***Junior Kart Program 2016 Season***

[Gen52SS]

On Sunday November 15th the East Tennessee Region Solo II Committee meeting was conducted. One of the items discussed was the implantation of a Junior Kart program for kids. This program would be open to all children 5-16 years old. Please understand that while we have had the ability to run karts for children 8-16, we have been asked to allow children aged 5-7 as well which will require special approval from the national office.

Our committee is open to the program for the 2016 season, however because of all the logistics involved in a program like this we need to hear from our parents and or grand-parents. If a program like this was available would you be interested for your child? It DOES NOT need to be for 2016 season…it could be for a child who will not be eligible or able to participate until 2017 or 2018.

Your cost of equipment for all this could be expensive. Ballpark numbers $1500 and up. All equipment must meet all the safety rules set by SCCA and ETR. This could be a great way to get the entire family involved in the sport. If you have a 5-16 year old who would like to participate now or in the next few years please post up your thoughts. If we have enough interest it will be taken up with the Board of Directors for a final vote….Thank you

[Gen52SS]

YES ...As a grand-parent of a 5 year old who talks all the time about karting. A program like this even with it's pro's and con's to be available for the kids is a plus. A great way for the entire family to come out and enjoy the sport together. I will however support any decision made by the club...Yes or No.

[Teufelshund]

Yes. My 2 kids won't be of age for a couple more years, but we're definitely interested

[disneyd]

Yes, I'd like for Nick to check it out in the 2017 season.

[gbwrx]

My son will be 3 in January. We will most definitely be interested once he turns 5. Thanks for the interest in this.

[Mark McCrary]

Mine may be interested. Will not be eligible till 2019.

[Scoob]

You asked, so grab a chair.

I've been involved with karting for 7 years now. I switched to a kart when my oldest, Kieran, wanted to start karting and we planned on starting in 2009 when he was six and the Philly Region was adopting the 5-7 yr old pilot program for him and one other child. Both kids had a blast that first year and both are still karting today. My 2nd child, Killeen, joined us the next year and ran for two years as the junior ranks started to increase.

But it's much more complicated than just letting the youngest kids start driving. The Philly Region embraced the standard junior program several years prior to 2009 and it became an integral part of their events. They nurtured the program by offering junior-specific activities at the annual spring test-n-tune so they could get seat-time in a controlled and safe, non-competition atmosphere. Kart dads and moms were expected to help with logistics and educating their karter(s) and all of us became junior kart stewards, usually in addition to being SSSs.

With that increased involvement came changes to the way the kids were treated during events. While they had been integrated years earlier, they had been run in hot-lap fashion during breaks to avoid "interrupting" the event. As more people became involved, that attitude necessarily had to change to seeing the kids as a part of the event, the same as any other class, but with specific safety-related differences. So starting in 2010, we started running the kids in two sessions, at the end of the 1st and 2nd heats, with each kid performing one run, talking to parents, etc, then taking the next run after the other kids had taken their runs. Back then we ran half their runs at each break, requiring a minimal number of course workers to be at their stations while running. The kids had time to think about the course and talk to parents about how the kart was running. Eventually I think it switched to running all of their runs during one break so they could leave or just hang out in the shade the rest of the day.

The program has continued to grow in Philly to where they currently run 10-14 kids each event, so there is adequate time to talk and make adjustments and it represents a good chunk of time in the event, just like any other class. Was everyone happy about including the kids like a regular class? Nope. Did most of them get over it and eventually accept it? Yep. Same as at National events where we got the junior classes running the same as any other class.

So that's today's history lesson on how a 5-7 yr old pilot program was grown into a successful and thriving junior kart program over a few years. Those kids and many after have continued to populate the junior ranks in Philly and in another two years the first adopters will join the big leagues, some in door-slammers and others in shifter karts. And they'll all be very good.

But today's question is about the 5-7 yr old pilot program and whether or not there's interest in ETR. All of my kids are beyond that class (JC) so I have no kid in the fight. As a Kart Action Committee member I have no official opinion on the adoption. As a parent I can say that it was a great move to get the kids involved as early as they were ready to be involved. But as a region several things will need to happen to make the JC program work: parental involvement in the program is key. Parents will need to be active in the ETR Solo activities and prepare to get involved as chiefs and stewards, especially related to the junior program. The region administration will need to make time and space available for kids to get training and seat-time to make their incorporation fun and entertaining for everyone. Usually this means about a 3 hour slot at a test-n-tune or early event where a sizable piece of lot is cordoned off exclusively for the kids to practice various activities (acceleration and braking, slaloms, skid pad) and then make sure they get time on a course to get times and chances for instructors and parents to discuss improvements with the kids. If those things cannot be planned, the whole thing won't work.

During events space needs to be marked for the junior grid spots and planning for ingress and egress needs to be considered during course building. And of course everyone needs to consider how the pilot program will add time to the event. JC karts are slow - naturally limited to about 25 mph max and many of the youngest kids will need to be limited below that.

JC karters (like any novices) will get lost on and off-course so contingencies must be made for their safety site wide. And someone will need to keep those cats herded while they aren't running. It's more work than you think once you get more than 2 of them...

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. I'll gladly support ETR in their efforts either way, as much as I can.

[kaseysdad14]

My son won't be eligible for a few years, but now that he's old enough to be around the grid were going to be in attendence next season. I'm definitely going to get him involved as soon as he is old enough to participate.

[SeanDrives4Fun]

i have no babys. . . all grown and flew away Lol but i'll help support this and any ert program with in 50 miles from home.

[jcoatney]

I think we would be interested in 2017.

[jcox07]

Looks like we have enough interested parties to move forward with a JK program.

[disneyd]

Where does one buy a JR kart anyway?

[jcox07]

Dave I will send a IM to some FB friends that have JK's and see if they know anyone that has one for sale.

[TedV]

You want me to post on the KM Facebook page? They might know of some ready to go.

[MARKP]

ekartingnews.com is where you would probably find an appropriate jr. kart.