Pacific Raceways GP Kart Day
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Long response warning...
Gregg, I'm glad to hear from you. Thanks for speaking up. I'd like to hear more about what the next steps would be. Obviously the logical path would I assume be to practice a bit more to see if karting really suits us and maybe perhaps buy a shifterkart of our own sometime down the road. What would your suggestions however be for someone who is "relatively" new to karting in general. One thing is for sure, it's going to be a whole lot cheaper than road racing cars! Or maybe not. 
[/quote]
I really think there's solid justification for TAG karts for some and then shifters for others. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise IMHO. Here are my thoughts on each…
TAG (Touch and Go)
For the serious car racer or track day enthusiast buying a kart to hone his craft (common here and internationally) it's definitely the TAG kart. TAG stands for "Touch and Go" and it’s truly changed the face of kart racing. It means on board starters and the fastest growing of the classes at all levels of hard core international kart racing and local club racing. This is true of junior, senior and masters classes (legal drivers license age basically makes you a senior, masters varies a bit). Search “Rotax Challenge Series” for one example of a TAG opportunity.
As you guys found with the "concession karts", smooth is fast. When you drive in too hard and “park” the kart in the corner you’re giving up precious momentum/RPM’s and asking the clutch to pull your butt back up onto the power curve of that “concession” motor. If you “slide” the kart the exact same thing’s going to happen as those hard tires will ultimately find grip and dump significant RPM’s and momentum when they do. For those of you that have had some instruction from Skippy’s guys for instance you’ll remember the ol’ “slower is faster” speech. Kart racing absolutely defines this and this is the reason that they work so well as a training tool.
The TAG segment has been a bit complicated due to the speed at which the Europeans flooded us with different engine combinations. The sanctioning bodies did a lousy job of regulating this which led to some significant rules/class fragmentation. In short, don’t just buy the 1st TAG kart you see on the secondary market. You need to buy an engine package that allows you to race where and when you want. If you’re just going to play with it, that’s fine but ultimately you want a market to sell it to. I’m happy to help with this if you need some input. I’ve had “intimate” financial relationships with all of the dealers in the Northwest ;-(
Shifter Karts
Ahhh, shifter karts… Flat out hands down the most violent fun you can have outside the bedroom. Zero to 100 and back to zero in about 6 seconds if my memory serves me correctly (from a buddies marketing piece). The power to weight plays in concert with 2-stroke dirt bike engine development to provide the ultimate thrill. They’re really not that hard to drive but like anything it takes time to be good at it. The “G” forces will make you pee your pants laughing. You’ll pull off the track to talk to your buddies about what you’re feeling out there before you’re tired because it’s such a thrill and you need to tell somebody about it.
Up until a few short years ago shifter karts were a pain in the butt. We had to put a piston and a ring in our “Moto” motors for every event. It was a lot of work and it got expensive. Shifter kart racing changed quickly when the “Stock 125” class came about. It took a couple of years for people to fully understand the direction the market was going and it changed overnight. I absolutely recommend this to the guy who has everything. I know from experience developing young drivers that this is very beneficial to driver development but you’ll also want to read the TAG discussion about “smooth”. Shifter karts teach you something else. They teach you race craft, aggression and desire. Is it possible that you can develop some bad habits if your goal is to prepare to win the SCCA runoffs in your “P” car? Sure, but there’s something in both styles of karts that provides benefit. It’s about being a student and finding the balance in both.
In the many years we raced karts we never once went upside down or broke a bone. Mark was fast at every level and I tell you this because the question of safety always comes up. I’ve seen a couple of things that concerned me but overall the karting safety record far eclipses that of what we’re doing now.
Sorry for the long post, I hope to be able to help any of you that want to explore kart racing further. Ask away…
[/quote]I really think there's solid justification for TAG karts for some and then shifters for others. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise IMHO. Here are my thoughts on each…
TAG (Touch and Go)
For the serious car racer or track day enthusiast buying a kart to hone his craft (common here and internationally) it's definitely the TAG kart. TAG stands for "Touch and Go" and it’s truly changed the face of kart racing. It means on board starters and the fastest growing of the classes at all levels of hard core international kart racing and local club racing. This is true of junior, senior and masters classes (legal drivers license age basically makes you a senior, masters varies a bit). Search “Rotax Challenge Series” for one example of a TAG opportunity.
As you guys found with the "concession karts", smooth is fast. When you drive in too hard and “park” the kart in the corner you’re giving up precious momentum/RPM’s and asking the clutch to pull your butt back up onto the power curve of that “concession” motor. If you “slide” the kart the exact same thing’s going to happen as those hard tires will ultimately find grip and dump significant RPM’s and momentum when they do. For those of you that have had some instruction from Skippy’s guys for instance you’ll remember the ol’ “slower is faster” speech. Kart racing absolutely defines this and this is the reason that they work so well as a training tool.
The TAG segment has been a bit complicated due to the speed at which the Europeans flooded us with different engine combinations. The sanctioning bodies did a lousy job of regulating this which led to some significant rules/class fragmentation. In short, don’t just buy the 1st TAG kart you see on the secondary market. You need to buy an engine package that allows you to race where and when you want. If you’re just going to play with it, that’s fine but ultimately you want a market to sell it to. I’m happy to help with this if you need some input. I’ve had “intimate” financial relationships with all of the dealers in the Northwest ;-(
Shifter Karts
Ahhh, shifter karts… Flat out hands down the most violent fun you can have outside the bedroom. Zero to 100 and back to zero in about 6 seconds if my memory serves me correctly (from a buddies marketing piece). The power to weight plays in concert with 2-stroke dirt bike engine development to provide the ultimate thrill. They’re really not that hard to drive but like anything it takes time to be good at it. The “G” forces will make you pee your pants laughing. You’ll pull off the track to talk to your buddies about what you’re feeling out there before you’re tired because it’s such a thrill and you need to tell somebody about it.
Up until a few short years ago shifter karts were a pain in the butt. We had to put a piston and a ring in our “Moto” motors for every event. It was a lot of work and it got expensive. Shifter kart racing changed quickly when the “Stock 125” class came about. It took a couple of years for people to fully understand the direction the market was going and it changed overnight. I absolutely recommend this to the guy who has everything. I know from experience developing young drivers that this is very beneficial to driver development but you’ll also want to read the TAG discussion about “smooth”. Shifter karts teach you something else. They teach you race craft, aggression and desire. Is it possible that you can develop some bad habits if your goal is to prepare to win the SCCA runoffs in your “P” car? Sure, but there’s something in both styles of karts that provides benefit. It’s about being a student and finding the balance in both.
In the many years we raced karts we never once went upside down or broke a bone. Mark was fast at every level and I tell you this because the question of safety always comes up. I’ve seen a couple of things that concerned me but overall the karting safety record far eclipses that of what we’re doing now.
Sorry for the long post, I hope to be able to help any of you that want to explore kart racing further. Ask away…
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Gregg, again thanks for taking the time to write such a long winded post. Would you say that GP raceway is well equipped for such a powerful car? It's easy for me to say that I'm ready when in reality, I know I'm not. But in reading your post, I clearly see that Shifter Karts would be the direction I'd want to try going into. So, the obvious question for me to ask would be, what's next?
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You're ready now. If it's not raining and you don't mind riding with a Harley guy, PSGKA has a race on Sunday just South of Spanaway. I haven't been there this year and don't know much about attendance but you'd learn a ton and get to ride your bike. I need to be back late on Sunday afternoon for a social function but it would be fun to meet anybody that wanted to see what an organized race looked like. Bikes, Cars whatever, let's go for a drive/ride...
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You're ready now. If it's not raining and you don't mind riding with a Harley guy, PSGKA has a race on Sunday just South of Spanaway. I haven't been there this year and don't know much about attendance but you'd learn a ton and get to ride your bike. I need to be back late on Sunday afternoon for a social function but it would be fun to meet anybody that wanted to see what an organized race looked like. Bikes, Cars whatever, let's go for a drive/ride...
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Gregg, I'm glad to hear from you. Thanks for speaking up. I'd like to hear more about what the next steps would be. Obviously the logical path would I assume be to practice a bit more to see if karting really suits us and maybe perhaps buy a shifterkart of our own sometime down the road. What would your suggestions however be for someone who is "relatively" new to karting in general. One thing is for sure, it's going to be a whole lot cheaper than road racing cars! Or maybe not.
TAG (Touch and Go)
For the serious car racer or track day enthusiast buying a kart to hone his craft (common here and internationally) it's definitely the TAG kart. TAG stands for "Touch and Go" and it’s truly changed the face of kart racing. It means on board starters and the fastest growing of the classes at all levels of hard core international kart racing and local club racing. This is true of junior, senior and masters classes (legal drivers license age basically makes you a senior, masters varies a bit). Search “Rotax Challenge Series” for one example of a TAG opportunity.
As you guys found with the "concession karts", smooth is fast. When you drive in too hard and “park” the kart in the corner you’re giving up precious momentum/RPM’s and asking the clutch to pull your butt back up onto the power curve of that “concession” motor. If you “slide” the kart the exact same thing’s going to happen as those hard tires will ultimately find grip and dump significant RPM’s and momentum when they do. For those of you that have had some instruction from Skippy’s guys for instance you’ll remember the ol’ “slower is faster” speech. Kart racing absolutely defines this and this is the reason that they work so well as a training tool.
The TAG segment has been a bit complicated due to the speed at which the Europeans flooded us with different engine combinations. The sanctioning bodies did a lousy job of regulating this which led to some significant rules/class fragmentation. In short, don’t just buy the 1st TAG kart you see on the secondary market. You need to buy an engine package that allows you to race where and when you want. If you’re just going to play with it, that’s fine but ultimately you want a market to sell it to. I’m happy to help with this if you need some input. I’ve had “intimate” financial relationships with all of the dealers in the Northwest ;-(
Shifter Karts
Ahhh, shifter karts… Flat out hands down the most violent fun you can have outside the bedroom. Zero to 100 and back to zero in about 6 seconds if my memory serves me correctly (from a buddies marketing piece). The power to weight plays in concert with 2-stroke dirt bike engine development to provide the ultimate thrill. They’re really not that hard to drive but like anything it takes time to be good at it. The “G” forces will make you pee your pants laughing. You’ll pull off the track to talk to your buddies about what you’re feeling out there before you’re tired because it’s such a thrill and you need to tell somebody about it.
Up until a few short years ago shifter karts were a pain in the butt. We had to put a piston and a ring in our “Moto” motors for every event. It was a lot of work and it got expensive. Shifter kart racing changed quickly when the “Stock 125” class came about. It took a couple of years for people to fully understand the direction the market was going and it changed overnight. I absolutely recommend this to the guy who has everything. I know from experience developing young drivers that this is very beneficial to driver development but you’ll also want to read the TAG discussion about “smooth”. Shifter karts teach you something else. They teach you race craft, aggression and desire. Is it possible that you can develop some bad habits if your goal is to prepare to win the SCCA runoffs in your “P” car? Sure, but there’s something in both styles of karts that provides benefit. It’s about being a student and finding the balance in both.
In the many years we raced karts we never once went upside down or broke a bone. Mark was fast at every level and I tell you this because the question of safety always comes up. I’ve seen a couple of things that concerned me but overall the karting safety record far eclipses that of what we’re doing now.
Sorry for the long post, I hope to be able to help any of you that want to explore kart racing further. Ask away… [/quote]
i'm running a shifter kart for the first time this coming week....so which kart will be "the one" even if I'm a guy that doesn't have everything?
i like the idea for me to play a little and have $300 tire weekends instead of $6k tire weekends. I'd also like your opinion for 60lb 9 and 11 year olds and which direction to look for karts for them.. Paul up there doesn't have any smaller karts and doesn't plan to until he gets a little larger following.
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Paul has the TAG karts coming anyday now. Sounds like another outing is in order to get a real feel of the direction some of us may want to go. I really like the idea of karts becasue its cheaper than tracking my car with a lot less $$ being risked.
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"i'm running a shifter kart for the first time this coming week....so which kart will be "the one" even if I'm a guy that doesn't have everything?"
A: I can't say for sure what your best route is. I'd say you'll have a ton of fun in the shifter this weekend though. My writing may not be as descriptive as it could be but I think the truth lies in your goals.
"i like the idea for me to play a little and have $300 tire weekends instead of $6k tire weekends. I'd also like your opinion for 60lb 9 and 11 year olds and which direction to look for karts for them.. Paul up there doesn't have any smaller karts and doesn't plan to until he gets a little larger following."
A: This one's easier. The kids will be in Jr. TAG karts. PSGKA has classes for them and an open track for them to practice for free (after the annual $200.00 for the family). You could still opt to run a series that GP will surely have based on Paul's background. As for where to look for karts, send a PM and I'll point out what I think your options are.
A: I can't say for sure what your best route is. I'd say you'll have a ton of fun in the shifter this weekend though. My writing may not be as descriptive as it could be but I think the truth lies in your goals.
"i like the idea for me to play a little and have $300 tire weekends instead of $6k tire weekends. I'd also like your opinion for 60lb 9 and 11 year olds and which direction to look for karts for them.. Paul up there doesn't have any smaller karts and doesn't plan to until he gets a little larger following."
A: This one's easier. The kids will be in Jr. TAG karts. PSGKA has classes for them and an open track for them to practice for free (after the annual $200.00 for the family). You could still opt to run a series that GP will surely have based on Paul's background. As for where to look for karts, send a PM and I'll point out what I think your options are.
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"^^I wonder if any of the karting tracks have any onsite storage for the karts that you can pay for"
Not here that I'm aware of Jody. I was in China on business and came across one that had a really cool set-up like that. The guys working on their stuff in their garages had never seen the likes of anyone like us I can assure you.
Not here that I'm aware of Jody. I was in China on business and came across one that had a really cool set-up like that. The guys working on their stuff in their garages had never seen the likes of anyone like us I can assure you.
Last edited by greggatkinson; Jun 5, 2009 at 08:59 AM. Reason: Whoops, forgot to quote
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Hello Gregg,
I've been to Pacific Grand Prix multiple times since they've opened and it's really sparked my interest in getting into karting. If you wouldn't mind, I've got quite a few questions about getting into the hobby.
I've read that one of the most important decisions when picking a chassis is to go with one that you'll be able to get support for from the local shops. It doesn't do you much good to get a good used kart but then can't get parts from the local shops.
I'm not really familiar with the karting shops in the area. I've only been to Kart-O-Rama and Seattle Karting Specialties, but I think these are the chassis carried by the different shops:
Arrow - Kart-O-Rama
Tony Kart - Kart-O-Rama
Italkart - Seattle Karting Specialties
Intrepid - Northwest Race Karts (do they have a retail location?)
CRG - Lynnwood Cyclebarn (out of business?)
Any others I missed?
Beyond that, I've read that the Arrow karts are somewhat easier to learn chassis setup on. I imagine there are as many opinions on that as there are days in the week, so in general can you give any other ideas besides local support as to what to look for when choosing a chassis manufacturer?
I really like the idea of the TaG karts. They look like they provide the least number of headaches if you want to just show up at the track and start turning laps. Hop in, push a button and go.
Do they make Shifter TaG karts?
Shifter karts look to be the most fun but I've read that it's better to start in a kart without a transmission. It helps you to learn how to be smooth and maintain momentum without relying on the power to be fast.
I've also read that the 4-strokes are very maintenance free which allows you to basically gas them up and go. I went to a race last weekend at Pacific Raceways on the full course, and the 4-strokes looked quite a bit slower than the 2-strokes. How would they compare on a track like the Pacific Grand Prix sprint track?
Are there any 2-stroke recommendations you can make for someone that has no 2-stroke experience at all? If I go that route, I would like something that would not require constant fiddling just to keep it running properly. If I'm not mistaken, the Rotax motors seem like they don't require alot of fiddling, though they are pretty high up on the price scale. Is there something on the lower end of the price scale that would meet that criteria?
I've been to Pacific Grand Prix multiple times since they've opened and it's really sparked my interest in getting into karting. If you wouldn't mind, I've got quite a few questions about getting into the hobby.
I've read that one of the most important decisions when picking a chassis is to go with one that you'll be able to get support for from the local shops. It doesn't do you much good to get a good used kart but then can't get parts from the local shops.
I'm not really familiar with the karting shops in the area. I've only been to Kart-O-Rama and Seattle Karting Specialties, but I think these are the chassis carried by the different shops:
Arrow - Kart-O-Rama
Tony Kart - Kart-O-Rama
Italkart - Seattle Karting Specialties
Intrepid - Northwest Race Karts (do they have a retail location?)
CRG - Lynnwood Cyclebarn (out of business?)
Any others I missed?
Beyond that, I've read that the Arrow karts are somewhat easier to learn chassis setup on. I imagine there are as many opinions on that as there are days in the week, so in general can you give any other ideas besides local support as to what to look for when choosing a chassis manufacturer?
I really like the idea of the TaG karts. They look like they provide the least number of headaches if you want to just show up at the track and start turning laps. Hop in, push a button and go.
Do they make Shifter TaG karts?
Shifter karts look to be the most fun but I've read that it's better to start in a kart without a transmission. It helps you to learn how to be smooth and maintain momentum without relying on the power to be fast.
I've also read that the 4-strokes are very maintenance free which allows you to basically gas them up and go. I went to a race last weekend at Pacific Raceways on the full course, and the 4-strokes looked quite a bit slower than the 2-strokes. How would they compare on a track like the Pacific Grand Prix sprint track?
Are there any 2-stroke recommendations you can make for someone that has no 2-stroke experience at all? If I go that route, I would like something that would not require constant fiddling just to keep it running properly. If I'm not mistaken, the Rotax motors seem like they don't require alot of fiddling, though they are pretty high up on the price scale. Is there something on the lower end of the price scale that would meet that criteria?
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So are the TAG karts the more powerful version that Mark was talking about on Wednesday. He mentioned the ones we were running were 16 HP or so, the step up above us was 25 HP, and the Shifters were 35 or so....
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responses to multiple questions:
Hello Gregg,
I've been to Pacific Grand Prix multiple times since they've opened and it's really sparked my interest in getting into karting. If you wouldn't mind, I've got quite a few questions about getting into the hobby.
I've read that one of the most important decisions when picking a chassis is to go with one that you'll be able to get support for from the local shops. It doesn't do you much good to get a good used kart but then can't get parts from the local shops.
A: Agreed. As much as that's important in my mind you'll also benefit in a big way from other racers that are running the same chassis from a set-up standpoint.
I'm not really familiar with the karting shops in the area. I've only been to Kart-O-Rama and Seattle Karting Specialties, but I think these are the chassis carried by the different shops:
A: Your thought process and research are spot on. Comments below:
Arrow - Kart-O-Rama
Tony Kart - Kart-O-Rama
A: Roger works hard and I consider him to be a great Northwest resource. He's a good parts source for any of the mainstream chassis components as well. If the regional IKF series looks intriguing to you you'll get to know Roger quite well.
Italkart - Seattle Karting Specialties
A: Greg's a good business man and has been supporting the Italkart community for a number of years now. Names like Jurca and Valiente have come up through the Northwest Italkart karting ranks. His son was/is a pretty good shoe.
Intrepid - Northwest Race Karts (do they have a retail location?)
A: Steve doesn't have a true retail shop but supports the Intrepid community from the track and I assume his home.
CRG - Lynnwood Cyclebarn (out of business?)
A: I think Bolt pulled the plug on the shop in Lynnwood. I'm pretty sure Bill Hettick is still around though. He puts on the annual street race in Centralia and runs the IKF Regional Series. I'd be surprised if those two things aren't still viable. I'm a big CRG fan and found them to be super chassis. Don't worry about pasrts supply.
Any others I missed?
A: You're the poster boy for thorough research. Add Mike Collins of CRE as a strong Northwest engine resource and you're good to go. I'm still going to try and get to a PSGKA club race on Sunday. I'd be happy to introduce you to most of that list if you make it down there.
Beyond that, I've read that the Arrow karts are somewhat easier to learn chassis setup on. I imagine there are as many opinions on that as there are days in the week, so in general can you give any other ideas besides local support as to what to look for when choosing a chassis manufacturer?
A: I don't know if they're necessarily easier, but they come with good support documentation. We ran one for a year and Roger treated us well.
I really like the idea of the TaG karts. They look like they provide the least number of headaches if you want to just show up at the track and start turning laps. Hop in, push a button and go.
A: Agreed. For most people it's a TAG world today. The shifter customer is a different customer.
Do they make Shifter TaG karts?
A: Sort of. Greg Garner at Seattle Karting will have some input. I doubt that we've reached critical mass in the Northwest for the option that he has for you there.
Shifter karts look to be the most fun but I've read that it's better to start in a kart without a transmission. It helps you to learn how to be smooth and maintain momentum without relying on the power to be fast.
A: Yes and no. You're doing the type of research to know what's best for YOU. I agree with the smooth discussion but add that it's a personal thing. Most people are probably better off in a TAG kart but shifters are a gas IMHO.
I've also read that the 4-strokes are very maintenance free which allows you to basically gas them up and go. I went to a race last weekend at Pacific Raceways on the full course, and the 4-strokes looked quite a bit slower than the 2-strokes. How would they compare on a track like the Pacific Grand Prix sprint track?
A: 4 strokes have a following but it's a different community than the 2 stroke guys. They're fun to watch on the bigger sprint tracks because it's like what you experienced with the concession karts but on steroids. I personally don't consider it to be a good option in the Puget Sound though. If you were in Eastern WA it would be a different story but I'd still be racing in a 2 stroke class.
Are there any 2-stroke recommendations you can make for someone that has no 2-stroke experience at all? If I go that route, I would like something that would not require constant fiddling just to keep it running properly. If I'm not mistaken, the Rotax motors seem like they don't require alot of fiddling, though they are pretty high up on the price scale. Is there something on the lower end of the price scale that would meet that criteria?
I've been to Pacific Grand Prix multiple times since they've opened and it's really sparked my interest in getting into karting. If you wouldn't mind, I've got quite a few questions about getting into the hobby.
I've read that one of the most important decisions when picking a chassis is to go with one that you'll be able to get support for from the local shops. It doesn't do you much good to get a good used kart but then can't get parts from the local shops.
A: Agreed. As much as that's important in my mind you'll also benefit in a big way from other racers that are running the same chassis from a set-up standpoint.
I'm not really familiar with the karting shops in the area. I've only been to Kart-O-Rama and Seattle Karting Specialties, but I think these are the chassis carried by the different shops:
A: Your thought process and research are spot on. Comments below:
Arrow - Kart-O-Rama
Tony Kart - Kart-O-Rama
A: Roger works hard and I consider him to be a great Northwest resource. He's a good parts source for any of the mainstream chassis components as well. If the regional IKF series looks intriguing to you you'll get to know Roger quite well.
Italkart - Seattle Karting Specialties
A: Greg's a good business man and has been supporting the Italkart community for a number of years now. Names like Jurca and Valiente have come up through the Northwest Italkart karting ranks. His son was/is a pretty good shoe.
Intrepid - Northwest Race Karts (do they have a retail location?)
A: Steve doesn't have a true retail shop but supports the Intrepid community from the track and I assume his home.
CRG - Lynnwood Cyclebarn (out of business?)
A: I think Bolt pulled the plug on the shop in Lynnwood. I'm pretty sure Bill Hettick is still around though. He puts on the annual street race in Centralia and runs the IKF Regional Series. I'd be surprised if those two things aren't still viable. I'm a big CRG fan and found them to be super chassis. Don't worry about pasrts supply.
Any others I missed?
A: You're the poster boy for thorough research. Add Mike Collins of CRE as a strong Northwest engine resource and you're good to go. I'm still going to try and get to a PSGKA club race on Sunday. I'd be happy to introduce you to most of that list if you make it down there.
Beyond that, I've read that the Arrow karts are somewhat easier to learn chassis setup on. I imagine there are as many opinions on that as there are days in the week, so in general can you give any other ideas besides local support as to what to look for when choosing a chassis manufacturer?
A: I don't know if they're necessarily easier, but they come with good support documentation. We ran one for a year and Roger treated us well.
I really like the idea of the TaG karts. They look like they provide the least number of headaches if you want to just show up at the track and start turning laps. Hop in, push a button and go.
A: Agreed. For most people it's a TAG world today. The shifter customer is a different customer.
Do they make Shifter TaG karts?
A: Sort of. Greg Garner at Seattle Karting will have some input. I doubt that we've reached critical mass in the Northwest for the option that he has for you there.
Shifter karts look to be the most fun but I've read that it's better to start in a kart without a transmission. It helps you to learn how to be smooth and maintain momentum without relying on the power to be fast.
A: Yes and no. You're doing the type of research to know what's best for YOU. I agree with the smooth discussion but add that it's a personal thing. Most people are probably better off in a TAG kart but shifters are a gas IMHO.
I've also read that the 4-strokes are very maintenance free which allows you to basically gas them up and go. I went to a race last weekend at Pacific Raceways on the full course, and the 4-strokes looked quite a bit slower than the 2-strokes. How would they compare on a track like the Pacific Grand Prix sprint track?
A: 4 strokes have a following but it's a different community than the 2 stroke guys. They're fun to watch on the bigger sprint tracks because it's like what you experienced with the concession karts but on steroids. I personally don't consider it to be a good option in the Puget Sound though. If you were in Eastern WA it would be a different story but I'd still be racing in a 2 stroke class.
Are there any 2-stroke recommendations you can make for someone that has no 2-stroke experience at all? If I go that route, I would like something that would not require constant fiddling just to keep it running properly. If I'm not mistaken, the Rotax motors seem like they don't require alot of fiddling, though they are pretty high up on the price scale. Is there something on the lower end of the price scale that would meet that criteria?