Ok hear me out. I just got back into karting and the first thing i noticed is, holy sh*t are there so many different engines. I feel like Every time you get an engine dialed in you need to buy another one because the one you have now is phased out. Theres dozens of tag engines now that are old and phased out because manufacturers try to out build each other and then we are left to try to balance classes with weight or just exclude engines and kill kart counts. Why cant we have a national set of motor rules like KF where manufacturers build to the rules so we dont have this craziness going on. The ka100 and vlr is no different, if anything they are now starting another set of classes to split up karters. Dont get me wrong i like the idea of 100cc aircooled tag engines but without a set of rules its just going to turn into tag again.
Makes me wish there was a next level of 206 for those that are ready to go faster and not have to muck around with this complexity.
I can’t image that tech on all those motors is easy either.
To be fair TaG is a sticking plaster to try and integrate engines designed for single-make racing applications (mainly in Europe). America, maybe due to its size and culture, seems to struggle with building strong single-make grids that allow one engine to monopolise a large enough area. IAME x30s and Rotaxs aren’t designed to be raced together (even though they are both 30hp 2-strokes). In the UK for example these two engines won’t race together. If they do it’s generally at IKR clubs who will have open classes.
You’re solution won’t work either. Multi-manufacturer racing within one-set of technical regulations is dead largely, certain outside of the elite end of the sport (not including gearbox racing in this). KF was a shit show because they regulations were for engines that were overly complex which drove costs up from the previous generation of FA and ICA engines. The replacement of KF, the dumbly name ‘OK’, is step forward but it won’t reverse the fortunes of this type of karting. The only time OK worked in the UK was when the governing body told competitors they could only use Vortex engines thus making it single make.
I prefer proper oldskool racing, the market however… does not.
there is world formula. lap times 1-2 seconds faster on a 47 second lap
Adding a viable and less expensive (modern) 2 stroke class that’s n00b friendly is certainly a good thing. Personally I’d love to see Briggs in the NE.
I would say with fingers crossed, as long as Iame with the KA and vortex with the VLR don’t start redoing their specs to try and make one faster it will be ok. As far as 100cc tag classes. They run competitively together right now and any non skusa sanctioned event I’ve raced at. I wish Skusa would allow the VLR like rok has opened up to allowing the KA.
TaG never should have been a national-level class, as it required you to have multiple engines with different powerbands to suit differences in track layouts.
Fortunately, most major regional and national orgs are now running single-make championships, so that whole headache has disappeared. The issue you’re talking about came and went about 5 years ago, so I wouldn’t say it’s currently ruining karting. The only places running an open TaG class are fairly small series or local TaG options.
People have been asking for this since TaG became the “top-level” class in national karting. Now we have the single-make series, which is a nice compromise I think. Engine parity is never an issue and manufacturers are pumping money into series.
Though it would be nice to combine the fields of VLR and KA, I am worried about an arms race if you do that, starting the TaG debacle all over again and forcing customers to continue upgrading to stay competitive. Right now, both classes are great mid-level classes with lots of competition, great reliability and ease of use, and a relatively tame price point.
Nebraska or new england?
I’m in NJ. No lo206 here, basically.
I thought they ran everywhere. I run at nhka and they have about 25. A lot of national events have them like brickyard. Do you run f series?
Several Briggs races in New England
Yep. There were only a couple people with lo206. Literally like 2.
That sucks. It’s such a great class to get started in.