January 2017 GCKI Newsletter

With a successful 2016 season completed, it is time to look forward to our 2017 season of kart racing at Gulf Coast Karters in Katy, TX. We continued to see record participation in the 2016 race season, and our club membership continues to be stable in it’s Master membership. These statistics combined with the support of long-time as well as new members of the club will help make 2017 another solid year at GCKI.

2017 GCKI General Membership Meeting
On Wednesday evening January 5th GCKI held its annual all-members meeting at the Memorial West Community Club. The facility, arranged and hosted by Becky and Bill Choice, continues to serve as an excellent venue for this important event. We had an excellent turnout of members representing all of the classes raced at GCKI. Several topics were presented and discussed and decisions were reached that will shape the club and form the basis of our operations for the next year.

Facilities
GCKI’s strong financial condition entering into 2016 allowed the club to execute on several major improvements. Several planned, some unplanned.

Facilities improvements completed during 2016

• Painted curbs (planned)
• Spread new parking lot material (planned)
• Built new grid/ scales cover building (60’x160’) (planned)
• Repaved grid/scales area (unplanned, necessary due to failure of surface under construction load)
• Built gating and access for overflow parking of major events with track neighbor (planned)
• Replaced and upgraded septic system (unplanned. System failed due to flood at track)
• Purchased and installed new fencing and barriers for grid area (planned

Facilities improvements planned for 2017

• Install electrical for new covered building for grid and scales area
• Continue to spread new parking lot material
• Remove old tires

Sponsorship
Resulting from the adoption of SKUSA Evinco tires as the spec tire for TaG, Shifter, and 4-Stroke classes, the combined partnership of 3G Kart Racing and SKUSA will serve as GCKI’s overall Title Sponsor. We are very grateful for the support of many longtime GCKI sponsors who have continued to support our club. Please endeavor to support these great supporters of GCKI whenever your purchasing decisions allow. GCKI is always looking to add businesses that are interested in furthering their exposure through a beneficial affiliation with GCKI. Please contact members of our Sponsorship Committee for details.

2017 GCKI Race Schedule
The membership reviewed the proposal for race dates in the 2017 season. In a best-effort to avoid conflicts with holidays and major karting events, the following schedule was adopted:

Texas Mini Grand Prix Races @ GCKI
March 4th & 5th
May 5th & 6th
Aug 5th & 6th
Oct 14th & 15th
Nov 11th & 12th

Texas ProKart Challenge @ GCKI
June 10th & 11th

Texas Sprint Racing Series @ GCKI
April 21st & 22nd

Download the GCKI 2017 Race Schedule 59K PDF Changes to 2017 Rules

Spec Tires – It was agreed by the members that GCKI will continue to use the Evinco as our spec tire for all SKUSA-based classes (Tag & Shifter). SKUSA Evinco Blue will be the spec tire for cadets and four stroke classes. This adoption will have multiple benefits. First and foremost, it enables the club to receive a very generous season sponsorship from 3G and SKUSA. It also enables out-of-town racers to run at GCKI with the same tires they would use at sanctioned SKUSA and TSRS events. This rule will be in effect as of the first race of the 2017 season. Rotax sanctioned classes will utilize that series’ specified compound of Vega tires. Kid kart tires will remain “open.” Rain tires will now be MG Wet for all classes. Rain tires will remain open for the first two declared rain races at Katy in an effort for those with new non-spec rain tires to use them up.

Other adopted rules changes are as follows:

Kid Karts

• Honda GXH50 will run 150 lbs minimum weight (same as last year)
• Comer C50, C51 will run 160 lbs minimum weight (up 10 lbs from last year)

LO 206

• LO 206 Light class at 360 lbs minimum weight (down from 375 lbs last year)
• LO 206 Heavy class at 390 lbs minimum weight (down from 405 lbs last year)
• World Formula will be recognized as separate GCKI class with a minimum weight at 375 lbs

2016 GCKI Officers, Elected Board of Trustee, Compensated and Position Volunteers
We continue to see more and more membership involvement in the leadership of the club. For 2016, we’ll see a healthy mix of continued service by experienced club veterans along with the introduction of fresh talent into our key positions.

Voluntary Officer Roles
President – Paul Jones
Vice President – Robert Schneider
Treasurer – Bill & Becky Choice
Membership Director – Scott Boone

Compensated Race-Day Roles
Race Director – Gary Kinkade
Race Day Manager – Joel Yeltin
Tech Inspector – Frank D’Angelo
Race Administrator – Elise Yeltin
Starter – Leo Leondio
Timing and Scoring – Austin Johnson
Concessions – Open

Volunteer Positions
Facilities Manager – John Fantuzzo
Trophies and Awards – Michelle Watts
Sponsorship Director – Doug Berry

Elected Board of Trustees
Bill Choice (Elected to a 2-year Term)
Brian Warwas (Elected to a 2-year Term)
David McKee (Serving year 2 of 2-year term)
James Waithman (Serving year 2 of 2-year term)

I would like to thank all the leadership and volunteers of GCKI. Without your dedication and help, the success of this club would not be possible. I would like to wish everyone a safe, competitive and FUN 2017 season at GCKI!

Paul Jones

Barry Peel Crowned Champion in Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series West Division

It was an amazing second season for the Briggs Weekly Racing Series with an expanded prize package, and an expanded roster of drivers participating. Each week, weekend warriors take to their local kart tracks, competing with the popular Briggs 206 engine package in the Senior/Masters categories. In total, the driver total for the season was 1,523 – a 25% increase from the opening year of the program hosted by 45 tracks across Canada and the United States.

 

Looking at the numbers more in-depth, Canada and West regions make up 61% of the drivers in the Briggs WRS program, with Canada welcoming the most with 476 from 11 tracks. The West has the largest number of tracks at 15, while the East only boasts six, all coming from the southern section of the coastline. Thus, a void is left in the northeastern portion of the country, which should be represented next year with the continued growth of the Briggs 206 engine.

 

The final calculations have been made, with three drivers earning maximum points over the course of the 2016 season to finish tied at the top of the Briggs Weekly Racing Series. The deciding factor was the ‘karts finished ahead of’ column in the calculations, thus giving Canadian driver Skylar Dunning the overall #1 position. The Edmonton & District Kart Racing Association (EDKRA) averaged over 15 drivers a race on the year, helping Dunning to claim the top spot. Fellow Canadian Cameron Nickerson matched the score via his results at the Atlantic Motorsport Karters Association in Nova Scotia. Top driver in the Midwest region – Logan Smith – also recorded a perfect score for his efforts at the Concept Haulers Motor Speedway just outside Chicago, Illinois – another popular facility for Briggs 206 racing.

 

Barry Peel and JT Swygert topped the other two regions to claim the top prize in the West and East. Peel was among the top challengers for the #1 position overall all season from the Gulf Coast Karters facility outside Houston, Texas, finishing fourth with the top honor in his region. Swygert moved up late in the year, climbing to the top spot in the East at the Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina, finishing the year sixth overall. Canada claimed the top spot, and took five of the top-10 positions. Midwest followed with three drivers while just the top drivers in the West and East completing the top-10.

 

West
Barry Peel
Points: 201
Track: Gulf Coast Karters

Age: 37
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Occupation: Construction Project Superintendent
Chassis: Alpha
Sponsors: Alpha Karting
Years Karting: 2

Read the full eKartingNews article Here

Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series Points Leaders

Check out the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series points standings! Barry Peal is leading the West Region and Steve Hanson is 3rd in the West Region. More info here http://www.briggswrs.com/standings.php

Rules Change for Fuel in SKUSA Classes

Due to the change in SKUSA rules for spec fuel, both VP MS 98L and VP C12 will be legal fuels for all classes originally listed for GCKI  as VP MS 98L.

Here is a link to the updated 2016 GCKI Classes document that specifies fuel requirements.

GCKI Participates In Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series

Gulf Coast Karters is participating in the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series again in 2016!

Have you ever wondered how you stand up against other racers in your state or region of the country? That is the premise behind the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series. “We wanted to incorporate the fun and excitement of racing the 206 crate engine with a program that supports both the racers and local tracks running it” stated David Klaus, Director- Briggs & Stratton Racing.

See how you rate against other LO206 racers in our region. GCKI will be sending the race results to Briggs & Stratton after each race so they can enter the results into their database which keeps track of the region's points standings.

Racers in each region will be competing for over $11,000 in generators and pressure washers. “Great prizes along with bragging rights are on the line as well as every racer’s cumulative points will go towards crowning our 2015 ‘Top 206’ tracks.”

More information on the series and prizes is on the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series website http://www.briggswrs.com