Pished myself at that one. This is the best thread in ages.
Am I sorry to see the demise of DYKC? - nope, don't care one bit but I would be sorry if a circuit operator was to fail.
In my professional experience, management (or lack of it) is the major cause of business failure and I would be astounded if this was not the reason in this case. I would love to see the club accounts and see just how this legal entity was supported. If the members truly wanted this to survive sometimes it takes more than just turning out for a race meeting. More importantly I would even more interested in seeing a creditors list to see whom was owed cash and just how long that had been outstanding for.
But hey - who am I? Some profile prokarter with no experience of MSA or 2 stroke racing - wrong on both accounts. There are some non-MSA meetings that are a farce but that is not exclusive to non-MSA. Hiding behind pre-race scrutineering as a reason not to race is similarly hideous as I am first and foremost responsible for the safety of my kart and/or driver. And back to viability. Any trading entity (which the club has to have been) has to look at its market and offer its services and wares to match market expectations. In simple terms attract drivers, drivers pay fees, pays for the running costs etc. Ignoring the biggest market locally has to be tantamount to commercial suicide. So what is the biggest karting market in the North East?? Anyone with any common sense would have approached the most profile karter engaged in the that particular class to determine interest and perhaps encourage growth - never heard a thing, nor did our Super 1 front running team mate, nor did anyone on the fringes. The MSA don't help themselves either but at least there was a short cut in the license process so no-one can hide behind that.
Racers are racers - fact. In a couple of weeks we will witness the best of the UK's Prokart drivers being challenged by Jason Parrot at PF. I have also seen Nigel Moore racing in a local enduro the week before the CIK Monaco Cup - I was at both and on the pier at Monaco Harbour he was still buzzing about the week before's non-MSA event (mind you so was I as I beat him he he).
So Bob runs a sprint event at Teesside - MSA or otherwise will it succeed? Who knows but I would be astounded if it didn't attract more drivers than the 25 that turned out for the first meeting which grew to a staggering 40 by the summer - in total. WL prokart grid has been bigger than that this year. PF - nonMSA prokart event has 50% more again and it has to be considered a very poorly organised and officialled event. What is the secret? Business acumen perhaps, serving a market, luck, PR, lack of the "I only race MSA and 2/ types". Rotax is a commercial class that the Super One MSA classes look down on too so who has the inferiority complex truthfully? I will tell you - the father of the lad in which ever class you choose, MSA or otherwise who's son/daughter is still getting beat regardless of how much money is being spent on him or her.
Graeme
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