get!!! October 30-31. I do have a few new guys inquiring about it though so that’s a plus. I look at it this way, if its not freezing its worth it.

“Racing” is now getting SO out of hand financially its just not attractive, or even feasible anymore. At the track fees of $145 for a 30-45 minute window with 2x 8 minute AM tune-up runs is not a good value. Add the 35-40 $ pass, the 20-25 $ “member fee” , a garage or camping and your at $350-$400.  When events have 1000 entries….. its not about the lease or bills, its about banking the $$$$$$$$$$$!  Lease costs have not gone up, most tracks MADE $$$ because of the bug via USGOV payouts last year. Race fees shouldn’t be as high as they are, unfortunately greed has crept in.

Its a wonder we have trouble at times getting a guy to spend the same $350-$400 (round trip!) for 14 hours of private track time. Its an attitude, its not about points or awards or even FREE useable karting gear/stuff…. I’ve tried that too. No, its a mental thing I guess…. they just wont spend the $$$ for the enjoyment!

I’m called Foolish all the time for not “gettin’ mine”. No, instead giving back is for me much more rewarding. I’d just blow the $$$ anyway!!!!!

See Y’all!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just watching the weather now…..

Spoke to Dave Larson about bending his rules just this once and letting me just run Friday. He must not have an abundance of pre Friday entries because he IS allowing just Friday entries. If you are not interested in Racing but just want to cut laps in your kart…. come out for Friday. And…. bring 2 different karts like me and run 2 groups of practice all day!!!!!!!

The “Flat” 4 banger is finished, still having trouble with the front brake system on the Zip but its close enough to go shake down. Will be heading out there Thursday afternoon if the current weather forecast holds up and making a weekend of it.

Our “secret project” kinda fell through. We were going to build a Twin from the ground up for Todd Lorang but he found a complete kart for pennies  on the $$$ compared to building from zero so I told him to BUY IT! So, I’m now in a “smoke um if you got um” position. Heck with it, I’m gonna go out and run as many laps in both karts as I can get then come back and get busy with my to-do list.

Hope to see Y’all there, I’ll be in Garage #1

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just feels a bit under powered, but its fun to drive and should give a newbie a thrill. If we had a few more it would be just a riot!!!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Robert Lawson.

[Robert Lawson]

Happy to get a ride in it, as of tonight, I believe the kart is SOLD!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Well the “sale” is pending, thought I’d have delivered it already by the enthusiasm the guy had.

I have been shopping for an Anderson Chassis to build either a 125 or 250 single Super Kart on. Gonna give the semi-sit up thing another try, this time in a purpose built Chassis.

My back is giving me at-the-track-trouble, I get very bad full leg cramps at night after climbing in and out of the laydown all day. Its a nerve issue related to the surgical sight and my continuing to bend or hinge at that fused point. No way around it with the Enduro, you HAVE to bend to get in and out. Until another ride is available to me I’ll try ice and my brace each time I get out until climbing back in….. those cramps are Hellacious!!!!

Having thoughts of doing the “Twin” mod to my former Daytona Project chassis because I’ve never done one and want to see how it turns out. The Dual karts are not very popular but there is a push to get some together so maybe building one will help that Class to grow a bit.

There are plenty of F125 karts out there just sitting, the culture that ruined the class is just about extinct and I can see a resurgence coming if what added to its demise doesn’t return. With the popularity of the 125 TAG growing and its multiple Manufactures its not a stretch to see them combined with F-125  to form/reduce class structure. To be honest, not sure why it hasn’t happened already?

A lil update on a Saturday, looking forward to the October track  time now!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

OK, so I’ve made a few changes and really looking forward to the months ahead.

1. The Anderson chassis will be headed to Utah to the USKGP race this coming weekend. It will be picked up and brought to Blackhawk where JW will collect it. I’ll take possession of the chassis and bits at Gingerman Labor Day weekend.

2. After consulting with a Twin kart guy I have decided NOT to build that kart after all. Knowing how cheap they are selling for now just makes it impossible to do without going backward in a big way financially.

2a. I will build that kart up as an F-125. I have all the bits AND a complete engine package to complete this.

3. I have a 250 engine. Its been in most of the videos from the garage for quite some time now. If you pay attention its located under the mini TV on the workbench in the corner of the garage where all that glass block is located.

SO…. I think, I’m very heavily leaning, in the direction of….. an Unlimited 250 single. And a Yamaha at that! This is double sweet for me as I have always been a Yamaha bike guy and buying Honda’s out of necessity had just killed me. But, I get to do a 250 much like the F-125….. with an Engine No One Else is running!!!!!!

I better get this trailer painted in a hurry!!!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

This weekend will be the 4th trip to Nelson Ledges that I have NOT made!

Oh well, I did deliver/sell the Zip kart today so its all good! As posted above we have a full schedule of work to accomplish before heading off to ANY track!

The new owner fits that kart just as good as I did, he’s pretty excited to get after it in just a couple weeks at Blackhawk!

More coming soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I think the writing is on the wall boys…..

Sam sent a note the other day, the only date open to us in October now is the 24th…. a Sunday. I didn’t have to ask what happened to our 30-31 weekend, OR why we are pushed to a Sunday a week earlier. It also will not surprise me when we don’t get a date in April either. Time will tell all.

Looking at the trend lately I may start doing more to help the local race events. The “MEGA” races being pushed are getting all the help they need, its the little guy that’s taking it in the rear and if he goes we’ll all be in trouble.

The big number events belong at BIG facilities. M-O proved its out of its league for the number of people there. Pittsburg will be worse yet, with the same limited (congested) pit/track access and giant parking lot (paddock) the circuit itself is still too short/small for 100+ karts on track at one time.

Bigger isn’t always better. Especially if it results in unqualified overcrowded pack-racing classes of drivers creating a MEGA insurance liability for us all.

That’s all I’ll say….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

In my research efforts of the Yamaha WR250 engine for our Anderson chassis I have come to realize this big 250 will be cheaper to run and rebuild than my KZ’s! And thats WITH the Mondokart parts hook-up!

I got a picture of the VIN on the bike chassis today, my research findings told me that it had to be a 1991-97 model. Its a 1994. The WR as compared to the YZ of the same year is quite an advanced step up. In showroom condition the WR was 20 mph faster on top end than the YZ! Its “Wide Ratio” gear box makes it the perfect match for my Anderson chassis. I had a 96 WR 125 on my Barth F-125 chassis back in the mid 90’s, it too was an exceptional dirt bike engine and was very competitive with the Rotax’s and big bore opens of that period. I actually ran Bltd with that kart so I could help Rich get his shifter kart shook down and running.

The Pflughaupt’s have picked up the Anderson in Utah and will be handing it off at Blackhawk for the last leg of its trip to Detroit from San Jose. I have found a ride home for it so we are getting excited to see it! 2 more weeks and I’ll have it here…. and the long road of resurrecting it begins!

Trying to get through the pile of things to do so I can start thinking about Gingerman. Will also be getting the TS kart together for Grattan/October, a little Alky for the PP is in order for that!!!

Almost August Y’all, time is flyin’ by!!

RPM

UPDATE 7-29: Thanks to Joe Barth for hauling the Anderson and parts back to MI from Blackhawk!!!

[Robert Lawson]

Just finishing up the side door rebuild on the trailer, it really turned out nice.

The Wife is telling me to call Maaco and see if they will use my paint & clear to paint the trailer!!!!! She thinks I’m nuts to paint right out in the drive!!! I’ll call tomorrow!!!!

Seriously though, this paint & rehab mess will be behind me here in a week or so. Looking forward to getting on with the F-125 before the Anderson arrives in 2 weeks and just distracts the daylights out of me.

Bad News/Good News:

Our new TIG welder went on the fritz…. after shooting a few videos of the issue and sending um off to the Customer Service guys they asked that I check some connections inside the unit. After finding them from the photos provided I found no irregularities, nothing loose, cooked or burnt. They responded by informing me that a NEW WELDER is on the way!!!! I chose this brand for the warranty and it paid off, they offered the option of a full refund as well but I want the welder so we went with the new unit instead.

We got a little behind in the welding dept but its all good to this point. Sparks will fly again at RPM very soon!!

Roberto

[John Ferreira]

May we know the brand?

[Robert Lawson]

We bought the YES welder brand 250P AC/DC TIG welder.

It will Weld .250″ Aluminum and any Stainless or Carbon Steel.

Rich said it “has too damn much adjustment”…. but all the fine tuning makes us guys that don’t weld every day look like the guys that do!

Got my tracking number today…. and, they said I can keep the other one!!!!

We’ll see, it took a while to get the original because they were sold out.

[Robert Lawson]

Very Impressed… the new unit was on the porch this afternoon!

[Robert Lawson]

Have not unboxed the replacement Welder yet but I did try to use the original to see if it would work on DC. It did! It also worked on AC…. then it went on the fritz again!

We DID burn up a roll of MIG wire today though. We built 2 new rolling kart stands! When finished, we’d have paid less than 1/2 the cost of buying them AND we can pick any color we want!!!

With the side door finished I will get right to work prepping the trailer skin for Paint. The Wrap place never responded with an estimate so I’m just going to get it done. We should get a couple nice days this week, piece of  cake right???!!!!

We’ll see, I’ll take video and be back….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The Anderson has arrived, that trip took almost a full month!!!

Got very good bits with that deal so we’re excited about next year. It went directly on the wall and out of the way so as not to distract from the short term things we need to finish.

Still no trailer paint, I missed the last window of perfect weather procrastinating. Its a big job, now I know why no one else wanted to do it!!!

With just a couple weeks to Gingerman, I have a choice to make… and quickly. Get the kart ready to go OR paint this trailer and possibly miss it?

I have October… thats the kicker. I can do everything I intend to do at G-man in October….. if the weather cooperates!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We are out for Gingerman.

I’m going to gamble on October, testing the RVXX/Big carb/Big pipe on my TSR and get THAT package ready for December. Hanging up the other 125 chassis for now and getting the Yamaha Pipe ride ready to test as well as the Vintage Open….. all with plans to take them to Daytona.

Rich will run Mike Krambs Quicksilver in Vintage Open, we will each have a run in the Yamaha Senior/Pipe, and I’ll run F-125.

I’m taking a step-by-step approach to the Trailer painting. The logo letters are done, I’ll now do that front/center panel, then do 1 side at a time and finish with the front panel. Door jam, side door mount & fit, diamond plate and repaint the tongue and its done…… for now!

Here’s an update…

[Robert Lawson]

Ah the pleasures of spraying paint outside!!! It could be worse, dealing with a bit of gusty wind is tricky AND it sucks, but having all your possessions blown away by a hurricane is probably worse!!! So, no temper tantrum complaints!

Every bit of this is taking longer than I ever imagined. When you are young you have tons of time, you feel things cant happen quick enough, you are impatient. When you age somehow that becomes a phenomenon and everything you do takes forever because everything has slowed down, and you are MORE impatient!

I will get 1/2 of this thing done over this extended weekend…. 1/2! What I see I like so there is that…… bring you a clip later.

Hang in there Y’all…. “It’ll get Better”.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

 

[Robert Lawson]

GOOD NEWS!!!

Our October test date has been changed to Saturday the 23rd!

We had been given the weekend of 10/30-31, then moved to the 24th before getting the call and locking us in on the 23rd.

For anyone wanting to stay over and leave Sunday this IS possible. The SCCA will be running a Solo event, their start point is beyond the Gate so we will be just fine to stay, camp, load and leave without having to move at all!!!!! I guess they dont use the paddock??? Arriving Friday evening to drop or Camp is open too.

Now we just pray for decent dry weather. I’ll bring the Flatty for anyone wanting to take a ride, I’m actually gonna buy some gearing for that rig and try to get it going a bit better. Surely a lighter weight guy/girl would have a better ride than a 215 lb’r!!!!

Todd, we haven’t seen you in awhile…. time to get yer can out here and play a bit before they sell the joint!!!!

I have sent my newer model engine out to be modified for Daytona, it will be back in time to test so I am really looking forward to it!!!!!

ON THE SOAP BOX:

Not running Pittsburg, that is going to be a bigger cluster F*^@$ than Mid Ohio. Someone is going to get hurt if the Club/Org doesn’t change the race groups back to the way it was before “lack of total entries” changed everything.

NO NEED to have these dangerous group pairings anymore, with BIG overall entry numbers they can no longer justify race groups set up so ALL classes/formula can run multiple times a day. (which was done to pay the lease in hard times!)

Unfortunately I think a massive liability lawsuit resulting from a life ending accident due to 100+ race group kart counts, of different formula & speeds/skill levels, racing now for CASH PURSES, will result in Insurance providers telling Track Owners and Management that they will not Insure them.

It will be No Karts or No Insurance! Guess who they’ll pick???? Although Tracks compete for the same customers they DO have 1 thing they all share…. INSURANCE. There are many underwriters but only a handful of Motorsport/Racing Insurance Company’s the most prevalent being K&K. Once a track cuts off the Karts, that info will spread to others and soon just about ALL venues will not take the chance of allowing Karts. Example: Road America, Road Atlanta…. also a couple others that simply say “Were Booked” instead of telling you No Karts!

So I will not participate in that mess, although, it shouldn’t have any affect on a “Closed Private Test” of karts in smaller numbers.

We’ll see, I hope I’m wrong but the “Mega Events” are not on my to-do list.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Busy – Busy!

Getting all the bits fab’d up for welding on the Yamaha Project Kart. While Rich is here welding all that together I’ll be at his house taping, masking and painting the remainder of the trailer.

Sent the RVXX out to Swedetech to have their very best hop-up done to it. No corners cut, I told him to give me the Full Superbalistic Mod! Hope to break it in at Grattan then off to Chicago to Johnny West’s for dyno comparison of a bunch of parts to find the package that works best.  Super excited about that!!!

GOD willing we will have all the karts mentioned in above posts ready to run at Grattan. Only the Flatty will have been previously run!

Just about a month to have everything “trackable” for Test day, right now we look good. It will be non stop busy until Daytona though…. all Winter actually.

Back Soon!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Little Update, I have been using the replacement TIG but only on steel to this point. I’m sure it will be fine on AC as well, the cooling fan actually cycles on and off now.

Pluggin’ away on the adjustable sub assembly for pedals/brake masters:

[Robert Lawson]

My paypal started blowing up without even asking for October entries!

So, its time to get this thing together I guess.

We can not offer a 2 day with the booked schedule, not that I think we’d get that many guys anyway. Everyone will be put together on the single Saturday October 23rd date.

Yes, you can come out/get in to drop or camp Friday 22nd, most likely after 6pm. Yes, you can stay overnight and bail out on Sunday the 24th at no cost. No, do not count on any race gas/fuel being available. Yes, the Garage’s are available at no cost on the first come basis. Etc,etc,etc!!!

Not sure about Lunch, we may go old school and do something ourselves instead of having Curt do it for us. I’ll keep you informed.

So get that check or paypal to me soon and lets put this thing to bed early!!

$225 per driver

Check:
Robert Lawson
17731 Ivanhoe St
Roseville, MI 48066

Paypal:
f-125@hotmail.com (select Frens & Fam please!)

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I posted this on FB a day or 2 ago…..

We are 1/2 way to paying the lease. Keep in mind this is a CLOSED PRIVATE TEST…. I only take enough drivers to pay the bill then I shut it down. The small number is what makes this a unique and desirable format.

PS: AS ALWAYS…. You must pre pay, I will not accept any amount of $$$ at the gate!

If we have to cancel before 10-22-21 (Friday) your $225 will be REFUNDED in Full!!!!! Try to find THAT deal anywhere else.

Don’t get left out, send an email for payment details!

f-125@hotmail.com

I’m going to be too busy prepping my own stuff to chase y’all. Help a brother out, send yer fee so we can all plan to have a seamless weekend!

Peace Y’all

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m very close to shutting down entries for the October Test Day. The response has been refreshing for sure, Its usually a bit of a struggle to get close to the number needed for the late season Test and I always just pay a bit more to make it happen…. when the weather plays along!

We just continue to Pray for dry weather and hope to get a nice 60+ degree day. GOOD to see some 250’s coming out! We have a JR Enduro, a few NEW drivers, a friend or 2 that has been out of it for awhile coming back AND at least a handful of experienced road racers New to the TEST format joining in for their first time.

I’ll have the Flathead out there for any Sprint guy to get a taste of laying down and the qualified newbie to take a spin too.

Right now I’m pretty optimistic we’ll see a nice day out there!!!

Dont sit home and watch the destruction of our Country and World… ENJOY life while you can!!!!! You are not guaranteed this freedom  tomorrow.

Bless Y’all,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

As posted on FB we have reached the number of drivers necessary to pay the lease on the Track!

I hope everyone that wanted to attend did in fact get a note in and start the process of getting a payment to me.

If not, its going to be a LONG Winter!!!!

10 days to go…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just  in time for the October Test (tounge in cheek) we are entering that “weird time” of year that causes the trees to change color and everything prepares for the Winter. Literally, its happening THIS bloody week.

For example its the only time of year when the Ambient temp reads colder than the Real Feel temp! Winter and Spring its always colder feeling and Summer it feels hotter.

Our current forecast on darksky.net for Grattan October 23rd is:
Dark Sky – 7418–7678 Lessiter Rd NE, Belding, MI

At least its dry! Once in the kart, you really don’t care. Thank GOD, I can use the excuse of “administrating” the format and “overseeing” the safety of all involved to NOT GET INTO THE KART until after lunch!!!!

Have a feeling it will be a “Meteorologist” type week!!!

Stay tuned, more to come!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, nothing new…. Its Grattan, its October, and it’ll be Cold!

At least (still praying!) its going to be dry!

We have had much colder AM’s out there in October for sure, the current model is acceptable (L38-H52) and as long as its dry we will be successful.

Its “testing”…. no the conditions are not ideal for record lap times but you just don’t know. This weather will produce very good engine power, my personal best lap at Grattan came on a day very much like what is projected.

I’ll give it another day but we look good for Saturday right now.

I’ll be back!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I’m loaded up, just getting some last minute things together this AM.

I’ll try to be West bound at Noon today. Again, the GR police are training on the track so we can not get in to the Paddock until after 6pm.

The gate will be open until I go to bed, around 11 pm. If you are close but may be late call me and I’ll see what can be done.

Safe Trip Y’all!!!

Robert

 

[Robert Lawson]

Very early Monday AM for me…. been up for hours.

First, I never turned a lap… the kart never left the stand!

I got NO sleep Friday night… absolutely none.

Had a sick stomach Saturday AM and we had alot of new guys that required 2 run groups most of the day. Many stupid/dangerous moves in both groups led to just as many person-person conversations, then eventually PA announcements in the dead quiet. At times, it was a mess.

It was obvious I was not going to be able to turn my post over to anyone so I could get laps, even if I DID “feel it”…. which I didn’t!

I was “concerned” about this group, hence no sleep. After it was all over I finally ate something and went to bed at 8:15….. and slept for almost 12 hours! Kenny, Bob K and I all stayed over to Sunday before heading home. Hitting the bed early last night had me up at 4:30 but still got 8 more hours in!!!!

Live & Learn…. we’ll make wholesale changes from here on out.

If not, I’m not sure I can keep doing this anymore….. OR that I want to!

My Bro DID get the Flathead out to check the gear change (thanks to Bob K!!) so I have THAT video clip. Lunch and Pick-Up went smoothly so a BIG thank you to Bob Cole for draggin’ them in, Kevin Gillan, Sarah Pasteiner, Chuck Alband, Steve and Jan Pasteiner and everyone that helped with getting Lunch laid out and feeding all that came.

No complaints about the fog/late start OR time on the track. Also, although we did have 1 kart upside down our record is still clean…. no EMS rides!!

So I guess it was a success. Just tired as all get out after the past week!

Hope everyone made it home safely!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just a bit of an update on the changes for 22′.

* Access by Gate List!

We will have a full time Gate attendant! This individual will be placed outside the closed gate, keeping ALL whom are not “paid participants ON the Gate list” from entering. That alone will free up a bunch of my time and allow me to relax and participate myself. I have always had a list, primarily so if I were not workin the paddock radio or Gate I would know who of the paid participants had arrived. Once all were accounted for we could simply ignore the gate. Unfortunately that didn’t always work out. Curt, Sam, or even my own Bro’s would let people in just because they were looking on and asked to be let in. No more…. Closed Private means CLOSED PRIVATE and I’ll let the Management know that as well.

* The Lunch/Dinner program will be changed or discontinued!

When Curt does the meat smoking he also sets it all up and all I have to do is pay the bill. I didn’t realize how accustomed to this I had become. Going back to a self service deal, with all the help needed, added to the stress which led to my not getting any track time.

Idea:

I spoke to a local Belding small business, they are a Full Service Mobile Catering/Kitchen. I met these fine folks Sunday 10-24-21 AT Grattan as they were supporting the SCCA gig that weekend. Just a brief conversation to ask a couple questions and get contact info.

I’m excited about this and will continue to follow up with them and see what can be worked out. I LOVE the idea of me being 100% hands off!!!!

* No more cash deals!

Because of the lagging USPS a few guys couldn’t get a Check through to me AND cleared before the Track Date. This will no longer be offered. Everyone had plenty of time to get payment to my inbox or mailbox, From here on out, you make a way to get your entry here in time or you don’t get in. I had no less than 4 guys that just “Showed Up” without making ANY contact prior to arriving. Simply listing the day as a “CLOSED PRIVATE TEST” online doesn’t seem to be enough. They did come into the paddock but I would not allow these guys to off load. 1 driver had already been turning laps in paid drivers karts, so, that guy got informed and paid the fee. Yet another came with a kart, unannounced, unloaded and worked on it…. in a garage yet, reserved and paid for by first come Participants! Lastly, I had to address the “buddy ride” thing too. I made it clear that was a 1 RIDE ONLY deal, but, for some the Tag-Teamin’ went on the better part of the day.

NONE of this will be acceptable in the future.

To remedy some of this, we will go ALL Paypal after a certain date. No excuses or issues, your payment arrived, you are on the list, you gain access.
Its a Closed, Private Lease …… and, while we still have the opportunity to do them, we will KEEP it that way. Any and all of the above mentioned issues are not only cheating me, but each PAID PARTICIPANT in attendance as well!

My willingness and wanting to provide a place for newbies to get their feet wet has come to bite me in the ass…. guys took advantage, or tried to. Now, only free rides going through ME will be allowed.

I know this is a lot to digest but it needed to be said, and done. I worked out 2022 with Sam already. Our Spring Test is April 9-10, we also have Saturday October 22 as our Fall date.

Hope Y’all are Well!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Been super busy working on the karts prepping for Daytona.

The F-125 had the entire front end rebuilt/replaced. Adjustable King Pins & Bearings, New Stub Axles/Camber Adj on Spindles, new Hubs, Rotors, Pads and Bearings, we have “strung” the chassis and set toe. Everything is dead tight and spot on, way overdue!

The high volume pipe is fit and checked/repaired of leaks, gearing changed, carb issue solved, and fuel tank fab is finished and will be welded up and done by end of this weekend. Before loading it up it will have to be “tuned” on the scales.

I have also made some progress on the Yamaha kart, once the new side panels are laid-up its all minor “5 minute jobs” to get both karts finished with just under 5 weeks to go.

We took a few things off our to-do/wish list just to give us a bit of breathing room. Look forward to finishing early!!!!! (fingers crossed!)

It will be a VERY BUSY off season with the Anderson to build and the other 125 to at least get 4 corners on it so it can be sold or finished.

It will all go by so quick, April will be here before you know it!

Back Soon!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

With all the changes we made to the pedals/brake master mount on the TSR chassis I never took into consideration if it would affect driver foot clearance in the nose. After much fiddling AND contemplating paying my supply shop guy to make parts from my molds…. we have decided not to continue to work on the Yamaha kart and leave it home. The nose that was fit to the kart when we got it was just not going to work.

After talking it over with Rich, whom I really wanted to get a ride in that kart at Daytona, he said he really didn’t care to drive it down there. So, I’ll go back to working on it when we get back and shoot for April to get it on the track for the first time.

This free’s up a bunch more time over the next 3 weeks and allows me to really go over every last inch of the F-125 before packing up. I’m getting excited about the possibilities of the Swedetech mods, big carb and big pipe. We have made bits specific to each pipe & carb/intake set-up so if need be we can swap things out quickly. Hopefully we won’t need any of it!

The time is just flyin by, its December tomorrow!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Little update…

Had a lil’ cold snap here but it’s moving out for the weekend. I just hate the cold weather and find excuses not to go out to the garage when it gets like this. The propane heat burns the eyes, electric is too pricey, and a permanent solution is out with plans of moving next Spring/Summer. We’ll be buttoning up the F-125 Friday/Saturday and tucking it away until it’s time to load her up. Still chasing some wish-list type things but nothing we can’t do without for a 1 race gig.

The Spring Test will seem to come more quickly with the distraction of Daytona breaking things up. And we have some new pavement on track to look forward too as well.

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A week later and…..

The wish list is getting scratched off!
The kart is done, looking good, over at Rich’s place and ready for the scales.
I got a coat of WAX on the Trailer today!!!
Big head start on removing everything from the trailer not needed for Daytona (scooter, pop-ups, etc) and getting it cleaned up.

Also working on a new system to hold the kart in place during transit. I hate to use straps but since adding that huge tail to the car I have had no choice. No more! I’m adding removeable padded bits to keep the car from moving in any direction. The addition of threaded & pronged “T Nuts” to the underside of the floor will allow the bits to be quickly removed from the interior floor for unloading the kart and so I don’t trip over um on weekends when we live in the trailer!

I have thrown everything I possibly can at this last and final attempt at breaking the 2:00 minute lap time barrier. And, if we could win that race it would be a bonus. TALL order with the “overdrive” gearbox of the Pavesi, seemingly designed for Daytona, almost unbeatable. We will see. I will not be able to say “If only I had this” or “I should have gone with that” because everything and I mean everything we could obtain has been gathered and put in play. In 2013 we just touched 140mph on top with a snif and ran 2:03 dead on our next to last lap virtually alone. We need just a little bit more…. thats all I ask, just a little bit more!!!!!

Hope we have GOOD weather!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Finally getting the kart on the scales today, not happy with some of the results.

Listen, I knew I had gained a BUNCH of weight AND I had not been in this kart since April…. but I was a little freaked out at first. Too tight, too cramped, claustrophobic is a good word. I thought “What the hell am I doing??? HOW am I going to drive this thing!!!!” But, after a few minutes, I started to settle in. It wasn’t so bad, a bit longer and I started getting comfortable, and before finishing up maybe 20-25 minutes later, it was like an old glove!!!!

I can’t reach across my belly to the carb needles and my back won’t allow me to twist my torso to get there so we’ll have to improvise by semi-sitting and using my right hand to tune while driving. Most tuning will be done back in the pit! To be honest, now I just want to survive the practice and race and get back without any damage!

Getting out of the kart went a bit better than July, that was a bonus although I only had to do it once!!!!

If my City run Gym won’t let us back in without a mask or Vax ID I’ll have to bite the bullet and go to a “we’re here to…. Pump-you-Up” gym! But I have to get back to regular exercise/training. I have gained 25 pounds since they locked everything down and gave up that Keto deal when I went back to eating Sweets. Eating carbs AND high fat will kill you, one of them had to go…. the Keto is a very hard program to stay with. Reese’s Cups….. not so much!

Kart is in the trailer, spare wheel 1/2’s came from DWT (after 1st set was deemed junk!) so I have a few loose ends to tie up. We start heading South Friday AM and get to our hotel (fingers crossed) about 3pm Christmas Day. Weather looks great right now, still a week out for track time though.

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well, “re entry” this week has not been as bad as I had thought it would be.

Lets see, where do I start…..

Didn’t bring the new wheels, one of the studs on the spare set of front hubs stripped and I just didn’t have the time or patients to deal with it. Didn’t “race” the kart! The engine still runs, I just gave up on working out the carb issue because the track was so rough. Really didn’t want to go back out there, had a splitting headache from the 1st practice run that hung around all the next day. We did help a few other guys get their stuff running, that made everything better.

When the engine DID run cleanly it was obvious the work Renne did was a BIG upgrade from what we had sent him. Now that Daytona has past and there really are no other “very long straight” tracks coming this Summer I can go right back to the 30mm carb if needed and not hurt the performance at all.

I have been researching the function and tuning of this Big Carb all week. Found very good info and made contact with multiple “Shops” or old tuners that know it very well. They have given me enough to think about in the way of things to try to work out the metering issue it had. Ran great on top, fell dead on its face in corners when back shifting, then would light back up and go like a banshee to the next brake zone. Rinse/Repeat……

To be honest I may have just had the needles WAY too fat out of fear of hurting the engine. I actually called Swedetech from our garage at the Speedway and ran everything by him. I was seeing EGT #’s well into the blow up range on the old set-up, after draining H2O and pulling the head it was super safe and fat. It just made no sense and caused my “gun shyness” to tuning. Renne told me to stop looking at it, “Just read the piston crown, head, plug and pull the damn pipe and look at it too!!!”

But the bumps were killin’ me, the Oval was rough too. I thought all my tires were badly out of balance, but others agreed, the place was rough it wasn’t just me.

I decided to Vacation, help others and enjoy myself…. the weather was FANTASTIC every day we were there. No sense in letting THAT go to waste!!!

So, this weekend it is back to work. The Yamaha kart will get finished and off to storage before jumping into anything else…. although I have been sourcing alternatives in brake bits for the Anderson this week too! Big changes coming to that ride, why be like everyone else! We’ll have a 1 off when were done with it.

OK, off I go! New heat in the shop so better get to it!!!

Happy New Year Y’all!!!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Well here we are, just about through January now and here in Roseville we got our first bit of snow. At least snow that will now stay. Up until this AM we had full grass showing here and started to think maybe we can sneak by without getting hit…. like Bob in Cleveland, who got 16″ in 1 go!!!! Yep, we got a full 1″ out there now and a total of 3″ by Monday PM. I  can “dig it”… pun intended!!

Heading over to the storage today, was going to do a little work there but I think we’ll just grab n go. Getting things in order to test in April, we’ll be ready this time.

On to April, our dates are the 9-10th weekend. I did a bunch of work on the changes then stashed it all away getting ready for Daytona so details of these changes/procedures are not completed yet. I hope to get a full weekend, and, with things being played right on the surface we all should get plenty of time in the karts.

Just about 11 weeks…. yikes, it WILL be here before you know it!

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

STILL dodging it here, no massive snow fall in Roseville. We got 6″.

Not going to go through all the info here, if you want to understand the Keihin PWC carb we are using go to the YT channel and skim some videos. Went through all the parts I have for the big carb, found a spring that popped off at 30 (down from 60) and that puts it back in spec. Carb is back on the kart in storage where she is being spoiled by 63 degree temps! I have a few small inner bits to try if I’m unable to tune out any issue that might remain. After that I’ll go right back to the 30mm carb and see what the engine has to offer.

As I have said, I really want this PWC carb to work out. But if it doesn’t, a big carb won’t be necessary unless we return to Daytona. I have been offered a Lectron to use as long as I want it, no need to purchase, but that is an option if I so choose. If we know we are going back, I will take the kart to Chicago and work it out on the dyno.

We caught a flu bug, minor thing… a little body ache and lightheadedness for me but the Wife got the temp and a wet nasty cough. Perfect timing as it got me out of shoveling any snow!!!! Feel fine now, gonna take the weekend off too and get after the Yamaha this coming week.

Parts coming for that and did a bunch of leg work chasing brake hubs and rotors to “Americanize” or “RPM” our Anderson SK chassis. Also got the front wheel backspace and hub/rotor/caliper package worked out for the Emmick F-125 so we can move forward building this stuff up. At the very least to the point of being a roller so we can sell them off to someone who wants to finish them their way.

We’ll see, April first then I can start thinking about Summer!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just a quick update!

2 more weeks and we’re into March!

I have not mentioned April anywhere yet but have started getting some text and other contact about it.

Many have stepped up to offer their time to help out with the running of these things and I’m looking forward to that! Refining what we already do, but also keeping the very laid-back atmosphere that we all LOVE about test/track days.

I’ll be making contact with the “Catering” trailer folks to see what they have to offer and if that is a feasible option for us. Not having to consider everything involved in feeding folks will be a load off my mind. Even when the Track does it for me, I still have the remnants of it to deal with… clean up/left over food & supplies/etc. So, slowly working on things here. Nothing too crazy just yet!

Hope everyone is Well!!!!

Back Soon!

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Most of you know by now I have taken a different approach to attracting/accepting Test Day participants this Year.

It’s working so well, maybe for good!

If you only get your info from me here, you are already too late to participate. I sent invitations to long time regulars first, them to some less frequent regulars but no new drivers. I even left out some who may have done 2-3 of these in the past.

I’m moving these things back to a CLOSED, very private, very small group, so a full on “taking all comers” is not necessary. Actually, just taking enough to pay the lease AND only offering a single day.

I didn’t stop there. I will not be allowing anyone inside the track that is not a paid driver or their 1 crew member. No spectating, No Social Visits, No Meeting for pick-up/drop-off OR buy/sell.

At this point I have more than enough YES commitments. Having the majority of the $$$ already delivered via PayPal we will make the minimum even if a few opt out. The new format sure seems far less stressful than the old way, and I’m not complaining!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We are ready to go!

Finished up a few days ago but everything is now done and worked out for April 9th.

I really like this approach. Completely stress free on my end, couldn’t be more pleased.

It’s my intention to be at the track Friday 3-4pm. No activity Friday so we will get in right away to set up/drop off. If you are planning on camping or dropping off Friday it would be best to do so before 7-8pm. The gate will close for the night at 9pm.

Saturday morning gate will open at 7, you will have to print & sign the waiver and get a wristband before crossing the track. I have help that will be checking & addressing the track surface getting it ready before our Driver Meeting at 8:30.

ARRIVE EARLY!  Weather and Conditions permitting we will go green at 9am, the gate will close and will not open until Lunch Break.

There will be a “Buddy Ride” session in the late afternoon near the end of the day. Any Driver willing to let a friend go for a ride please let me know at the break, an announcement will be made for these newbies to come for instruction and a wrist band to gain access to the track.

Most of you know but I’ll say it again, I will not be providing group lunch. Bring whatever you need to get through the day, there will be no concessions at the track.

Anything comes up I’ll post here and send out email/text msg’s.

More soon!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Keep your eye on the weather, right now it looks like Sunday will be the far better day of the 2.

No change yet, a final decision on the weekend will be made Thursday 4-7 in the AM.

My junk is ready to go, will load it all up over the next couple days.

More to Come…..

[Robert Lawson]

And that’s how it will go down!

We DID get a bit of a break from the Track. They will allow us to start 1 hour later and run 1 hour later moving the on-track time further into the warmest part of the day.

I’m loaded up now, last minute stuff to pile in before heading out. I intend to arrive at the track Saturday afternoon, around 4pm, and get set up.

Dont let the late start keep you from being out there on time. Gate will open at 7am Sunday, once everyone is inside OR its time to get started I’ll lock it down until Lunch break. Again, no visitors, spectators, or extra bodies will be let inside.

Cold in the Morning, warming quickly early afternoon with Sunshine and 55-57F for a high temp. We’ll do just fine, look forward to seeing everyone there!!!

Safe Trip Y’all!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The April 2022 version of the Annual Spring Test is now behind us!

I took the lead of Sam Faasen, the Track Manager, who met ME outside the gate on Saturday afternoon when I arrived. I in turn did the same, parked my truck outside the gate at 7AM on Sunday morning so there would be NO chance of a repeat of Oct 21′.

Believe it or not, I DID have to turn someone away!

Once past that point the day went VERY well. It warmed up pretty quick, I had dropped the coat off by noon. The clear sky and Sunshine was welcomed, we all got some sunburned faces!!!

We got a Sit-Up guy to take laps in the Flathead laydown, I learned that parts for the carb would not have helped my Daytona issues, witnessed my first Yamaha enduro Drag Race, played a part in a complete newbie getting his first karting experience, AND survived a 35 degree temp swing from 6AM to 6PM!!!

Thanks to Chuck Alband for pulling karts on the Quad and Bob Cole in his Truck, patients of the guys at the far end of the paddock until we got the PA working, and ALL the guys that offered to sit out at the same time and take over so I could get some laps….. that was very humbling!

Its the people that make it happen, when we get to the track all our bias and opinions get left outside. For an afternoon we all agree, we are all there for the same reason!!!

Thanks Y’all!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I sent a text to about 25 guys today, asking if they would consider a “Summer” weekday (M-Th) Test day if they had time to plan for it.

Returns from about 20 came back and I was very surprised that ALL of them said YES, they would be interested!

My next question would be which day (M, T, W,or Th) but its obvious Monday would allow guys to travel on Sunday and camp over without much loss of time for work, Night Shift guys excluded of course!

I called Sam, he will send me a list of M-Th dates in June/July/Aug to consider.

With my new carb coming in Monday (4-18) I’m looking to turn right around and try it out. A nice warm weather night and day sounds good compared to 4 layers of clothes until 2pm!!!

I’ll keep you updated. Have some emails to send out tonight yet to a bunch more guys.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I got all open dates for May, June, July & August.

With the “season” getting started in the MI/OH/IN/IL region really beginning with Mid-Ohio, it makes sense to look at either May or August for a weekday gig. Without the serious “racer” being involved, we just can’t do it. Our numbers as enthusiasts alone just do not meet the need, unless we spend more $$$ per man. Myself, I am open to spending $300 for a full day in great weather. At that rate its STILL a better value than spending $300 for Fri/Pract. and a single weekend race Entry for maybe 2 total hours of track time…. when they tell you its Your Turn!

May has 1 open Friday: 6th
and 2 open Mondays: 9th & 16th

June has 1 Friday: 24th
and 2 Mondays: 6th & 27th

July has 2 Mondays: 18th & 25th

August has 3 Mondays: 8th, 15th, 22nd

Of course most Tues-Thurs in those months are open too, just figured Mondays would certainly be best for time off & travel.

shoot an email and let me know what you think: f-125@hotmail.com

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Little Update….

I just sent out a mass email to everyone that responded positively to a weekday test.

The chosen dates from above were May 16th and June 6th.

Check your inbox and let me know what works best. My vote would be for June, but I can be ready for May this weekend!

Let me know guys….

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We are moving forward with the June date.

I posted it on FB, but, didn’t include the fact that the 6th is a Monday! Its getting a bunch of looks and requests for info….. wonder how long it will take for them to figure it out???!!!!!!

I really hope it works out, the Yamaha should be ready for a shake down by then along with the 125 with that new MASSIVE Tillotson carb on it! Can’t wait!

Work to do though, if we hit the number I’ll ask for payments by next week.

More coming!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Payments are arriving daily!

We obviously have met the minimum number of drivers needed to pull this off. Spring/Summer is here, conditions have turned for the better, and we are enjoying a nice little stretch of perfect racing weather this week!

Really looking forward to getting out again to try all the stuff we’ve been working on.

Hope this weather stays awhile!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Y’all,

Plugging along here on the Yamaha project kart, trying to get it ready for a shake down ride at Grattan in a couple weeks. The F-125, short of a throttle cable install, is ready to go.

I am, if nothing else, a Man of my word. The Bible teaches us that we should never say we are going to do something then not do it. “Let your Yes be Yes, and your No be No.”

The additional cost of a “Prime Time” date, albeit a weekday, is causing some problems. But, I have made back the $$$ I’ve lost in the past and recently made bank on the Test days so I won’t complain about my cost this time out. Its excessive, some may say stupid, even foolish, but I have been very fortunate. GOD has been very good to us here in Roseville! And, I cant help but see very troubling times coming for all of us, and figure, as Pops always said, “Smoke Um if you Got Um!”

IF you can get out and do something, DO it. Take a day off, clear the schedule, dont look at next week act for right now, make a minimum payment, use some of that $$$ to do that thing you want, before you cant!

Denzel Washington, yeah, the Actor, once said: “If you don’t read the newspaper you’re uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you’re misinformed….”

Most folks today are both.

Before the times dictate your survival being all you can do, and you regret not doing things that brought you joy……

……..remember to Smoke um if you got um!

I’ll burn the $$$ because driving these things and hangin’ out with Y’all brings me Joy.

Back to work, for now!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The F-125 was test fired and is loaded in the trailer. I will not be taking any other karts with me next Monday.

Will spend the day letting others handle some of the “hands on” stuff while I try to get all the laps I can, or need, to get this new carb figured out.

Everything is in place, early weather forecast looks good, A couple guys have come onboard so my end is far more reasonable now, just going to cruse into the weekend and get in to track mode.

The track WILL have 110 leaded race gas for $10 per Gl. Also, if you intended to come out Sunday to drop off or Camp, PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 5PM! The road course AND MX track will both be running all weekend and there will be little to no room to stage us before entering the paddock after 6pm.

As always I’ll look at the forecast and make the call no later than Friday AM.

Back soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

So there has been some changes, if you are at the track this AM you will find a ghost town!

Everyone was notified of this last Friday and arrangements were made to move to Tuesday the 7th.

At 8am here (Monday) in Roseville, packed and ready to go, it looks as though we will have a less that 50% chance of lite rain overnight tonight until about 6am. The chance returns to 0% for the duration of the day at 11:30am. So, bring extra socks and be prepared to dry the track!!!!

Hope to get plenty of laps and lots of video & pictures!

Be back Wednesday!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I took an extra day but here we are. The Track Day was awesome, the weather turned for our good and delivered a beautiful day!

The new carb needed to be disassembled and internal adjustments made to get it right but we did get it to function properly…. then it blew up! Well, it wasn’t due to tuning, I stalled the kart and had to exit to refire, I somehow hit the pump switch and when I did get on track it overheated and stuck.

Good news is I caught the clutch, the damage was just aluminum, and, I have the jug fixed up already! After measuring the bore I need a bigger piston than I have on hand but it will be back up and running soon.

We had more pull back/pick-up runs than ever before, probably due to all the new guys that participated. Its all good, everyone got as many laps as they wanted and no EMT runs!!!!

So its on to October for testing but we will get to M-O next week to pick-up some work and off to Grattan or nelson in July to play.

Hope to see you at the track!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I forgot to mention the segments of resurfacing at Grattan will continue this Fall. From T1 resurface (2020) to beginning of T5/6,7,8 resurface (2021).

So next April we will get a new T2, T3 and T4 plus the jump!

My midnight shopping spree box has arrived, been plugging away on the Yamaha project, and will take a trip to the Mid-Ohio “flea market” to pick up more used bits/Karts AND drop off some work of my own to be done.

Its going to get crazy busy round here soon. The Grattan event in a few weeks may be out for us BUT opens the door to Nelson or certainly Gingerman for more op’s to shakedown and run what we’ve been working on.

I have to work on the seat of the f125 as well. Warming it and stretching it to fit my large posterior has made a mess of things. The seat mount failed, torn loose from the composite and I drilled and bolted it together to get a last ride at the Test. I’ve already removed it and the struts in prep for sitting right on the floor tray/additional aluminum pan. I feel like I’m sitting ON the kart instead of IN it, so, we will go as low as we can and build some kind of seat from the floor up. This will take time with the “Secret Project” getting ALL of my attention so I don’t expect to get in it again before Gingerman anyway.

Will have to see where the cost of living is at before making plans. That said, I made my Hotel reservations for Daytona yesterday…. with no cost cancelation before Dec 18th of course!!!!!

I keep saying hang in there Y’all, it’ll get better….

We’ll see!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Our date for October is Saturday the 22nd.

Sunday the 23rd is booked so its go-no go for this date.

Been working hard on the Yamaha to get it to “shake down” condition before the July CES event in just 2 weeks. I’m confident this will be possible so I called to secure my garage, garage #1, the same garage we have occupied for as long as I can remember. They sold it to someone else…. of course he offered the adjoining garage as a consolation prize. I did accept but dumbfoundedly so….

Now, IF we do go, I may just pit down in the grass like way back when we got started and bring my generator, and do like everyone else. Saving myself the inflated rate for power in a garage.

Or, we may just skip it altogether….

Mark Sat Oct. 22nd on your calendar and start planning now!

Back Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A week + after Grattan and we are fully into it now!

After running the Yamaha kart we evaluated an issue with the package and have now moved toward getting things back together and ready for the next time out. The F-125 will get a new form fitted seat, this time with a flat bottom so it can be mounted as low as possible. Both these karts will be out for more tuning in September at Gingerman.

I started playing with the Secret Project over the weekend as well. After tying up some loose ends at Rich’s place I can now go full speed ahead on this. The plan is to have this kart ready to run at the Fall Test in October.

I have it on good authority that Steve Pasteiner may be building up a TAG enduro we hope will run with us in F-125. Brandon Schenkel ran very impressive laps in his X-30 enduro running in Unltd at Mid Ohio 2 years ago so its a viable package.

I bought a CIK Sprint kart!!!! I know right??? But, it was actually an investment for a good cause, and should be fun to “polish up” RPM style!!!

So we miss Nelson yet again. We just cant seem to work that gig into our schedule. At this point I hope we make it past Nov. without the SHTF and we’re able to do Daytona one last time.

We’ll see, everything is upside down and backwards out there…..

Hang in there Y’all!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Things are moving full speed now!

I’m making progress on the SP (secret project) AND have purchased an engine for the CIK Shifter, which is now a Project itself!!!! Super relieved that didn’t just stop at a brake repair, and, I really want the back up Vortex ICC for the Emmick Enduro Project. THAT is the kart I really want to be building right now. I have assembled an Awesome collection of parts/components to go on that ride that will make my own kart look like a scrapper!!!!!!

The Pasteiner Project, TAG enduro, IS happening as Steve stopped over to Rich’s place and snapped a few pics of the F-125 radiator/air box/system to get an idea of how to set his up. He told us its just a track day ride, nothing too serious, but he’s already got a look in in his eye you only see when a guy is building things himself! I dig that!!!

We are all set at Rich’s to foam-up the new form for my F-125 seat. Also have 2 black enduro sides to lay up for the 4 banger AND full set of red enduro body bits to do before it gets too cold to do. Hitting the SP on weekdays to give us a day for our own stuff AND trying to “rest” a bit on Sunday as well fills the cup to the top.

Busy is good. Eyes wide open here!

Bless Y’all!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Working on Seat and SP in unison, trying to get things in order for Gingerman.

I have decided to wait on the Clutch rebuild for the Yamaha kart for now. Rich needs parts for his clutch too and it makes sense to order all of it at the same time. So, the Yamaha kart is OUT (which buys time to mount the bodywork on it too!) for G-man, leaving just the F-125 seat to make/get installed. G-man again more of a fact-finding mission than racing. I want to be sure I have got the new Tillotson carb dialed-in, thats all.

Looking to October and the Test Day, I’ll have the Yamaha ready to go and maybe the F-125 with fresh Nikasil to break-in. If not that will go to Daytona all fresh. Of course, the SP should make an appearance at the October test as well, fingers crossed, we have much to do before then!!!

Back Soon!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

As time passes, things change!

I’ve been troubleshooting, diagnosing, and working on the 110v/12v system in the trailer. It needed a new Battery before Grattan (hours before leaving!!!) and now I’m working out whats – what with the Converter/Charger. Its confusing as hell, there are unexplained issues and its taking days instead of hours to figure out.

So, I may just order those clutch parts!!! The F-125 seat is out of the form and in process to be mounted but is yet sitting in wait.

The SP is in a hold pattern as we wait for the Nerfs and Bumper to arrive. We have spent a LOT of time just rigging/aligning/mocking things…. when we start popping holes and hard mounting things, they have to be perfect. No going back at that point!!!!

Karts or no, I’m going to G-Man in a few weeks just to get out of here and relax with friends…. Y’all should join us!!!!!!

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its the last weekend to work on things before Gingerman.

The F-125 “No seat-Seat” is coming along nicely. My plan is to have it ready for Pitt and just use the track time to work out new seating position and final tune on the new carb.

The Secret Project has now picked up speed with the arrival of the “production” bits made from our Mock-ups. The body for this kart has been a real pain in the ass to deal with. It requires a completely different approach than the usual “start at the front and make your way to the rear” way of doing things. But, it will start getting together quickly now.

As I mentioned, we will take the Yamaha Kart to G-man for another shake down. I rebuilt the clutch yesterday, grabbed a gear and dropped it all at Rich’s place for install. Had a bit of brake pad/stub axle shimming to do to get the front brakes rolling free and working correctly. All that is finished. After install I can add oil to the clutch, start it, and set the stall. I’m going to put the same pipe back on it just to be sure the issue WAS the clutch and not a pipe length issue.

Looking forward to a weekend with Che’ & the Kids, and hanging with friends!!!

Hope to see you there!!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

A week out from Gingerman and we are just bustin it here in Roseville!!!

After 2 practice runs chasing clutch stall/slip and feeling out the set up I decided to pull the S4 pipe and install the Sportsman Can. Off to registration to change classes (same race group) and just enough time to pour all the fuel in we had (not enough to finish 40 min race) and go to the grid.

That pipe WAS the problem, even back at Grattan, it acted the same at Gingerman. The Sporty can was awesome! It ran great, made rev’s and speed, only regret was over adjusting the clutch (not enough slip) as it hurt the off corner get-up-and-go. There was just 2 of us in the class and Big Daddy left that guy in the dust!!! I even ran ALL the laps, pedaling it the last 3 laps as it was running out of fuel in the fast rights. I learned a few things, found some things that need work, and was pleasantly surprised by the handling and super strong brakes.

Re-entry this week was slow as I had a few Dr app’s and labs, which bust up and waste most of the day. End of the week was much better as I have been full time on the SP. Making big gains in getting the body squared up and fitted properly. Very tedious this thing, I won’t do another one anytime soon.

As for the F-125….. it won’t be going to Pitt. I will make a dash-n-go, same day deal to test fit/trial sit in a couple different sized NEK seats. Buy one and bail out.

I’m on a roll and want to keep it going. So much work to do before the Oct test on both the F-125 and the SP. Both karts need to turn laps then so no time to hang out watching karts in Pitt!!! Even if briefly, hope to see you there next week!

PS: We have 5 guys already paid for October!!!

More Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Back from Pitt, got a sweet NEK seat for the CIK 125 and some bits and pieces for the Secret Project. I saw some old friends and met some new ones that never made face-to-face contact before.

A bad habit is developing at these “Mega-Events” as more serious incidents took place Saturday. The last few years Mid-Ohio has had 5 then 6 red flag incidents, with Pitt sending folks to the Hospital via air lift and ambulance. The “Circuits” can’t be blamed for this but the sheer number of drivers AND the lack of respect or patience by these same drivers IS the issue. Its never ok to make contact but just out of the pit for a practice round or 1st lap race wrecks are just uncalled for.

If this isn’t stopped, and soon, the next major incident will cost the Facility’s provider a good deal of $$$ and a door will be opened. Insurance Providers will give the Tracks an ultimatum…. either get rid of the high-risk group (karts) OR get a new Insurance Provider! At minimum we will see the $50 or more Pit Pass I mentioned a couple years ago. I paid $40 for 1 day (Friday) pass. Racetrack Facilities will choose to stop leasing to the high-risk groups simply because they won’t lose the booking, plenty of others will take the dates.

I won’t bring a kart to these events. Call it age or whatever, but I like the comfort and laid-back atmosphere of the CES gigs at G-man & Grattan. 1 fact seems to be emerging though…. the Laydown classes are far safer statically than all the others!

Set a few things up for Rich to weld tomorrow. I’m pretty confident the F-125 will be back in 1 piece with the “no seat – seat” complete and ready to Test in just 4 weeks.

Back Shortly!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Heading toward completion of the F-125 AND participants for our Test in just 2.5 weeks.

The weather has turned a bit, the hurricane has been pulling cold air down from the Great White North. Looks like a bounce back is coming though, I don’t mind running heat in the trailer at night as long as its sunny and mild during the day!

I had the mind set of letting the result from this Test decide if we go to Daytona or not. I’m starting to look past it, the track was a mess for me last year and seeing the flooding at the Speedway has me thinking its just gonna be worse. All the dough I’d spend could build up the CIK125 and the Anderson, so I’m a bit torn right now. We’ll see, if its super comfy and ballistic fast the decision will be that much harder!

Watch the weather Y’all….

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Here it is Friday 10-14-22 and the forecast for Monday & Tuesday do not look good for the resurfacing scheduled at Grattan. A smooth portion of track surface would make dealing with less than perfect weather conditions more tolerable.

We’ll see how it shakes out.

The F-125 is all but finished. I have a couple minor things to do but it will be done before the end of this weekend. Did some more shopping for the CIK 125 today. Have a cylinder & head coming that will drop on ready to run, the cylinder that is on it now was cleaned up but needs to be replated. I’ll do that sometime but for now this was a cheaper alternative. (another smokin’ deal!)

On track or not, I’m really looking forward to getting past this Test weekend and getting back to the Daytona Secret Project. It really needs to be done and delivered so we can get busy on OUR STUFF for the off season!

Again, I’ll be watching the weather out at Grattan and contact you all before Thursday Night…. Go or No-Go.

Dark Sky – 7418–7678 Lessiter Rd NE, Belding, MI

Back Soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I froze my a$$ off today loading the trailer! It just kept getting colder as the day went, actually had a bit of snow/rain at one point.

Took a break, warmed up, packed my helmet bag and clothes, re checked the weather, gathered up some food, had lunch! Later, Rich helped me load the karts in and you could feel a change, the sky had big blue sections to it. From here to next Wednesday, it will just get better and better.

The partial repave was finished yesterday afternoon so BONUS…. we’ll have Sun, Heat AND a smooth track!!!! It just gets better if we look forward to April…. very little if any running will be done on it between Sunday and our Date in April!!!!!

I’m out tomorrow by 11am and after a stop to visit with a friend I should be at the track by 3pm. Looking very much forward to seeing everyone and getting a ton of laps on Saturday!

Safe Trip Y’all!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Well into “re-entry” week here in Roseville, its tough but I have made progress! The F-125 is full of -20 antifreeze, the Yamaha kart is at the Storage unit, the Secret Project has turned a corner and is now heading for the finish, and I have a ton of room in the Garage to get things done.

A quick update on our Fall Test last weekend, Patrick McIntyre had emergency surgery, Joe Wallace and Charlie Tobin were both down with the “sickies” so all 3 missed out. Steve Pasteiner finished his 10 day project mounting a “left over” IAME Leopard on his old enduro. Literally had to pull it out and reassemble the entire kart as it was put away for good! Max Pasteiner shook it down and did a few runs with it but Steve never got on-track!!!???? Charlie Tackett took Charlie Tobin’s place and got behind the wheel after 30 years out of a kart! That was cool to watch!!!  Bob Cole finally took some laps after my urging him to do so for the past 3 years! Paul Nickl’s girlfriend Jennifer Smith (daughter of Russ Smith, former enduro racer) drove a CIK TAG most of the day. It had been 10-15 years since she was in a kart, I kept telling her “there is no extra charge for the smile!!!” She had a great time. And our resident photographer Bob Kurkowski found out what has been ailing his Rotax Evo all year….. low battery voltage! After a quick peak charge all his issues were gone! Time for a new battery Bob!!!!

What a beautiful few days out at Grattan, Bob and I along with Sean Swisz camped out (more like passed out!) near the Pool by the front gate Saturday night. Took my time loading up and started for home well after Noon.

Sure hope we get a record temp weekend in April as well!!! The track is now in really good shape and should be fun to drive fast on again with the really bad stuff being repaired. With the sucess of the June weekday deal last year I’m going to get a date going for that as well as our Annual April dates (2023: 4-1/2 or 4- 8/9) in the next week or 2.

Next year Sarah and Max Pasteiner have agreed to be our “Caterer’s” and handle the lunch (or dinner on full weekends) in trade for some track time! Which is well worth it to me to be completely hands off. Looking forward to that!!!

Thanks to all who participated, it doesn’t happen without EVERY ONE OF YOU getting involved!!!!

See you here soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Wow, looking back at some of the video clips here….. I need to get back to that shape!

I got our Weekend Dates for 2023…

April 8-9 and October 28-29

We seem to be getting pushed back later and later in the season. There was a time when we ran our Fall date in mid September!!! This is the down side to getting a price break, anyone comes along with full pay and out you go!!!!

As mentioned, I would like to plan on a Summer weekday date as well, just as we did this year. ALSO I have been contacted about doing a “Swap Meet” in April along with the Track Activity. I’m working out how to handle this because I think its a great idea, just need to keep a solid separation of the 2 so things still run smoothly On-Track.

We continue to stay busy here, its Election Day so I’ll soon know if Daytona is out of the question and how things will shake out in the foreseeable future.

Hang with me Y’all, it’ll get better!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Man, the view from 2 months later is nothing as I expected.

Middle of Nov I started having “symptoms” that I thought were long in my past. By the end of November I cancelled my Hotel reservations, called WKA to give up my garage and entered Dr. Appointment/Pre Surgical Test Season!

To shorten it right up, I chose to believe the Surgeon and have a coronary triple bypass. The alternative was more stents to open the clogged stents from 17-20 years ago. Looking back, I should have insisted on the stents. My Cardiologist said if I went with the stents I’d be back in 3-5 years…. which was what he used to point, or scare me, to the bypass instead. I wish I would have gave it more thought, I actually sat home for a full week with no activity allowed and a bottle of Nitro “just incase” before my surgery date so it couldn’t have been too damn bad. It certainly was not handled as an Emergency situation.

So, the Secret Project did not make Daytona. I did not make Daytona. And now I have this lap full of sour grapes. My tune will change as I heal and get stronger, I hate the cold of Winter anyway, but I’m having a hard time dealing with the feeling I made the wrong choice.

The week before going in I DID make it to Grattan to measure up the parking/display area for a potential swap meet. We’ll see, the weather will play a major part in anyone really getting involved in this.

So, with NOTHING but time on my hands for the next couple months I may be back sooner than later!

Talk Soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

So, the tune is changing…..

Yesterday Che’ and I went to see the Surgeon. He gave me a clean bill, still on a limited/regulated program of none of this, very little of that, at least for the next few weeks. Last night I slept IN bed instead of on the Lazyboy, I had been in bed early on but wasn’t getting any sleep. Was able to roll onto my right side without too much pain and slept pretty good. Left side, not so much. Dont know why but it just caused a nagging pain in the Sternum. The Doc also asked about the Karts, “when do you get started again?” I said April and he said “no problem, you’ll be stronger than before”.

So as it turns out, it was pretty bad. My Left Anterior Descending artery (had 2 stents) otherwise known as the “Widowmaker” was completely replaced, 2 other arteries had Issues, the Circumflex artery had 2 stents in it as well and it was completely bypassed along with another on that same left side. He removed a portion of my heart on the bottom, a branch of the Acute Marginal artery on the lower right. In all he took 10″ of artery out of my left forearm, a good bit out of my right thigh and an artery from my chest cavity wall. He said I should be good to go for at least 20 years, and, if something needed attention long down the road that Stents will be used. I assured him, NO ONE will ever crack me open again… no chance I’ll go through this a second time!

Now I’m off to the Rec Center to re-up my membership and start on a treadmill…. then the bike, then machines & eventually weights. Dont know that I’ll have anything to drive come April that doesn’t need a bunch of work but we’ll see how I’m feeling. Maybe we’ll play with the 4 banger or the Yamaha!!!

Back soon,

 

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Just 10 weeks until the Spring Test at Grattan!

It may be hard to think about this in January, but, here in the Detroit Burbs…. we have NO snow! I spoke to Harry West who is just north of the snow belt line in Harrison Mi., he also has NO snow…. and THAT is really amazing! Not sure Larry Rumsey way over on the West Coast of MI has snow either. Hey, I dig it!

10 weeks will fly right by. I intend to get out in the garage, even if briefly, to pop pistons out of CIK calipers to get info on rebuilds. Then go shopping! The CIK brake lines and fittings suck, literally! The system is well known for leaking and needing constant bleeding and work. I’ll fix that buy RPM’n this pig and using AMERICAN Fittings, Hoses and Masters! This is an old kart, its not worth anything so I will only be helping it to be track worthy into the future.

As soon as I’m able and cleared by the Doc I’ll be finishing the JW Secret Project (hope you enjoy the build clips on you tube!) that got put on hold for Surgery Season. Looking forward to moving on, in every aspect of life, and running it WFO to the finish!

Hang in there Y’all…. “It’ll get better!”

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I like “Shopping Season”!!!!

Now I know why women love to shop! Man, when I get started it just snowballs. I’m looking at a few more things yet, I don’t really NEED them, but the deals are crazy out there right now!!!!

Super excited about this old CIK kart. Larry will never recognize it when I’m done. I have in the works new bodywork, new fuel tank, rebuilt brakes, new brake lines, new tires, wheels and chassis recoated, billet pedals, new seat, new steering wheel, fresh engine…. I can’t wait to drive it!!!!!!

I have so much I want to get done this year, get the bodywork on both the Yamaha and 4 banger karts, finally build the Emmick F-125 and get around to our own 250!!! With the CIK shifter finished the need for another sit up kart (Anderson) in running condition won’t be super important. I’ll know after 1 weekend if the sit up position will be easier on my back. At that point we’ll know what to finish and SELL and what to hang on to!

5 weeks post-surgery, I feel good, bout 70%! I’ll work on building muscle and stamina when this bone is fully back together. I’m doing a bit now but not as much as I’m capable, and, well under the pace of getting hurt and going backward! It’s cold, I don’t mind being the “Tortoise”.

Hang in there Y’all!!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

I either STILL have it, or, the Wife doesn’t know who I am!!!

Well, somehow I talked the Wife into going to the OVKA swap with me!!! I did throw a Friday night at the Hampton/Hilton at her to sweeten the deal but I still can’t believe I pulled it off!

I have meetings set-up with Paul Martin and parts coming from Brad at MCP. Also picking up some Horstman axle clutch bits for John at Fox Valley Kart AND my new CIK bodywork from Doug marsh at Rocketech Motorsports. I’ll also have a PILE of $$$ on hand just incase there is a deal I can’t pass up, I’ve been looking for a sweet deal on a Cadet Kart for the Niece/Nephew…. so I’m taking the Truck just incase!!!!!

Had a 6 week check with the Cardiologist 1-31-23, he said NO WORKIE for another 6 weeks so….. a Shopping we will go!! 6 more weeks of Vacation folks, I may not have enough cash to make it!!!!!

More soon,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

The trip went great, got the kids each a kart and a pile of bits… even Cherri bought something!!!!

Nice guy from Cleveland/Chagrin Falls made me a deal I just couldn’t pass up. He kept throwing things in until ALL of it was included…. the sweet rolling stand too! We didn’t pay asking price AND got a Vortex Mini Rok engine with the package. Best part is, I pulled up the truck and they loaded it all up!!!!

Beyond all that I spoke to a few other Road Racing guys there that asked about April. We will start taking entries now, I actually have a few in the drawer here from October that are ahead of Y’all right now.

The hold overs that couldn’t make it last October paid $225 each so I’m going with that for April too. I expect Sam to hit me for more $$$ but we’ll just have to work harder at getting a bigger crowd to cover it!!!!

Things will start happening quickly now, its staying light longer and we can see April coming.

Back soon!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its been 2 weeks and we are REALLY kicking ass on the Test Day entries!

Looks like a FULL Weekend is very possible, I’m getting payments and email regularly! MOST of the $$$ I have here is for a 2 day gig. I just hope it continues.

We have a LOT to offer this April, that new bit of paving last fall will make all the difference when it comes to having a fast and enjoyable track to run on. It makes looking at 2 days a little more motivating!!!!

IF I’m able (and willing!) we’ll have the Yamaha kart with us to amuse ourselves. Too much has to be done to the F-125 to get us in a comfortable seating position, so no chance that it will be coming with us.

Still a few weeks out from getting back to work, I’m sticking to the Dr’s schedule. Once turned loose I have the JW project to finish and get out of here 1st. Then, right after that, we’ll be getting the Cadet’s together (basically buying parts) along with the rebuilding/resurrecting of the Renspeed CIK shifter to our “Fashion Show” level of standards! Hoping to have the Shifter ready for shakedown in July at Grattan then loading as much as we can into the trailer for Nelson a couple weeks later.

Really want to enjoy ourselves at Nelson. Run as much as we can and spend quality time with Paul & Jimmy Anthony, Rick Gunther, George Sunderland and anyone else who will put up with us as we camp out for the weekend in late July. After that, God willing, we’ll head back to Gingerman in Sept and play a bit there too.

ALL of my plans hinge on the Kids, if they have the bug then I may just step aside to make room for them.

As I wrote, more $$$ coming in at Paypal!!! Back to work, see you soon!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We are now into March, just inside of 4 weeks to go.

The full weekend is well in reach but its not a done deal. Because the 2nd day is discounted it requires more entries to pull it off that a single day alone. If it all stops today, we don’t make it. We’ll see, still some time for warmer weather to get some guys wound up to go.

Although I’m still over 2 weeks from officially going back to work, I feel ready now. I’ll ease my way in from here so come the 19th I should be able to go full speed.

Plenty to do, watching the weather, hoping to have a nice weekend at the Track!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

As posted on FB we are FULL for Saturday and will be running the FULL WEEKEND.

I’m still taking Sunday only entries and will consider group runs on Saturday if we get a bunch more Weekend drivers.

I may actually walk away from this thing in the Black!!!!

Little nervous bout my first ride post surgery but looking forward to it just the same. If I change my mind I’ll have plenty of volunteers ready to test the bits I have ready in my place.

The latest pattern of winter weather is a bummer but we still have a couple weeks to go. Let all pray for a good weekend, it doesnt have to be hot, or even warn… just dry and sunny. And over 45!!!!

Hang in there, more coming!!!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Its been brought to my attention (thanks Steve!) that I have failed to post the (correct) date for our April Test!!!!!

ALL THE WAY BACK in November of 22 I posted April 8-9…. since then I have not posted the date!!!! I mention “April” quite often, even “X” amount of weeks to go…. but no mention of the correct date!!!!

Our Annual Spring Training “Closed Private Test” is……………….

APRIL 1-2!

You know, I was all over FB with this stuff and never really sent out emails OR posted much here as I have in the past. All I can say for ALL of this is I blame the Anistesia!!!!!

Stay with me Y’all, I’m starting to come out of it!!!!! LOL

RPM

 

[Robert Lawson]

Well, the Spring Test has come and gone.

We did end up having the wrong date, and was moved to the 8-9 weekend just days before our false date of the 1-2. As you know, it was a blessing, as the 1-2 was a cold wash out!

We held on to enough drivers after the date change to STILL run both days. Sunday being Easter, we cut a deal to skip the lunch break in exchange for ending an hour early. That worked out great for the 12 drivers that paid for the full weekend as the last running kart/driver said “No Mas” at 4:28pm!!!

Sarah got her first taste of feeding the group, her rendition of the American classic “Sloppy Joe” was very well accepted! Some Saturday only folks went home earlier in the day so she had an excess to take home. That is not going to happen on a Single Day Test where everyone comes to eat.

So a big Thanks to:

Chuck Alband, my buddy doing tow back on his Quad WITH a walking cast on his foot!

Bob Cole, our main-stay at tow back AND provider of a ride (CIK LO206) for a driver with a terminally broken kart!!!

Bobby K, who spray paints the aging reference cones and argues with me about their placement round the track!

Al Brasher and Pat McIntyre, who helped sweep rocks and squeegee water off the track surface Friday evening!!!

Max & Sarah Pasteiner, for taking the food service off my back (mind!) and doing a Great Job with it.

AND: George Argiris, Steve Pasteiner, John Brasher, John DeBats, Sean Swisz, and all the others who were concerned with my recovering health and offered to do anything needed to keep things running smoothly.

I’m grateful to have these folks as friends!

More coming…..

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Y’all, just an update on what is happening….

I have weekday dates for the entire month of June. I know some will want PRE Mid-Ohio (16-18) dates, others that just want to turn laps don’t care either way. I’ll start sending out some info to see who may be interested very soon.

More to come,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Just a quick note to clear the air….

I have been getting contact from many of you about the Grattan “test & tune” advertised on the News/Main page here at EKN.

NO, its not Me or any of our guys.
YES, I knew about it.

I wish him luck, he’ll need it with that date!

In the spirit of Competition, lets ramp up the conversation about Early June shall we? The week of June 5-6-7 are all open. I would choose Monday the 5th, it allows us to gather on the hill opposite the Paddock outside the track Sunday June 4th until the bikes are finished and leaving. ALSO, it gives us the foresight to call off or move to either the 6th or 7th if weather doesn’t play in our favor.

I’ll be sending this to everyone so, check your inbox guys!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

And just like that….. we are on our way!

June 5th will be the date of our 2023 version of the Official Summer Kart Test!

It really works out well! Come out on Sunday and drop off or camp, do your test or tuning on Monday and get back home without needing a second day off work. It falls just before Mid-Ohio making it the last chance to get tuned up for this region’s largest karting event each year. It also happens to be after CES’s event at the Ozarks, WKA’s event at NCCAR, AND the track day at Nelson (in case they get rained out!). It really is the LAST chance to get your Kart/Package super tuned and running at its best for Mid-Ohio.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us at: rpmspeedsport@protonmail.com

Although the Track has raised our lease price AGAIN for the 2nd time in 2023 we refuse to raise our driver fee from the past few years. $225 gets each driver the open testing format they have come to enjoy and expect at each Test Day event we provide.

We are taking payments now,

Personal Check or Money Order to

Robert Lawson
17731 Ivanhoe St.
Roseville, MI 48066

OR Pay Pal, using the Frens & Fam option, to

f-125@hotmail.com

AS ALWAYS, this is a prepay event, 100% refundable if cancelled!

Be Well Y’all,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We have about half of the June 5 lease paid now. Many of the “yes” answers I sent a note to about getting their payment in have not responded yet. With 3 weeks to go I’ll be all over um this week!!! LOL!

The finish line of the 250 project kart for John West is coming right down to the final tic’s on the clock. He wants the Kart for Mid-Ohio, which means I will have to run the Yamaha Sportsman kart with no time to mount the new body and floor tray. But, a ride is a ride and at this point I’ll drive anything!!!

Looking forward to pulling the helmet back on, hope we get a nice day out there!

More coming,

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Here we are, just over 10 days away from our now Annual Summer Test & Tune at Grattan Raceway!

I shared this note elsewhere today but for those who may not “do” social media, (and I don’t blame you!), I’m taking inspiration from others in just the past couple years that participate in these little Private track days. Short of the Weather not cooperating we WILL be on track June 5th even if I don’t get the number I need. Others…. like Brad Jackson, Ted Steffke, Dan Barth, Joe Barth, Joe Wallace, Steve Pasteiner, Eric Chappell, Wayne Rumsey, and I’m sure more, HAVE at some point paid their driver fee and was not able to make it out. They never ask for the $$$ back AND insist that its for the better/future of the group to continue to be able to do these Test’s. They have seen me take it in the rear financially in past years just to keep it going and were grateful….. thats humbling!

So, even though we have a few spots remaining I will make up whatever is necessary to make the full Lease payment, gladly!

With all thats going on out there in this corrupt and morally bankrupt World, when you have the chance to Play….. you’d better do it. The choice to do so may not be your own very soon.

I’ll bring the Yamaha kart home this weekend and get it ready to go. I’m actually looking forward to driving it!!! LOL!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

What an awesome day we had!!!

2 days for Dave Ahrens and Myself as we stayed over until Tuesday!!! After packing up most of our stuff except the karts we had Dinner (Venison Brats!) then a nice shower and a quiet bonfire until 11:30…. then off to bed! Got 8 hours of sleep, we had coffee and just relaxed enjoying the peace & quiet of a tranquil Grattan Raceway!!!

Super happy with our little Yamaha Sportsman ride. We straightened out the handing with the tiny 4.50 tires on all 4 corners, repaired the clutch leak for good as its not leaking days later, and got a good tune on the carb. Now I need to drop a bunch of weight so I can be comfortable in it again! Starting the new prescription weight loss plan 5 weeks ago I’m already down 10 lbs and have moved up to the next level of higher potency meds for the next 10 weeks. Very much looking forward to driving all our karts as the Summer progresses.

We have a few events to visit in June/July, a couple in September, and ending things back at Grattan in October.

Plenty of action to report on, stay tuned, it will be an interesting few months!

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

We ran into a bit of a snag here with the radiator on the Project kart and did not make it to Mid-Ohio. The rad has a leak after welding air conveyor mounts on it, and Rich has to do the welding at work due to our machine being on the fritz. He takes it in, brings it back, leak has moved, repeat! He dropped it off last night, I have not checked it this AM to see if we can finish off this deal and get it to JW.

So, another massive event at Mid-Ohio, 700+ race entries. This time, for the first time in a few years, no rash of red flags on Saturday. But, we lost another long time road racer, Dan Stowell in race 1 on Sunday. We still have no info from the “investigation” by WKA of the fire and eventual loss of David Lee’s life from Roebling Road back in February.

We all know there are risks. When someone makes a mistake, whether it be in kart prep leading to a failure or on the track in bad judgement/driving habits….. it can happen to you even if its not your doing. So how can you do what you enjoy (driving your kart) and lessen the risk? I’ll tell you, I feel much more at ease on a track day than at these Mega Events for sure. I don’t go to these Events with a trailer, sometimes not at as a spectator either. Personally, I’m no longer comfortable in a crowd. Also, if there are less drivers on the track, or at the event, your chances are better you’ll leave there the way you came. But, nothing is guaranteed in this life…..

Not sure we’ll make Grattan in July, this Project has to be delivered so we have the space to work on our own stuff, which there is plenty! We’ll see, maybe just a vacation to Camp and fish with the Youngin’s and watch. You just never know.

RPM

[Robert Lawson]

Guys,

I just spent a good 15-20 minutes writing a thoughtful and intelligent message to you about this website. Just as I finished, it disappeared.

I’m going to seek another forum to post on, what’s happening here is BS. Go to the Main Forum Page and scroll down, look at how long its been since anyone has posted in each Subject. If you open each one they are accurate, except THIS ONE.

No one opening EKN to any page other than the ROAD RACING TOPIC FORUM Directly, with the subject being TRACK DAY DISCUSSION, would even get the true info that WE are the only active and recent subject on the entire sight, even more so than the Classifieds!

Why am I being censored like that? How long has it been going on for GOD sake??? I use this place, even though its a shell of what it once was, to spread the word of the track day happenings. Its no wonder when I hand out a flier at the races guys are flabbergasted. They have NO IDEA we hold these things!

So, I will be moving out. This forum will end like the others, with nothing but a 6 year old memory of when things were much better. But it won’t be because I haven’t brought the views, the traffic, nope…. it will be because EKN is suppressing a guy’s passion and hard work.

If you want info on where we will gather in the future, send me a note here:

f-125@hotmail.com

I may be back, if I have too……..

RPM

[Rob Howden]

Robert –

I hope all is well.

Just to clarify, we don’t moderate the forums at all, as they are no longer active. Truthfully, I haven’t even looked at the forums for a couple of years. If you had an issue with posting something, it has to be due to the flawed mechanics of the site. I can assure you, it’s not David or I doing anything. It’s sad that you think that we’re censoring you or ‘suppressing your passion’.

I would suggesting starting a new forum elsewhere, as I’ll likely be shutting the forums down in the future, either as part of updating the background mechanics of the site, or when I elect to build an entirely new platform for EKN. We’re setting up for some behind-the-scenes site updating to clean up some of the issue that remains due to the fact that the contractor I hired to build this ‘new’ site 10 years ago had a ‘vision’ of what the site could do and, as a result, it’s infrastructure isn’t ideal and it far to complicated.

I wish you only the best moving forward.

Rob Howden - eKartingNews.com Publisher / Editor - @RobHowden

[Robert Lawson]

Thanks for Responding.

Because something is lost in text that is obvious when speaking directly person to person, I just want to be clear.

I never called out You or Dave, it would be shortsighted for anyone to think the 2 of you run everything “EKN” or HMG and are solely responsible. I referred to the “glitch” as Censorship simply because none of the other Forum Groups are having this issue…. maybe due to the Road Racing Group being the only section used? But still, even this Group for example had updated 10 months ago with one of Linda Baldus’ additions. A sticky or “pinned” thread at the top of each Group page would have been helpful in knowing that the site was no longer moderated or active.

My point was/is, that the coincidence has a bias of sorts is all, and I have been a regular poster here for years.

Its all good, Safe Travels Bro!

RPM

[Rob Howden]

Robert Lawson wrote:

Thanks for Responding.

Because something is lost in text that is obvious when speaking directly person to person, I just want to be clear.

I never called out You or Dave, it would be shortsighted for anyone to think the 2 of you run everything “EKN” or HMG and are solely responsible.

RPM

Robert –

It’s not ‘short-sighted’, it’s the truth. EKN and HMG is just David and I. Well, we added Nate Dean a year ago, but his focus is social media management. So it’s just David and I, and as I stated, we don’t focus at all on the forums.

Thanks for the ‘Safe Travels’ comment. All the best.

Rob Howden - eKartingNews.com Publisher / Editor - @RobHowden

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