This subject fascinates me so I’ll keep posting new stuff I find about it. The latest evidence I’ve found that supports the idea that it takes a fast track to expose any substantial advantage between a 125 TAG and a KA/VLR is video of a ‘fast lap’ that the latest winner of the local KA class posted of himself driving a X30, which was taken only 9 weeks ago (so it’s recent, aka a good comparison). Crazily, his KA race laps, let alone his KA qualifying times actually dipped under the time he turned on his X30 ‘quick lap’.
For me personally, discovering this feels like a relief, because driving a 125 TAG kart at this track myself, I began to feel like I was taking crazy pills when looking at the fast KA lap times compared to what I’m turning (e.g., essentially the same).
If this type of dynamic doesn’t affect you, it probably seems fairly unimportant/uninteresting, but nonetheless I bet it’s done a couple things pretty well:
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Deservedly built the adoption and reputation of the KA/VLR at tight tracks. They deserve adoption and a good reputation elsewhere too, but at the tighter tracks a 100CC TAG appears to truly be a ‘no-brainer’ unless you just happen to like greater expense and more complexity for no advantage at all, or having people who spent less money for less hassle keep up or pass you.
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Disoriented those who are driving the 125 TAG karts and do not understanding the complexities of the situation (e.g., “my kart is a ton more money than these other ones, and I’m/it’s slower - WTH!”).
Let’s just say I don’t think it’s necessarily coincidental anymore that the big group of TAG grandmasters that used to exist at the track has disappeared since the KA started blowing up around here.