All Clubs And Delegates RE: KQ Breach Notice
MKC wish to inform all interested parties that the Mackay Kart Club is 100% committed the KA sanctioned events the Mackay Kart Club have been allocated for 2018. Mackay Kart club also wishes to confirm the intent to run NON KA Sanctioned events for the reasons following.
The Mackay and District Kart Club will run an event on a day that in purely intended to be a fun day for it's members, and the broader karting community. The day will include basic races of karting classes from the current, and former KA regulations, under a format that MKC determines. The karts that are used on the day will be either current KA regulated, or previously regulated, and will be scrutineered by our trained professionals to be safe, and suitable for the purpose of racing. MKC sole intension is to bring people back to our club, by offering a low-cost alternative, using existing equipment that people who have left the sport still currently own, or for people who cannot afford to race a kart under the current specifications, to be able to enter and enjoy our sport. The event, although competitive on a local level, will not be included in any championship points under KA, KQ or MKC regulations.
The MKC sole purpose of these events is to provide a fun, low cost and entertaining day, that might encourage people back into the full KA regulated classes, and to help our club prosper into the future.
THE FACTS
At a Mackay Kart Club (MKC) general meeting in January it was agreed to attempt to fill the void in the race 2018 Mackay KA Sanctioned Race Calendar with NON AKA sanctioned events. The final Calendar of 6 club meetings and two Title Style Meetings is not going to a viable option for MKC. At the same meeting and at meetings since it was also requested that these NON AKA events not be promoted in a way that undermines the MKC’s KA sanctioned events.
Members reiterated repeatedly that the Club was to remain affiliated with Karting Queensland. The MKC management committee was tasked with notifying KQ of the MKC’s intention to run NON AKA sanctioned events.
Shortly after the January meeting the MKC, posted on face book, seeking expressions of interest in an event that featured the Yamaha Classes on a low cost tyre and pre TAG ear specifications.
At the January meeting MKC members voted to take the option to purchase the NEW Timing System rather than sign the Karting Regulators agreement.
2018 MKC BUSINESS PLANNING
In the following weeks interest in these NON AKA events swelled. The Moranbah Track rebuild has re- energized the Karting Scene in Moranbah and surrounding areas. This has generated a market for the MKC in 2018 while the Moranbah track rebuild is in progress. Local Mackay Karters who did not transition from the Yamaha Classes to the TAG era pledged support in droves. In summary it is what Mackay Karters (MKC Customers) are asking for and it is the only logical way forward for Karting in this regional area.
The rigidity of KA class weights, number of classes and kart specifications limits class sizes and in our opinion led to the reduction of the support of Club Shows in Regional areas. What MKC customers are clearly asking for and the MKC as a whole need is a few events a year that:
Add an additional income stream to the Mackay Kart Club and the businesses that support karting in our local area.
Entice ex embers, who did not transition from Yamaha Class Racing to the TAG era, back to the sport
Increase field sizes to make the racing interesting to compete in, watch and in turn generate interest and memberships
To attract existing non current drivers back into the sport – Current members who have TAG era equipment who do not compete because their category is low in numbers, the tyres for their class have a short service life and so on.
Offer a cost effective entry into the sport
The MKC developed budgets and cash flow forecasts with and without the Non KA Sanctioned events in
2018.
Clearly demonstrated the income stream from KA Sanctioned Events and the Non AKA Sanctioned Events were required to achieve a positive result for 2018.
Showed that when the club was prospering club show participation numbers were consistently above 60 per meeting and there were two bigger events that had support numbers over 100. The MKC club show participation numbers have fallen to an average of 25 in 2017. Any business that has the same fixed expenses and half the turn over is not going to prosper. MKC also looked at a business model that included the Yamaha Classes in the KA Sanctioned Club Show days. Presented it to the customer base. The additional cost to make karts 2018 KA compliant the tyre selection for classes, the rigidity of class weights were all topics the caused an uproar from customers who had pledged support of the NON AKA Sanctioned Event Concept.
So the 8 KA Sanctioned Events and the NON AKA Sanctioned events was the 2018 Plan for the MKC.
NEXT STEPS
The MKC President Contacted the KQ president by phone to discuss the MKC’s intent to run some Yamaha Class featured events in 2018 to fill the KQ depleted 2018 race calendar. In the same discussion the timing system purchase.
The MKC President then e-mailed the KQ president, 8 Feb, a summary of the conversation.
The KQ President replied to the mail the same day basically talking about the reasoning for the shortened race calendar. There were no words around the pressing issues that were the Timing System Purchase and the Non AKA meetings.
The MKC president tried several times to secure the timing system in the following weeks. In the later stages to the point where the MKC President requested an Invoice several times at the Cost, $8700.00 that MKC felt included the TAX for not towing the line.
There was no further written correspondence from the KQ leading up to the MKC’s February race meeting.
Just prior to the MKC’s January Race meeting Mackay Kart Club made arrangements, as asked by KQ, to return the MKC’s current Timing System to KQ. It was sent as it was communicated the system had some trade in value. At this point KQ held all the aces in the timing system debacle. We formally request the system be returned to the MKC or the preferably the Invoice for the new Timing System sent to MKC and the system freighted to MKC with due diligence.
The MKC had to borrow a system and spend money on a timing system expert to run the KA meeting in February. The meeting had 27 Local Competitors and 5 Visitors.
On Sunday 18 February the MKC Secretary received a Quotation from the KQ Secretary for the timing system. The dollar value was $8.700.00. The quote was made out to Karting Australia from My Laps Timing. The quote included banking details for MY Laps Timing.
The MKC President again requested an invoice that was made out Mackay Kart Club to date this has not been received.
Thursday 22 February MKC received correspondence direct from the KQ Secretary on a KQ letter head indicating that MKC’s KQ/KA affiliation may/would be terminated if the MKC did not cancel the planned MKC March 10 NON AKA event. The KQ Secretary circulated the Breach Notice to the world as the first correspondence on the matter since February 8 despite multiple attempts to reiterate to KQ that the MKC’s commitment to KA and to non KA events had the best interests of Karting at the forefront of the decision making process.
The letter has been received by MKC as a blackmail bullying tactic by KQ to bring MKC into line with KQ’s failing protocols.
MKC have asked what rule in what constitution or what rule in the current KA rule book MKC will breach by being fully committed to the allocated KQ events for 2018 and running NON AKA sanctioned events under a MKC insurance policy in 2018. As yet no reponse has been received.
Contained in the same Breach Letter MKC is advised that there are 2 clubs asking questions as to why MKC should not be stripped of the State Cup Event. To those clubs we sincerely hope that the information you based your decision on was misleading and formally request the show cause be withdrawn.
MKC is in the final stages of the arrangements for this event. The event will have already been tarnished by the rumours and individuals opinions and MKC can not afford any more delays in the posting of sub regs and arrangements.
MKC General Meeting 22 February
MKC members have asked – What can we do to keep KQ happy and still run the Yamaha Events. Suggestions have been made to have a
Company - Hire the Track
A Non Affiliated Kart Club Hire The Track.
The MKC President will prepare a proposal to the KQ President by the EOB 26 Feb. MKC will do what is necessary to deliver a positive outcome for the 2018 season.
Summary
MKC do not believe that any Constitutional Rules, Affiliation requirements or KA rules have been breached
MKC have always intended to fully comply with the sanctioned KA race meeting and have communicated the same to KQ and will defend the State Cup Event for Mackay vigorously.
MKC have agreed to pay the original cost of the timing system outright despite push back from members to pay more than the written quote from the KA CEO. To date still no update form the request for an invoice.
MKC, as owners of the Karting Precinct in Mackay, will make decisions that ensure the property owners financial stability and as bi-product the continued support of the Karting Industry as a whole.
MKC considers the claims that the best interests of Karting are not being considered when making these decisions as a ridiculous statement. Planning to continue to allow participation levels to drop, reduced events and stalling financial situations does not have the best interest of Karting in mind.
In Conclusion:
Have attached a cash flow/budget spread sheet. Is basic but did assist MKC work out what the real effect
of:
Nomination rate increase/decrease
Increasing and decreasing the number of events
Participation numbers required to cover costs
Club membership rate increase/decrease
Planned maintenance and improvement cost impacts
If it is of use to your club great. If you have a better one can MKC please use it. Regards,
Bevan Garioch
Mackay Kart Club President.
Comments12
Well done Brett.
Nevlle it was the MKY committee & members that has stuck to there guns and played the political game that really should have never happened. All the club members wanted to do was to race go-karts on a track THAT THEY OWN OUTRIGHT & promote the sport of grass roots karting
. Neville Scullion said:
Well done Brett.
Awesome job mkc great to see you guys stick up for your rights . its something ka has forgotten that clubs own their track and need to use it . I hope this makes more club stand up and be counted . the mkc members need to be congratulated on a great effort . I only raced there in the Queensland championship in the 90's and loved it . Hopefully this will now see a great club survive .
Well done to MKC for sticking to your guns. Mackay is a great track and a great bunch of people in there management group. We had the privilege to race at Mackay numerous years ago and would love to return one day but the only way that will happen if some of these Yamaha type meetings take place. It needs to happen so some of the smaller clubs can survive. Keep the fight up MKC.
Karting Queensland do not have the brains to prepare a breach notice, it would have been done by Karting Australia. Irrespective I have had enough of this puppet organisation known as KQ NOT acting in the best interests of the karters in the State of Qld. These people are comprised of CLUB DELEGATES so why the unacceptable oppression of the interests of karters. Do you really want the smaller Clubs to fold because their income streams are restricted & they can't use their own assets to help their members? Again I say to Karting Queensland start representing the karters that put you there rather than kowtowing to KA on everything. If this is beyond you then you are not doing your job, so resign & let someone with some guts do the job!
Great to see your club stick it into KQ. I agree with all other comments. Well done.
I have one question, well a couple really.
Did MKC sign that form last year that, among other things, effectively handed control of their facility, which they own, to KA?
If so, was this done before, after, or instead of seeking legal advice before doing so?
It seems that too many clubs signed that form without understanding the full implications of doing so. And having signed that form, and giving the undertaking of the provisions therein, may well now provide grounds for a breach, one way or another.
the club did not sign that form Terry as the letter states we have being trying to pay for the timing system outright so the club is in total control of its premises and not the KA Terry Sheedy said:
I have one question, well a couple really.
Did MKC sign that form last year that, among other things, effectively handed control of their facility, which they own, to KA?
If so, was this done before, after, or instead of seeking legal advice before doing so?
It seems that too many clubs signed that form without understanding the full implications of doing so. And having signed that form, and giving the undertaking of the provisions therein, may well now provide grounds for a breach, one way or another.
I now have a further question or two.
If Mackay did not sign that form, then what was Toowoomba's crime?
How many other clubs did not sign the form?
TWO that I know of it would be better if you just ask all your questions rather than one Terry Sheedy said:
I now have a further question or two.
If Mackay did not sign that form, then what was Toowoomba's crime?
How many other clubs did not sign the form?
terry I do not know that answer you will not have to ask ppl that do, hell I'm on Toowoomba's side as well, maybe & I don't know maybe TWB decided to go alone they seem to be making more progress in updating the clubs grounds then most clubs in Australia. So the question is WHY brett ellwood said:
TWO that I know of it would be better if you just ask all your questions rather than one Terry Sheedy said:
I now have a further question or two.
If Mackay did not sign that form, then what was Toowoomba's crime?
How many other clubs did not sign the form?
What the hell !!
Is this where we have got to ???? A club has to demand the right to do what they have to in order to survive ??
In the old days you could do whatever you liked providing you showed an insurance cover that protected the insurance liability provided to the track through the AKA. ( at Monarto we had pocket bikes racing and also Honda rider training and Pedal Prix)
When are people and particularly KA going to wake up to the fact that most clubs own their tracks and have chosen to run under the banner of AKA and now KA for the benefit of their members and general competition.
When are the clubs going to wake up to the fact that they hold all the cards !! THE FACILITY
Stupid rules and regulations have decimated numbers all over Australia. The smallest club out there has the same rights as the largest and in fact in the "old days" we actively supported the little guy to help them survive. In turn their members would also travel to the larger clubs in support and the comp.
KA have openly stated the small clubs need to go ..... WHY
Good on Toowoomba and Mackay for standing up and challenging.
How many small business owners out there would put up with this sort of treatment from the "big boys" so why do the clubs put up with it. I am sure there are intelligent and competent people running most clubs ... WHY are you just bending over and taking it ??
The first ripple in the pond !!!
WELL DONE MACKAY KART CLUB
Kudos to Toowooba