Proposal to add World Formula to club racing

[Patrick Roth]

My plan for racing in 2016 didn't quite go as planned as I fully intended to continue racing my shifter at the club level and do some of the bigger events that caught my interest. In addition I intended to race a World Formula at all the TSRS races because I really enjoyed racing the series in it's inaugural year (2015) and it was clear the series and the WF class was going to grow. Unfortunately I work in the oil and gas business and the challenging business conditions made me rethink my 2016 plans and I parked my shifter after only 1 club race. However, I was able to follow through on racing the WF at the TSRS and was able to compete against some pretty fast racers and had a blast!

With that being said, I somewhat questioned where the WF would fit in at the club level and based on some conversations I've had with people, it may actually be a good addition so I'm proposing that we add the WF to club racing and am starting this topic to get feedback on my proposal and gauge interest.

I would propose the WF be a "Masters" class with a minimum age of 30. Weight would be 375 lbs, which matches the 206 class. Tires would be MG Reds or a similar tire that would be expected to get at least 3 competitive races out of. The class would run with the 206's so an additional heat is not requested. Engine/clutch rules would equal that of the TSRS series. The WF is approximately 2 seconds a lap faster at GCKI than the 206 so it is a step up, primarily due to it's increased RPM.

Thoughts? Questions? My biggest concern is how much this may cannibalize the 206 class but the 206 still has a huge advantage in that it is raced just about everywhere, costs less, and is a good class for people new to the sport.

[Jean Michel Gaston]

I second this proposal. WF proved to be a great class at all the TSRS events this year, with a solid field.
I've heard more than once from 206 racers that they think it would be good to get a little faster class that slots in between 206 and TaG, and WF is the solution. It is not much more expensive to run than 206, yet the higher grunt demands a little more attention from the driver.

I, like Patrick, have decided to stop racing in Shifter, and will focus my attention to WF going forward.

Patrick's proposal for rules sounds good to me, although (for very selfish reasons), I would like the weight to be set a little higher. Running with the 206s in their heats/races was never a problem when we did it this year. the WFs are typically faster (depending on the driver), so there was no effect to the results of the 206 races.

Anyone on the fence about running in this class should go back and look at the TSRS events this year. The races were all very tight, and the level of the driver talent and class was second to none.

[Jared Johnson]

I didn't mind having WFs running with us. I think it would probably be beneficial to that class to keep them together at the front of the 206 group instead of starting from the back, though. Getting a flyby on the second or third lap was a bit of a surprise a few times, but I don't recall any bad outcomes.

[Patrick Roth]

Jared,

Absolutely! The only reason the WFs started in the back was there was such a small number of us that starting in the front basically equated to nothing more than running practice laps. While not perfect, we tried our best to not influence the 206 race that was happening for points. My hope is the club will adopt this class, there will be a handful of regular participants, and we will mix with the 206's much like the various TaG and shifter classes are mixed in their heats. I can't guarantee this class will succeed but it seems like a good fit between the 206 and TaG and may attract some racers that like a little more speed than the 206 yet on the more durable tire.

Patrick

[Justin Upchurch]

Patrick - Adding the WF with the weight and parameters you are suggesting seems logical and probably the correct direction to further interest in grassroots karting. Nationally, the 4-stroke sprint racing is where the real growth in the sport and club racing is taking place. Without a doubt, WF put on some of the best racing of the year with TSRS along with some admirable displays of sportsmanship.
As with the L206, running the MG Red or similar tire keeps the costs down, and the added speed may make the class more appealing to those running on a budget or just trying to run a simpler program than a TAG. If I remember correctly, I believe you guys were dipping into the 44s during TSRS. Personally I could be very interested in racing against You, JM, Mike Jr., and others that have proven to be tough competition over the last few years.
I know you don't advocate adding a separate class at this point, but it would be fun to run both L206 and WF since neither class beats you up and the seat time would be economical compared to a 2-stroke.