Stock Outboard Questionaire

[Dave M]

Really ?

Dave,

Thank you so very much for your insight. But please leave some of the sites that some of us work very, very hard on out of your discussion. Do I disagree with you on your principal? No. But until you're the one doing the work with those organizations on the site - I don't think you have room to criticize.

To sideline this conversation further, Constantine, MI is an ideal site for a boat race. You have a location which has food, grandstands, alcohol, and a race that's been around forever to every boat racer. We're finally at the point to seriously promote the event much further than we ever have before, and I think that the people that are working on it are doing a hell of a job. Are we going to get 5,000 people to come out and watch the race? No. That's not our goal either. Set your goals small and build from there. It's quite a process to build from nothing (in regards to marketing and promotion).

Some of us do put forth a TON of effort in helping us grow our sport. If ALL of the people who preach to the boat racing world through keyboards about "the way to do things" and "how to solve boat racing problems" and "why this group isn't doing it right" would put a quarter of that energy into doing some serious promotional work for their club, class, organization, racing team, etc. I could not imagine how much better off we would be as a sport.

This is what strikes a nerve with this conversation - to steal a line from Tom Low; what have you done for your racing organization lately?

Hutch,

Sorry i hit a nerve. But I am also very glad I did. You said in your own post, we "Constantine, MI is an ideal site for a boat race. You have a location which has food, grandstands, alcohol, and a race that's been around forever to every boat racer." It has been arounf a very long time..... do you get the sponsorship to pay for the race, or does MHRA lose money at this site ? Perhaps if all that energy was focused on a new site with greater potential for tow money, sponsorship money, and being able to give back to the racer what they put in it is a better goal. This goes for any race site, not just Constantine. You really need to draw the crowds. If you went to Contantine during the Pro Race you can see how different it is in regards to spectators. They draw a large crowd. They also get some sponsors.

Now then, next point, I have been an APBA COmmisioner, I have held politcal offices within local clubs, I have put on races. I have knocked on doors at local races here in MI and found money. I have built numerous boats for people at no charge just so they could race the kids class. I have funded these projects. In fact, it made me cut back on my own racing schedule so I could support them. I have a few other projects for Novice in the works as well. So please, don't question my "I have not walked in your shoes" ability. I have walked many more miles than you might suspect. You might be perhaps to new of a racer to understand this. I have been an APBA racer for 32 years. Last year was the first year I did not race an APBA event at all. I advocate change, I tried to help save APBA 10 - 15 years ago, we lost the fight. Went to the Nat meetings proposed category combinations, even class reductions and it was not accepted very well. A person can only take so many "no" before they say to hell with you and move on to something new, fresh, and innovative. I moved on to the NBRA.

I am not doubting your hard work in keeping the Constantine tradition alive. I am sure you work very hard to get what you do. It is a thankless job, I know this from experience...

[ram95]

Brand Differentiation - Imagine that!

Sorry to keep the hijack going, but I can't resist. I think NASCAR wants to get the brand differentiation back in it, which should help.
kk

Karl.... you are risking excommunication and exile for this blasphemy. I mean... you mean they aren't going to have a 'Dominant Motor' ?? Ohh No!! How can they expect to have a 'level playing field'... Huh??? Like racing was ever a level playing field. Kinda reminds me of a time back in 64 racing in Newburyport Mass... me and Ron Meserve were downtown prowling the streets at 0'dark-thirty after a few brews and we tangled with a 63 Corvette fuelie at a stoplight... we had Ron's 64 GTO (389 4bbl, 3.73 gears) with a sticky set of US Royal redlines.. the light turned green and we blew the doors off the vette. The street was 'level' and the 'field' for a city block was clear. I'll see you in "exile" ... we'll be in good company.