EVENT 1 is rained out

While it is dry at the moment, as promised, we intend to make the call prior to 8AM and the forecast for the area is moisture from mid morning to mid afternoon. The forecast for overnight called for rain which we did not get but the low seems to be centered west of Topeka and we are on the fringe of movement. See you in two weeks.

Looks like May 15, event 3, will become a double event.

On a side note, we have signed up for the WRS again and will send results for events 3-12 for our 10 scheduled events.

CKNA updates

CKNA will again be hosted by CHMS in early May. COVID caused enough confusion that last year we had to cancel our hosting privilege. Some COVID rules are still with us — Inside buildings are allowed with low occupancy and masks. Because it seems racers do not enjoy waiting in long lines to sign in, we are setting up a special line for those who pre-register OUTSIDE. To be eligible for this speedy line you must call and pre-register for wristbands. You may pay with a credit card when calling or elect to pay cash on arrival but you can NOT use this line for credit card on arrival. Have names for each wristband ready when you call and download our minors release and have filled out to speed the process.

REGISTER FOR CLASSES AND FRIDAY PRACTICE W/CKNA

We will be happy to help you with wristband sales @ 815 496 2467. Cost is 35 for 3-day, 25 for 2-day, 15 for 1-day

Pit space is sold on a first come – first serve basis STARTING April 5 (Mon). Please check the map on our website and contact ONLY Matt with your request. We will update the spreadsheet periodically to keep you informed on availability. Cost is 55 for a standard spot w/more for elec, camping & larger spots.

We have used this process to streamline sign in last year and were encouraged by customers to use it more this year.

We have also adopted a WRISTBAND POLICY last year and will continue this year. Basically wristbands MUST be worn on your wrist and everyone in your group must have one. If we find someone in your group that is NOT in compliance, ALL of the group will be DQ from the next competition event. There is “free space” area on the “71 side” of the orange gate for those not wanting to purchase wristbands but NO ACCESS to the parking/pit area until after last kart is off track for the day. PLEASE help to make sure each person is in compliance as nobody enjoys penalties. Liability is much larger than cost in this issue.

HELMET CERTIFICATION

We have arrived at the end of 2010 Snell ratings on helmets. Insurance no longer allows helmets with 2010, or older, to be used on the track. This may effect some of you and it has made all our rental helmets uncertifiable. These helmets might still be safer than nothing but they are not allowed on our track. Anyone who would like one, or many, of the 44 we have should give us a call to arrange pickup. We have all sizes.

Once again, this year, we will be accepting used oil and used fuel cans for no charge. All we ask is that you bring them to the shop rather than leaving them with the garbage so we can dispose of them. Used tires are also accepted for a $1.50 fee/tire. As before, violators, when discovered, will be assessed a $20 penalty per item. Our goal is to provide you an outlet for items sometimes not able to be thrown in your home garbage without making our facility messy.

BANQUET CERTIFICATES for 2021

Those that were awarded certificates for reduced pricing on season passes need to use them prior to their expiration on March 15. Please bring certificate with you as we have no copies. Any certificates presented will be applied to the pre-registration pricing.

Stay tuned for posts on our Leagues — JR, SR, FNL

TIRE CONTRACT for 2021

Last year I was asked for a tire contract for the LO206 classes as an option to lease tires for the Points Races. This idea was more well received than I anticipated. Several have asked if it will be available in 2021. We will be offering the same program as before and just, as a refresher, the guidelines are as follows:

1. Cost is $160 for the base plus $60 for each set desired.  This is a season contract so the number of sets will need to be determined when purchasing. This allows me to guarantee tires are in stock when needed.
2. Changes are scheduled by the racer and price includes mounting
3. Contract is per racer NOT a multiple racer group
4. Tires returned MUST be the same ones issued
5. Damaged tires beyond “normal” wear will be chargeable
6. MGRL2 tires —  Any size — 4.60 or 6.00 are available
7. Serviceable used set must be turned in at the start or end of the year

As always, if this option does not appeal to you, purchase to own is still available as well as rental for just one race which allows racers to legally compete w/o having to buy a set.

WRISTBANDS — WRISTBANDS

This post is intended to explain/understand/discuss our wristband issues after some responses to a previous post.

HISTORY

• Most tracks do not offer a premises only choice
• CHMS has, however, negotiated each year with Insurance providers to offer premises
• Anyone with a premises band has no insurance in the hot grid — AND neither does the track
• The track has believed in the “family” concept since opening in 1988
• COVID came along in 2020 and limited group size along w/no spectators in many events
• CHMS created a FREE spectator area “outside the orange gate”

OUTLOOK — We have spent much time pondering/considering since last post reaction input

• CHMS believes, under current COVID rules, we can comply w/group size & separation guidelines
• Crossover, into the hot grid, even one step, creates a Liability issue for both the person AND the track
• Liability issues can have FAR greater financial consequences than wristband pricing
• Wristband discipline must be a joint venture with competitors and staff
• Our current policy to DQ EVERYONE IN THE GROUP for even ONE non-compliance is in effect for 2021
• CHMS may have to change policies during the season, like 2020, to comply with circumstances

Because of the competitor request, we WILL be offering a premises only wristband choice in 2021. These bands will cost $5 at Pre-registration and $7 at the gate. We can not hire a “policing force”, at that cost, so we are expecting competitors to help us with the enforcement discipline. We will continue to offer FREE space “outside the orange gate” for those not wanting to purchase a wristband. We are hoping to hear from you that this compromise will satisfy those wanting an option.

JR & SR League Proposal for 2021

Because we did not have a racer meeting in Feb, due to COVID, this post is intended to submit our ideas for 2021. We encourage your feedback and ideas before we adopt the final plan. We are suggesting we run BOTH Jr & Sr on thurs eve. We do not think it will lengthen our night much as they use different karts and we can alternate track usage with another class rather than a rest period. Also possibly a family may have a student in both and would reduce trips and schedule commitments. Unless COVID restricts us, we are planning to have the “open gate” property outlook which means ONLY those entering hot grid need wristbands and others would NOT require wristbands to be on property. COVID rules still currently enforce masks inside buildings and social distancing at all times.

JR League proposed guidelines

• Maximum age is 8th grade 2021 graduate — minimum age 12
• Run in our original karts
• Drivers must weigh, or ballast, to 120–(New idea)
• Drivers meeting 6PM
• Cost = $45 which includes drivers pass with optional kart insurance for additional $10 (Same as 2020)
• Format = 5 min warm-up, 2-6 lap heat races, 10 lap feature (Same as 2020)
• Points for feature only

Sr League proposed guidelines

• Maximum age is High School 2021 graduate — minimum age 12
• Run in our premium karts
• Drivers must weigh, or ballast, to 180
• Drivers meeting 6PM
• Cost = $50 which includes drivers pass with optional kart insurance for additional $10 (Same as 2020)
• Format = 5 min warm-up, 2-6 lap heat races, 10 lap feature (Same as 2020)
• Points for feature only

SCHEDULE and RAINOUT ideas

• 16 dates, counting 14 for season awards, honoring class at banquet like FNL & POINTS classes currently
• DATES – May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 8, 15, 22, 29, Aug 5, 12, 19, 26

RAINOUT thoughts or possible choices

1. Makeup on the following event as a double
2. Schedule July 1 & Sep 2 as rain makeups (used ONLY if previous rainout)
3. Eliminate any rainouts from points consideration

We would like your thoughts on our ideas. Look for future posts on FNL, pre-registration, tire contracts to name a few.

PRACTICE/RENTAL PRICING 2021

COVID has changed our country and because of that , in 2020, we were shut down for months and then allowed to open with changing limitations. Because we were limited, some of our guidelines changed such as half-day practice sessions and multiple rental rides and NO spectators. COVID is still a force in our lives but, at the moment, less restrictive than a year ago. Masks ARE required when entering buildings.

NEW PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES

We are starting a new price savings for weekdays (Mon-Thurs). Weekend (Fri-Sun) pricing will be $45/driver and $15/crew while weekday (Mon-Thurs) will be $35/driver and $15/crew. ANYONE entering the Hot Grid will be required to have a wristband but those wanting to be on-site to only watch will not need to sign in. Therefore the gates will remain open, except on event days, allowing you to enter and park without stopping.

NEW RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES

We will return to offering single rides in either the original karts, for $30 or premium karts for $35. You will need to sign in and purchase a $10 driver pass and $10 kart damage insurance (optional) plus rides cost each day. Since multiple rides were implemented last year, we have noticed some wish to get a discount for that option. We will be offering a “triple ride package” which will offer you FREE drivers pass plus FREE kart damage insurance. Purchasing a triple package, for the same driver, for originals at $90 or premiums at $105 will get you both a FREE drivers pass and FREE kart damage insurance. We will also implement additional cost savings on weekdays (Mon-Thurs) by adding a fourth ride FREE. Those wishing to just watch will be allowed on property, OUTSIDE the Hot Grid, without signing in.

Our open hours will remain 10AM till sunset so come out and enjoy yourselves. Watch for a future post offering pre-registration opportunities for these and competition events. We are developing pre-registration guidelines to allow you to speed up sign-in and reduce your need to enter a building.

RACEDAY UPDATE 3

At the banquet, there was conversation encouraging more on-track assistance during races.  It was requested that we need more “corner worker” help for racers.  We have been responding on a 4 wheeler to assist those who have made errors.   We were strongly encouraged to increase coverage for the next year.

This has been the source of many hours of conversation and pondering.  Looking at  traveling regional series, they allow no movement of wheeled vehicles on track while the track is “hot”.  They perform pickup help only after the track is not “green”.  Many times drivers are DQ’d if they receive help during a race.  Insurance covers race workers, but nobody wants to place themselves in harms way either.

We certainly want to run a safe event and we also want to offer help to those who are unfortunate enough to need it.  We will be assessing situations carefully and responding with a red flag, stopping the race, until the danger can be corrected, and then restarting.  We currently do that for flips and other things that look like emergencies.  We intend to “lower the bar” on our view of critical issues.  This will be a work in progress and quite probably the subject of conversation in drivers meetings. 

 Stay tuned for future posts on Leagues and other items.

2021 RACE SCHEDULE UPDATE 2

Thank you to the several people who have commented on the last post.  While we can not comply with every request, I believe there were some good ideas for input.  We have come up with the following compromise.

13 Races — Apr 10, 24, May 15, Jun 5, 12, 19, Jul 10, 24, 31, Aug 7, 21, Sep 11, 25 schedule

Day schedule — Races 1-6, 12, 13 (Apr, May, Jun, Sep) with evening schedule Races 7-11 (Jul, Aug)

Rain makeups will be scheduled for Races 3, 6, 12, 13  —  These single events will turn into double events IF there were missed events needing makeup

TODAYS NEW ISSUE  —  There was a unified request, at the banquet,  for using white and checkered flags to end races with less confusion.  Corner lights were seen as good for yellows/reds etc. but white/checkered lights were sometimes missed at the flag stand.  This has been pondered at length and I propose this solution:

1.  Races will be started with green lights (as before) – We can monitor starts much better from scoring deck

2.  Start/Finish for scoring will remain in line with the flag stand

3.  White and Checkered flags will be displayed from scoring deck in addition to lights at flag stand

Stay tuned for other issue discussion in future posts