SKUSA and IKF Unite

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What do you think? Let us know what questions you have about the merge.

To me, it’s bitter sweet. The IKF seems to have been floundering for the last few years, which is a shame. It’s legacy has been hurt by this, I’m hopeful it can return to former glory.

From the press release…

SUPERKARTS! USA UNITES WITH INTERNATIONAL KART FEDERATION

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Superkarts! USA is pleased to announce the ground-breaking confirmation that they are uniting with the International Kart Federation and will merge the historic national organization with the SKUSA family. SKUSA owner Tom Kutscher has been in talks with IKF management for some time, and the continuing evolution of the sport has paved the way for this new partnership. The IKF currently sanctions over 50 clubs, three regional series and four Grand Nationals in the United States and Canada. All effort will be made to keep business as usual, with the added horsepower of the Superkarts! USA staff aiding in future growth and stability. Current sanctioning will continue for 2018 as SKUSA evaluates any new approaches for the future. Memberships, track sanctioning and plans for Grand National events for 2018 will continue uninterrupted and further information will be made available soon.

“Keeping IKF’s legacy and heritage alive and reenergized for the future with this marriage is critically important to me and the IKF leadership and staff,” said Roger Miller, IKF President. “The entire board has been wrestling with how to move into the future and coming together with SKUSA will benefit our members and affiliated clubs, track and organizations.”

The IKF is the oldest karting organization and has been part of karting’s foundation since 1957 and the sport has changed a great deal over the last 60 years. The IKF is a volunteer-driven organization, as it has been throughout its history, but that approach to series and event management has been facing difficulties for some time and change is needed. The IKF has struggled with numbers and the organization has come to a point when it was time to move on. Under SKUSA’s stewardship, the IKF will gain much needed manpower and stability.

“The IKF is part of the foundation of the sport and my goal with this partnership is to preserve its history while also stabilizing its regional programs,” offered Tom Kutscher, SKUSA President. “Our sport needs organizations that can provide rule structure, continuity and stability from the grassroots club level through regional racing to national competition, and I believe that our work with the IKF will be a major positive for karting on the West Coast.”

More detailed information on this exciting partnership will be made in the coming weeks.

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Well this is shocking, but I think a good shocking.
If anything it might help with some of the consistency between the rules between club racing and SKUSA.

However, I am curious to know how much of IKF is left, and how much is SKUSA when the dust settles. (Also will we finally be able to register for memberships online?)

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If it wasn’t so tragic, this would be funnier.

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I think this will be good from a logistics side. IKF was/is so backwards in their technology side. Hopefully this will help entry numbers at the club level, as racers won’t have to buy IKF and SKUSA specific equipment to run under both rules sets.

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It would’ve made much more sense for the karter and “grassroots” if WKA & IKF would’ve merged. This might be one of the signs of the apocalypse…

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Either that, or you’ll see a good number of people trying to move to WKA or another governing body. I know that in Region Six, Tom K isn’t the most loved person, so IKF merging with SKUSA might not make people feel that great.

I’ll agree with @Ty_Schlorer. IKF’s use of technology was almost medieval. It was ridiculous.

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Honestly the only thing they had to offer was the Duffy rights… It will be interesting to see this play out.

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Mike Burrell is correct on both accounts as usual. In a world often needing checks and balances, this was the end of the line. While choice can cause divides it also keeps powers that be somewhat in check. The racers and teams ability to vote with their wallets is almost non existent in that region now. That was a missed opportunity for WKA, Rok or a combination of to gain a foothold.

Can only hope that SKUSA uses this to grow the base and take an active roll in promoting local tracks and clubs.

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Or…just helps to stabilize IKF, and leaves them be for the most part to do what they did pretty well already.