Gas prices & racing

[Racerkyle20]

yep, figure 6000+ miles (including the stop in Depue) at 8MPG (new Duramax) @ $5.50/gal for diesel.............

can you put a price on fun???????? Uh..........do not answer that........

You need a better truck...i think the excursion will get about 12, but i priced out the average for 10 miles to the gallon...

I can not put a price on fun...so there.

Also include tickets for Red Sox v. Angels and Yankees v. Angels during the down week between Ill and NY! I got to get my historical baseball trip in!

[mercguy]

You need a better truck...i think the excursion will get about 12, but i priced out the average for 10 miles to the gallon...

I can not put a price on fun...so there.

Also include tickets for Red Sox v. Angels and Yankees v. Angels during the down week between Ill and NY! I got to get my historical baseball trip in!

it would be Guidos Duramax truck (although the black GMC 6.0L gets about the same mileage)...........might be broke in (new truck) by that time though, so might get a 1-2MPG improvement........then big tires eat up the gas mileage....

[Dave M]

Back To The Point - Clarification

Back to the point of the thread, and I wanted to clairy my comments. When I said less travel will grow the sport I meant that each state with racers should try and concentrate on getting as many races as possible in that state. Like almost every weekend. If you have to start another club, do it. Kind of like BSOA and MRC, same people basically I think. That way less travel is required and you might grow the sport in that state. At least participation should grow, it makes it attractive to only travel 100 miles rather than 300 or even 400 out of state. I truly enjoy travelling to other states and regions to race, but in the "Hay-Day" of boat racing you never had to leave the state to race every weekend. Nationals were the only time you might meet your outside competition, and it made it real competitive.

I think it was 17 races for Mod alone in Michigan one year. My dad and Jim Robb Sr. set most of them up. With that kind attractant I feel you could draw more people in the area to race. I also understand it is going to be real hard to do today, as most of those places are grown up now and won't tolerate races.

Just some thoughts on how to help with the rising costs of racing.

[14J]

Let's hear some ideas about reducing these costs.

How many clubs are doing the work of promoting races and obtaining sponsorship dollars in an effort to offset costs?

I know some clubs do a very good job with this. Others just add every class known to man in order to cover costs. The later is a dangerous path.


Troy

[Robert M Keogler]

Once again I will ask

If you registered to race via e-mail, credit or debit card,
48 to 72 hours before a race and the Club putting on the race posted entries on this site, would the Hosting Club not then be able to decide what classes should be run? Then members would not have to travel to races where there is not enough boats for their class to race.

[RICK BIRD]

Gas is very expensive, but not a deterrent for me to go 6000 miles to NY and back. I'm taking a diesel track back too (in Seattle $5.00 a gallon!)! The thing that you have to look at is where you put your money. I will be making some sacrafices to make this trip like:
-no hotels on the way over...that's why it's a truck. Cheaper hotels when at the race...i'll probably stay at the Ranch House in Depue with the NW antique guys cuz its like $30 a night!
-Cheaper beer...drink Bud light instead of Corona. lol.
-The biggest money saver is loading as many boats on to one trailer as possible...i watched Ed Hearn pull into Moses lake last year with about 10 boats on a trailer....sideways, ontop, and shoved into the enclosed part too.

I know several NW trailers making the trip and we all can't wait, but clearly gas is not a deterrent for US!

WELL THE LEFT COAST TRAILER WILL BE HEADING OUT AND WE REALLY TRY NOT TO LOOK AT THE COST TO MUCH, BUT IT IS THERE. SO I RUN ONE CLASS IN STEAD OF TWO, DRINK LESS BEER, BECAUSE CORONA IS THE WAY TO GO. WE WILL SLEEP IN THE TRUCK OR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TAKE SHOWERS AT A TRUCK STOP FOR FIVE BUCKS. POINT IS THAT WE MAKE THE TRIP EVERY YEAR AND THE PRICE STILL GOES UP OH WELL. WE ARE GOING TO THE NATS THE FUN IS PRICELESS. I ALSO HAVE TRYED TO DRIVE SPEED LIMET AND AND GET BETTER MILES BUT IT ONLY TAKES LONGER.LOL SAVES 8 DOLLARS A TANK. MORE BOATS ON THE TRAILER IS THE WAY TO HELP I GET THE SAME MILES WITH 2 AS I DO WITH 10 OR 12

[CSR4C]

More Local Races

Back to the point of the thread, and I wanted to clairy my comments. When I said less travel will grow the sport I meant that each state with racers should try and concentrate on getting as many races as possible in that state. Like almost every weekend. If you have to start another club, do it. Kind of like BSOA and MRC, same people basically I think. That way less travel is required and you might grow the sport in that state. At least participation should grow, it makes it attractive to only travel 100 miles rather than 300 or even 400 out of state. I truly enjoy travelling to other states and regions to race, but in the "Hay-Day" of boat racing you never had to leave the state to race every weekend. Nationals were the only time you might meet your outside competition, and it made it real competitive.

I think it was 17 races for Mod alone in Michigan one year. My dad and Jim Robb Sr. set most of them up. With that kind attractant I feel you could draw more people in the area to race. I also understand it is going to be real hard to do today, as most of those places are grown up now and won't tolerate races.

Just some thoughts on how to help with the rising costs of racing.

In Region 11 most races are in a 100 mile radius. Many racers live in the Stockton area.
Nicolaus (2 races) 70 miles
Copperopolis (3 races) 48 miles
Oroville 115 miles
Chowchilla 85 miles
Dobbins 115 miles
Marysville was cancelled this because of low turnout in the past, hopefully it will be back next year 85 miles.

I live at the south end in Chowchilla, still travel isn't bad at all. Many races I am home by 9pm on Sunday.
Work on more local races. With people traveling less, there should be more spectators at the races.

Darrell

[Silas_53A]

Thats also one thing I don't understand, Why only one race a year in a ertain location? The one in Standish, ME. Great site, why not oen in the spring and one in the fall? same with warren... Is it mainly money? if so Up the charge per class $10-20, I gave up getting a new car (well post poned) to race, I would love to do more then 4 in a year... and I would be willing to pay $50 more a weekend to do it.

[Racerkyle20]

Thats also one thing I don't understand, Why only one race a year in a ertain location? The one in Standish, ME. Great site, why not oen in the spring and one in the fall? same with warren... Is it mainly money? if so Up the charge per class $10-20, I gave up getting a new car (well post poned) to race, I would love to do more then 4 in a year... and I would be willing to pay $50 more a weekend to do it.

In region 10 we have one race site were we run twice a year. Once in the fall and once in spring (Lake Lawerance, spring is joint with inboards). I don't have the milage like Darell, but region 10 races are pretty easy to get too. I think for me living in Seattle, the farthest race would have to be Rockaway Beach in OR at about 5 hrs. But most races average i would say about 2-3 hrs drive, which isn't bad...Last weeks Silver Lake Everett...15 minutes from Seattle and about 1 hour for people coming from Tacoma area...

[Silas_53A]

The farthest race I am going to make it to this year is Connecticut which is only like 150-200 miles, rest are really close for me. Could small number play a roll as well? Is their concern that if there was another race there wouldn't be as many people?? I know with less people there would be MORE racing and I would pay MORE to do it

[mercguy]

local races..........

The farthest race I am going to make it to this year is Connecticut which is only like 150-200 miles, rest are really close for me. Could small number play a roll as well? Is their concern that if there was another race there wouldn't be as many people?? I know with less people there would be MORE racing and I would pay MORE to do it

unfortunately it is usually not possible to race on the same course more than once a year. There are lots of logistics involved. More local races would be great, but what would clasify "local"?? Some regions (like Reg10) span quite a distance (3 states), so finding a "local" course creates another issue. Just because there is water near racers, etc, does not mean it is available to race on, especially during the "boating" season...........I now consider a local race to be 3hrs away or close to...........well, except for Silver Lake, Everett, which is only 10 minutes away from me. I used to not have a big problem driving 10hrs to a race (Reg 12 member attending Reg11 races), but that would not be much of a thought nowadays (staying home), with the high price of gas......

[Fast Jack]

One race a year

Silas, part of the problem of finding a race sight is the people that live on the lakes. I had to endure public hearings ,debates, threats and a crock to get the race at Standish. I know you are new to the sport, and are willing to help out . There is a lot to put on the Standish race, it takes about 160 man hours to clean up the race sight after the winter storms have taken there toll, I also put togather a program that generated 1200.00$ for the Kiwanis Club ( this helps them justify having us or the weekend when the locals *****) . Also I did not get done picking up after the race till after 7 pm. I put up 1200.00 for the mill foil stickers, It takes a lot of work to put togather a race. At Warren we have to get 4 trailers to the sight ( thanks for your help), Pay 500 $ for the sight , 100.per hr for the ambulance, 1850.00 for insurance, and hope we dont get rain , wind or a low turn out. Part of the reason I run so many classes is to get lots of boat time without the travel to many races . I have about 36 heats in this season already. If I were you I'd start saving for another set up for next season ( 25 ssh ?) and double your race time without the cost of double travel . and Ill help ya build another boat kart if necessary.. see ya Tuesday . Shawn

[Silas_53A]

If there were less classes then you wouldn't have to have several rigs to run in several classes you could just have more races in those classes and you could just charge more for entrance per class. The problem is making the change... You can't just tell people their equipment is no good anymore, but maybe you could let people run that equipment in other classes (I know I already said this). Don't make their equipment unless, let them run it in lower or similar classes. Like a CSH with restrictor can be run in 20ssh (Which I will most likely do next year). And if there are racer forced to change a class I doubt they would leave considering the amount of money they have invested.

Class condensing seems to happen already.. I mean at Standish, There were only 2 BSH and 1 20ssh so they put that 20ssh with the two BSH so they could race... By condensing classes or merging two into one you are basically doing that but permanently and by doing that it leaves more time for races and weather delay, but everyone still races.

Maybe insurance so high because there are so few races, so when one is put on the insurance is ridiculously because they need to make that money. Maybe if the average number of races were higher then maybe insurance would go down. And with more local races the idea of SO racing sounds more feasible new people.

Places like Warren don't have many people who live on the lake/pond, maybe there are more places locally like that. How immpossible would it be to have another in Warren, what would need to happen? I know its not easy but if somethign can be done.... There is a place here in windham my dad was talking about that my be a good place and I think they are willing to host a race (I will try to find more info).

I am new, but it seems something is going to have to happen. I will help with what I can locally, just let me know. (I am also trying to get my dad to race as well, maybe a or b stock)

[Silas_53A]

Weather a solution like this happens or something else is figured out I think we can all agree bigger number is what we need! But the more people we have racing means the more classes being raced during a weekend. With more classes being able to run time will be an issue again... So if number do start to climb for one reason or another the number of classes may still be an issue. I know these ideas aren't 100% perfect, they aren't the only ones, but something needs to be done and all brain storming is good.

Now I know this is completely off topic (well 95% off topic) sorry

[Dave M]

Burn Out

You can burn a site out if you race at it more than once a year. Depends on the location. SOme places are happy as a lark to have you there twice, some are not thrilled about one let alone two. We lost a good site in MI because we not only ran there twice a year, we tried a three into two format. Racing from 9:00 am until dark seems to wear on the locals around here.

I think the three into two day format is GREAT to allow more race days and less travel. We could accomplsih the same thing going to a three heat format such as the USTS does, and not burn the site out.

Maybe it is time to change things with gas prices detering some. We do need to make the sport more attractive. Perhaps some bikini clad girls holding lap sheets would help, we can let RacerXXX line it all up

One thing is positive, Change needs to happen, and happen faster than in five years. There have been a lot of good suggestions the last few years right here on HR. Maybe it is time to step up to the plate and swing.