I don’t agree fully. I think their search algorithms are pretty good, if the search is specific. If you havea good handle on what people might search for you’ll do OK. My Loose (and azy) Guide video, in terms of monetisaiton, has been far more successful than anything else I’ve done recently even if the views are so-so. So Youtube does like that kinda stuff.
But search based content is not really what I am getting at. it’s the content that keeps people engaged with recommendations. I.e if you like this you might like this. That’s where I think we have an inherent weakness.
I know with dirtbikes I will start getting thrown 2-stroke builds and that kinda stuff. Maybe some Ronnie Mac. It’s humor, it’s builds, it’s a bit of personality. It’s an onslaught. Karting? it gets pretty thin pretty quickly. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just the way it is. Karting’s culture is different (and that’s why I’d like to encourage change). I can do only so much and really am budgetarily limited.
But here’s an example of an idea I came up for for a driver who was
young and fast
struggling for sponsors and that kinda stuff.
I said “why not buy a battered old 100cc kart, pre-89, and rebuild it with your dad. Make it a project kart that’ll race. You’ll attract people who love old 2-strokes and old karts, and you’ll engage a lot of people who know who you are form being fast. It’ll be a great series to watch… and if you race… well then people will be EXCITED to see what happens”.
They never did the video or took my advice, but my god what a GREAT series of videos that would have been… unless I am massively mistaken.
So it’s that kinda stuff I am talking about. Instructional based stuff has been done and done well. So that sector is fine. Live race streaming is fine, that sector is fine. Vlogs and that kinda stuff are OK but what’s often missing is some narrative ark.
i understand it’s VERY time consuming and VERY hard to get right. I’ve been at the top and at the bottom, but the potential is so big. It’s not completely baron. I can see people are starting to get it, but I’d like to encourage more.
For me, the useful karting channels are mostly how-to’s. Things that showed how to change tires, what the different bars do, what to change sprocket wise, general maintenance, etc. The other associated ones on similar topics such as small 2-stroke engines, EV karts, or just cool tech ideas.
In alphabetical order:
2strokestuffing
Blue Shock Race
eKartingNews
EVEA Kartmasters
Karting1
K-Racer
Kart360
KartPit
Kolme Faasiline
Korsasport Karting Development
KYLE.ENGINEERS
Mr B
Vextrek
That’s the kind of vibe I get from the karting market. We don’t really consume our sport int he same manner other sports do. I think it’s a modern phenomena because there’s less to consume. The way the sport works is fundamentally different. Anyone who reads old karting magazines will know this. It’s a plethora of engines, and chassis and different stuff. It also gave the sport some ‘structure’ in terms of the drivers will all looked up to and what not because it was somewhat curated.
Spend 5 minutes on any retro karting page and the talk is very different to modern ones. That’s to say old karters talk engines, tuning, manufacturers etc… and modern talk is mainly “how do I do this”. That’s not to say that wasn’t there in the past, but I am trying to understand how to bring a new trend in where young karters and old ones, can engage in the sport in a different way. It’s not the ‘old days were better’ it’s more about understanding why the current consumption habits are not conducive to opportunity for drivers and karters. I got offered so much just 10-15 years ago, and I am not sure it’d be possible now. That is also reflective of almost the wholesale death of karting media. That’s my opinion, maybe I am wrong.
Yes, and I think they might do more. It’s good to see.
It’s funny, this is why I started the forums….to change culture. When I looked at motocross (this could be rose tinted) it seems like it was more about encouraging others, participation and giving 100% was enough and was cool.
Karting on the other hand seems to be that unless you win there’s no point being here.
When you think of it, a lot of the problems on karting could be attributed to that mindset/culture.
There can only be one winner in a race. So if winning all we value as a culture, it’s kinda obvious that the sport is going to be stunted.
So that’s why these forums exist. “Pro tour or no tour”. If it’s to do with gokarts and having fun or learning that’s enough. We’re not vilifying winning, not at all. Just saying that there’s a broader narrative and value in the sport.
As a former motocrosser who knows a lot of former motocrossers whom have tried to make the switch to karting, the unfriendly, unhelpful, almost backstabbing mentality of a lot of karters compared to the moto attitude drives people away for sure. There’s a group here that meets every Wednesday and drives together but will never set an actual race map because of our local club atmosphere. We have had discussions about this at the track (where we all hang out just like we did with moto) and the thinking is that injury is so much more of a thing that if you don’t help someone get over a jump or through a section then it’s likely someone is going to get hauled off in the meat wagon. And that person might not be the one who didn’t jump.
In moto, It’s not at all uncommon for someone to ask “what gear were you in?”, or “can I follow you over that?” Where as karting at least in the experiences of my moto buddies and I has been very secretive and closed off. Which also seems odd to us as we are just trying to get the most out of club racing, not trying to win the pro tour.
In the ten years I’ve been karting, I can count the number of times I’ve got actual driving advice voluntarily on one finger, and it took a switch to KA masters for that to happen. Pretty much every bit of setup advice has sent me the wrong direction as well. Kartpulse is for sure my biggest resource now.
that’s interesting. i wonder if region or racing class lend to that unfriendly atmosphere. i’m in the midwest, and the overall vibe i get is that folks are pretty helpful and friendly. i never participated in moto and didn’t start karting until i was 50, back in 2018, though, so i don’t have a lot of history to compare to.
i can see where your observations could exist, though, but that’s why i wonder if it has more to do with class, etc. i race with a bunch of old dudes, and none of us are expecting to win an F1 seat, so we share info pretty openly. but, i imagine some of the youngsters with high aspirations may not be so forthcoming with details, etc., so as to not give away their edge (if they have an edge).
My thought is that it’s somewhat rooted in karting being perceived as merely an entry point or stepping stone to “real” racing. Rather than being a tough form of motorsport in it’s own right.
i’d agree, with the stepping stone observations. but, mainly that mentality existing for younger drivers. realistically, anyone racing, probably has fantasized that they are the best, racing at the top in some series or another. when you’re pretty young, that’s still a possibility. so if you don’t succeed when you’re young, in karting, well, there goes your dream. i’m sure there is more pressure among the younger drivers than there is for older drivers, too.
then you have the opposite of that, and it’s usually people a little older, who see karting as an affordable way to race and kinda live out that dream they had when they were younger. they may now aspire to be club champ, or just finish top 10, or whatever, but generally, be competitive and have fun. i know that’s how i look at it. i hang out with some guys and gals, and we all try and help each other get faster, even though we’ll definitely try and beat each other on the track. but generally, having some fun is the most important aspect.
I dunno. I haven’t seen any of that secretiveness. Most folks are friendly and helpful if you ask. But then again it’s been club type racing so no one really cares. Tanguy would get annoyed with me when I’d try to help our competitors at NJMP.
I wish I knew. I’ve watched a few drivers come in, get our top driver to coach them, and then go absolutely nowhere with it. When you watch from the outside you can see that those drivers are purposely being held back by the coaches. Occasionally someone will actually make it in the circle and end up way faster.
It’s very big fish in a small pond.
It all goes along with things like a local shop at the track saying they don’t have tires. Or all of the regions clubs having slightly different classes/weights.
Maybe I’m just supposed to sit in my trailer and shut up and be happy I have a track to drive
Karting’s identity is heavily reliant upon ‘racing’ (which the stepping stone feeds into). It’s where people place the ‘value’ in the activity. And because of that there may be a tendency to be more secretive and closed off. The whole sport of karting is focused entirely on racing. You can’t take your kart on a trail ride or whatever. The entire culture is competitive.
Motocross is different. It’s culture is far wider and more diverse. You can remove traditional racing from dirt bikes and you’ve still got an activity that would thrive (you can do a LOT of things on a dirtbike). People would ride dirt bikes come rain or shine because they love it. I am not sure we can say karting would survive without racing. Sure people love to drive karts, but it’s not like how bikes work.
So to a certain degree the ‘experience’ of riding a dirt bike is what takes precedent, but beyond that the culture is just so much more rich in dirt bikes (it is there in karting, but you have to look for it).
Also it’s SO hard to ride a dirt bike fast that giving advice and being welcoming isn’t really going to make a perceivable difference to your own results or chances of success. The incentive to help (bring more people into your community /culture) far outweighs the risks (which are low because a top rider in dirt bikes is SECONDS down the road, in karting isn’t just tenths).
put it this way. Knowledge in karting can be the difference between 1st or 10th. In dirt bikes Eli Tomac could turn up at a club meeting on a Stock Yam. Tell the idea field what settings he was running, what lines he was taking, and the techniques he uses. And he’d still smoke everyone by a country mile. BIke racing is far more driver dependent.
So it’s a more diverse culture combined with a sport that’s performance is more rider dependent (and by that I mean skills that are very complex to replicate).
After watching 2strokestuffing’s efforts and failures I’ve come to realize that 2-stroke engines are really weird devices. Combining that with a supercharger really makes their operation bizarre. 4-stroke engines although mechanically more complex are SO much simpler to add power to and tune.
Heres’ my take on your comment about helpfulness at the kart track. If you’re asking non-Masters drivers, many of them are under a race team tent with tuners and mechanics. So the drivers nor their parents don’t really know set up. The team tuner, data guy and feedback from the team provide the setup information. There is usually one guru under the tent that is brilliant in asking the right questions and suggesting setup. Also, I don’t think the race teams encourage sharing set up info either.
More Masters guys tend to work more on their karts than not, hence have a better understanding of kart dynamics. They also don’t really care about providing setup information because in the end it’s mostly driving and not setup, that is if you drive an OTK .
I have watched a lot of Power Republic, which is a great resource and very well produced. But I agree that this type of channel probably does little to attract new people into the hobby.
In terms of entertainment, I found UKC (TDi Media) early on when my interest started to form and I really liked and continue to like that channel. It has good production value, good announcers, and good racing. It’s almost like watching an F1 or a NASCAR race. Very entertainment friendly, with driver narratives, good graphics and decent camera work. If I could find more channels like that, I’d subscribe. I also really enjoyed watching the SKUSA Super Nationals. Good event coverage is key.
I also watched quite a bit of Illegal Alien, Kart Chaser, Kart Class, and some Super GT.
I also like Karting1 a lot. I especially like the budget kart videos, but I also watch the simple monologue videos. More track antics would be fun to watch in addition to well-produced racing coverage. I was going to search for coverage of your 100cc events the next time I’m on YouTube.
In terms of marketing karting to new people, I’m no expert, but as a new guy who just bought a new kart and paid a bunch of money for a track membership, I’m certainly part of the demo. I think it should be marketed as an approachable way to enjoy motorsports badassery. While I understand your objections to the F1 link, there is no denying that it contributes to the perception of karting as legitimately badass. On the other hand, I agree that it should be marketed as being an end in itself, rather than a mere stepping stone.
Kart racing, well produced and announced, is at least as entertaining as F1 and NASCAR. We need more of that.
I think another reason YT Channels like Stahl Racing, JaM Racing, and White Knuckle Racing also hit a cord with me was they are semi local to, so in addition to following their content, our paths are likely to cross at the track at some point in time. Kinda makes the content more interesting because its semi local.
Funny story was Jorge from JaM Racing (unknowingly to me at the time) was the guy who sold me my kart and got me into the sport. Just some random FB Marketplace ad I responded to. And I see him all the time at the various tracks.
Same with Gabe at White Knuckle Racing, I met him for the first time last month at a local track.
The guys at Stahl Racing are the only ones I haven’t met face-to-face yet, but I’m looking forward to it if our paths ever cross.
Been following these three channel almost exclusively (for karting) and I think each of them provide worthwhile or at least entertaining content. Plus its different because when you meet them in person, it feels more real and most of them are super nice when you meet them face-to-face.
thing to do.
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