Boat Races on the Mississippi

[HRTV]

http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/48214/


Southeast Missourian, Aug. 15, 1955
A part of the thousands who lined the waterfront at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Sunday afternoon to witness the Missouri championship motorboat races. The picture looking south from the judges' stand located opposite the foot of Themis Street shows less than half of the crowd. In the foregound is shown one of the barges which served as a pit, out of which the racing boat drivers operated. Although the sun shone warmly, a brisk northern breeze made the temperature, for the most part, quite comfortable. (Photo by G.D. Fronabarger)

Large Crowd Watches Races Conducted on Mississippi Here

From 5000 to 7000 persons lined the riverfront Sunday afternoon to watch the Missouri state championship outboard motorboat races held here under the sponsorship of the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

A warm sun whose heat was dispelled by a steady breeze made the afternoon an almost ideal one for the spectators and stirred up the water enough to cause several spills among the racing craft.

One driver, Ralph Scott of Paducah, Ky., was injured in the first race of the afternoon, but after treatment for a head laceration, was back at the waterfront.

The 12 racing events, including a fishing boat race for local drivers, were participated in by 125 crafts. The total purse for the afternoon came to $1200.

[HRTV]

What would it take to get 5 to 7000 spectators back to watch a Stock Outboard race in 2012? This was in 1955 no Facebook no internet, no nothing! Im sure many people walked for miles just to see the event, then walked back home.

So what would it take? or is this an era that is long gone?

[DiGia54D]

What would it take to get 5 to 7000 spectators back to watch a Stock Outboard race in 2012?

Promote and advertise, Local news and news papers, Flyers in local super markets and towns close by ..ect ect. But the race site cant be in no mans land. The Title series promoted there Race in Hartford, CT 2 years ago so good that they had approx 8 - 12 thousand people sat and sunday

[HRTV]

Pomote and advertise, Local news and news papers, Flyers in local super markets and towns close by ..ect ect. But the race site cant be in no mans land. The Title series promoted there Race in Hartford, CT 2 years ago so good that they had approx 8 - 12 thousand people sat and sunday

Thanks Wayne this could be a good thread to see where poeple fall on this topic etc..

[DiGia54D]

The hardest thing is getting someone that has the time ( in that town ) that can do the advertising. When I was growing up our basement was full of flyers and signs to race sites that we would put all over town on telephone poles. Say for instance, advertise at the local marinas months in advance so people that are into boating see and Local Home depot or Lowes. Any place that has a good flow of people.
These days maybe a MASS business email in that city and towns that surround.

[Harmon-51V]

I think part of the problem is that their is so much going on now days that it's hard to get someone interested in going to a boat race. Let's say a family of 4 with 2 children would most likely want to go to six flags over a race even though it cost nothing to go a boat race.. But if you have a great race venue that you race at each year n the people in the town or city whatever it is then people know that races are around the same time next year n they'll tell people n so on. Just like the PRO nationals in DePue it's been going on for 28-29 years something like that n DePue only has 1900 residents but that last weekend in July there's like 30-50,000 over the course of the weekend to watch the races and most of the spectators know the drivers names and boat number.. I know the depue men's club puts out flyers in early July n may advertise on the radio a little bit but most of the people know from word of mouth..

[Dave M]

Easy

Race where you are wanted. Do away with those race sites that have zero sponsorship, or very little. Do away with those and the ones that are not spectator friendly. if you don't draw a crowd, how in the world are you going to attract sponsors ?

The USTS is a fine example of putting on a select number of races at quality venues. They attract the crowds, hence the sponsors.

NBRA mimicks this approach as well.

This is just me personally, but I would rather drive a little more to a quality race than a quantity of races. A lot cheaper as well.

A prohibiting factor of going where they are begging for something loud and fast is our current boat designs. I have turned down two $5 - 10$K race sites in MI for the NBRA becasue of this. The funny thing is, they called me to try and get us there becasue they heard about the boat races in other states....

[DeanFHobart]

What Do You Mean?

"A prohibiting factor of going where they are begging for something loud and fast is our current boat designs. I have turned down two $5 - 10$K race sites in MI for the NBRA becasue of this."

Hello Dave,

What do you mean by this?...... "current boat designs".

Thanks,

Dean Hobart..............

[Art K]

Hopefully Lucas Oil Speedway in the future. Not just spectators, but real paying fans. The race July 7 & 8 could change boat racing as we know it & promote it. If you are really interested in the future of boat racing. Here is your chance, be there and support this RACE
Art K

[Dave M]

Design

"A prohibiting factor of going where they are begging for something loud and fast is our current boat designs. I have turned down two $5 - 10$K race sites in MI for the NBRA becasue of this."

Hello Dave,

What do you mean by this?...... "current boat designs".

Thanks,

Dean Hobart..............

Dean,

If we could run on slightly whitecap like water it would open doors that have been shut for 40 years. Our current design we run in Stock & Mod don't handle well in those conditions, and 99% of the drivers would not show up to a course that is deemed "to rough" About 10 years ago I saw oppurtunity and discussed it with a few people to try and change some designs to handle the real rough water, and maybe in the ten years most would adapt. It was not received real well then. I am talking Hydro and runabout designs.

[jeff55v]

Back in the 70's and 80's I raced frequently on the Mississippi River. Our local non APBA club had a race every other weekend within an hour's drive of my house. Some Mississippi river race sites that come to mind are, LeClair, IA. Port Byron, IL. Cordova, IL. Moline, IL.
The Coast Guard would come to help secure our race course. They would keep spectators at a reasonable distance from our event. But the Mississippi is a big river, nothing could be done about pleasure boat traffic (wakes) on the far side of the river. Furthermore, It's usual to see a 1 to 2 foot chop or even white caps on the big muddy. Consequently, the boats we raced back then were bigger and more rugged than any closed course boats of today.
Today's Marathon boats are more akin to the boats we raced "back in the day".

[Larry M]

http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/48214/


Southeast Missourian, Aug. 15, 1955
A part of the thousands who lined the waterfront at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Sunday afternoon to witness the Missouri championship motorboat races. The picture looking south from the judges' stand located opposite the foot of Themis Street shows less than half of the crowd. In the foregound is shown one of the barges which served as a pit, out of which the racing boat drivers operated. Although the sun shone warmly, a brisk northern breeze made the temperature, for the most part, quite comfortable. (Photo by G.D. Fronabarger)

Large Crowd Watches Races Conducted on Mississippi Here

From 5000 to 7000 persons lined the riverfront Sunday afternoon to watch the Missouri state championship outboard motorboat races held here under the sponsorship of the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

A warm sun whose heat was dispelled by a steady breeze made the afternoon an almost ideal one for the spectators and stirred up the water enough to cause several spills among the racing craft.

One driver, Ralph Scott of Paducah, Ky., was injured in the first race of the afternoon, but after treatment for a head laceration, was back at the waterfront.

The 12 racing events, including a fishing boat race for local drivers, were participated in by 125 crafts. The total purse for the afternoon came to $1200.

That was a interesting article especially for me. I was at that race as a 9 year old kid and remember Ralph getting his head cut by a prop. My Uncle Andrew Black and Ralph Scott were race partners. We have pictures of Ralph with his head bandaged with his helmet on. He was US 1 in NOA a couple of years, no small feat back in them days.
Larry McAfee

[blueskyracer]

Hopefully Lucas Oil Speedway in the future. Not just spectators, but real paying fans. The race July 7 & 8 could change boat racing as we know it & promote it. If you are really interested in the future of boat racing. Here is your chance, be there and support this RACE
Art K

You are so right Art folks need to throw away their differences and show up for this one..It could be a real game changer..Just need to put on a good show..Gosh I wish we could come...

Also Dave is right if we had boats that could handle rougher water we would have less cancellations and more sites would be avaliable to us..They do it in Europe why not here..

[kampenracing]

Spectators

If you want to see a large crowd of spectators, come to Lucas Oil this weekend. This will be a large crowd sitting in made for boat racing bleachers and watching a race on a lake made specifically for boat racing. Unfortunately I would bet that we won't see more than 3-4 non NBRA trailers show up. Most racers don't care about crowds and would rather race in the middle of nowhere with no one watching, not me I am so excited about this race and what it could mean for this sport, and will be talking to spectators and signing autographs and doing everything I can to make it a good experience for them, one that they will request from Lucas again so that we can come back for a bigger and better race!!!!!!

[Art K]

We all are good with coming up with ideas to promote boat racing, but usually they are never followed through on. Jeff Ruth is not that individual. He saw an opportunity at Lucas and worked for 2 long years to get it done. So how do we repay his hard work. Well the list of excuses for not coming is a mile long. Thats what I am hearing, not just on this site. The sorryest I am hearing. It is not APBA. That is not an excuse, that is just having drank too much of that coolade. Having raced both APBA & NBRA for the last 50 plus years. Your missing the boat.
Art K