Creating a Free Racing Website

 

Creating a Free Racing Website

 

 

I originally used the GoDaddy website you can purchase that was supposed to be easy and inexpensive. I didn't find it easy or convenient and of course there was a cost involved. When our subscription for the year was up I did some research on creating a free website. Let's face it the sport of racing is expensive enough I don't need added costs that I can avoid. I'm sure most of you are in the same boat. I came across another racer's website that was created by Weebly. I decided to check out what this system had to offer. To my surprise it was extremely easy and best of all FREE!!

 

I signed up for the free website. It offered 5 pages and allows you to customize your pictures, text, layouts, etc. Check out our website www.opaticracing.weebly.com I still have my original domain name www.opaticracing.com through GoDaddy which I will now point to the Weebly site (still working on this aspect.) Weebly can also help you register your own domain name. I am so impressed that I wanted to share this info.

 

Try it today and let me know what you think!!   

Custom Suits- What We've Learned

Custom Suits

Last year we went with the standard black suit for our daughter. She was really hoping for something a little more stylish however the standard choices did not include anything geared towards girls. After her first season we chose to go a different route for her suit. Overall the end result is good but we wish we would have thought it out a little more. Here are some tips that I learned through this experience.

1. Check with more than one company as to pricing and product details. Talk to other drivers who have used the company and ask them questions about their experience. Referrals are helpful.
2. When ordering suits for younger children make sure to discuss with the manufacturer how to measure current sizing but make room to grow. This is something we wish we would have done. Both girls' suits fit but they will only last one season. Custom suits are expensive and we wish we would have taken this into consideration.
3. When ordering ask what their time frames for completion are. We were told a minimum of 6 weeks. We assumed it would take the full 6 weeks maybe 8 weeks, but that wasn't the case. We ordered at the beginning of the busy season and had to wait 13 weeks for them to arrive. We were definitely disappointed with this timing. Ashlee raced the first 4 races of the season with her old suit. This isn't a big deal but since the new suit will only fit this season, it was kind of a bummer not to get a full seasons use out of it.
4. Check out other suits designed by the company you chose. Get design ideas and give the designer examples of what you are looking for. The design process of the suits went really well. We took a pre-designed suit and modified it. Axcel Sports was really helpful as to recommending what would and wouldn't look good. They also had great design ideas. Overall we are really happy with the design and look of the suits.

Design Stage 

Finished Project

Suits on the Girls

The company we used was Axcel Sports. Check out their Facebook Page for more info. They have some really awesome designs and options. https://www.facebook.com/AxcelSports

Aubree Finally Worked up the Courage

Aubree's First Experience Driving a Kart

Last weekend we had our youngest daughter Aubree's kart all ready for practice. She was so excited to have her turn. Then the day finally came and she was on the grid all ready to go out on the track and then....freaked out and started crying. All day I tried to get her at least to give it a try. I tried every type of incentive I could think of. She just was NOT going out there.

All week we kept telling her that it wasn't a big deal and everyone started off slow. All along she's been telling her sister how FAST she was going to go, but when it came down to it she was so scared that she would be slow. We had a talk with her that everyone starts off slow and with practice they get faster. 

So today was the big day. She was still nervous and didn't want to get in the kart. I talked her into getting into the kart without the motor on and practicing using the gas and break pedals. Then we had her put her helmet on and practice. Then even though she was still nervous we turned on the motor and had her practice by driving 5 feet then using the break driving another 5 feet and using the break again. Finally she was getting the hang of it so we had her drive an oval around the parking lot.

The funny thing is that after being so scared and nervous about driving the kart, she didn't want to stop after she started. I think she would have been there for hours driving that same circle. We know it's safer to practice at a track so we plan to take her to the track possibly next weekend to practice. Hopefully she'll be comfortable driving again. She just needed a small victory to give her some courage.

Here is my YouTube link of her at the parking lot: http://youtu.be/TyguRmRp2Ns

Marketing Ideas: Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Fan Page

Facebook has been out for a while now. It first started out with some college age kids and now the phenomenon has expanded to many different age groups. It seems like "everyone" is on Facebook. The marketing world in racing is no different. If you've ever considered creating a page for your child or team here is a YouTube video to show you how https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O45sta7_34. Don't be intimidated it's really quite easy.

If you already have a page created here are a few places that I've found that have some awesome tips on what you can/should do with your page.

7 Tips and Marketing Strategies for the new Facebok Fan Pages:
http://blog.kissmetrics.com/new-facebook-fan-pages/

Better Facebook Fan Page: Essential Tips, Apps And Examples:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/facebook-fan-page-tips-apps-examples/

4 Tips To Increase Your Facebook Page Reach Without Paying:
http://blog.getpostrocket.com/2012/11/4-tips-to-increase-your-facebook-page-reach-without-paying/

Do you have some tips for marketing through Facebook? I'd love it if you could share!

Advice For New Racing Parents- Safety #1

Advice For New Racing Parents- Safety #1

Real World Advice From Parents

Advice from Nikki Marks mother of Makala Marks, www.MakalaMarksRacing.org:

My experience in the beginning. First thing that comes to my mind is not taking a cheap way out when it comes to safety. You can cut corners on other things but not protection for your child. Get a top of the line helmet that can handle a hit. MAKE SURE IT FITS PROPERLY. Have it professionally sized and then you, the parent double check to make sure you agree. After my daughter flipped & rolled in her Kart and  her helmet came off in the process, I can't express this enough. I took someone's word, the so called professional, that it was the proper size but we found out the hard way it was not. I picked the helmet up off the ground and I found it was still strapped tightly but had somehow been pulled off her head. My daughter was luckily not injured as badly as we thought from the look of the blood she was losing but it could have been tragic. Luckily a few stitches, a couple black eyes, road rash, some scars on her face, and a pile of medical bills, is all the resulted from her helmet coming off. The Impact helmet did its job and took the initial hit that saved her from a head injury but if only it was the right fit it would have never come off and she would have got up and walked away instead of being rushed to the ER. Make sure you use all the safety devises properly and use them every time your child goes on the track, even if your just out practicing with the track to yourself. I have found not all neck collars, rib vest, helmets, ect.., work together well. You may have to try a couple different styles or brands before you find the proper fit. You don't want anything pushing up on the helmet and you want your child safe and comfortable. 

Advice from Jim Howe, Owner of Jim Howe Motorsports:

One part of karting I liked is the safety aspect. To me, four wheels are safer than two and at least with a kart, you do have some driver protection due to bodywork, bars, etc. Plus, kart drivers wear real safety equipment including the helmet, neck brace, rib protector, and racing suit. I always tell parents to buy used stuff but never to scrimp on the helmet. Always buy a new helmet and get the most you can afford. Karting has a very good safety record and most clubs and tracks have insurance and must meet a fairly stringent set of safety requirements. You never eliminate the risk, however, and I always caution my drivers, their parents, and anybody else than there is danger involved. You have to accept that or racing in any form is just not for you!

Advice from Greg Erb father of Kendahl Erb, www.KendahlRacing.com:

I am a father of a 6 year old 2013 dirt kart racer. The first thing that comes to mind as most parents would is safety. The average parent can go on for a long time about safety gear but I will try to sum it up quickly. I use the gear that works best, not what I read about. Never use the cheap gear. Ask your fellow drivers where they got there gear and how do they like it.

Most crew chiefs and drivers are the "hands on .. need professional " type of person. If the set up works use it. Tweak it later if needed. What I think is most important about safety for my child and racing is her mental status. Kids have to be interested and not forced. It may be bad to say but I will find out (if she wants to continue)after she hits the hay bales if she brushes herself off and gets back behind the wheel. If she has the focus needed to race I feel more comfortable putting her behind the wheel. When I feel more comfortable I can focus on her kart performance and what is needed to address. I boldly push the fact the racing is supposed to be fun.. NOT  a buisness. I personally feel if you kid(s) are pushed too hard. The same thing will happen to your kid as anything you race, slips out of control and nothing good comes out of it, praying nobody gets hurt. Yes racing is a luxury and a sport but school is priority.. Honor roll is a must for my girl if she wants to race. If she cant focus on school performance.. She can't focus on the track performance. My daughter is my world. I dont want her to get hurt. I grew up with bruises and cuts just like everyone else in this world. I understand the seriousness of racing.. I also understand my daughter can break a leg riding her bike or falling out of a tree. It's life.. Enjoy it. Play it safe but don't wrap your kid in bubble wrap and stick them in a glass box.

Advice from Gary Truemner father of Victorya Truemner:

I always reccomend a good helmet and a karting suit. Not a fire suit but something that is skid proof. Most important item other than helmet for young karts is a good chest protector. Victorya wears an armadillo which is not cheap but provides great protection to chest and sides. Neck braces should be wedge style or some of the newer 360 devise. Good safety stuff is not cheap but it's the most important thing you'll ever buy to protect your most important person in the world your child! All of these items we buy from Turk bros racing and American power sports. Our gloves we wear motocross gloves they seem to offer more protection than karting gloves.

Image above from: http://www.go-kart-source.com

Coaching Style

 

 

What is Your Coaching Style?

 

Recently I was involved in a round table discussion on the Heels on Wheels Radio Program about coaching our children. We were talking about the Lifetime television show Dance Moms and the coaching style of Abby Lee Miller of the Abby Lee Dance Company (The show is a guilty pleasure of Kim Ratcliffe, host of the Heels on Wheels Radio Program, and myself.) Abby is very harsh on her students and rules with tough love and an iron fist. Her students win National Championships. I'm not sure if it's her coaching style or her creative choreography that is so successful. That led me to think about the coaching style of my husband and myself with our children and racing.

 

We tend to keep things in perspective, or try to anyways. When Ashlee first started racing our goal was mainly to get her through the practices, heat races and feature. She steadily began to improve. She was really starting to grasp the concepts we were teaching. A few of the hurdles we overcame this year were for her to get a good start, we worked on her lines, got her to stop looking at us when she drove by, and many other small goals along the way. Our goal was to get her to do her personal best, winning or placing high was just a bonus. One thing we did learn is that you cannot expect a young child (6-7 year old in our case) to do their best every time they go out there. It's just not realistic. They are going to have good days and off days as well. After all they are kids not robots.

 

Coaching our daughter has a challenge for both of us. Ashlee does not respond well to criticism. She tends to get defensive quickly and stop listening to what we have to say. We've learned to address issues a little while after the fact and a little more with "kid gloves." She then will process what we've had to say and most of the time try to apply it. We may be parents of 2 girls but the parallels between our two children ends at their gender. We will have to adjust the way we coach Aubree when she starts driving and racing her kart next year. She is more of a sponge and soaks up what is happening around her as things happen. To say the least this next season will be a challenge, a fun challenge though!!

 

What is your coaching style with your child(ren)?

Goals, Goals, Goals

What Are Your Goals?

 

 

Our goals for our daughter changed throughout the season. First we were shocked by how much interest in driving the kart she developed after driving it in the parking lot only once. The first time we brought her to the track we had no idea what to expect. She barely was able to make it through the practices, heat races and was extremely slow in the feature. Our first goal for her was basically to make it through the races without getting lapped 4 times. As she progressed so did our goals. Eventually our goal was for her to win. She did win. In her first year of her racing career she won 2 features and had many second and third place finishes by the end of the season.

  

Next year our goal for her is to learn to develop her driving skills. She needs to mature and learn more of the technical aspects of racing. Hopefully this will lead to more wins. The ultimate goal for 2013 is to have a great final year in kid karts and prepare her for the advancement into the junior sportsman class in 2014. We also have goals for our youngest daughter. She would like to start racing kid karts next year. In 2013 we want her to learn what it's like driving the kart and being out on the track verus watching from the sidelines.

I believe goals are important in many aspects of life. Racing is no different. I asked a few of my Driver Spotlight girls to weigh in their thoughts on this subject. Here is what Katrina Sautbine, Samantha Jansen, and Courtney Atkinson had to say about their goals.

Girls Race 2: Do you set goals?

Katrina: I do set goals. At the beginning of each season my dad and I talk about the goals that we want to accomplish over the summer. After going into each race I also set a goal. This year my goal at each race was to have to scale in each race. That meant placing in the top 3 in the heat races and placing in the top 5 in the feature races. This seemed like a reasonable goal, I like to set goals that I know are achievable.

Samantha: Yes I do set goals for each season.

Courtney: I always set goals.  I feel that if someone doesn't set goals they don't really improve themselves.

Girls Race 2: How important are goals for you in your racing career?

Katrina: I think that goals in my racing career are rather important. If no goals are set then you don't have something to work towards. Ever since I started racing my goal/dream has been to get into a sprint car. Now that I am in a wingless sprint my goal is to get into winged sprint car.

Samantha: I think it is important to set goals so there is something to work towards.

Courtney: Goals are very important in my racing career. I feel accomplished when I set a goal and reach it either during the race weekend or at then end of the season.

Girls Race 2: Do you set your goals at the beginning of the season?

Katrina: At the beginning of each season my dad and I will set goals for us for the season. Going into this racing season we wanted to win a race. It wasn't looking like this was going to happen until the last night of the Badger State Championship when I won my first race in a Sprint Car, it wasn't a feature race, but winning a heat race was still a very big achievement for me.

Samantha: Yes I usually set goals at the end of the previous season for the next season.

Courtney: My main goals are set at the beginning of the season. If I have troubles one weekend or make a mistake, I set a personal goal to fix what I did wrong for the next race weekend.

Girls Race 2: Do you adjust them as the season progresses? 

Katrina: I do have to adjust my goals throughout the racing season. Something might seem like a reasonable before the season starts but as the season goes on the goal that you set might be to easy of a goal, or might for some reason become unattainable.

Samantha: Not usually. I could see people adjusting them if new opportunities arose.

Courtney: If I am doing very well through out the season we change classes and try something different and set a goal for that specific class.

Girls Race 2: Are your goals small steps or do you go for the gusto?

Katrina: I have some smaller goals like placing in a certain position in a race, and then there are other goals like winning a race that seem bigger to me. I don't go into a season thinking that I am going to win the points championship or anything like that right away but if it were to happen it would feel that much better because it was above and beyond what my original goal was.

Samantha: Usually my goals are within reach but are something that I need to work towards. For Example this year my goals were to get Rookie of the Year and a top 3 finish in the Top Speed Modified Championship.

Courtney: I definitely set my goals high.  I am not sure why I do but I suppose I feel its either go big or go home.

To read more about Katrina Sautbine please click here: http://girlsrace2.blogspot.com/2012/08/driver-spotlight-katrina-sautbine.html

To read more about Samantha Jansen please click here: http://girlsrace2.blogspot.com/2012/08/driver-spotlight-samanta-jansen.html

To read more about Courtney Atkinson please click here: http://girlsrace2.blogspot.com/2012/08/driver-spotlight-courtney-jo-atkinson.html

 

 



Cadet Racing, Moving up or moving on?

Advice on Cadet Racing from CRP Racing

I want to address a couple of issues and some questions I have been receiving on moving up from kid karts to cadets or Yamaha Jr. Sportsmans. It is true that stepping up to the next level is NOT easy by any means. But if it was easy, wouldn't everyone be racing cadets? It is a huge jump in not only horsepower but chassis tuning ability as well. It is much easier to tune a chassis in kid karts than it is in cadets without question. The speeds that you will reach in cadet will definitely poise more of a setup challenge to you and tuning and scaling will become much more relevant in racing these classes. Even the most seasoned and successful kid kart drivers and teams will often struggle in this transformation. I rarely see, if ever, those that dominated in kid karts move up to dominate in cadets, it usually takes a season just to get up to speed. Before you go bashing me, there are few exceptions. Especially for those that have the 100s of laps logged in at their home track, but then move them to an unfamiliar track and watch them struggle. A couple of areas cadet parents need to get smart on right away are gearing and carb settings. Gearing was a no-brainer in kid karts (89) and as far as carb tuning you basically had 5 choices of jets and most of the time you ran a 57 or 58. The Tillotson carb is a whole new ball game and it will require patience, good note taking, proper plug and temp readings and learning to use the graph on your MyChron. Even the best built K80 motor in the sport won¡¦t run worth it weight if the carb is not tuned properly. Once you have it dialed in, you will know and the lap times will prove it.

The good news is there are plenty of people at the track that will help you along, most of us know that when it is all said and done it's the drivers race to win in the first place, but that is an entirely different topic all together. If you do not have folks willing to help, you are racing at the wrong track. The best advice I can give you is grab a decent chassis, and a blueprinted engine and get the seat time, this will pay dividends. Get out there on those practice days every chance you can get and just let them drive, drive, drive. Don't go putting your young 8-9 year old out there and expect them to be running up front with the seasoned 11-12 year olds. It will make their adventure not so much fun. Explain to your driver there is a ladder that they must climb to get to the top, and right now they are on the bottom rung. The other good news is, all those parents that have been cheating with their kid kart engines and having their child lap everyone not even using the proper driving line. Well, that is now going to come back and bite them. For those of you who have been running legal and learning the proper line, passing in traffic and the craft of racing, well that is going to pay dividends for you now.

As far as chassis and engine choices go, pretty much no different than kid karts. There is no magical chrome molly super chassis out there and those that believe that are quite simply delusional and need to get of the hype wagon. I am sure if Top Kart or Birel or one of the other Italian chassis makers were to keep track of there kid kart wins you would see double the number of wins that others are advertising. I have seen just about every cadet chassis on the market today win at the Regional and National Level as well as most engine builders K80s running up front. Pick your chassis and engine builders like you would pick your wife or husband. Make sure that they are someone that you want to spend time with while at the track, make sure they are someone you can trust with your hard earned money, ensure they are really good listeners that genuinely care about what you are saying and someone you enjoy talking to allot. I never really liked those girls that in the first 5 minutes of the conversation they had already told me how many ex-boyfriends they have had, how much money their dad makes, asked me if I thought they were pretty and wanted me to come meet their parents. Seriously, if you intend to spend any length of time in this sport relationships are very important, start making good ones now. This is how our decisions were made, we trusted Gary Lawson (if you don't know who this is Google his name and the WKA) enough to try Arrow, we had seen Ben and Sam Beasley at the track on numerous occasions and they were always helpful. It was a no brainer, Gary had been helping Kaden with his driving and known him since Kaden sat in his first kid kart. Went with Arrow and are happy with our decision. Engines are another story, but in a nutshell we had tried several other engine builders with Deven and Kaden and quite often felt like a little fish in a big sea, which is in effect what we were but no reason to be treated like that by guys that are getting your hard earned dollars. A couple of folks that I trust very much locally, tried MCR and we gave them a shot after numerous phone calls. After talking to Matt and Clay we learned more in a month (before even purchasing an engine) than we did from the others we had used in the past. We committed and one of our engines just qualified 3rd at the Charlotte Man Cup race with a 9 year old driver K. All these folks mentioned above I enjoy talking to, trust them and they are providing us with what we feel is excellent feedback and service. What more can we ask for? I am sure there are others out there that do the same, but only you can make that choice. If you trust me, follow my lead, if not live and learn.

We are here for you and although we are not at the top of the Cadet ladder (YET) we are working are way up and the lessons we have learned are still fresh in our minds. Give us a call if you have any questions or anything else.

Good Luck!!!

Check out the CRP Racing Website: www.crpracing.com

The Importance of Helping Others

I don't know what it's like at your local track, but at ours other racers and their families are very helpful. Basically we all want to see everyone have the chance to race and be able to put your best foot forward. Some examples of it happened this week. One of the boys racing in the kid karts didn't have a gas cap. He asked around and another father was able to provide him with one, the same day another kid needed brake pads. My husband had a spare set and was able to help him. We have had days where we were having issues with my daughters' kart and all of the dads and fellow racers were surrounding her kart trying to solve the issue so that she could race.

Everywhere you go there will always be people who chose to be selfish and unethical but I'm so glad to say that we really haven't had much experience with those types of people at the track. I'm sure as things get more competitive and she moves up the karting ranks things will change, but for now I have to say I love the camaraderie and helpful nature of our local racing club. I think that you could call it "good sportsmanship."

Words of Advice for Karting Parents from CRP Racing

Just a bit of advice to Karting Parents from Kevin at CRP Racing.......

Identify skills early on. If your child wants to participate in kart racing, be realistic about their ability. If they are is just within the age requirement, make sure that they are able to physically handle themselves. Maybe do a test drive or a few practice days in a borrowed kart and see if racing really is for your child.

Don't blame yourself for your child's talents or failures. Disappointment may stem from your own youthful dreams or your sense of personal responsibility. Encourage them to try their very best in a positive manner and support them even when that isn't good enough to win the race. Sometimes the only way to do that is by lending a sympathetic ear. Later, offer to help them practice their skills or go over things like driving line, trail braking etc...

Prevent burnout. If kart racing starts to get in the way of schoolwork or simply having fun, then it may be time for your child to scale back or take a break. Ask your child if they are too tired or if they think they are working too hard. Discuss your concerns with the child, and help your child set priorities.

Stay positive. Don't be hard on your child if they lose a race or fail to qualify. They are bound to to have their bad days, no matter how often they practice. Focus on their efforts, NOT the final outcome. Every finish is a victory if you make it seem that way to the child.

Set a good example. Good sportsmanship starts with you the parent. If your child spots you kicking and screaming at the track, they learn that it's acceptable for them to do so too.

Let kids be kids. Your child needs time to socialize. Unstructured activities with their peers give them time to recuperate from the pressures of the competition and other things like school.

Lastly, The next time you catch yourself being that "not so encouraging" parent at the track. I would invite you to find the nearest kart you can fit in and enter the very next race and see where you finish. I have humbled quite a few fathers by offering them a chance to take my kart out on the track for the next event, not so surprisingly they had an entirely new outlook on their child's racing!

Most Importantly Remember "It All starts with a Winning Attitude!" Good luck and be safe

For more advice and information on Karting visit Kevin's website at www.crpracing.com

Helpful WKA Website Info

Here is a link to the WKA website that has some great information for racers who are just getting into the sport. http://www.worldkarting.com/index.php/news/new-to-karting-main

Racing...where to begin

Your daughter has interest in racing. Where do you begin? Well I can only speak from experience in go kart racing. I'm sure other forms of racing are very similar. Here are my words of advice.

1) First you will have to find the closest racing track. The WKA website could be helpful www.worldkarting.com. Here is the link for tracks http://www.worldkarting.com/index.php/master-tracks. Many local tracks will have lessons. This may be a great first step in deciding whether or not racing is something your child will want to pursue.

2) Type of gear/apparel needed: Racing gloves, fireproof jacket with jeans or racing suit, high top tennis shoes or racing shoes, helmet, chest protector. A few good places to look for this gear is http://www.k1racegear.com/, http://www.impactraceproducts.com/, or http://simpsonraceproducts.com/.

3) Type of kart you will need will depend on what type of racing you are looking to do and the age of your child. It would be good to some research the WKA website and talk to the people who run your local race track to see what type of karts they race and what their rules are. Many of them use the WKA tech guidelines.

Good luck!!