I want to know what people think of the recent announcement of 2 sets of race tires for KA100 in USPKS.
Competition wise, it makes sense, especially with the LCQ’s, to keep drivers from killing their tires come Sunday’s final if they have to go through both LCQ’s.
On a personal side, I could not have afforded to run USPKS last year if it was 2 sets of race tires. This is already the top level of karting in the US, so it shouldn’t need to be super budget focused and instead look to equalize competition as much as possible. Realistically, this is a 4 sets/weekend event, if not 5 at this point. I like the decision overall, but I know if I wanted to take another serious run at USPKS, it’s adding another $1,000 to my season budget which runs about 10% of what I spend annually on karting.
The Reds actually heat-cycle out after 6 or 7 sessions, it’s a pretty significant drop off. You can run them at club and whatnot for a while more, but practicing at USPKS with weekend old tires is tough.
Not sure what they were thinking with the schedule, other than trying to shorten the racedays so we can get out sooner.
I’m also not a huge fan of having to run two sets of tires, but as you said, it’s mainly to keep people who get stuck running the LCQ from having to be at a second disadvantage by running more worn tires on Sunday.
As I noted, at SuperNats you end up using your race tires for the LCQ as well, so even if you transfer you’re at a distinct disadvantage in the final Sunday when everyone puts their final set on, which really sucks, but I guess that’s what you get for messing up qualifying and all the heats…? Hard to say either way which is the more ideal approach.
It’s not ideal and I voiced the same opinion, but the problem is the series has too many entries (what a problem to have) and now needs so many LCQs so the timetable is a complete nightmare to figure out. This was the only way to get all the racing in and have people home by a reasonable time on Sunday, something USPKS has always tried to do. My dad showed me the various options and there really was no perfect solution.
I don’t think there was a perfect solution for either problem. Me and few others had recommended checking a set of LCQ specific tires, and then if you need them, you can run them in the LCQ, otherwise you stay on your one set for the whole weekend as before.
Wouldn’t that still just end up with 2 “race sets” of tires? Unless you specified drivers use their happy hour session tires or something so they can use the tires outside of races.
Not a bad idea. I could see then moving one compound harder to the MG Orange, only problem is nobody else runs that tire in the US for KA as far as I know.
It’s KA100 at the end of the day is not a racing class (think KZ, OK, Formula A etc… I mean not offence). Having softer tyres proves nothing in what is supposed to be a budget class.
I can’t comprehend how a championship says “two sets for the racing” instead of “we should use harder compound that is more durable”. If you race KA100 lap times aren’t at the top of your agenda int he first place so it shouldn’t hit the ego. Or maybe have KA100 Elite and KA100 National.
but if the drivers do it… who am I to say anything.
That’s a wild take. Let’s put down our 1994 edition of Vroom and put our pants back on.
The Red is the perfect softness for KA’s speed and weight. It’s a good tire match. I think most everyone has agreed that it’s the correct tire for KA, this is only being brought up now because of this specific rule due to the new schedule and time constraints. Reds are plenty durable, you could easily run a full weekend plus LCQs on them. My opinion is that the tire would last fine and we don’t need an extra set.
I would not want to run on a harder tire for that class. The KA field has a ton of crossover from X30 as well, it’s nearly the same level.
Never an easy thing to balance everything and I definitely do not have the answer. Now it is 5 hrs between the Pre-Final and the Final (at least in Masters). Even I can get all my changes and repairs in.
And with 2 qualis on Friday, Thursday is pretty much mandatory. I ran most Thursday sessions last year but did not worry too much if I needed to skip a session for whatever reason.
If the reds are durable, then there isn’t a problem. I do think reds do have too much grip though, Noel Miller, a rookie, for example looks like he struggles way too much on what I presume is Hoosier equilivent rubber he is running in KA100. Though grip preference is subjective. My grip preference changes on the context of the class.
We have championships here in the UK that are now running two sets … for an entire year (6 rounds in Rotax)… . While a concept not for everybody, the point being is that the technology is there. Having a KA100 championship where you have to run two sets of slicks per weekend just seems incomprehensible to me. The point about ‘racing’ classes is if there isn’t a principle followed to in terms of class philosophies then they get exploited. Budget classes almost always go absolutely batsh*t once they become popular from a budget point of view as their philosophical underpinning starts to dilute away. I don’t know the ‘parity’ of the KA100, but I am pretty sure if we had it here in the UK and it was massively popular, we’d be seeing monty engines fetching big money. Combine with new chassis and 2-tyres per weekend, you’re in the budget range we saw with FA (if not more).
If you’re running soft tyres in a class like KZ or whatever, go for it, not one is pretending its budget. But for KA… my presumption is that maintaining some assemblance of empathy for those on a tight budget is the point of it.
Tyres are one of the only ways in classes like KA where organisers can realistically limit spending outside of pooled engines (which I think is horrible by the way).
I do see the format is basically a two rounds per weekend, hence why I see they want to move towards two sets per weekend wiht the amount of timed running. No doubt this means KA100 drivers are gonna be using 3 new sets per weekend (maybe 4 as you’ll probably need Thursday testing too) Especially if you’re have qualifying on Friday, you’ll need to test on new tyres in my view in the morning.
But like I said, if the grids are there, they are there. I am a mere person looking on from afar. The grids look decent, so the drivers don’t seem too worried. I just have a particularly bee in my bonnet with regard to excessive tyre use in supposedly budget classes.
The waste that goes on with tires in karting, it’s not right. For a two race weekend, the cost just for tires is somewhere at $1000 for go kart racing??? In contrast, Formula Ford with treaded tires last for 6-9 Fri/Sat/Sun weekends. They cost $900 for a set that’s somewhere between $150 to $100 for a two race weekend.
…and no need for rain tires.
It is possible to make a decent gripping tire. About 10 years ago, we ran Maxxis tires in a Rotax Series (Masters class size 15-25) and with 3 race old tires you could put it on pole and win. The tires were strange as they had lower grip when brand new, so qualifying had to be with scrubbed in tires.
Do you HAVE to run 2 sets of tires for the weekend or you just now have the option for the second set, which almost everyone is going to do if given the choice?
Does USPKS care what tires you run in practice and warm-up?
Answer incoming from the source. There has been discussion both ways.
Would be nice if you could make the choice to run used tires. Yes, you’ll be at a small disadvantage to the guys with money who will throw new ones on, but it would allow you to save the $200 if you wanted.
I think you have to run MGs for practice and warm-up.
With zero drop-off in that timeframe? An MG Red will run multiple weekends too, but there is a drop-off in performance.
I would say if you are mildly competent, you need 3 sets of tires for a national weekend of karting. Your two race sets, and a new set for practice. That’s less than $700.
From what I hear, the concern from the advocates for having the extra set was that the tires might physically not last the weekend. Which I think is incorrect. You can put two days of racing on a set of Reds with meat left to practice on.