Licensing Benifits

Overview

As we’ve been building the NKA over the years, there hasn’t been a shortage of challenges that we’ve been forced to accept as a sport.  Changing economic conditions, weather, money racing, changing engine platforms, the internet, and the impact of social media are just a few.  

There is one challenge that has reached a tipping point where if we don’t, as a sport, deal with it will cause more long-term damage than the items listed above combined; the lack of respect that exists at almost all events today. 

Drivers show each other little respect.  Teams show each other little respect.  Families show each other little respect.  And the lack of respect towards officials is probably the worst we’ve ever seen it.  It’s forcing tracks and series to shut down.  It’s causing good officials to leave the sport. It’s causing racers to leave our sport.  It’s causing real and actual damage today.

It’s time to make it fun again.  It’s not going to fix itself.  Together we can change the direction to unite NKA tracks and series.

In addition to the other critical items that are part of our license program that are outlined below, what is needed is accountability.  This is what makes the NKA Competition License unique and karting fun. 

Our license will accomplish three things:

1. Drivers and crew will be held accountable for their behavior on and off the track in the tech barn, through our Competition License Points System.
2. We will be able to better assist you in regulating the types of classes and/or series people can compete in, through development of different license levels that will roll out in 2019.
3. Benefits not just the sport, but has benefits for your drivers as well.  By using targeted marketing, contests, and incentives to NKA licensed drivers we’re able to drive racers to choose your events over competing events.

If more respect, less cheating, more drivers, better programs, increased unity, and bringing the fun back to our sport sound good to you, then we ask you to join us in our mission.  

Need more incentive?  The NKA is also offering a $500 credit for those of you that are ready to take the next step.

Competition License Points System

This system works very much like your state drivers license.  You start with zero points and as you get tickets or moving violations, you get points on your license.  The goal is not to regulate ‘one-off’ behavior like one speeding ticket, but to crack down on repeat offenders.

Our license points system will work in a similar way.  When a driver/crew exhibits poor choices or behavior, such as verbally attacking an official, intentionally causing a yellow, ignoring instructions, you will report that incident to the NKA.  We will then apply the points to the driver and track those points for the year. 

This holds them accountable for their behavior not just at your event, but at all NKA events, social media, banquets, etc. with consequences for bad behavior.  When a driver has accumulated 15 points in total, which can come from ANY NKA event across the country, they are suspended for a minimum of 6 months.

The NKA currently has three levels of penalties:

1. Level 1: Minor technical or on-track infractions, or careless behavior.
2. Level 2: Intermediate technical or on-track infractions, or imprudent behavior with intent.
3. Level 3: Severe and intentional technical or on-track infractions, or dangerous behavior without regard for safety.

Each level will carry a point total for the infractions.

1. Level 1:  2 Points
2. Level 2:  5 points
3. Level 3: 10 Points

Licensing Levels

While this may not be the case for every track or series in the NKA, there is certainly a need for the ability to restrict a driver from competing in certain classes.  Today there is an issue with many drivers staying at lower levels for too long, which is a new situation.  There are also drivers that should be running at higher level classes that choose to drop down often.  And yes, there are still drivers that want to progress sooner than they are ready.  Licensing levels will address these issues.  

In addition, we’re developing a Driver Ranking System, which will debut in 2019. While we don’t want to let the cat totally out of the bag, this system will use rankings as drivers compete against each other to track not just how they are related to who they are racing, but to also rank them against NKA racers across the country.  It’s really amazing, and it will really make an impact!

Building Engagement

One of the issues that many of you have is being able to not just communicate with your customers, but to do it consistently and in the right way.  Don’t fret, this is one of the main issues that businesses of all kinds have, not just a kart track.

We’ll be using the data provided from our licensing to develop the following programs that incentivize drivers to choose to race with NKA facilities more often, or to leave other opportunities to focus only on NKA tracks.  

• Targeted marketing uses the information we gather from each driver and delivers specific information to them about NKA events, updates, or other important information that increases their engagement.
• Contests?  Yep, we have them.  We’ll be rolling a number of contests for our license holder throughout the 2018 season.