MKC Membership Meeting Minutes
February 18, 2009
The meeting called to order at 7:35 PM.
Nine members were in attendance.
Financial Report
The treasurer’s report was read and reviewed.
Expenses were for OVKA Flea Market Booth and Michigan Non Profit license renewal, and 2008 Grosse Ile Ambulance bill
OVKA swap meet Proceeds: $385.30
Membership Renewals: 6 @ $15 = $90
Ending Balance: $5724.77
MKC needs to keep an inventory of assets. That needs to be updated before warm weather. Progress is slow. We need an accounting.
2009 Membership Renewal
It is time to renew your 2009 general membership. For a modest $15 you get a family membership, membership card, MKC bumper sticker and Discount entry to Grosse Ile. Like every good club, we have miscellaneous everyday expenses for printing, postage, Web Site and related administrative activities. Membership dues cover that part. Our business model is based on the premise that the racers need to support the expenses associated with track activities. So, please help us support karting in Michigan. Renew today. There is a form on the WEB www.michigankartclub.com.
Website News
Ace Wheelie needs new web content from the general membership. Those who attended Jan meeting were requested to submit articles ideas or other content. This is your club. Your president requests that you participate.
Winter Social Event
TBirds Club ( Sue Phillips ) has issued a challenge to MKC to see if MKC’s amateur bowlers can even come close to the scores racked up by the regular bowlers at Thunderbird Kart Club. The event is Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, Skore Lanes, 22255 Ecorse Rd, Taylor, MI, 2 PM Check-in, 3PM Bowl. $25 per person includes 3 Games of Bowling, pizza, pop, salad, and dessert. Contact Sue Phillips: 313-363-1626 or 313-299-1195.
OVKA SWAP MEET Saturday Feb 7
Attendees: Bill Anderson, Pat Willey, Ron Taylor, Bob Kocsis
Updates: Ron Taylor got a status update from Dart Kart Club on races at Mid Ohio. Ron to report. See summary below.
Sales of Club surplus Items: One Blue Clone, 15 “T” Shirts, 20 induction silencers.
There was discussion relative to dress items for the blue clone engines. Dave Williams stated that MKC may owe him and Rod W. more money for replacement exhausts for the blue clones that are for sale. There were three dress kits. One engine sold at OVKA. One in Box, one used celebrity engine needs to be sold.
Handed out 50 Grosse Ile promotional flyers for 2009 event.
Email Address Database Update
We have a list of folks who participated in past Grosse Ile Events. Ace transcribed the names from paper to electronic form to make a collection of email contacts. Thanks Ace
Other Series News
Dart Kart Club events at Mid Ohio are reaching a financial threshold that requires a major event like WKA points race to be successful. Club races are approaching extinction. Road race tracks have gotten expensive and are demanding up front rental money. That requires seed money from previous events. Those events have to be successful. Entry fees are approaching the breaking point for the individual racer. The concept of generating revenue from multiple entries from the same racer, by offering the same class, Saturday and Sunday, has run its course. This business model was originally successfully pioneered and implemented by MKC for the Mid States Road Race Series and is barely possible now. WKA has become the dominant draw for racers and has returned to light vs. heavy weight for many classes while retaining a single weight Saturday vs. Sunday on a select few classes. No easy solution for this one other than to find isolated special venues having really low rents. MKC has pursued that format and has moved temporarily revamped its business model in the form of the Grosse Ile Grand Prix. It is a low rent, temporary short track road course with the potential to be a long track. Infrastructure costs are a significant issue with this form of racing.
2009 Grosse Ile Details: Race Dates June 6 & 7, 2008
· 2 Day event is scheduled due to ambulance costs and support staff availability.
o 2008 Youth Group is not available for 2009. Need staff for crowd control, gate, registration, and track pickup.
o Lake Twp Fire Crew available for turns and safety
· Event Flyers were distributed at OVKA with info updates being emailed and posted on the Web
· Expanded operating Hours. We target 9 AM to 7 PM on Saturday. 9 AM to 5 PM on Sunday
· $10 Pre-Entry discount for MKC members. First class entry only. MKC Membership is $15. Pre-Entry discount only.
· The new track layout was discussed at length and will be revamped a few times before race day. We have major considerations with respect to parking, pit space, ability for karters to push on paved surfaces. We are staying away from the fuel station and the aircraft taxi-runway to avoid delays.
· Partners
o Thunderbird Kart Club – Sue Phillips ( Flat Rock )
o Fremont Kart Track – Scott Smith
o Great Lakes Sprint Series – Jerry Cole
o East Lansing Track – Bob Haun
The above 4 groups have shared their class structures and their ideas and plan to avoid any scheduling conflicts.
o GLPS – Terry Riggins (traveling TaG / Shifter series)
· Needs track with Scales, Turn Marshalls, Gate control, track pickup, Ambulance
· Needs block of Sunday track time for GLPS classes.
· Has scoring trailer with generator, equipment
· Has 8 speaker PA system and (14) 2-Way Radios
· Terry Co-Ordinates his class and race activities. Will serve as Race director for his group.
· Insurance: NKA…We need to submit track diagram ahead of time for them to review.
· Rules: Basic WKA with local option classes
· Race Format:
Pro races and MKC Classes run one time Sat
MKC classes transfer points for starting positions for Sunday. Best two out of three heats count toward MKC trophies. Saturday participation not necessary to earn trophy for Sunday. GLPS classes run Sunday and MKC classes run 2 times Sunday.
· Prices:
o One pit pass price for whole weekend
o MKC Class entry covers Saturday and Sunday.
o Pre-Entry discounts for MKC members
o MKC Pro Race is separate entry.
· GLPS collects its own fees for Sunday GLPS Heats.
· Infrastructure:
o Dave Williams informed us that our source for crowd control snow fence may not be available. He is negotiating for the club to buy, not borrow fence and posts.
o Bob Kocsis to perform enquiry about used tire availability for the event.
Meeting Adjourned 9:35 PM Motion by Ron Taylor, second by Ace Wheelie