If I Were King I'd....

[B Walker]

Is there only 480 racers left in APBA, NBRA and AOF?? I read that in one of the posts I think.

480 is the number I have seen several times for the number of current APBA Stock Outboard drivers only for 2010. It is often pointed out that the numbers for Stock, Mod and PRO are slightly inflated because of the Super License.

I have no idea of the current memberships of AOF and NBRA.

BW

[B Walker]

I have read every post on this thread, and one fact I notice is this: the members with the most/longest posts are the members with the LEAST amount of actual laps on the race course every season... Just an observation... GL

I noticed too. It sure would be nice if the people that did race the most were concerned enough to have and express an opinion here.

BW

[ricochet112]

oh, yeah, goes without saying: Don't hijack the thread!

LOL! Yeah right.

[blueskyracer]

I've kept up on this thread reading all ideas and nay sayers opinions. That being said i think we are not thinking big enough. I understand we are basically more or less backyard racers trying to keep a dying sport alive. But what we need to be doing is moving more towards the model of car racing and currently water sking/wake boarding. It's going to take some money (like most things do) but i think this could be done.

So here it is, if i was king i'd:

Build a site spefically ment for boat racing. Like the Ams oil water sports park in Missori, but in each area of the country.

Do 10 'stadium' style lakes and have friday/sat night racing. It can be done. Car racing does this everywhere. In washington there are at least 3-4 dirt tracks just in the seattle area. Currently i've been seeing more and more water skiing parks pop up. I passed one in Florida on my way to the Worlds and thought why cant we do that?! This would also stop the hassel of putting on races at local lakes where the communities do not want 'their' water lost for a summer weekend. Instead of traveling to different lakes in one local area, you have one major spot in each part of the country. Race differnt size courses, etc.

This type of deal is going to take major money and sponsorships. Think Mercury Racing water park of seattle washington type thing.

This even gives a place where a racer can go test on non race weekends.

You can even bring in the inboard category too. Do inboard one weekend outboard another. Bring all boat racing together under one banner and make a full on show of it. Also think Valleyfeild in Canada. I have never experienced (want to real bad) but have heard nothing but good things. Small course, good show, boats close to shore for good viewership. 200,000 people in the stands.

Market it like a horse racing event (without the betting). Vendors, Beer gardens, etc.

This could be done. All it takes is money. I think APBA is going to need to look at something like this in the near future for it's own survival.

Kyle, build one in Cle Elem, Elensburg or somewhere in Central Washington and we will be there every other weekend. Of coarse have you ever heard about all the hoops you would have to jump thru to put in a lake or wet land. You are not that old and it would probably take more than your life time to get it done. Regulations are out of control. I think that is what it will take though to save boat racing!

Is there only 480 racers left in APBA, NBRA and AOF?? I read that in one of the posts I think.

[Gunjumper]

Irony...

I have read every post on this thread, and one fact I notice is this: the members with the most/longest posts are the members with the LEAST amount of actual laps on the race course every season... Just an observation... GL

[Brian10s]

Brian you are within 3.5 hours of our 3 MHRA races, Grass Lake (2 times), and Augusta. Why don't you come to those events? You are one of the guys I think of when you talk about getting people to race more?

12M

Dean -
I race 2 boats (CSH & 500MH) and MHRA only races Stcok classes 99% of the time. I can travel 3.5 hrs and race one boat or I can go somewhere else and race both boats. This goes a long way when I am planning on what races to attend. Would love to come North, just trying to get the most bang for my travel dollar.

As for my number of races, last year was a down year. I was only able to go to 4 races. Had planned to go to more but sent an engine for a midseason tuneup to Dr TJ and that cut into the racing budget.

10S

[Ron Hill]

Night Racing...

People that own and like boats use their boats during the day. I've thought that night racing would work, just like anything else. Anyone who has ever done anything on water at night have 16 reasons why it won't work.

When we raced on TV we had a live NIGHT "SHOW".

Greg Foster has offered his freeway lights anytime I'm ready....

Lake Elsinore in SoCal would be the perfect place to start!

[Racerkyle20]

Think bigger

I've kept up on this thread reading all ideas and nay sayers opinions. That being said i think we are not thinking big enough. I understand we are basically more or less backyard racers trying to keep a dying sport alive. But what we need to be doing is moving more towards the model of car racing and currently water sking/wake boarding. It's going to take some money (like most things do) but i think this could be done.

So here it is, if i was king i'd:

Build a site spefically ment for boat racing. Like the Ams oil water sports park in Missori, but in each area of the country.

Do 10 'stadium' style lakes and have friday/sat night racing. It can be done. Car racing does this everywhere. In washington there are at least 3-4 dirt tracks just in the seattle area. Currently i've been seeing more and more water skiing parks pop up. I passed one in Florida on my way to the Worlds and thought why cant we do that?! This would also stop the hassel of putting on races at local lakes where the communities do not want 'their' water lost for a summer weekend. Instead of traveling to different lakes in one local area, you have one major spot in each part of the country. Race differnt size courses, etc.

This type of deal is going to take major money and sponsorships. Think Mercury Racing water park of seattle washington type thing.

This even gives a place where a racer can go test on non race weekends.

You can even bring in the inboard category too. Do inboard one weekend outboard another. Bring all boat racing together under one banner and make a full on show of it. Also think Valleyfeild in Canada. I have never experienced (want to real bad) but have heard nothing but good things. Small course, good show, boats close to shore for good viewership. 200,000 people in the stands.

Market it like a horse racing event (without the betting). Vendors, Beer gardens, etc.

This could be done. All it takes is money. I think APBA is going to need to look at something like this in the near future for it's own survival.

[csh12M]

10S Riddle

Brian you are within 3.5 hours of our 3 MHRA races, Grass Lake (2 times), and Augusta. Why don't you come to those events? You are one of the guys I think of when you talk about getting people to race more?

12M

[Brian10s]

Riddle me this

Been reading this from that start, hoping that it would be more positive than negative. Doesn't seem like that is going to happen.

Here is a novel idea - how about get the current members we have (guys who already have invested in equipment and that equipment actually hit the water) to race more?

In every Stock, Mod & J, about 1/3 or 33% of the drivers in each class race either 3 days or less (that is 1 1/2 weekends) and well over 1/2 or 50% of the drivers in each class race 6 days or less (3 weekend events). (see participation sheet).

How many issues/ problems would be solved immediately, if every current driver raced at least 8 days (or 4 weekend events) or more?

So today's 1 million dollar question is how do we as a group or as individuals get these part time racers to go to more events? This should be the question that needs to be answered before all others.

[Dave M]

Change

Ed,

Change Nothing, keep it like it is.

Have a great holiday.

Dave

Nothing will change in our generation anyway. The same ideas have been tossed around on here since the sites inception. Let APBA hit rock bottom. It is what will need to happen to change anything with it.

[22W]

Jeff:

What I would ask then is when they race, are they racing in front of large groups, such as Bayfair, or perhaps in rougher lakes as Lake Geneva Wisc.? Williams Bay for example would be a geat place to hold a race, launch by Chucks Pub, its a little dog leg off the lake. Places where lots of people are or go to are what the target needs to be. Those two things need to be worked hand in hand and if they are, things will change.

Actually, SLT guys could have a blast running Geneva Lake. If some of you wanna have a go at it, try contacting the people at Gordy's in Fontana (Next door to Chucks) and maybe they would be interested. It would be next to impossible to control the pleasure boat traffic, and insurance could be a nightmare, but it would be fun to see!

http://www.gordysboats.com/LakefrontEats/boathouse.asp

[racer121M]

Bill...they are running the SLTs at Trenton on the Detroit River. The only time I was there it was so rough we had to scrub the Stock marathon and if you know Top O we NEVER scrub that race. It was really bad but the SLTs ran. They also run them at Bay City in conjunction with some capsule classes. Both those places draw large crowds and still the numbers of SLTs need major improvement. Exposure to large crowds is one aspect of the problem but naturally there are more factors that have to be explored as well.

[Skoontz]

Jeff:

What I would ask then is when they race, are they racing in front of large groups, such as Bayfair, or perhaps in rougher lakes as Lake Geneva Wisc.? Williams Bay for example would be a geat place to hold a race, launch by Chucks Pub, its a little dog leg off the lake. Places where lots of people are or go to are what the target needs to be. Those two things need to be worked hand in hand and if they are, things will change.

[jeff55v]

That said, changes to be made, first order of business is to get the boats off the interior piss puddles and onto water that lots of people walk by.
Thats going to bring rougher water and your hydros will need deeper sponsons, or for that matter may need to be mothballed, and so will your engines.
... Add, no direct drive gearcases, you run factory stock forward nuetral reverse gear cases.
... This is where the deeper hulls and stock gear cases come in. Those boats could actually be run on weekends if the owner chose to.

You may be right about some of these ideas, But what you discribe sounds a lot like an SLT boat. Stock gearcases, can race in any water condition, can be used for family fun during off racing weekends.
They're struggling to get enough participation too.
I'm just saying.