Bob Barnard Track Engineering

I spent the last couple of days watching the Rotax US Grand National kart racing from the Gopro Motorplex at Mooresville on the Kart Racing Network. This is an online live streaming site that was a refreshing change from the networks. No one would call it slick, but it gave us great non-interrupted coverage, with a commentator who was just like Murray Walker. Human, and making mistakes, but not glib and manufacturing excitement like Varsha and Diffey. He did not have to, the racing spoke for itself.

I have not watched kart racing at this level, except for odd clips of Senna, and I am so impressed at the standard of driving, even at the youngest class. Here were two 7,8, or 9 year olds racing clean, leaving each other room, and strategising where to overtake. How good are they going to be by the time they are late teens? Each class produced great racing, reminded me of the hey days of MotoGP with four or five drivers dicing it out.

The track was perfect, and not just because I built it, but because the owners, especially Justin Marks uniquely had the vision, had the funds, wanted to do it right, and listened to advice. If only other track owners learned from this. The commentator Ken who was English and had travelled to many tracks around the world, said he believed this to be the best he'd seen. Well done Justin, Michael and Eric.

I will certainly be watching the Rotax World Finals at NOLA later this year.