Gulf Coast Karters and SpeedSportz Racing Park have collaborated to create some great local racing opportunities for 2018. Coordinated race schedules, class structures, and an inter-club championship will be part of this exciting new year. Each track will host it’s own ten race series for 2018 with separate awards for it’s clubs champions. In addition, GCKI and SpeedSportz will co-host the Greater Houston Race Series, an inter-club championship constructed by combining five scheduled races from each club’s series. This series will have its own champions and awards. Some of the highlights for 2018 include:
- No overlap of club race dates.
- Coordinated class structures.
- Combined two races per month.
- Each track will run one race per month.
- Each month a Greater Houston Race Series designated race will be run at alternating tracks.
The goal of the coordination is to provide the racer the opportunity to race at different venues without schedule conflicts. With the coordination of schedules and the addition of the imbedded Greater Houston Race Series, racers will be able to tailor their racing to meet their needs. With up to 20 different club races available in 2018 between the two tracks, along with the concurrent inter club championship, the racer has the opportunity to participate in up to three different local championships in 2018.
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2018 GREATER HOUSTON RACE SERIES SCHEDULE | ||||
| GCKI RACES | SPEEDSPORTZ RACES | ||||
| GCKI Race 1* | 2/4/18 | Speedsport Race 1 | 1/28/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 2 | 3/4/18 | Speedsport Race 2 | 2/25/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 3 | 4/8/18 | Speedsport Race 3 | 3/18/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 4 | 5/6/18 | Speedsport Race 4 | 4/22/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 5 | 6/3/18 | Speedsport Race 5 | 5/19/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 6 | 7/8/18 | Speedsport Race 6 | 6/23/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 7 | 8/5/15 | Speedsport Race 7 | 7/28/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 8 | 9/9/18 | Speedsport Race 8* | 8/18/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 9* | 10/28/18 | Speedsport Race 9 | 9/29/18 | ||
| GCKI Race 10 | 12/9/18 | Speedsport Race 10* | 11/3/18 | ||
Red text denotes Greater Houston Race Series (10 race series)
*Schedule change
Update on the 2018 Inter-Club Championship
Now that the other regional and national series have solidified their schedules, we have made three date changes to accommodate racers and eliminate overlap. The February 11th race at GCKI has been moved up a week to February 4th to eliminate a conflict with the SKUSA Winter-tour. The August 25 SpeedSportz club race has been moved up to August 18th as the Texas Sprint Race Series will be at GCKI the weekend of August 25th. The third change is the October 14th Series race at GCKI has been moved up to October 7th to eliminate a conflict with a TSRS race on the 14th.
Scoring, awards and classes for the Greater Houston Race Series
The good news is there is no added step or cost to race the Greater Houston Race Series. Just sign up for the designated local club race in a recognized class and you will be scored for the championship. Final standings for the GHRS will be based on the total points from the best four of the five designated races from each track (4 of 5 from GCKI, 4 of 5 from SpeedSportz). Awards will be presented at the last series race at SpeedSportz on October 27.
The classes that will be eligible for awards for the Greater Houston Race Series are those that are common to both local track series. Those are as follows:
Classes
| Kid Kart | Age 5 thru 8 | BOX Stock Honda Engine GXH50 only |
| SKUSA Classes | ||
| Micro Swift | Age 7 thru 10 | |
| Mini Swift | Age 9 thru 13 | |
| X-30 Junior | Age 12 -14 | Iame X-30 only |
| Iame Senior | Age 15+ | Iame X-30 or Iame Leopard (original and MY09) |
| Iame Master | Age 30+ | Iame X-30 or Iame Leopard (original and MY09) |
| Senior Shifter | Age 15+ | Stock Moto |
| Master Shifter | Age 30+ | Stock Moto |
| Briggs and Stratton Classes | ||
| 206 Senior | Age 15+ | |
| 206 Heavy | Age 15+ | |
We will be putting together a separate Greater Houston Race Series Page (or website) that will contain rules, standings, class details, and any other important information in the future.
Gulf Coast Karters welcomes and encourages members and non-members to volunteer to help run our kart racing events. You don't have to race to be involved in kart racing at Gulf Coast Karters. You can be a Corner Worker, Grid Marshall or work the Concessions Stand on race day and get paid for your service to GCKI. You don't have to be a member to serve as a race worker. Come and join in the action! Sign up to work in the 