Secret to a strong business is honesty and integrity. That is a mindset with us, it was instilled at a very young age, built on in the Marine Corps for 22 years and is now embedded in who and what we are, and that will never change....

Let's compare kid kart racing to NASCAR.

Now obviously there is no horsepower comparison what so ever, but there are a couple of points I want to make to keep some new kid karting parents from getting all wrapped up in trying to find the best engine and chassis out there that they can possibly find and afford. Just because an engine or a chassis has won a Regional or National event doesn't make it worth 2-3 times what a used chassis or other blueprinted engine is. Share a quick story with you, I have been in contact with a gentleman that spent over $3,000 (not a typing error by the way) for a Comer C51 motor because it was advertised as setting the fast lap time at a National event. He was truly excited with his purchase but when he got it and bolted it on, he found it would not get out of its own way, his practice motor was faster and revved higher. (He sure does feel like an idiot now, and I feel for him a bit). What he forgot to consider is all of the other factors that got that engine to set the fast time at that particular event. As a matter of fact, now that I think of it I am in possession of a WKA National race winning engine, and I guess I am sitting on a gold mine. Sounds GREAT doesn't it. Now, let me tell you the rest of the story. The event was a WKA Gold Cup race in Charlotte, NC and there were only 4 kid karts in attendance, for one of them it was their first kart race ever, another one of them popped a chain midway through the feature and the third karter, made contact with lap traffic and spun with two to go.. Did I lie to you telling you it was a National winning motor?? Of course not, but did I really give you an honest reflection of that motors capabilities? Not at all. My point is anyone can market a motor to pretty much be anything they want it to be. Unless you are physically there and buy it as it clears tech, you will never know exactly what you are getting and that is where trust comes in. You have to ask yourself who do you trust? I am not saying you need to trust me, not asking that at all. What I am asking is that you do some homework and be responsible in your decision making process by not letting advertising scams lead the way. Do you really want to trust someone that all they do is hype up every little thing they accomplish, and use unnamed customer testimonies? Sort of makes you wonder why they won¡¦t even brand their engines. Think about it for a second. For all of you that have been to a competitive kart race and looked around what do you see? 99.9 % of the engines and karts are advertised. You see them all Pitts, Woltjer, Fleming, Adkins just to name a few along with my personal favorites MCR and CRP :). If you have a good relationship with your builder, why wouldn't you want to advertise for them? I can only assume that if they had a decal on theirs it would give tech just a little hint to maybe check a bit harder due to their win at all cost approach, or is it because the purchasers realize there may be just a little embarrassment that comes along with spending 2-3 times what an engine is worth?? Just because you have the money it doesn¡¦t guarantee you a win, and that is where the NASCAR comparison comes in. You don¡¦t think every single weekend that Dale Jr, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and all the other drivers have the absolute best equipment and pit crew money can buy? Do they win every race? No they do not, not even close. If that was the case they would all come across the finish line 43 wide... Most seasoned racers know for a fact that there are hundreds of other factors that go into winning a kid kart race, and that is what I am trying to convey to you with this message.

Kid Kart parents are notorious for not knowing or forgetting this, when it comes to wanting to see their child succeed. Human nature? Maybe but it should also be human mature to do a little research and make the best decision to reach your goals. Don't just listen to me, talk to people that have been there before. I can guarantee most of them will tell you that have been down the road before there is no easy path, and it sure doesn't come from buying overpriced equipment. Again find someone you trust, talk to them, pick their brain and learn what true racing is all about having fun at the track, dedication and hard work.





Cadet Racing, Moving up or moving on?

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 100¡¦s 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 K80¡¦s 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¡K 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!!!



Just a bit of advice to Karting Parents.......

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



It amazes me the lengths that some folks in the industry will go to to try and sell their or someone else's products. I commonly see the use of false claims, over inflated win records, extravagant "testimonials" and some have even gone as far using the opposite sex in an attempt to make their products more appealing. To me these folks are doing nothing more than disrespecting themselves and the intelligence of 95% of the racing population. The last time I checked this is about racing and pursuing your goals. They try and make you believe it is easier than you think it is, to accomplish your goals. I am here to tell you it is not. The harder you work in racing, as in life, the more success you will have.

Money does play a integral part in this sport, but I have seen folks with a much tighter budget drive away from those with an unlimited one. It is a good thing that most people can and do see right through that stuff. I say most because some folks just have to learn the hard way. They let the desire to win cloud their judgment and buy into the hype and pageantry. I have spoken at great length to a few of these people that got sucked in and man the stories of deception and the high price they paid for it is just overwhelming. Really good people with the best of intentions, that simply got caught up in in the hype. Most are ashamed of being lead off the right path, and all are definitely regretful.

My advice to you is, sit down and right down some goals. Have some short term and long term ones. Keep them realistic and achievable but most of all being ready and willing to put the work in to accomplish them. Nothing is as easy at it seems and all that hard work will someday pay off. Stay away from the smoke and mirrors, the drama and the hype. Be true to yourself and your convictions, it will reward you in the long run....

I promise next month to give you a tip that will actually make you a bit faster, this one hopefully makes you a bit smarter....

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitment to excellence -- that will enable you to attain the success you seek." --Mario Andretti





I am going to make a few points, just because I have received so many emails and calls asking why I have remained silent on the subject of the Kid Kart Nationals and a certain team¡¦s accusations. I¡¦ll say upfront that even though I have refrained from commenting publically, it has been discussed quite often between the team and others involved in the KKN Program. I will make a few points then move on, one because I have more important things to do with my time and two because I personally feel some folks simply don¡¦t rate a response from us.

Let me start with the oil accusation, and I will make this clear. NO ONE from the board or anywhere else conspired to provide the oil to be used to me or anyone else associated with CRP prior to the event. Klotz was listed as an Associate Sponsor on the sponsor list I was provided and publically on the SLKA website on the Saturday an entire week before the event. We put 2 and 2 together, and practiced with it Friday along with two other oils the week prior. Anyone that claims we knew is lying or a complete idiot. I would ask you come to Ohio and accuse me to my face and see what that gets you¡K

As far as tech was concerned I am completely 100% aware that mistakes were made. No one is perfect and knows everything. Although some folks like to think they do. All the crap about trued cases and illegal seals and port timing that should have gotten others DQ¡¦d is absurd. The right and just call was made, I am sorry if you, your child and/or your team did not perform as well as you would have liked and you wanted an advancement in tech and didn¡¦t get it. We never go into a race hoping someone gets thrown out in tech so we can advance our position. We try to earn it! If we don¡¦t, we take personal responsibility for not performing. We don¡¦t come home threaten lawsuits, and bitch and complain about everything that was done, we tend to be a bit more mature than that. We also realize these are children drivers and I have been fortunate enough to have NEVER had to tell my son or anyone else on Team CRP that ¡§you did a great job driving but we were running illegal and got DQ¡¦d¡¨ If you think for one second as the Title Sponsor for a National Event that the thought of cutting corners would even cross any of our minds, with the Team¡¦s and Company¡¦s name at stake, with the parents of our drivers reputations along with mine being on the line, you are quite simply a FOOL. I have raced against cheaters, and when they get caught and it is proven it is a stigma that they will Never loose. They can be in karting for another 20 years and it will hang over their head, it will always be in the back of everyone¡¦s mind. They may be forgiven, but it will never be forgotten. For people that truly know me, they know I am a hell of a lot smarter than that and that sustaining my good reputation and character values are much more important to me than winning ANY race at a track. It¡¦s the race of life that I concern myself with the most and one I will always excel at.

To accuse of us cheating and say we were running outlaws motors to me is a desperate attempt to save face with your customers and a blatant and slanderous attempt to cover up for your own short comings. Again, I ask you to please come to Ohio and accuse me of cheating to my face, and see what that gets you¡K.

We as a Team, as an organization and as racers all learned something from this year¡¦s KKN¡¦s and we will take what we learned and apply it to next year¡¦s event. If you should choose not to attend or follow the advice of a sore loser and not attend that is your loss not ours. For some of you, I can honestly say you won¡¦t be missed. For other I encourage you attend as it is the most prestigious kid karting event in the U.S.

This is the last you will hear from me concerning the 2009 Kid Kart Nationals, I will not dwell on the accusations, I considered the source and it truly isn¡¦t worth my time. I know in my heart and mind that everyone on CRP was 100% legal and we did everything on the up and up. End of story!!! My time is better spent helping my customer¡¦s and the team achieve their goals and be successful.













We here at CRP are responsible for developing the most important part of the kart racing equation. Sure having a good motor is important and having a chassis properly tuned for that day's racing conditions is a huge advantage, but the most important part of the equation is that young boy or girl sitting behind the wheel of that machine.

I will tell you without hesitation I do not claim to be "the world's expert on these engines (Comer C51)" like some folks falsely do, and I haven't attached myself or my Company to one particular chassis manufacture then bolted on a couple high performance parts and try to hype it up and claim it is the best ever. Honestly, I could care less what brand chassis you choose to own, if you do not have it set up correctly it is not doing your driver any good to begin with. There are truly many great chassis manufacture's out there.

Some of you may know a little about my military background but let me share a few things with you that you may not know. During my career I have volunteered as a Special Olympics coach and have been recognized by the organization and the Military for this work. Back in the mid 80's I worked at a kart/pocket bike track where I was an instructor to kids just beginning. You want a work out? Push a child around on a pocket bike a few laps teaching them how to lean with out falling over, whew it is a back-breaker. I have coached and continue to coach many different sports, even before my own children where old enough to participate. These sports include soccer, baseball, karting, pocket bike racing, flag football, tackle football, wrestling and at several levels from beginner to middle school age. While stationed in Hawaii I was instrumental in several "NFL Pro Bowl" youth football camps held annually on Kaneohe Bay and not only did I race go karts there, I was also employed as a driving coach at the only competition kart track on Oahu. While on active duty, I was also a certified D.A.R.E. instructor and spent countless hours on and off duty with many children to help steer them in the right direction and make responsible choices. I was also in charge and investigated all juvenile offense cases that occurred aboard the base working tirelessly with children and their parents so that could make more responsible choices.

I am not putting this out there to toot my own horn, I don't need to impress anyone. I am writing this so you understand that when you deal with me and my Company you completely understand that I do this for the children of this sport as my track record shows. Not for the money (I have a day job and a military retirement), not so that I can say look at me I "found" a fast engine, I do it for the joy that I see it brings to these young people.

Karting, as with most challenges in life, are so dependent on the mental state. I would say 80% of karting is mental. The focus and concentration needed to be at the top of your game in any sport is what we like to focus on. We teach kids how to be a great winner and how to accept the fact that it isn't always going to happen. I can only assume if you are taking up this sport that you have your child's best interests in mind, I can assure you I do as well.

One thing, I can tell you that no matter what "Team" you decide to try and be a part of, we at CRP are doing what we do for the right reasons and anyone that has ever dealt with us or been a student can attest to that. I would challenge some of you others out there that claim to be in the sport for the kids. to take a long look in the mirror and think again, because if you truly are your words and action clearly are not showing it......