Just thought I'd share the finished video I made of my son growing up in an autocrossing world

http://www.rzhaus.net/garfield/

Enjoy!

Brian

 

that's great Brian. thanks for sharing

 

Great video Brian!

I created a link to this thread from the camera and video forum too, so hopefully some others will get a chance to see it.

Great work.

 

thats awesome i wish my dad was there to be a father for me.

BRAVO!!!!!!!!

and that was a nice save near the end there. looks like we might have a modern day mario in the making.

Great Job brian

 

That is the coolest thing I have ever seen!!!

Dad and Mom must be very, very proud...

 

wow, you have no idea how something like that makes me feel!

I am both so impressed and so jealous! Is that a paved go kart track in your back yard?

I tried to raise my kids in a driving environment and I just can't seem to get them to care. Wow. To see your son left foot braking like that at the end on the video game. Very cool.

 

Unfortunately that's not my back yard. The owner went through the trouble for his kids, but they didn't get into that much and he enjoys having other kids using it.
But, it's simply too narrow for anything really fast, and the deck and swingset are a tad close as well. It was a great place for his first drives with the 50cc engine.

Thanks,
Brian

 

Wow, that's amazing!

 

That is awesome. Way to go Dad.

Sean

 

Good job Brian

Tell Mario Hi for me. Hope the passion stays with him. He will be a force to be reconed with if it does.

 

Look out Tif Needel.

 

I watched him drive at the fedex field and it's just amazing how he concentrates on driving..
Looks like he's out driving the kart now.. time for a new one?

I might have to ask for his signature next time I see you.. it may cost a fortune in years to come.

 

Way to go DAD, way KOOL,

tommyb

 

kickass. He must make you proud!

 

brilliant, i just hope i can be as cool a dad as you someday

 

Gotta wonder who is having more fun

My wife and I watched this over and over again, what a blast!

Enjoy as they grow up too damn fast...hope to see him in F1!

 

Awesome!! My son used to go to events with me in his Briggs Kart. After watching the vid with me he wants to go again.

Question:

I noticed your son ran his first Autocross at 5 years old. I thought the rules stated the Minimum age to be 7 or is it nine I have to go look it up.

I do remember having to wait a year until my son was old enough to participate. Are the rules different where you live compared to Central Florida?

I also made a huge mistake last year. I sold his briggs kart and got a good deal on a Kali Kart with a 80cc Yamaha engine. We geared it down and restricted the intake and exhaust to make it more civil for a 10 year old.

He ran one event without incident. The next event the Karting Safety Stewart saw me unloading the kart from my truck and blew a gasket, (made a big scene) and told me that Kart was not allowed until my son was 16 years old. So now it sits in the garage collecting dust. I have been to 2 events since then in order to keep my Mazdaspeed sponsorship alive.

I decided after watching your video to order an alcohol Briggs engine and build it up for him again.... although I am VERY tempted to fire up the Yamaha and take him to a new road course Karting track 40 minutes away and get him involved there instead.

Great vid though. Thanks for the wake up call. You have inspired me.

 

Hey Jim, you have to apply for an exception in order to run younger kids. After at least one year of a successful Junior program, a very detailed outline on how you handle karts, and a trained Kart Steward, you can be allowed to run younger kids.
It helped that the Solo Chairman was my father, and I'm the Novice Coordinator and we've both been heavily involved in expanding a region that is one of the largest in the country. There was that much more incentive to take the appropriate steps.

Yes, this year they are trying to crack down on the rules for insurance purposes. The insurance is designed to cover kids, knowing that FJ2 or FJ4 are the fastest karts. I'm not sure what 80cc you're talking about, but I'm assuming it's a shifter, because 80cc Comers are allowed.
You need to meet the minimum weight and run the harder tires. Personally, the weight is rediculous, but the tires help keep the kids at slower speeds and teach kart control.

Sorry it's sitting there. How hard would it be to mount a KT100 to it for now? They can put out quite a bit of power and are a great 2 stroke to run. I'm not a fan of the 4 stroke, I like them light and simple.

My son ran this past weekend without me there for the first time (I was at the Atlanta Pro) and apparently did VERY well. I was told he was drifting through the "showcase turn"

Brian

 

I had seen this before and didn't know it was a fellow MINI motorist! You are the best dad ever

 

My sons Kali Kart is a 80cc clutch drive. As I indicated before I would never put him in harms way. That is why I put a crb restrictor in and a very restrictive exhaust. I also re-geared it to top out at 50 MPH.

When I purchased it, it was capable of 110 MPH. I am a victim of my own stupidity and lazyness. I am getting out my rule book and reading over the karting rules. Our local Karting Stewart is a bit if a **** and is obviously power tripping. I was at a non-scca event 2 months ago and he was a tech inspector. For whatever reason he tore through my car even though it has an yearly tech sticker from the scca guys. He could not find anything wrong. :D

Thanks for the info. You're a great dad and lucky that your kid is interested in the racing stuff. My son is half interested. Sometimes I think he takes it for granted. I know when I was 10 years old I would have done anything for a go-cart let alone a racing Kart.

 

Just dug up the rules for Karting. I wish I did this at the event I just assumed the Karting Stewart knew more than I. You are correct a 80cc non shifter kart is allowed as long as it is restricted like I have done.

I copied the rules out and highlighted them. I am ordering a new clutch for my sons Kart and we are going to the next event.

Thanks for the tip. The Stewart here told me Briggs or nothing. Was he wrong.

 

Well, here's the thing, other engines are allowed, but not specifically classed. The Comer 80 was actually classed in a recent fastrack, but you should still be allowed to run your engine. If he's going to fight you, you need to make sure you're 250lbs with driver and running 58 durometer tires.

Briggs or nothing? What a joke. Throw the book at him regarding the two other classes...FJ3 and FJ4. Plus, the World Formula engine is now allowed.

If it makes you feel any better, at one point, I paid a metal guy $400 in labor to move pedal placements on a kart, when I found out later that I could've spent $35 for the same thing... There's plenty of money to be wasted if you're not careful.

Good Luck,
Brian