2008 GCKI Winter Blast Race

[Scott Boone]

We have contacted our insurance company and everything is a go for a race December 27th. The plan is to give us some wiggle room on dates so we will schedule the race for Saturday and if the weather is bad we will push the date to the 28th. This will also give out of towners a chance to come in a play 2 days instead of just one. This also might attract more racers.

Please download the following flier and registration form for the race and let us know what you think. We really need to know if there is enough interest in this race to have it. As a result we want you to tell us in advance by preregistering for the event. If we have 35 preregistrations by noon Tuesday December the 16thwe will be able to cover expenses and we will hold the event.

Since this is last minute and we have no trophies and tires are in short supply etc, we will collect an additional $30 from each racer and put this money into an awards fund and divide it among the top racers in the class. For classes with more than 5 we will divide the money among the top three and for classes with less than 5 we will divide the money among top two. If you want new tires for the event, you can buy your tires on the preregistration form and GCKI will contribute the $30 into the award fund for you. This should make it easy for everyone and odds are you will need new tires to win.

We also want to thank Dave at 3g. He has agreed to sponsor this event and we really need track side support to make this event successful. Thanks Dave!

To make all this possible we must get things moving quickly. To get tires in time we must have your preregistrations by the 16th or you will have to run your own tires. PLEASE DOWNLOAD BOTH FLIES :

http://www.racekarts.com/documents/2008 ... ation1.pdf
www.racekarts.com/documents/Winterblast3.doc

[Oscar Aguilera]

I am very happy GCKI will be having a race in december. It was something i was pushing for and Erik started the thread. However i am unable to make the 27th, Saturday race. I can only be available for the Sunday race.

I volunteered my time for that day only. Unaware of what happened overnight with all the extra decisions, I had already posted on ekarting news. I have also sent an email to Liz and Stu as i promised.

As of now I have been notified it is a done deal for the 27th.

So i will send liz and stu another email and take my post off ekarting.

Please make sure the EMT is notified as i had already set that up with Jackie for the 28th.

I am very sorry to say count me out unless we go back to the original sunday.

IMO i dont think anymore will come on saturday from up north except the ones that planned on coming in the first place. Which i dont know how many that will be. IMO they would come down Saturday to "test" then race on sunday. I doesnt make any sense for them to try and race with no testing on saturday, then stay to test/play on sunday. I am sure the ones (if any) coming down want to win!

oscar

[hickmankrt04]

Who forgot about he working class?
count me and my crew out as we have to work on Saturdays.
Sorry to here about the date change.
At least I'll have the track to practice sunday
Rafe

[Bryan W. Joplin]

Congrats to those behind the scenes, who are making this a Club sponsored event. The poster art is great. I plan to send it to friends interested in my new hobby/sport. While Saturday the 27th poses some issues, it looks like the best solution to get at least one good day of racing, using Sunday as a backup, or a second day of racing.

Thanks 3G for being a sponsor and providing track support. I'm signed up for my new set of tires.

Oscar encouraged us to race in December. This could be one of the best events of the season.

Lets RACE!!!!

[Gary_Kincade]

I'm not to sure I understand the logic of saying come down to Katy for two days of racing however the actual race is on the 1st day. Sounds a bit backward to me. I would have thought it would have been something more like come and practice on Saturday to tune up for the race on Sunday. My guess is that most will leave once the racing is complete on Saturday. Am I missing something?

Gary

[hickmankrt04]

when all this talked started it was just to
let people come play...now it's more. that's not abad thing!
but the orignals dates started as the 14th or 28th...
do a pole and see....

just disappointed....wanted to do this event now my crew can't

Rafe....

[Marcia Bartos]

Hey fellow racers - looking from the inside and seeing what goes on with planning a race, trying to make everyone happy, scheduling a date that doesn't conflict with other race schedules, scheduling insurance coverage, scheduling EMTs, finding workers, making sure there are enough entrants to cover expenses to pay for all of the above...etc. is a huge process. The Board just didn't pick a date for their own benefit - it was for YOU, to give you the chance to race one more race this year and have it fun and safe.

A pretty logical path was followed in choosing the date. Saturday was chosen because the biggest intangible with racing in December is the weather. If they set the date as Saturday, you still have Sunday as a back-up. If Sunday is the date and it turns nasty – the race is off and there is no back-up - nobody gets to race and, we don’t want to interfere with NTK’s winter series. If the weather is great on Saturday and folks come from out-of-town to race with us, they are then welcome to stay over as a guests of GCKI and tune their karts and enjoy our track on Sunday for the low price of a pit-pass.

The Board of GCKI tried their best to do what was in the best interests of the members and the club as a whole. They took into consideration that some people might not make it on Saturday due to work, late Christmas celebrations, etc. and they understand that. However, the thought that racing Saturday, with a weather back-up for Sunday, gave us the best chance of holding a successful event – which they heard loud and clear from our membership was what everyone wanted.

I want to thank Oscar for his dedication during the year in taking care of the races - it is not taken lightly the work he does to put a race together. AND, being a racer himself, he doesn't even get to race! It is a huge undertaking and responsibility.

Also, keep in mind that there are many positions that are available for the next season's races. If you want to have more input and become a part of the team, talk to one of the board members.

[Rick Miller]

Thank you Marcia, You put things into perspective. In addition to scheduling a race in December that hopefully will attract plenty of racers, there are quite a few people doing a tremendous amount of WORK behind the scenes planning for the end of the year banquet.
Marcia Bartos and Judi Ilavia... have spent endless hours organizing the banquet @ Dave and Busters.
David Young... has spent the last three weeks finalizing the year end points and fast lap times in addition to payback awards, a daunting task to put it mildly.
Scott Boone... has also worked hard to make sure we dont miss anything concerning our events.
John Bartos... has also given plenty of his limited spare time to help with the many details involved, including the Winter Blast flyer and lap record certificates for 2008 drivers.
Oscar " The Roach" Aguillara... has give a tremendous amount of time in helping GCKI become a great race facility and is always looking for ways to improve our facility and that we always put on a first class event.
And yes, I too have taken on a few things myself, track champion awards, series awards, there are 82 total awards, it takes some time to get these right and to the correct people.
Members and fellow racers, give these folks some thanks and gratitude. All of these people have given so much to our club throughout the year and please be reminded we are all VOLUNTEERS and are working hard to make our club be the best it can be.
There are many more names of people who give much and dont ask for anything in return, Brian Traw, Brian Joplin, Darrell Haun, The Allens, The Jones's, these people do anything that needs to be done, gates, clean up, trash pick up etc..etc.. THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT IS A PART OF GCKI. Rick Miller

[Rick Miller]

And....Dont forget the "Board" of GCKI are just some people who donate their free time, enjoy karting and want to help. John, Scott, Mark, Rick, Joe, Tom, Brian....see, we are just regular guys with titles that dont pay anything and get hollered at when things dont go perfectly

[Luke Hesketh]

You know, for those who complain. I am trying desperately to get my Yamaha cleaned up and in perfect condition to help put on a show. However, if it does not work out, I will probably still contribute to the award fund and just work a corner or help marshall the race or something of help. Everyone who knows me at GCKI knows me as a driver, but I used to work corners too. I came from the autocross background, and although road racing is better because you CAN hit cones (lol) I still like to give back. Perhaps others could ponder this so that if I do get it running there are backups. Or if you are not close to your race time, just work a corner anyway for a race. Anyway. I can't wait to be back out there, it has almost been 2 years for me.

Luke

p.s. - Just a thought. I don't know if this has been decided or even discussed. However, at race meetings, or before a new racer gets on track, perhaps a "trackwalk" should become a sort of rite before even practicing. I walk it before my first race whether it is just the old .4 mile config or a big 3.5 mile track. I need to see it before I race it. Just a thought.

[John Bartos]

Luke, Bryan and everyone else who is channeling positive thoughts - - Thanks so much for your support of the club and the event!

We haven't addressed it yet - it took us two weeks just to nail down the date and all of the details - but we are going to need volunteers.

We're holding this race for a multitude of reasons - One - its going to be fun. Two - We heard from so many members that waiting until February, especially with the great weather we've been having (forget Tuesday) is just too long. And three - this is going to be a fund-raiser for GCKI.

We've made a lot of improvements to the facility, and still we need to do so much more. The only way we can do that is to have a strong bank account and lots of help from volunteers. This race will help send us into 2009 just that much stronger.

So to all, if you can - please try to support the event in any way you can. First and foremost - try to come out and race. If not, then do consider helping out with being a race worker. If anyone who might be able to help would put a note on this thread, we can start making contact and organizing that very important part of the weekend.

Thanks!

[Mark Reid]

Sorry folks. I can race if Sunday but have a wedding to attend on Saturday.

[Mike Hewitt]

It is regretful that not all people will be able to make the Saturday Race. But for those of you that can, Please drop a line so we can find out with whom we will be competing with.

Max will be racing the MicroMax for the first time. I want to hear from the other MicroMax dad's out there. Let's show the club our new stuff.



Mike Hewitt
MPH Racing Team

[John Bartos]

Well, how about from those MicroMax Moms, too!! ha ha We will be there - new pink graphics on a new kart! Woo Hoo

See you on the 27th - snow, rain or shine!rain or shine

[Bryan W. Joplin]

Sooooooo, are we racing?

According to my email invite, only 10 people signed up before noon of the 16th. A little short of the 35 needed. This would make it appear that the race is cancelled. Does anyone know for sure what is happening?

Bryan