Shorter Nationals ?

[B Walker]

[QUOTE=Kev43V;147736]

Heres some ideas:

Designate the highest participation classes in Stock Outboard as National, all others are Regional. Regional classes don't get Hall of Championship points for winning Nats.

The highest? thats one class
how many classes do you want? 2? 4?

I would say top 6-8 highest participation classes is reasonable.

2009 Stock outboard participation by class from the APBA High Points summary

ASR 72
BSR 23
CSR 98
DSR 9
25SSR 52
ASH 103
BSH 31
CSH 136
DSH 43
25SSH 32
20SSH 108
45SST 24

If the 6 highest participation level classes were designated National Classes and got HoC pts. for winning the Nats, then DSR, 45SST, BSR, BSH, 25SSH, and DSH would be Regional classes for 2010 and not be allowed to get HoC pts from the Nats.

The Regional classes still get their HoC pts from Winter Nats, records, etc.

[Kev43V]

AH i see now, you want an A class and 3 or 4 C classes
I would rather see the A,B,C,D format myself.

[B Walker]

In my fantasy world the National and Regional designations get re-adjusted every year. The members of classes on both sides of the line would be incentivised to promote their class.

This would increase growth.

It is not a witch hunt for or against any motor manufacturer, I have owned most and support all.

It is about using a carrot approach rather than a big stick.

Honestly, the entire discussion is moot as there is no politician in APBA that will touch this subject.

I would be happy with a written rule for sunsetting a low participation class. There used to be one, and now there is not. We have gone from a very low minimum threshold for class existence to none.

On another subject, Marathon needs its own Division

BW

[Dave M]

Fantasy vs Reality

I love the fantasy world, wouldn't it be nice if some of these ideas actually got implemented some year !

I have not attended the SO meetings, but can someone tell me if any one of these ideas that are debated yearly on the net are ever proposed at a National Meeting ? My guess is less than 5%.

Oh, for the one that needed clarification on open exhaust for all Mod motors, I meant every class is required to have pipes that are bigger, louder and faster !

[Gootz 142M]

AH i see now, you want an A class and 3 or 4 C classes
I would rather see the A,B,C,D format myself.

I'm with you on that one.

[Gootz 142M]

Marathon drivers

In my fantasy world the National and Regional designations get re-adjusted every year. The members of classes on both sides of the line would be incentivised to promote their class.

This would increase growth.

It is not a witch hunt for or against any motor manufacturer, I have owned most and support all.

It is about using a carrot approach rather than a big stick.

Honestly, the entire discussion is moot as there is no politician in APBA that will touch this subject.

I would be happy with a written rule for sunsetting a low participation class. There used to be one, and now there is not. We have gone from a very low minimum threshold for class existence to none.

On another subject, Marathon needs its own Division

BW

And what might your "fantasy world" have for marathon racing??? Own divison you say??..Sounds like you're being divisive to me. Any input from the marathon drivers?????

Gootz

[jeff55v]

I would rather see the A,B,C,D format myself.

I'm with you on that one too.

Like B.W. says, this is all moot anyway.
I think we can all agree that the Stock nationals cannot be shortened without some serious class cutting. And I'm convinced there ain't no way that's gonna happen.

BTW, I had a great time at the nat's last year! It was well worth the time!

[B Walker]

And what might your "fantasy world" have for marathon racing??? Own divison you say??..Sounds like you're being divisive to me. Any input from the marathon drivers?????

Gootz

If the Marathon classes were their own Division they could more easily be masters of their own destiny. They could make any rules they wanted. Get rid of any rules they wanted. They could create any kind of class structure they wanted.

In other words, the people that actually race Marathon could govern Marathon racing.

The current structure has a significant number of people that have never even seen a Marathon race in charge of all aspects of that form of racing.

You call it divisive, I call it sensible to have people in charge that know what they are doing.

Lets look at it from another point of view: whats wrong with Marathon having their own Division? It made sense when we had the ABCD dimensions for runabouts and there was little difference between a closed course boat and a marathon boat. But those days are long gone.

BW

ooops, I have been corrected, it would be their own Category, not Division

[racen7]

I am going to hear about this .. But Depue has put on there Nationals for a very long time , same size course and people from all over this great country attend every year rain flood and HOT weather... I know that this is USTS race but just an example of a race in the central USA.
Thanks Racen 7 Region 7

[B Walker]

I am going to hear about this .. But Depue has put on there Nationals for a very long time , same size course and people from all over this great country attend every year rain flood and HOT weather... I know that this is USTS race but just an example of a race in the central USA.
Thanks Racen 7 Region 7

I will probably hear about this......

Both series racing and a single location National Chamiponships are a natural byproduct of a decreasing membership.

In the all-vounteer business model that we use, as clubs all over the country have less members and less resources they become incapable of fulfilling the duties and obligations of hosting a National Championships.

Eventually, the strongest surviving club becomes the defacto permanent Nats hosting club.

In other words, its not a choice, its a pragmatic decision required for the survival of the sport.

(quoted myself from another thread)

BW

[Tomtall]

Class participants

BW - You make some valid points. I appreciate everyone who has had the courage to step up and make your statments on this thread. It has turned up some issues that I believe that people are concerned about. I just got the December issue of the "Propeller" magazine and was reading the end of year stock outboard winners. Did you notice what classes are lagging in the divisional races? Why is this? Does something need changing? Just wondering.