These are some great comments from everyone... The pattern showing is obviously the "tire game"... So maybe the answer would be going to a treaded tire. How many racers would actually get a set of treaded tires and give a class like this an honest try? We can all "talk/type" about it, but we have to actually put forth an effort and try it out.

These two my uncle Wesley Pritt and my dad Jim Pritt were the biggest names back in the day at Hunterstown Track. Spent every weekend there loved it!!!

What I can’t figure out is why everyone thinks they have to compete on the highest level. If your budget or available time throughout the week to work on the kart doesn’t allow you to be competitive on a “state/national” level, then why try to, get frustrated, go broke, and quit? Why not race at your local Friday or Saturday night track and have fun with it? No one needs a new set or sets of tires to run night time shows and the entry fees and amount of classes are a lot less. Big money racing has been a killer for sure to the karting world, but I just don’t understand why people think they “have” to go big money racing. Race what you can, when you can, and enjoy it. My nephew started racing 2 months ago, gave him 2 sets of Maxxis from last year that we raced throughout the year. He has raced at Cove View and Hunterstown, hasn’t wiped a tire with prep at home or at the track yet. Worst he has finished is 3rd. You don’t need 100 tires, 20 gallons of prep, and an $1800 motor to go race at your local track and have fun. Kart racing is as expensive as you want it to be. If you can’t or don’t want to spend a ton of money or time doing it, don’t. Everyone says how much better is was when it was just for a trophy, so go racing on Friday or Saturday night, have fun, and hopefully win a first place trophy.

Treaded tires would make it fun again... back in the day 2 sets would last u all year and the racing was good side by side not riding around in a line.... tires have taken all the fun out of it not to mention the cost of them...

Everyone talking about 20 years ago.... Guess what.... ....it ain’t 20 years ago. You can’t un-invent the advancement in technology and knowledge. Period. So when it comes to making engines faster, chassis faster, tires faster, etc, it will always continue to evolve. You don’t need nearly the tires that you think you do. I honestly believe that most people use the “cost of tires are killing the sport” as a little bit of a cop out. Do you need more then 1 set of tires? Yes. Do you need to know what to do with them? Absolutely. But that’s part of the strategy. Tires and prep are a tool, just like camber, cross, and gear. Race within your budget. No one says you have to keep up with Missy Ford or Jon Keister. Some of us like to spend money trying 😂 but they aren’t outspending you, they are out-knowledging you. The number one thing that has hurt kart counts in the last 15 years is the rise in popularity of multiple small car divisions. When we were all racing juniors, you didn’t have 600s, 270s, 125s, legend cars, bandoleros, slingshots, Crate Latemodels, Etc Karting used to be the only small car game in town, and now it’s not.

Too many classes. Its very hard for someone to come spectate because its very confusing to people that dont race karts to know whats going on. Its also very hard for someone to try to get into karting because its confusing on classes to run and what motor. I also dont understand why everyone loves clone motors because from what i hear you at the very least need the springs checked every few races to make sure they are still good. I can run an animal all year and have no problems.

U spend more on a kart. Motors and tires to be competitive than you do when u move up to a car micro legend that races on a Saturday nite. Pit passes for a kart race is 20 bucks plus you 65 entry on a pro class and a 40 dollar entry on a regular class. That’s 125 bucks to race not to mention the 12 hours at the track and 20 classes. I got into legends and I bought my car race ready for the same price as a kart race ready I literally spent 500 on tires that have lasted 2 years now. I spent easy 1500 on kart tires in a year. The price to competitively run karts not alone the time you spend on tires is out of control. On a race weekend to race my legend it cost me 30 bucks to race that’s my pit pass and entry. I get there at 5pm and am on my way home at 11. Do I like racing karts yes but the time an money u have in karts is not worth it. Karting will never be what it was the chassis builders and charging way to much for a local kart racer to afford there is nothing affordable” in kart racing sorry I raced karts for 21 years it’s a dieing sport money and greed has took the fun away. Just my personal reasoning behind leaving karting.

Put some water on the track and run treaded tires the racing would be way better.... instead of running around in a line waiting for the guy in front you to make a mistake to pass ! The best driver doesn’t win the smartest one on prep wins .not the driver... I want to go on Saturday and have fun not spend all week peeping tires..

1 hard ass treaded tire. Barcode it you get 1 set per kart. Run it until its gone. To be really competitive right know it cost at least 1500 in tires. The fun of kart racing is being killed when the racers with deeper pockets are the only ones with a chance to win.

There are to many uncontrollable variables and no definitive answers. Can type a book but it doesnt matter. Im not one for more and more rules but to add to most of these responses......call me crazy but make a minimum air pressure rule, like 30psi plus. Thing is a racer with an unbearable desire to win is more innovative than any NASA engineer! Besides anything else one of the most important things we as veteran racers can do is help the kids, and get more kids into the sport.....the future! Future investment!

We raced for many years both at Hunterstown and Shippensburg Speedway. I know for a fact we enjoyed racing alot more when it was just for a trophy and not all the money. I have also talked to other people that used to race and they say the same. When money got involved it drove the cost of karting thru the roof and forced alot of us out of the sport who can't afford to spend a small fortune on tires to race every week. Also there used to be like a family atmosphere at the track now it's everybody keeping to themselves and not sharing anything for fear somebody will get a leg up on them. I remember loaning out this or that to people in need so they could get on the track.... Now it's the thought from most that it's one less competitor they have to worry about so that hardly happens anymore.

Hunterstown’s current president tried to go to a more economical tire this year. And he tried to cut the number of classes in half. But he was defeated by the board and was required to duplicate every class. And the racers didn’t support the effort either. Maxxis may be cheaper initially, but that’s its ONLY advantage. Unless you enjoy constant wiping of tires that suck as soon as the edge is worn. Saturday night racing in PA is not Maxxis-friendly unless you have deep pockets or a chemical engineering degree. (Not as big of a deal in kids classes)

Ok my personal opinion, I've raced , in 2 different generations of Karting ? 1st there are way to many classes. 2nd track is to hard , I would love to see I treaded tire type of track , teaching a little driving skill ... 3rdly it has gotten to expensive as a hobby sport !!!! now the reason I stopped racing has nothing to do with above, I personally didn't have the help , at track or through out the week, with all the stuff that's now required, related, with being competitive in the current system of Karting .....

This is my grandfather Manny Laughman. He was big in his days at the kart tracks. He had Mannys go Kart shop in green springs. We always had fun times at Hunterstown.

Speck tire Burris maxxis Vega whatever...no prep just race. Needing 10+ sets of rubber is flat out crazy

Cost of operating a competitive team is unbearable for most of the average Joe's out there. The amount of tires that are needed is absurd at best

Bought a racecar because it was cheaper enough said. The karters are being played by engine builder's an tire experts.

I agree with to many classes .. But that just makes for a annoyingly long day not a expense $ . If we would have stayed with Friday night racing , we would probably be still racing.. one of my favorite races we ever ran in the big series races THO was a maxis race that you received a set of tires in the morning ( bar code scanned ) and that’s what you qualified and raced on ... and got to keep them tires to race another day ... If you can’t afford , or can’t compete in the big races don’t Bankrupt yourself trying... we ran very competitive on Friday nights with two sets of 11’s all year !! And a $800 clone motor that we only refreshed over the winter ... if you can’t afford a good clone then race the Predator class....! Hopefully the Predator motor class won’t get screwed with like the original clone motor class !

I have been doing it since I was a young buck. I loved being able to go to the track a race for a simple trophy but ever since it all became a money game for everyone the guys that can’t have new chassis and brand new tires every week can’t be doing it. And also people are right there are a lot more classes that what there should be. I wanna see this sport come back and be the fun family weekend that it used to be.

Go back to the old days no Tire Prep everyone has to use the same tires and No Money Races it is taking away from the Saturday night Races that’s why there isn’t a lot of kart counts Bc they are only running the Big Events that’s my thoughts on this I raced 20 years ago at hunterstown speedway and remember there was Plenty of Karts back then even The Sr Champ Flathead class

1 cost. 2 cost. Enough said. I got out of it because of cost. Getting back in it now. I can not afford the pit passes for the family. It 150 just to get my family in the gates at some places. Let alone put my TWO boys in a cart. Let along me to drive something.

Too many classes. To much time from when we get to the track till the show is over. If you can not afford a new Kart buy a used one. Lots of used karts for sale. Buy take off tires if you can not afford new. Rich Mannion bought 3 complete sets of used Burris 33’s used from Cole Achey for $375. I was selling Maxxis take off’s at Hunterstown Saturday for a $1 a tire. Sold 3 left rears to Hunter DeHaven for $3. My point is zach Emlet has a slack for sale for $1,300. Great price for a newer used kart. I could run a STOCK Predator class, used kart and buy take off tires and still run cheap. Treaded tires and no prep is something to think about.

1 issue is to many different classes. When you have 20 different classes to run it takes away from car counts. Also payout is big. Need something to attract more cars. Not necessarily a weekly higher payout but more bigger races to entice people to run. Just my opinion.

I give it as soon as the tire prep took a week of my time. The tires changed the karting world from needed new tires every week and cutting them down to be competitive. Added way to much money to racing and time. Karts are the entry level racing anyone should be able to enjoy and race.

Something I’ve always thought ever since the first time I even saw a kart race is that there’s just WAY too many classes at any given track on any given night. Classes that pretty much are the same kart but with the slightest difference, wether it be a small weight change, age difference, or motor/tire rules. I think certain classes across the board could be viewed as viable to run together with a slightly more broad rule book. I’ll never forget the first kart race I ever went to, there were about 200 entries that night but so many different classes that the most in any one classes was around 5-6. I think that would be a place to look into.