This Saturday, June 27th, is the first of two races in a row on the NHMS S3 Lot for the NHKA Racing Series driven by Checkered Flag Indoor Karting. The close quarters racing of the temp track always generates wild racing. This year we’re pumping that wildness through a Marshall stack cranked up to 11 with the CFIK/NHKA Short Track Showdown. Racers from our biggest classes will be racing for some huge prize packages courtesy of Apex Kartsports, CFMotorsports and DRT Racing.

Please welcome the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum of Plattsburgh, NY as this race’s trophy sponsor. The museum explores, interprets and celebrates the region’s rich transportation history. What began in 2000 as an automobile museum has grown to cover many other forms of transportation. However, the heart of the collection remains with the Lozier Motor Company, which built some of the early 1900’s most exquisite and expensive vehicles. The museum is another beneficiary of Dr. Tony Vaccaro’s generosity and love of anything with wheels. The museum has lots to offer the whole family, from the hands-on Kids Station to special events like the Champlain Valley Brew Fest. Check it all out at http://www.cvtmuseum.org

Are you ready for some wheel-to-wheel combat? Introducing the CFIK/NHKA Short Track Showdown. Thanks to Checkered Flag Indoor Karting and your local kart shops there’ll be much more at stake on the tight and twisty S3 Lot than just the usual axles, spindles and tempers. TaG and World Formula drivers could win tires, race entries and other great prizes by competing in all three temp track events and turning a smoking fast lap at CFIK. The driver who earns the most points across all classes wins.

FIRST PLACE
Two sets MG Yellows from CFIK and DRT Racing
Set of MG Wets from CFIK
Bottle Motul or Briggs oil from CFMotorsports
Four CFIK races and t-shirt from CFIK
Entry to the first S3 Lot race in 2016 from NHKA

SECOND PLACE
Set of MG Yellows from DRT Racing
219 chain and breaker from Apex Kart Sports
Bottle of Motul or Briggs oil from CFMotorsports
Four CFIK races and t-shirt from CFIK
Entry to the first S3 Lot race in 2016 from NHKA

THIRD PLACE
Four CFIK races and t-shirt from CFIK
219 chain from Apex Kart Sports
Bottle of Motul or Briggs oil from CFMotorsports
Entry to the first S3 Lot race in 2016 from NHKA

 
How to Win:
Earn points in all three 2015 NHKA S3 Lot races
     Finish in the top 5 of an eligible class to earn points:
     1st: 8 pts, 2nd: 5 pts, 3rd: 3 pts, 4th: 2 pts, 5th: 1 pt
Earn points for your fastest lap at CFIK
     Race at CFIK between now and September 7, 2015
     Hit fast lap targets to earn maximum points
          Best lap 12.699 or lower: 12 points
          Best lap between 12.700–12.799: 10 points
          Best lap between 12.800–12.899: 8 points
          Best lap between 12.900–12.999: 6 points
          Best lap between 13.000–13.199: 4 points
          Best lap between 13.200–13.499: 3 points
          Best lap between 13.500–13.799: 2 points
          Best lap 13.800 or above: 1 point
     Race as many times as you like before September 7
     to up your fastest time, to hit a higher target and maximize points

Eligibility:
Compete in all three NHKA Racing Series S3 Lot races
     June 27, July 11 and October 3, 2015
     Eligible classes: TaG Junior, Senior or Master, World Formula Light or Heavy
     Not be disqualified from an S3 Lot race
     Be an NHKA Racing Series member
Race at Checkered Flag Indoor Karting
     Compete in at least one race at CFIK before September 7, 2015
     Meet CFIK 54” height requirement
Not have the last name “Prioli”

Wasn’t last Saturday’s race great? The sun was shining, there was a breeze to keep us cool, and oh yeah, it was our biggest race ever!!! We had 94 entries (plus a couple baby karts) show up for Race 1 of the Interstate Kart Series/Race 2 of the NHKA Racing Series driven by Checkered Flag Indoor Karting.

The morning started with a line of trailers stretching from the main gate all the way out onto 106. Nobody likes a line, but we were all excited knowing what it meant. The day kept that promise with race after race of intense competition across all classes. And at day’s end, trophies sponsored by Adirondack Radiation Therapy were presented under a setting sun. There were many of the frequent top finishers and more than a few newcomers to the podium. Congratulations and thank you to one and all for making such an unforgettable day possible.

A day that was so awesome we should do it again soon. And by soon we mean this Saturday! Just one week later the NHKA Racing Series will be back on the Hill Course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Race 3. While it may not be an IKS weekend, we encourage all of you to pretend it is and come race. After all, there’s really no reason not to have huge grids every race. Last weekend’s kart counts edged into the territory of some of the most talked about national series. This is your local club right here in your own backyard. This is the perfect time and place to go racing.

Apex Kartsports is sponsoring the trophies for NHKA Race 3. The father and son team of George and Alex Vorillas have been among the most active supporters of area racers and racing. Even when they were working to earn Alex the 2013 Legends Cars World Championship, they made a point to be trackside whenever possible with their Kartiac Care Ambulance. Hardcore racers through and through, be sure to thank these guys for everything they do.

We have some great news for anyone planning on attending our back to back Saturday races. The speedway will allow us to leave our trailers there for the week if you do not want to haul yours home. The area is gated and has 24/7 security. We will have more details on Saturday morning about the procedure. Think of it as another great incentive to not crash your kart into stuff this weekend!

Here’s a surprise: This weekend’s trophy sponsor is Adirondack Radiation Therapy. You need look no farther than your trophy shelf to appreciate the huge amount of support they’ve provided to NHKA racers over the years. Dr. Tony Vaccaro is the crew chief behind his son Kent’s success, he is a long-time road racer, and a caring physician to many profoundly ill patients who get to enjoy some long overdue good luck by having a good guy like Tony as their radiation therapist. Please be sure to thank him for his generous support!

TaG Weights: We have updated several of the weights in the TaG classes to keep them in line with most sanctioning bodies and the F1 Outdoors Club Series:

TAG SENIORS
Rotax: 365 lbs/370 lbs with any EVO component

TAG MASTERS
Rotax: 405 lbs/410 lbs with any EVO component
IAME X30: 410 lbs
Parilla Leopard: 405 lbs
PRD Fireball: 390 lbs
Sonik Sport: 415 lbs
Sonik TX1: 415 lbs

Rotax EVO Engines and Upgrades: We’re gradually seeing more EVO upgrades and complete EVO packages at the track. And gradually competitors are figuring out how to unlock the potential gains. Changes to weights will also be gradual and based upon on-track performance. For now, any Rotax in any class with any EVO component is required to run 5 lbs more than Rotax engines with no EVO components.

Rok Engines: Vortex Roks are typically run in standalone classes, which doesn’t fit the format of either NHKA or IKS. So we are working on weights that will allow Rok owners, particularly those with the 34-36hp Rok GP to compete fairly in our multi-engine tag classes. Stay tuned.

Stock Moto: To remain in line with the Northeast Shifter Kart Series, karts with a stock Honda or another moto engine should be 405* 395 lbs. All KZ powered karts remain at 385 lbs. Both are required to run an air box. (*We were informed that NESKS changed this last season but has yet to update their website. Sorry for any inconvenience.)

Drop Rule Clarification: Your lowest finish of the season will be dropped in calculating the final championship points. This may be a race you do not attend, but will not be a race you were suspended or disqualified. If a race is cancelled, that race will be everybody’s drop.

Points: We have tweaked the points payout:

10th Place: 50 points
11th Place: 45 points,
12th-Last Place: 40 points

DNS Clarification: If for whatever reason you are unable to start the Final, so long as the day’s entry fee has been paid and you personally present the kart when the Final is called to the grid, you will receive points for the position after the last kart scored on the track. If more than one kart is to receive DNS points, they will be sorted by finishing position in the Pre-Final, then by Qualifying result, then by least annoying. Special circumstances may apply at the discretion of the race director.

This Saturday, May 30th, is the race that’ll put the 2015 season into overdrive. It’s Race 1 of the Interstate Kart Series (IKS) and Race 2 of the NHKA Racing Series driven by Checkered Flag Indoor Karting.

Last year, the IKS events drew record-breaking fields to the Hill Course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway by bringing together NHKA and F1 Outdoors racers. With all the new drivers we’ve seen already at both tracks, fingers are crossed that entries will top 100 karts! That would make for some awesome racing!

Winning an IKS Championship is a season-long battle you most definitely want to be part of. When the first season of the IKS came down to the wire, every single point mattered. The drivers who won last year earned it with hard work and racecraft in each on-track session. We’ll be honoring the 2014 IKS Champions with an awards ceremony during Saturday’s lunch break.

This is also Race 2 for the NHKA Racing Series. The first event foretold a competitive season across multiple classes with big fields and super-tight racing. Saturday’s race promises to stoke the intensity even higher. Be there!

So many old friends and so many new ones. Thank you to everyone who came out and made the season opener one of the largest ever for the NHKA Racing Series driven by Checkered Flag Indoor Karting. We were all treated to some great racing throughout the day in many classes. World Formula continues to grow, and TaG Masters was definitely looking like a solid group. But maybe the pleasant surprise of the day was how many shifters hit the track. This all bodes well for a great 2015 season.

Actually, NHKA Race 2 on May 30th promises to be even bigger – it’s the first combined race with the Interstate Kart Series which last year drew lots of drivers from F1 Outdoors. As many of you will remember from last year, the only difference in the race day is that there are even more karts out there. Each race will be simultaneously scored for the NHKA and the IKS. And also just like last year, every race and every position on track will certainly make a difference when the points are tallied at the end of the year. The two-track, six-race IKS Series is the good kind of kart drama. Be part of it from the drop of the green flag.

The snow has melted at the track. Racers are emerging from their caves. Karts are roaring back to life. The NHKA Racing Series once again driven by our awesome sponsor Checkered Flag Indoor Karting opens the 2015 with a full day of practice this Saturday, April 11th, on the Hill course at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The gates open at 7am and engines will be fired up at 8:05am followed by lap after lap of practice. Come out and see your old racing buddies and make a few new ones… the racing season is finally here!!!

After literally thousands of laps of winter testing, the NHKA Racing Series driven by (and in this case, at) Checkered Flag Indoor Karting has provisionally added two new clutch options for both Light and Heavy World Formula classes in the 2015 season: Hilliard Inferno Fury and Hilliard Inferno Flame (NOT the Blaze) in addition to the stock Premier Titan and Premier Stinger clutches.

Over the years, some NHKA racers have voiced concerns about the Premier clutches. So with the blessings and participation of the NHKA, World Formula racers Tom Prioli, Rick Brown, Dammit Dave Nadeau and Ken Repke took it upon themselves to purchase and test a variety of clutches in conjunction with Checkered Flag’s World Formula Indoor Karting Championship.

The Goal: Identify clutches that will preserve World Formula as a fair, fun, affordable, competitive and low-maintenance class to start or continue racing.

The Parameters: Reliability, performance and adjustability similar to the best Premier clutches, ideally at a lower cost.

The test drivers were unanimous in their recommendation of the Hilliard Flame for its perfect reliability, consistent performance, ease of adjustability, cheap parts and at half the cost of the Premier Clutches. While the Fury wasn’t tested at CFIK, it uses the same basic design as the Flame but with beefier shoes and an even lower price tag.

So in 2015 all World Formula racers will be allowed to try the Hilliard Fury and Flame. “This should be considered a season-long test,” says NHKA Race Director Mike Camara. “We put a ton of laps on the Flame over the winter without any issues at all. The Fury wasn’t tested, making it a bit of an unknown, but its design is very similar to the Flame’s. We anticipate that both Hilliards will perform just as well outdoors as indoors, but the only way to know for sure is to get them into the hands of competitors in actual race conditions. Those who run them are expected to be open with club officials and their fellow racers about their experiences and lessons learned.” At the end of 2015 the NHKA will determine whether either of the Hilliards will be fully approved.

You may purchase the Hilliard Inferno Fury and Flame clutches from whoever you choose. Our test drivers had good luck with Rieken’s Racing. You can continue to use your existing driver gears, but you will need a Bully Conversion Kit. As is the case with the Premier clutches, racers are allowed to choose from various springs to adjust engagement. However, the weights available for the Flame are NOT permitted.

“The racers spoke and we heard them,” Says Camarra. “They invested their own money and time to identify a couple of high-quality, easy to work on clutches that cost less than $100. We appreciate their efforts and passion, and look forward to seeing how it plays out on track during the 2015 NHKA Racing Series season.”

Last year was the first season of the Interstate Kart Series, and it was a huge hit with northeast kart racers. The grids were large and the competition was intense every scored session. We’re expecting all that and more as racers crisscross state lines to battle it out!

2015 IKS Schedule
May 30 Hill Course NHMS
June 20-21 F1 Outdoors
July 18-19 F1 Outdoors
Aug 8 Hill Course NHMS
Aug 29-30 F1 Outdoors
Sept 19 Hill Course NHMS

This year’s schedule includes six points races, just like in 2014. But you’ll notice that we’ve compressed the dates to the summer months to avoid the unspeakably bad weather that forced us to cancel last season’s finale. What’s more, we’re working hard to give you a shot at racing at a couple new places. So stay tuned!