KKSR 2007 Wrap-Up

The 2007 Klamath Kinetic Challenge took place June 23. It was again a roaring success. The weather was perfect, sunny, summer, but not too hot. If you again missed this fantastic combination of art and engineering you must mend your ways. I'm sure you've heard elsewhere how fun the event was, everyone has been talking.

In 2007 seventeen vehicles participated, a good increase from 2006. Six from the Klamath Basin. Hats off to the builders of these amazing machines.

A carnival atmosphere accompanied the check in Saturday morning. The vehicles were herded to the qualification and judging line by the qualified officials. Lining these vehicles up, not to mention with pilots, is like herding cats. The officials did a great job maintaining some order. Vehicles proceeded past the engineering judges, the art judges and on to the brake test. The engineers held up progress by asking way too many questions. It is rumored they were checking each sculptures theoretical calculations in some detail, possibly preparing to build one next year? The brake (break) test was at times exciting. Most sculptures successfully stopped on the dime, but some needed ten or fifteen dollars.

Once this was complete everyone lined up for a La Mans start. Promptly at 10:18AM the race was underway, right on time. A wild race ensued down Klamath Ave. for pole position. A Parade ensued down main street and the official start was witnessed as they again passed Veterans Park. What a sight.

Slow progress up Killer KAGO Hill and on to the Gravel Boulevard to Moore Park. The course followed a tour though upper Moore Park with several beautiful views of Upper Klamath Lake. Very impressive. Finally the tired pilots arrived at the picnic area of Moore Park for lunch.

As in past years the sand pit was in Moore Park. Again it looked to be inconsequential, no problem at all. But that hump in the middle caused several vehicles problems. And the crowd went wild, again and again. Never a dull moment as the vehicles lined up for their try.

The vehicles had a police escort along Lakeshore Drive to Link River Trail. The vehicles, with pilots, didn't seem much more organized under police supervision than earlier without. Most made it onto Link River Trail, although a few mechanical challenges saw some late out of Moore Park. A good race coming down Link River Trail and coming out at Riverside Dr. Then on past Travel Klamath to the Mud Pit.

The Mud Pit was moved from Moore Park to its new location this year. It was devastating.

It was wet lake bottom muck. The organizers went way over board. In their defense it is a new location without a track record. They had no prior experience to go on and they erred on the side of impossible. Well, nearly impossible. El Tomato was the only vehicle to get through the dreaded Mud Pit. Bob Durst, piloting El Tomato, cruised through seeming to float over the mud. Everyone else sunk 8", 10", a foot or more. Not at all pretty. The names of the excavators are being kept secret, this after hearing the "prize" several pilots had in mind for them/him. Talking to one of them Hugh said "it'll be better next year, I promise. We'll probably move it a couple of hundred feet south to a better location and go a lot easier with the backhoe." We hope he's right.

The water event on Lake Ewauna was exciting as it always is. Big splashes and wet pilots. Some even went through the fountains. It seemed this would be like a light rain, but no, it soaks you in seconds. Deep Blue nearly went Deep Six riding lower and lower in the water. The Sheriff's Marine Patrol was right with them all the way but they made it without assistance. Excellent effort.

The after race festivities this year merged a Ross Ragland summer concert with Kinetic Challenge awards. Good music and great beer. Check out the 2007 awards. The racers dinner was again excellent thanks to Blue Palm's effort.

The Racers again closed down the beer/wine tent talking of adventures past, recently past and yet to be.

There will be a race in 2008. After this success how could there not be. We even caught the head organizer Denise receiving a secret report from Peggy, one of her most trusted generals in the picture below. I can't wait to see what they're planning for next year.