What happened to boat racing since 1956?

[Original Looper 1]

Something to think about.

This comes from the NOA Rooster Tail publication of October 1956, page 8, covering the Division IV Modified Stock World Championships:

"Meyer, a little village with a population of some 83 individuals, sets a new record in being host to a World Championship event in that no locale in the memory of outboard race officials so small in population ever attempted to stage a race of such enormous proportions. AS SOME 20,000 RACE FANS lined the banks of the Mississippi, which as another record for the little city, townspeople remarked 'Never has such a crowd been in Meyer, and no doubt if ever an event could be staged here that would bring that many people back.' "

The article goes on to say over 300 DRIVERS showed up to race at the Meyer, Illinois, September event.

Boy, we've really come a long way since with our vast knowledge, improvements and expertise, haven't we?

Paul A Christner

[Dennis Crews]

In 1956 people didn't have 300 television channels to choose from to entertain themselves like they do today. Most folks would say to themselves "why go to all the trouble to attend an event like that when I can access just about anything I want see simply by pushing a couple of buttons on my remote?"

We on this forum know that nothing can replace the sights, sounds and smells of attending a boat race live and in person, but the general public...well that's another story.

[Original Looper 1]

You're spot on.

If I remember correctly, the late, great NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki (who was, by the way, one of the last small time independent team owners that won a NASCAR championship) said that whether we recognize it or admit it, the fact is that NASCAR and it's great economic growth is because of our entertainment value.

I realize, along with the purists boat racers out there, that boat racing will never be as economically rewarding as NASCAR. However, if we don't take into consideration the necessary entertainment factor for a sustainable future in boat racing, I am afraid that the sport will keep dwindling to the point where it truly will be exclusively races for racers (for all practical purposes). At that point, how will you convince public officials that the noise and the disruption at the lakes is politically and economically viable to their communities? You can't have races without lakes to race on.

Regards,

Paul

[Mike Beegle]

Boat racing stadium

This will bring interest to our sport If lucas makes money from this there will be more to follow... Might not work for opc, built for drag boats but u better believe stock,mod,pro races can happen here.I think it will be real close for OPC... Make all the Noise u want... Grandstands, funnel cakes, hot dogs... This is like the "Field of Dreams" For boat racing
This is bringing much needed interest for the Miami marine stadium by Investors.. Miami stadium is deeded that the property can only be used for boat racing from what I've read..

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/5...lt-in-missouri

[HRTV]

This will bring interest to our sport If lucas makes money from this there will be more to follow... Might not work for opc, built for drag boats but u better believe stock,mod,pro races can happen here.I think it will be real close for OPC... Make all the Noise u want... Grandstands, funnel cakes, hot dogs... This is like the "Field of Dreams" For boat racing
This is bringing much needed interest for the Miami marine stadium by Investors.. Miami stadium is deeded that the property can only be used for boat racing from what I've read..

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/5...lt-in-missouri

http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-story-dr...,5609410.story

[Yellowjacket]

In 1956 the largest Mercury motor made 45 hp the 60 hp Mark 75 wouldn't come out until the next year. The result is that what was racing on the lake was the fastest outboard you could buy. The lower classes with Merc Super 10's were also something that everybody on shore could also relate to. The boats were small and built for speed, but the motors were something that was close to what you might have had on your pleasure boat.

Fast forward to the present, and lots of bass boats can go over 90 mph and outboards with 300 hp and up are available. You can go down to your local boat dealer and buy a boat that will go faster than anything in the stock and modified classes. Pro tunnel hulls are a lot faster, but these are clearly racing boats and it is hard for the average person on the beach to relate to these boats. It is hard to get people excited because, in comparison with what is available off the shelf, the stock and modified class boats just don't go very fast. These boats are plenty fast enough, and trying to make them faster would require additional safety equipment and drive up the cost, but it's hard to get people excited outside the racing community.

It does come down to promotion and the community has to want to make the racing a festival type of event if you want to see a large number of people on the beach. Look at the folks coming out to watch Top O Michigan and it becomes clear that people will come out to watch, but unless there is a racing series supported by manufacturers and extensively promoted you aren't going to see a lot of interest in the sport.

Much like autocross competition, boat racing is a sport for the participants as oppposed to the spectator.

[Original Looper 1]

The show must go on!

"Much like autocross competition, boat racing is a sport for the participants as opposed to the spectator."


I believe that boat racing doesn't have to be a sport for the participants as opposed to the spectators. Look at the successful Japanese stadium model. I think that's where the future and economic sustainability lies with boat racing. I also think that gambling isn't necessary to make it a successful realization either.

What it comes down to is the type of entertainment model, i.e. is it entertaining, is it exciting, is it consistent, is it affordable to both participants and spectators, how comfortable is the setting for observers, etc.

I think that with the right leadership, community support and proper marketing, in conjunction with consistency in the racing performances are the keys to the economic sustainability of boat racing into the future.

If it's done correctly, the spectators will come, followed by the sponsors, followed by the necessary community support.

As I've said before and I'll say again .... boat racers are some of the most under recognized yet talented athletes in sports. However, they may soon become a page in the history books if they are not willing to make the changes necessary to keep the sport alive and growing.


Regards,

Paul A. Christner

[Racerkyle20]

Dan- I'm digging that track! Just like japan. An outboard nationals would be ideal there!

[propnuts]

This is what happened since then

In no particular order: the internet, cable television (with remote control), proliferation of professional sports teams, the X box, general paranoia about the outside world, fat lazy kids (and parents like me , lack of community spirit/identity and MANY other factors. Take a look, Richie Cunningham is bald, life changes.

[propnuts]

Fast forward to the present, and lots of bass boats can go over 90 mph and outboards with 300 hp and up are available. You can go down to your local boat dealer and buy a boat that will go faster than anything in the stock and modified classes.

I hear this all the time at the gas station
Joe Shmoe "how fast those go"
Me "about 70"
Joe "not bad, my buddies jet ski does 85"
Me, silence.

[HRTV]

In no particular order: the internet, cable television (with remote control), proliferation of professional sports teams, the X box, general paranoia about the outside world, fat lazy kids (and parents like me , lack of community spirit/identity and MANY other factors. Take a look, Richie Cunningham is bald, life changes.

All true but it is unacceptable that after all these years no one at APBA ever had the vision to build at least one facility like this. Not one visionary in the bunch. Lake X for example should have been on the radar the day it was shut down. APBA should have moved in the very same day Mercury moved out but no!

Lake X should have become the APBA HQ along with a year round test facility and racing arena for all categories. This would have also been the training grounds for all drivers schools and new racers.

APBA = TOTAL FAILURE

<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZUV4JJRhoZc?rel=0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[Mike Beegle]

All true but it is unacceptable that after all these years no one at APBA ever had the vision to build at least one facility like this. Not one visionary in the bunch. Lake X for example should have been on the radar the day it was shut down. APBA should have moved in the very same day Mercury moved out but no!

Lake X should have become the APBA HQ along with a year round test facility and racing arena for all categories. This would have also been the training grounds for all drivers schools and new racers.

APBA = TOTAL FAILURE

<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZUV4JJRhoZc?rel=0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

I agree... APBA Needs NOT to be run by It members as only a political committee... It needs to grow as a organization that promotes and makes money... APBA DOES NOT PROMOTE... as it should...

The OPC rule Book is a Joke Its full of comments that read "Its suggested or recomended" Mean while people are rolling around in wheelchairs cause APBA has no back bone..Or not willing to take proper responsibility...

APBA has pretty much dropped the ball on what could make them money... Unlimited's, Offshore , Drag boats.. and if someone could run OPC F1 category in the USA it would be gone also... Bill France was a visionary with NASCAR.. Its a business...
This does not have to be a hobby run by 3rd generation racers with 40 year old equipment in the shed that are ok with how things are now... These are the people who put a lot of effort in to keeping things how they know it ,and are killing it...

Mike Beegle

[Yellowjacket]

How do you do it?

I believe that boat racing doesn't have to be a sport for the participants as opposed to the spectators. Look at the successful Japanese stadium model. I think that's where the future and economic sustainability lies with boat racing. I also think that gambling isn't necessary to make it a successful realization either.

I think the Japanese model is interesting to watch because 1.) The boats are all equal and 2.) The boats don't turn all that well and they are required to do a tight 180 degree turn, so you have some boats carrying more speed into the turn and others trying to carry speed out, so there is a lot of driver skill (and some luck) involved, and that lends an element of chance into the equation.

Overall it is fun to watch, but after a while it would probably get boring unless you got the drivers personality involved (a la NASCAR) or you kept the gaming aspect intact. Since there is money riding on the outcome, there is incentive to win and to do that you have to take chances, which also can pay off or not. I have nothing but admiration for the skill of those Japanese drivers, but without gambling I don't see people going out for an afternoon of boat racing in a stadium setting unless the boats are based on current production boats (like maybe bass boats) but doing that would be pretty dangerous since the speeds would get so high.

I don't think the engine manufacturers would be very interested in a low power racing class. The people buying fast outboards are buying bigger engines, so there isn't much incentive for an engine manufacturer to support a series with smaller engines.

Without the gambling aspect there isn't much money involved so it is hard to do the promotion necessary to draw some crowds.

The only way I see it happening is with classes like PWC's where the manufacturers could want to be a part of the equation, but it's probably not viable with small outboards.

[HRTV]

Ok guys with only a few days left to go in 2010 lets get real for minute.

SST45 went out of production when?

SST60 went of of production when?

20SSH - Yamato 80 the biggest joke in the APBA when did this motor go out of production? I don't care how popular the class might still be how in the hell can you look a new guy in the eye and tell him when this motor went out of production.

In all honesty you guys are great and I know many of you personally so don't get me wrong. I know that many of you would give the shirt off your back to help out a friend in need but the sport is a joke.

Sure I still enjoy trying to help you guys out by keeping HRTV positive but really come on... how much longer can we keep up this up?

[MGallagher]

Wheatland would be GREAT for a natioanls. We need a contact out there to get on the horn to LUCAS Oil and get something going!