Why has region 4 lost its appeal with Stock Mod & Pro drivers

[HRTV]

I was wondering why Stock, Mod and Pro drivers from all over the country no longer find the racing in region 4 worthy of making a trip to what was once one of the hot beds in the country for Stock Outboard racing.

I would really like to hear some honest constructive opinions on why racing in region 4 no longer brings in the crowds and lines of trailer like it did back in the day while other regions seem to keep the drivers coming back year after year.

Development around the areas where the races were once held? yes I guess that's true in some cases but that doesn't seem to be stopping the inboard crowds that have also been coming here since the 50's and they still race on some of the same courses and still attract drivers from all over the country.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Top Gun 3-Z]

Could B there is no more Camdan NC .****

[MGallagher]

Well, just on the point of the inboards still being able to do it, I would say those boats can run just about anywhere compared to what we(at least the majority) in our lil' boats can run in. If changes were made to boat design and weights and such to restrict the speeds a little and give a little more sense of control in really snotty water it would be easier to host events in much more appealing locations. On the contrary, we have great conditions in between two large towns in Lambertville on the Delaware and can not seem to pull a significant crowd the past five or so years there.

There are a lot of factors going on right now, with a lot of racers I am sure that will contribute to low turn outs this year. That is half the reason I would recommend running a small amount of great races than a larger amount of good races. Also, I would drop the High Points to 12 total races including divisional and the Nationals.

Pay attention to the first paragraph, the second one is a thread hijack.

[HRTV]

Well, just on the point of the inboards still being able to do it, I would say those boats can run just about anywhere compared to what we(at least the majority) in our lil' boats can run in. If changes were made to boat design and weights and such to restrict the speeds a little and give a little more sense of control in really snotty water it would be easier to host events in much more appealing locations. On the contrary, we have great conditions in between two large towns in Lambertville on the Delaware and can not seem to pull a significant crowd the past five or so years there.

There are a lot of factors going on right now, with a lot of racers I am sure that will contribute to low turn outs this year. That is half the reason I would recommend running a small amount of great races than a larger amount of good races. Also, I would drop the High Points to 12 total races including divisional and the Nationals.

Pay attention to the first paragraph, the second one is a thread hijack.

Hey Matt,

Thanks for the reply, I understand that numbers are down all across the country and have probably been that way for a few years now but I still would really like to hear what has kept many drivers away from region 4 even during the good times when the economy was strong.

I know that there have been many families that have put countless hours of back breaking work into making this region shine and the first one that comes to mind is the Augustine family and of course Janet Stoy the Herald family AKA North South Racing and the names go on and on.

Still I would like to know what has cause the region to slowly fade away into the sunset?

[MGallagher]

I was a supporter of Camden, Sharptown, and of course Denton all of which are within the 8 hour circle that I use to determine whether I will attend a race or not. Anything outside that 8 hour circle takes a lot for me to go.

I think it was the loss of those races the had a bit of an effect.

[sam]

Region 4 has taken a pretty hard hit with the loss of those 3 sites as consistent races, but the overall general decrease in the US standard of living over the past 2 or 3 decades is probably one of the real answers.

The statistical lump going thru the snake (the enormous baby boom population) is probably another huge factor. We aren't as young and healthy as we once were.

There are other factors like the general Greenie propaganda that everything to do with motors and carbon consumption/release is evil, that cuts down on newbies coming in, and the NIMBYs that keep us out of new sites etc.


Dan, why is OPC completely gone from Region 4?

[pops67g]

Think you got it bad?

Here in region 8 (Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes!) we have a grand total of 3 active drivers in stock and mod and the other two guys don't race stock. There are a few pro drivers (3 or 4?). We haven't worried for a long time about how many are going to show up at one of our races because we haven't put one on in years. We wanna race we drive to Illinois 4 or 5 times a year at 9 to 12 hours each way.

[sam]

Didn't Region 5 have race weekend after race weekend thru the late winter and early spring?

Its not just Region 4

[HRTV]

Region 4 has taken a pretty hard hit with the loss of those 3 sites as consistent races, but the overall general decrease in the US standard of living over the past 2 or 3 decades is probably one of the real answers.

The statistical lump going thru the snake (the enormous baby boom population) is probably another huge factor. We aren't as young and healthy as we once were.

There are other factors like the general Greenie propaganda that everything to do with motors and carbon consumption/release is evil, that cuts down on newbies coming in, and the NIMBYs that keep us out of new sites etc.


Dan, why is OPC completely gone from Region 4?

Sam

OPC which was also a very hot category here in region 4 left for several reasons many of which are the very same reasons that outboard boat racing has disappeared from many areas across the country.

Here are a few reason why OPC left region 4 and many other regions.

* Implementation of the mandatory capsule rule in all OPC classes
* Economics
* Lack of participation
* Development
* Lack of sponsors
* Poor marketing efforts made by the sacantioning body
* Lack of community involvement
* Political Red tape with the local authorities over the park fees etc.
* Cost of emergency personnel
* Cost of trained certified divers * fallout from the mandatory capsule rule
* Insurance fees
* No non capsule classes

If you want to kill a catergory that is already knocking on deaths door just make every class a mandatory capsule class thats what happen to OPC here in region 4 and all across the country.

[jtower3941]

Boat racing region 1,2, 3, 4

Each region has good races. My suggestion is to have region reps meet in winter and set up race schedules that will attract racers. Using the more popular sites.
A race schedule that allows a driving range of 4 to 5hrs max. and stay with the successful races next year. Pick sites that can attract sponcers.
Example Lock Haven, very successful, good number of boats.
Lower the entry fee for those that have to travel the 4 to 5 hrs. Increase the entry fee for others to off set. Moving to each region to balance entry fees.
Have a special event on Sat or Sun that you can use as a attract spectators. By returning to race site each year spectators will return to see event. You know having local driver jump 10 boats LOL. Sponcers will be attracted to event because of local interest by spectators.

For years we have raced for ourselves. Who cares if we have spectators. I know my race in White Haven is for the racers and not spectators. This is why we can't get the bucks that seem to flow with other boating events. Had two potential sponcers ask "What do we get out of our bucks" did not have a good answer for them 7 hours of racing with 2000 classes which we have trouble with 750cc B-mod C-Stock hydro runabout, whats that??

By joining the clubs within the regions we bring the best of each region. Each club will have to participate in organization of regions and play nice in the sand box. Put the best effort into the divisional schedule.

Good name, Divisional race schedule or something catchey to use when talking to a potential sponcer.

Just Thinking.

[Kev43V]

J tower good thoughts
While I have no idea of how much you pay for entrys in your region. I am not sure lower fees will increase turn out from those drivers that are 6-12 hours from a race site. I do not think it is the cost of entrys that are keeping them away. I think it is the logistics of getting the time off of work to attend the race in the first place.
I feel the best course of action may be to seriously try to recruit NEW racers from the population base from within the region. I do not feel fewer but bigger races will help accomplish that.
but with that said I also understand that the situations are not exactly the same from region to region.
would things like waived fees for first year club memberships,reduced entry fees to new members. a solid loaner program (boats and motors) for use at a race site to new members. In conjunction with a program to actually publicize these incentives to join. Wouldn't things like this do more to help the long term viability of races in a region?

[Skoontz]

New driver attraction

It seems to me, that reinventing the first class of attraction needs to be done. or making the current entry level classes more attractive. There are way too many hoops to jump through to get a J boat on the water for the kids, just as there is quite a bit of work with larger class boats.

Sure, I know, racing families will disagree, because they have trailers filled with stuff to outfit a boat with. Look outside that box and at new people who have never done this before.

Create a CHEAP turn key or pull rope package with jet ski appeal. Keep the price as low as you can. Just look at how the classic runabout class took off in region 12....Nothing last year, 4 boats this year with 3 more being readied. Why? Because it is cheap, and accessible. Nose around enough and for $5,000, you are racing, and they put on great show.

With the invent of the new Revolution boats, and I'm going to just throw some numbers out here. A person could get into a boat for $2,500, then toss a stock gear cased fishing motor on bought on line for $1,000, and you got hardware for another $500, then helmet and gear. You are on the water for $4,000 and, with this the fever grows.

You start with a $12,000 investment of 4 boats and gear, and you implement them just like region 11 does it's Norcal rigs. I believe they have gotten several brand new drivers who have bought traditional class boats by starting in Norcal.

And, along with the investment, comes a marketing budget. Some of this should be on APBA somehow.

This could be applied to everywhere not just region 4.

Anyhow, that would be the plan from a simple caveman landscaper who knows nothing of these things.....

[Kev43V]

one thing about both what I have said and what Bill has put forth is it will take a much greater particapation BETWEEN races from more people than the handfull of people that work their butts off to make what races we do have possible. (This is not a dig at anyone! as I understand many people are already putting all the spare time they have in to racing!) But it does not change the reality that both courses of action will reguire even more time put into recruiting than testing.

[Kristi Ellison]

Dan
Getting back on thread....

Park use fees
difficutly finding sponsor money
difficulty finding lakes that will tolerate the noise and have pit area
competition for race dates from other regions

I think those are the biggies

[raceright]

Year two same o same o