CKI CHANGES EVENT LOCATION FROM RENO TO PHOENIX FOR ROUND 2

“Same weekend, different venue for North American karters”

Tempe, AZ – April 6, 2010 – Looking out for the best interest of the Karter, CKI has made the decision to move the Grand Prix of Reno South to the PKRA facility near Phoenix, Arizona for Round 2 of its WSK North American Series. The newly named Grand Prix of Phoenix will still take place on May 14^th – 16^th at the newly repaved Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) track, one of the finest karting facilities that North America has to offer.

“We are happy that track officials and the board of directors at the PKRA facility have opened their arms and welcomed us to the Phoenix facility,” stated CKI Director of Operations Kevin Williams. “The harsh winter weather was not kind to some of the parking lots that were going to make up part of the race track at the Grand Sierra Resort and with only five weeks of preparation time before the event, we feel it was in our best interest to switch locations.”

“The Grand Sierra Resort has been nothing but a pleasure to deal with and are willing to make the necessary fixes to the parking lots,” stated CKI’s Randy Kugler. “The Reno track looked to be a fantastic layout that would have provided us with some great racing but with the instability of new asphalt, we felt it was better to change locations to an already proved facility.”

The PKRA track was repaved earlier this season and has been the host of multiple events already in 2010. The PKRA facility is twelve corner member owned track that is nearly ¾ of a mile long with the longest straightaway nearing five hundred feet. PKRA is located in the Adobe Dam Park and Recreation area and is open year round. More information on PKRA can be found online at www.PKRA.com

“PKRA welcomes CKI to Phoenix.” Stated PKRA President, Pete Boyle, “To have an event at the high level that CKI consistently promotes is an honor for PKRA to host, and creates much excitement in the Karting community.”

Also specific to the Phoenix Event, CKI will be offering a Local Option Class, KPV1 for Sportsman Age Drivers.  A Class which is synonymous with the region, offering KPV1 continues CKI’s commitment to Regional Racing.

Williams added, “PKRA has provided some great racing drivers and some great racing action. With plenty of passing zones and a mix of high, medium and low speed corners, the racing action will be phenomenal, and CKI is thrilled to bring its program to Phoenix.”

The WSK North American Series by CKI begins its six event 2010 National Schedule offering Categories such as Comer Cadet, Mini Max, Leopard Junior, TaG Senior, KF3 and KF2. For entry forms and more information, visit http://www.ChampionshipKartRacing.com.

The Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) recently finished the first stage its track resurfacing project. The track’s last major asphalt repairs were made in 2002 when the asphalt was completely removed and new asphalt was paved. Since 2002 the track’s surface began showing signs of fatigue cracking, and raveling in many areas along the track. The track also had some bumpy areas which posed a safety hazard, and also three concrete sections placed inside turns from a previous repair which had less than desirable grip for the karts. These were the areas focused on when the track’s resurfacing project began.

A racetrack has very different requirements from a regular roadway because of:

• High G forces in turns

• Very sticky tire compounds

• High pavement temperatures

• A smooth, non polishing surface for low non suspension karts

The asphalt needed to meet theses challenging requirements must be:

• Fine crushed aggregate for a smooth surface and good grip

• Stiff asphalt to hold the aggregate together. “Raveling” is a major failure on racetracks because the soft tires pull the aggregate out of the pavement.

• Performance grade asphalt to withstand the high temperatures

• Asphalt rich mix for low air voids, durability, and fatigue life.

Paving Work Schedule

Ace Asphalt conducted the work and the engineering firm “Speedie and Associates” provided on-site quality control and testing, and also, off-site lab testing. The work schedule included:

• Remove and replace asphalt near turn nine
• Increase the radius of turn four
• Profile grade high areas and seal existing cracks
• Thoroughly clean the track
• Spray entire track with an asphalt tack emulsion
• Pave the entire track with an average 1.5 inch compacted hot mix asphalt (HMA)

Day 1: Remove and Replace

• Cut and remove a one hundred foot section near the beginning of turn nine (clockwise direction) known as the “ski jump”. This bumpy section had a very poor sub grade and several feet of dirt was removed and replaced with an aggregate base coat (ABC) material to help stiffen the underlying ground.

Asphalt Removal Near Turn Nine

Asphalt Removal Near Turn Nine

• Established the desired grade profile of the removed section using three dimensional surveying. The profile was a challenge because it meets at the apex of a hill that leads into a slight banked turn. An adjoining banked turn also meets in the same area. There wasn’t a single distinct grade profile that could be matched and the profile needed to be blended to match the three distinct grades. This area is simply a characteristic of the track and will challenge the drivers.

Three Dimensional Surveying Near Turn Nine

• Remove the curbing of and widen turn four known as the “Rib Buster”. The curbing in turn four was part of the reason the corner was bumpy and removing and replacing it was necessary to correct the problem. Since the curb was being replaced, the opportunity to create a passing zone and increase the speed of the turn presented itself. Therefore, the turn was widened about five feet and a four inch aggregate base coat was placed in it.

Removal of Curb and Widening of Turn Four

• Areas of the track were profile graded to remove high areas, and also to tie in the entry and exit of the track using an asphalt milling machine.

Profile Mill Grinding of High Areas

Day 2: Intermediate Paving and Crack Filling

• A four inch base coat of a 3/4 inch hot mix asphalt (HMA) was placed as a base coat to bridge the removed section near turn nine.

Intermediate 3/4 Inch Base Coat of Removed Section.

• A four inch base coat of a 3/4 inch hot mix asphalt (HMA) was placed as a base coat to the widened area of turn four.

Intermediate Base Coat for Turn Four

• Large cracks were filled with fine sand in preparation for the overlays. Using a geo-textile fabric over the cracks was proposed, however the cost outweighed the benefit. Even with the fabric, over time, reflective cracking from the underlying cracks will show through. Another option was the use of a crack sealant, however these sealants have a tendency to raise the asphalt and create a bump when a hot mix asphalt is overlaid on top of them, which was planned. Therefore, simply filling the cracks with sand was the best choice for this project. Crack sealing is part of an ongoing preventative maintenance program and in time, the track will need to be crack sealed.

Crack Filling With Fine Sand

• The track was thoroughly cleaned using a mechanical brush and air blower.

Day 3: Tack Emulsion and Paving

• The track was sprayed with an asphalt emulsion which serves as a binder to prevent the overlays from shifting along the old asphalt base. Asphalt emulsion is asphalt mixed with water and a surfactant. This allows the asphalt to be sprayed at low temperatures. When the water in the emulsion evaporates, the surface is extremely tacky and when the hot asphalt overlay is placed over it, a strong bond is formed.

Asphalt Emulsion Being Sprayed

• A high grade asphalt mix, engineered to meet our needs, was overlaid on the existing asphalt. The mix design was chosen by an independent engineering firm “Speedie and Associates”. The engineers provided on-site quality control and testing, as well as, off-site laboratory testing of asphalt samples.

• The existing asphalt was in good condition and served very well as a base substrate for the new overlays. Ace used an Ingersoll Rand PF-3172 highway class paver for the overlays. The paver could lay a 21 foot section and was able to place the asphalt as quickly as the convoy of dump trucks could deliver it. The asphalt crew worked continuously and in concert taking care to avoid seems, bumps, scrapes, or anything else that could mar the finish or upset a kart. Care was taken to blend in the seams and the only cold seam was near the middle of the back straight at the end of day three. Large strait edges were used to manage the seams throughout each pass with the paver. The quality assurance engineer took Nuclear Density Gauge (NDG) readings several times during each paved section. The NDG uses gamma radiation to indirectly measure the density of the HMA when it’s placed. The density reading helps determine if the asphalt was properly compacted during the paving process. Lab test were conducted to ensure the mix  met the specifications in the design. The quality assurance engineer also monitored the entire asphalt paving process.

High Grade Asphalt Mix Being Paved

Nuclear Density Gauge Testing

Day 4 Paving Continued

• Paving resumed from the back straight and finished up with the completion of the oval staging area. The track was inspected and some small areas were manicured to ensure the smoothest surface possible.

Paving Cont.

Paving Near Completion

What’s Next?

• Several areas of the track have a high edge, up to four inches in some places. Dirt will need to be back filled to support these edges and also make the track safer if a kart departs the prepared surface.

• The track will also need to be striped

• The curbing will need to be addressed later on and new curbs poured in some areas.

• A preventative maintenance program will need to be developed to ensure a long lasting, smooth track.

Conclusion:

Attention to every detail was made to ensure the highest quality the club could afford. Track safety was the primary goal, followed by achieving the smoothest and fastest track possible for everyone’s enjoyment. No track is perfect, and ours will be no exception, however we believe we have achieved our goals. The track is smooth, bumps have been removed, and a high quality, long lasting pavement was placed over it, ensuring a great track for many more years. This has been a very long process and a lot of care went into getting this project right. This was money well spent, money saved by the members and money returned to the members in the form of a like new track. Every member of PKRA should be proud of their contribution to help make this track and this club the finest kart racing club in the United States!

The Gatorz Eyewear Challenge of the Americas is coming to Phoenix in January!

The Phoenix kart Racing Association is proud to host the first race of the 2010 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas series on January 22nd through the 24th.

The Gatorz Eyewear Golden State Karting Cup is the largest and oldest Rotax Max Challenge powered by Mazda series in the United States. The series caters to the recreational racer and serious competitor alike, delivering competition, fun, camaraderie, and abundant track time. More information can be found at www.gatorzkarting.com or by calling Full Throttle Karting at (714) 289-0432.

Click Here For A Map to PKRA

Hotel Information

The Ramada Inn Phoenix MetroCenter will serve as the host hotel for the Phoenix round of the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas. The hotel is located 10 minutes from the track.

Ramada Inn
12027 N 28th Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85029

http://ramadaplazaphx.com

Standard Double room will be $65 per night, Deluxe Double room $85 per night. These rates are good from Wednesday, January 20 through Monday, January 25. The group code is GATR.

Efrain Olivares
President & CEO
SHIFT Communications Group, LLC
shiftgroup.net
(818) 254 7196

The Gatorz Eyewear Challenge of the Americas is coming to Phoenix in January!

The Phoenix kart Racing Association is proud to host the first race of the 2009 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas series on January 23rd through the 25th.

The Gatorz Eyewear Golden State Karting Cup is the largest and oldest Rotax Max Challenge powered by Mazda series in the United States. The series caters to the recreational racer and serious competitor alike, delivering competition, fun, camaraderie, and abundant track time. More information can be found at www.gatorzkarting.com or by calling Full Throttle Karting at (714) 289-0432.

Click here for more information.

Click Here For A Map to PKRA

Hotel Information

The Ramada Inn Phoenix MetroCenter will serve as the host hotel for the Phoenix round of the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas. The hotel is located 10 minutes from the track.

Ramada Inn
12027 N 28th Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85029

http://ramadaplazaphx.com

Standard Double room will be $65 per night, Deluxe Double room $85 per night. These rates are good from Wednesday, January 21 through Monday, January 26. The group code is GATR.

Efrain Olivares
President & CEO
SHIFT Communications Group, LLC
shiftgroup.net
(818) 254 7196

Karting is the best value in four wheel racing. Sprint karts out-brake, and out-corner the most expensive Ferraris and Porsches and even the cars from many popular televised racing series. The fastest sprint karts raced at PKRA will out-accelerate them using motors that generate Formula One levels of HP/displacement.

But despite the incredible value, too many new kart racers succumb to the steep learning curves of kart maintenance, chassis tuning, motor tuning, and driving. These are true racing machines and small mistakes and oversights can lead to expensive repairs or fun sapping problems. And some racers who master the basics, struggle to improve as fast as they would like.

Kart shops give customers the basics and more, but the truth is some karters need more than that to realize their expectations.

PKRA provides safety training for new karters on Tuesday nights. Shops and schools offer various levels of support and instruction. But the jump from learning safety rules and how the controls work to turning quick consistent laps in traffic is too big for some new karters to make on their own. The evidence is the number of for-sale ads that begin with “Like-new kart for sale. Only driven a few times in practice…….”

To help new karters get up to speed and established karters hone their skills, PKRA is evaluating a mentoring program. The basic concept is to have volunteer experts mentor karters who want that type of assistance. Ideally, there would be an expert for each racing class who is a current (or recent) successful racer in that class and also has mentoring skills/experience.

PKRA Training Director, Joshua Lyon, has volunteered to be the mentor for a pilot program. Joshua is a TaG and Shifter champion at PKRA and other series and is a part-time professional driving coach. He decided to do the pilot program in Shifters rather than TaG because PKRA is experiencing an increase in shifter racers. He also felt that if the program is expanded, it would be easier to find someone else to fill the mentor role in TaG than in Shifters.

What the program entails is subject to change based on results and feedback.

Initially, Josh plans to do a group presentation once a month on topics of interest to the group (shifter racers). That could be at the track or indoors somewhere. If the topic applies to other karting classes, racers from those classes can attend. Josh will also answer questions for shifter racers via email or phone. Shifter racers can even call him from the track with immediate questions and he will respond as soon as practical. Questions that would apply to others and their answers will be posted in a forum thread for that purpose. About the only kinds of help he won’t give involve what to buy or where to buy it. It would be better to get those kinds of opinions by talking to a number of customers.

Please let Joshua know if you are a shifter racer who wants to participate in the program and what you would like to get out of it.

You can email Josh via the PKRA Contacts page. If you are a registered PKRA forum member (with auto-logon), you can PM him by clicking here.

Brandon Schmidt is no stranger to racing and is now enjoying the challenges of sprint kart racing at PKRA.

His experience and approach netted him his first win in just his 3rd kart race. I asked Brandon about that race and… well, I’ll let him describe it in his own words:

Brandon’s story

Race day is not just another day full of high pumping adrenaline and speed!! Every driver can tell you that while the day provides excitement and high anticipation it also comes with a moderate amount of stress…at least this is true for me. Nothing gets me more excited and pumped than the sound and smell of revved up two stroke engines and the rush to get everything in order before your main event. Karting is a new hobby for me..but racing is in my blood. I have raced for years – starting out in street stock cars then moving into dirt track modifieds. I wanted to race something that provided the same enjoyment but of course less of a hassle and upkeep of the actual equipment. For me Karting was going to be it!!

I started a few months ago in Karting at PKRA and immediately became hooked! I had underestimated how labor intensive racing one of these bad boys could be. It was great..racing was racing..but the handling was entirely different and something I knew I had to quickly adapt to. I was encouraged to get on the track to prove that I could be competitive and was not a Rookie so to speak.

Everyone always keeps an eye on the competition…which was exactly what I did frequently checking out the driver stats and lap times on the PKRA website. Immediately I knew who the best drivers were in this class. Something new always has some type of intimidation in some way shape or form. My sanity in all this crazy high pumping action is my wife. She continues to tell me that in order to be the best I must compete with the best and beat the best. So this race – although only being my second race with the Tag Master class and third race in Karting overall I knew I had to “go hard or go home.”

Qualifying ended up better than expected and I immediately knew Peter and Eric would give me a run for my money. I was already drained from the night before and there was not enough Red Bull in the world to kick it into gear for me. My only hope was to get in gear when that green flag was dropped. I qualified second but of course with every high there is a low. My coil decided to go out on me—and the last thing I had in my tool box and back up parts was a spare coil. This was it I thought!!! Normally Curtis (Innovative Karting) is the man that saves the day for me but this time it would be Mike Hathcox.

Finally we are up for the main event.. My strategy—ha!! Wouldn’t you like to know. That I will not say..but as soon as that green flag dropped I knew what to do..I had the opportunity to gauge my competition and was able to capitalize on it. After turn 1 I had taken the lead…heart pumping, hands sweaty, and ready to take this baby home!! Being in first is more stressful than being in last..you gotta watch the person or people behind you real close and at the same time make sure you don’t make a mistake. Peter was stuck to me like glue – so much that I felt any slight error would lose my position. Like any driver in first there was no way I was going to give that up easy. The laps seemed longer and longer as we circled the track and three quarters of the way through I was praying to God that the white flag would drop indicating that I’d have one more lap to run. The flag did not drop for what appeared to be eternity—and my exhaustion started to become so unbearable I could barely hold on. So much for stamina! LOL Right when the white flag finally came down I could feel Peter advancing even more and closing in on my lead. All I could hope for was that I wouldn’t screw up or fall out of my Kart from exhaustion – whichever came first; and hopefully keep this baby in line for the checkered flag. I finally was approaching the finish line and the checkered flag was in sight. This win for me was the high I needed and now I want to keep coming back for more!! Thanks to everyone at the track who helped me out that day and to my wife who continues to support me. Without you guys I could not have made this happen so soon!

pictures courtesy of Decker Photography