This article appeared in National Kart News in the winter of 2001
He worked on his kart every chance he could that week, not unlike many weeks before. He pressure checked his engine, set and rechecked the front wheel alignment, torqued every nut and bolt and carefully calculated just the right gear, tire compound pressure and size. No detail was left unchecked. He was ready and couldn't wait to get to the track. When he got there, none of the guys in his class were there. No worry, he knew he was early. As trailers and pick-ups rolled into the pits, he noticed that he was the only open two-stroke guy there! Sure, he could get a refund, or tag onto another division and run for the fun of it, but what fun is that? Later, he found that two of his regular competitors went to another track that day. Three others wound up at still another track and four more raced the night before. Five other guys later reported that they stayed home because they didn't expect anyone else to show up anyway. Does this sound familiar? What if all of these guys were to communicate with each other and all agree to show up at the same track at the same time. They would have a pretty nice field of karts, wouldn't they? What if someone took the initiative to draw up a schedule and distribute it to these guys. That would't be too tough.
A little over a decade ago it was recognized that there was a decline in participation in the open 2-cycle classed in the area around Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Northern West Virginia. The vast majority of the tracks in that region are dirt ovals and the big two-strokes were indeed the premiere division. Superior performance does not come without cost and that division was the most expensive to run, at that time. In general, the kart promoters, clubs and sanctioning bodies rewarded the winners the same, regardless of the class. Tracks that paid a purse usually payed back a percentage of the entry fees. If the class was small in numbers, so was the payoff. This did not entice drivers to move up through the ranks. The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club/B.R.E. Small Engines - Unlimited All-Stars was conceived to address those issues and more. The idea that you are about to read about is not speculation of what might work, rather it is a concept that has worked for eleven seasons and keeps being developed into something even better. The circuit has withstood the test of time and is a concept that can be applied in almost any region. In fact, at least one other region of the country will hold an Unlimited All-Stars circuit in their area in 2001 and there may be more.
In big car racing, ie., sprint cars, late models, modifieds, street stocks, e-mods and etc., there is a definate difference in costs and performance. Special shows are often held exclusively for a single division and guaranteed payoffs are advertised to draw the desired entrants. Promoters also advertise these events to the general public and as a result crowds of paying spectators attend these events making it possible to pay a good purse and still make a profit. Unlike their big car counterparts, kart drivers are often not offered an incentive to move out of the stock classes into the faster divisions. Stock classes have become loaded with seasoned experts. New drivers are often frustrated during their first few seasons because they must compete with veterans who remain in the stock classes. As a result, a lot of new racers give up. This slows the growth of the stock classes. It also hurts the open classes. There needs to be an incentive for drivers to move into the faster classes.
Perhaps the biggest reason that karting events do not draw large crowds of spectators is that there are too many classes and the events are not run as a show geared to their entertainment. This is not necessarily bad, in fact, it has preserved karting as a family oriented, grass roots, sport and this is good. I'm sure that this is the result of an effort made by many clubs and promoters to accomodate as many participants as possible. Certainly this is a noble cause, and has it's place for most karting enthusiasts, except, perhaps, the expert or professional, especially at the local or regional level. It did not need to remain that way, and in my region of the country it hasn't. Certainly one class should be promoted and showcased as a professional division that could be the focal point of special shows geared toward ticket buying spectators. In Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, that division is the Unlimited All-Stars.
There is another fact to be considered. There is a whole lot of good, used, two-cycle equipment, especially engines, available at exceptionally low prices. All of the swap meets that I have attended in the past few years have lead me to this realization. What an opportunity, especially for the stock four cycle racer who wants to go faster. He has a great handling kart and is thinking of sinking lots of money into a a four cycle open to satisfy that urge to go faster. $1,200 is not an uncommon price for a top notch "stock" Briggs engines let alone an open. A new 125cc Parilla reed (Sudam) engine is not much more that that and there is no comparison in performance. Am I suggesting that the four-cycle classes are no good? Not at all! But there is a cost effective alternative for the racer who is ready to go faster; all of those cheap, used, very powerful but almost infinately rebuildable, two cycle engines. Just check out your local swap meet.
There were a number of reasons that could be presented for the decline in the unlimited two-stroke class over a decade ago. Perhaps it is fitting to explore them in greater detail here. At that time, the Briggs & Stratton classes were booming in popularity, as they still are, largely due to lower cost of entry and maybe because many new karters feel that they understand the four-stroke a little more. Many racers who ran the open two-cycle classes retired from the sport stashing their equipment in the corner of their garage or basement. Almost all of the new racers coming into the sport were going to the Briggs classes. At that time, it was difficult to keep a clutch alive on the 135cc plus monsters. A clutch tuning error was very expensive as was lack of or improper maintenance. Those old engine clutches were maintenance intensive meaning it took work, time and money to stay competitive. And who is kidding who, although the cost of a competitive Briggs is getting higher. a new unlimited two-stroke still costs a little more.
If all of the above and probably other factors are true, why is it that the Unlimited All-Stars circuit is enjoying steady growth and success? There are just as many reasons. Racers tent to have the need for speed. Sure many claim it's the competition, irregardless of the velocity, that keeps the racers coming back for more. There is truth to that but there is still a large number of racers out there who thirst for the challenge that higher speed brings. It is an accepted fact in racing that speed costs. As many four cycle racers got the itch to go faster, they started souping up their four strokers. Unfortunately, to get maximum performance out of a tiller engine, almost every part gets replaced with a much more costly one, not to mention the machine work that needs to be done to make the pieces fit into a block that was not meant for the kind of stress to which it was to be subjected. At the present time, it is often cheaper to buy a used 135cc rotary valve two stroke and rebuild it than it is to build a full blown open four stroke. Perhaps this is't true everywhere, but it sure is in my neck of the woods. In addition, the two-stroke will be, in the majority of cases, faster.
Technical developments have eliminated a two-stroke nightmare of the past. The sprint axle clutch is one of these solutions. SMC, Horstman, and Burco, have all made their contribution to taking much of the work out of racing an unlimited two stroke engine. These units are about as bullet proof as a piece of karting equipment can get. Although their initial price is quite high, they will always save the karter who purchases one big bucks and many hours in the long haul.
There is another technical trend developing in the open two-cycle ranks. Many are now driving from the engine to a jackshaft or countershaft and then installing a four cycle engine clutch on the output side of the jackshaft. These units are working well and in many instances replacing axle clutches.
The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club / BRE Small Engines - Unlimited All-Stars, is a single division or class that accomodates a variety of engine types. It is intended for experienced drivers. All of the races are held on dirt oval tracks and the season championship is determined by a series of at least ten races on at least five different tracks. Variety of racing conditions is important to make the circuit interesting to seasoned veterans who may have spent several years honing their skills racing on a local track and have become bored, prio to racing with the Unlimited All-Stars.
The Unlimited All-Stars is an additional class added to the regular weekly program of the tracks on the schedule. These tracks offer little practice time other than on race day so drivers must be good at quickly sizing up a track and calculating a set-up. This policy tips the scales toward the racer who may not have the resources of time and money that days of testing costs. Also, most of the racers who currently race in the circuit have an average drive time of two hours.
Engine rules encourage variety in the choice of powerplants as well as ingenuity and technical development. The following is an excerpt from the 2000 Unlimited All-Stars rule book:
"4. Engines
A. Any two stroke cycle engine(s) totaling 170cc and under, no limit to modifications or,
B. Any four stroke cycle engine 270cc and under, no limit to modifications or,
C. Tecumseh Star Class engines.
5. Minimum weights
A. rotary or reed valve engines, 230 lbs plus one pound for each cc or fraction of a
cc.
B. flat head four stroke cycle engines including stock appearing Star engines ( least
restrictive of IKF or WKA rules) 190 lbs plus one pound for every 3 cc or fraction of
a cc.
C. piston port, McCulloch or US820 (West Bend) engines, 200 lbs plus one pound
for every cc or fraction of a cc.
D. open star engines, 230 pounds plus one pound for every 3cc or fraction of a cc.
E. super charged four stroke cycle engines, 245 lbs plus one pound for every 3cc or
fraction of a cc.
F. Overhead valve four-stroke cycle engine, 245 lbs plus one pound for every 2 cc or fraction of a cc.
H. supercharged two-stroke cycle engine, 245 lbs plus one pound per cc or fraction
of a cc.
I. Always round up to the nearest whole cc when figuring weight.
6. Competitors must declare their weight and display it next to their front number so that the scale person can easily see it.
7. The bore will be measured with dial calipers and the stroke with a two or three inch travel dial indicator. The following formula will be used to figure displacement;
BORE X BORE X STROKE X .7854 X 16.39 = CC OF ENGINE"
The rules work to make good, even, competition on dirt tracks. The proof is in the variety of engine types that have won races. Everything from stock appearing Briggs Engines, stock appearing Yamahas. Tecumseh Stars, 100cc, 125cc and 135cc reed and rotary to 150cc+ open engines have all taken Unlimited All-Star checkered flags. The key elements to the parity of the circuit are; all of the races are held on dirt tracks, races are rarely held at the same track two shows in a row. The sizes of the tracks vary from 1/10 mile to 1/4 mile. When more than one race is scheduled at a track in a racing season, they are scheduled for different seasons of theyear, ie., one is held when conditions are cool and damp, another when it is hot and dry. Practice time is limited.
Dirt is somewhat of an equalizer. Higher horsepower is often lost in spinning tires. Heavier karts have more momentum and tend to slide more on short tight turns. Lighter karts with lower horsepower are often easier to get hooked up. The engine vs. weight rules take advantage of these ideas. Competition on shorter tracks is very tight and lower power engine karts do well there, while raw horsepower is more important on bigger tracks.
Some drivers follow the entire circuit competing for season championship points while others are local track regulars who want to test their skill against the challenge posed by the "All-Stars". Local racers have an advantage when the Unlimited All-Stars visit their home track. they know what it takes to hook up there and on a lot of occasions the home track hot shots win out over the traveling racers, especially on new tracks to the series.
One of the advantages of the Unlimited all-Stars is the uncomplicated engine tech. that is necessary to keep everyone honest. In most cases, all that is necessary is to pull the winner's cylinder head,. measure the bore and stroke and calculate the engine displacement. The engine size is then compared to the weight that the driver declared and displayed next to his front number. Quick and easy. Cheating is difficult and uncommon as racers are allowed and encouraged to be creative in their methods of making horsepower.
The Unlimited All-Stars has probably helped some racers stay in the sprort longer. Some of the competitors in the series had become dominant in their division at their local track. This was fun, at first, but became boring for some, after time. The Unlimited All-Stars offered them a new challenge. It also allowed the guys finishing second and third a new opportunity to be top dog when the hot shot moved on. With a 100% payback policy (excluding pit pass cost) and the addition of sponsor money, the Unlimited All-Stars offers greater rewards to successful drivers than local tracks usually do and they still do not have to travel very far. This provides a magnet to entice the more experienced drivers to follow the circuit and give the new guys at the local tracks a better shot at success. For this reason and probably others, the two-cycle classes at some tracks in the region have begun to flourish as well. Since they visit a track no more that three times per season, and in most cases draw a good crowd of fans and bring a good sized group of pit pass buying crew members along, promoters don't mind not making as much profit on driver entry fees.
In 1993 the Unlimited All-Stars became affiliated with the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club (PCTC) an organization that recognized and unites sprint car, late model, street stock, micro-sprint, modified, kart, the Unlimited All-Star drivers and others. The PCTC respects karters as full fledged race drivers and not "wanna be" racers. This association was a boost for karting in the western Pennsylvania area. The club offers the All-Stars a newsletter, swap meets, free admission to selected stock car and sprint car races and one of the classiest banquets in motorsports. Unlimited All-Star drivers often receive their end of season trophies between the introductin of the late model and sprint car drivers at a "coat and tie required" affair.
In a big way, the success of the Unlimited All-Stars must attributed to it's sponsors. It would not be possible to recall all of those who have helped out over the years but a list of the 2000 season sponsors would be appropriate at this time. They were; Barris Supply/Cub Cadet, B.R.E. Small Engines (Bergfelt Racing Enterprises), The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club, Precision Auto Care Inc, Preston America, Inc, and Greg Read Industries.
Ed Hudock was the fisrt ever Unlimited All-Stars champion in 1990. He temorarily retired from karting until 2005. He pulled the very same kart out of storage to come back and continue to be a front runner.
There were thirteen races on the 2000 schedule. Scott Deasey won the season opener at Good Hope Speedway in eastern Ohio. Paul Kish won three of the next five. Rain washed out the other two. Kish's wins were at Pine Hill Speedway, and two at Race 1 Motorotor Speedway. The rain-outs were at Naugle Speedway and Kartrack. All of those tracks are in Pennsylvania. Randy Adair broke Kish's winning streak taking the checkers at Naugle's. Kish won again at Pine Hill in August. Rich Landgraf, the defending champion picked up a win at Slippery Rock Raceway, PA and then another one at Karttrack. The september race at Slippery rock was taken by Kish. The September race at Pine Hill was washed out. The final race of the season at Naugle Speedway, sponsored by Preston America, Inc. was captured by Joe/Ed Mudrick. The 2000 champion is Paul Kish of Poland, Ohio. He joins an elite group of racers who can boast of being an Unlimited All-Stars Champion. The others were; Ed Hudock 1990 (who moved into micro sprints but has rejointed the Unlimited All-Stars in 2000), Rusty Sampsel 1991 (retired driver, for now), Mark Bergfelt 1992 (the only driver to have raced in every season of the circuit), Neal Brown 1993(moved on to NASCAR sanctioned late models), Terry Matthews 1994 (moved into sprint cars), Jeff Metsger 1995, 96 and 97 (now racing e-mods), and Rich Landgraf 1998 and 99.
The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club / B.R.E. Small Engines Unlimited All-Stars has been a solution for one region. It could just as easily be a similar solution for others as well. In fact, the Southern Unlimited All-Stars has been formed and will start racing around the Talledaga, Alabama area in 2001. Plans are being made to have the north meet the south in a two race national championship series in the fall of 2001. Can other regions get involved? Sure, all it takes is for someone to take charge, do the leg work and make it happen. On thing is for sure, racers who spend their time getting ready for an Unlimited All-Stars race know that they are not wasting time. There will be someone to race and they will all be fast. They know that they must be ready for some great competition. Are you?
Mark Bergfelt was the Unlimited All-Stars Champion in 2001 and 2002. He and Jeff metsger are the only drivers to have won three Unlimited All-Stars championships.
The Talledaga series never materialized but at the same time, Terry hall began putting together the Florida Unlimited All-Stars. In the fall of 2001, the concept was tested in Florida. 2002 was the first full Unlimited All-Stars season in the Sunshine State.
The Pennsylvania Champion in 2003 was Mike Clark. The Florida Champion in 2003 was Chris Harrell.
The Pennsylvania Champion in 2004 was Jeff Metsger, an un-precedented four championships . The Florida Champion was _________
Two additional regions came on board in 2004. Chris Seay organized the Tri-State Unlimited All-Stars for the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia area. Joe Torres put together the Arizona Unlimited All-Stars. The 2004 Champion of the Tri-Stare Region was_____________ and the Arizona Champion was ____________.
Additional regions were added for the 2005 season. They are; the Applachian, covering the states of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, administrated by Mike Clemons, the Lousiana Unlimited All-Stars, administrated by Jim "Jimbo" Adams, and the Mid-Western Unlimited All-Stars, covering Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, administrated by Shawn Hutchison.
For 2005, the rules were revised to serve a national audience and a simple system for governance was created to maintain the integrety of the class
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