Racing at Todd Road (Port Melbourne)

[velocitygt]

Hey guys,

I used to race go-karts at Todd Road and its an awesome track.

I was wondering why no club races pocket bikes there and it seems i have found my answer...

This was posted anonymously on another forum. Thought it might be of interest to a few and help towards racing there one day.

Cheers

as follows......


OK, knowing the AKA/VKA as i do and as a kart race promter that deals with these guys a maybe help shed some light.



"It's not the owners you need persuade, it's the members of the Kart club."


Yes and no......Firstly, the AKA and/or VKA do not own any tracks! They think they do, they will tell you they do (more importantly they tell assoc kart club they do anyway) but they don't.

Most if not all AKA/VKA tracks are part of sport and recreation within local councils, the local councils or state goverment that let them continue in the first place has probly the most control and say.

Clubs and circuit owners wouldn't have a problem with pit bikes, they would do not more damage to a track than a kart, I mean look at the weight and traction difference between kart and PB and tell me how a PB could do as much if not more damage than a kart club?

So don't believe entirely that the owners/club members wouldn't want you, they have lease's etc to pay monthly and if they could rent the track out privately to PB to help cost etc.....they would. Working bee's and more members for track up keep etc is another bonus they would happily take aboard also.

This is where it gets tricky.....The AKA will do it's best to keep all other markets out of their arena. In short, will not share circuits to other rival karting organisations or anyother sport that may detract members from their original set up (aka sprint karting).....If GKVC (todd rd) submit to the AKA that they want to lease the circuit out to another party things get dirty.

Clubs are threatend with stripping of AKA accred, so are any officials/flag wavers etc that even lend a hand on the day also....In fact we have a new karting organisation coming out of Sydney ATM, and all competitors have been told if they compete there, their AKA liscence will be invalid (which they can't do, but will threatin anyway).....that's how protective they are of that market etc.....

Now since everything from spark plugs, tyres and every single little part of kart racing under the AKA is controlled, they make a fair bit of$$$ from tender contracts etc from within the Industry itself......

Basically, you aint buying tyres of Mr X, Mr X won't give us (the AKA) his $10 per set of every set of tires sold as in the tender/contract agreement states, then there's nothing in it for us except maybe losing numbers to another organisation/PB's etc....and we are talking alot of money here people.....(if i told you some of the shenanigans that go on behind the scene's of karting buisseness, you would be shocked!!!!.....actually, you probly wouldn't believe me anyway!.....I'm talking moltove cocktails, $250,000.00 law suits etc.. )

Todd rd can hold/host you guys, but they have to apply 3 months before hand and pay around $500 (non refundable) for the AKA to consider letting you run.

there's no gaurantee they will.

If they do, they will impose their officials at another cost added, and basically, a PB meet entry fee's would be too high to even think of running for the average PB racer, considering your numbers would be less than an average kart club meet, throw in "those PB's will ruin your circuit and you'll get nothing from us" it becomes a no brainer and a not worth it for the club to continue with.

Hope that clears things up a bit......i can go on.

CAMS are no different with car/circuit racing.

As for wether you guys should go to MA which is another matter, from my experience. MA/VMA are a dream to work with over the AKA and CAMS. MA/VMA are still a governing body, the AKA/CAMS moved away from that years ago to Buisseness/Revenue ambitions.
BIG DIFFERENCE

If the AKA wanted to bring PB's into the fold, I would have some big hessitations.

If the AKA were smart they would. But there too busy fighting off other players and running karting in general at the moment.

I'd suggest if you want Pucka, Todd RD etc.....go the goverment avenue with sport and rec. The AKA/VKA can't fight those guys. they know that.

Form clubs from the premisses and work in times with the kart club equally....

Giood luck and happy to help you guys out in anyway....cheers.


M.C

[daz11]

g'day , as a bit of added info for you all , it seems that adequate insurance coverage is the biggest hurdle with dealing with the VKA / AKA . down here in warrnambool we went through the loss of our track about 3 years ago and spent a lot of time going through our options . the resulting answer was to go with MA and since MA uses the same insurance provider as the AKA , the AKA has been more than happy to allow our club access to their tracks . and yes the added revenue for the local go cart club has helped them alot with their own finances and as a result , upgrades to their facilities , also 2 clubs operating out of the one facility helps to secure more government or council funding ! , a win win situation for the go cart club .
in 2007 the MMMC ran some race meets at the todd road track and yes it was very good but the whole insurance thing managed to kill it off just before this years victorian titles (bugger). Again i think MA is the answer as although it involves more work and money it effectively opens up every proper go cart track in australia to the possibility of holding pocket bike meets (subject to individual club approval) and we all know that more tracks mean more options and more fun for all of us .

[ringo]

Now I realize why its been so hard for PBAWA inc in WA due to, AKA or so you say TIGER KART CLUB, being so protective of of their "assets"? Well assets so to speak of but they have no members and no money but they still dont want our business. It makes me so angry the dumb f@#<s dont want 50 riders to pay them every fortnight to ride and maybe just maybe make a profit this year. But alas thankyou so much for the info and I WILL IN WA FIND THE GOVERNMENT BODY WHO CONTROLS THESE GOV. OWNED TRACKS IN W.A. Thanks for the info as I feel it is exactly the same in WA. You are a true legg velo!

[ringo]

We have had the Perth pocket bike club up and running for the last year
and still have not had a race meet at one of our two AKA Kart tracks we have in Perth.....
As you guys may have heard we are under exactly the same insurance as
all you guys are in the Eastern States..
but for some reason the AKA Kart assosiation in Perth dont want to know us...
I just would like to put out there.. that if anyone anywhere can help us with our problem.. please get in contact with us.. your welcome to PM me with anything that may help..
As soon as we get in and are able to race at our tracks here in perth.. we can start to invite all you guys over to race with us..
It would be good to also have some state races over here to meet you guys...
Please help if you can..

Thankyou

as posted by someone else

[velocitygt]

Just wondering if there is anyone actively trying to get more tracks for MMMCI to race on? If not is anyone interested in forming a group to take action and start approaching the necessary organizations or people to make this happen?

I would love to see minimoto grow into something bigger than it is. More tracks means more racing , more often.

Cheers