Combined Class & Category Proposal

[HRTV]

As for Propeller. Other then Dewald, the other whopping 5 people that do any advertising in it is for kneel down racing. How come Inboard/unlimited/liter Suppliers dont advertise in it? Advertising is what pays for it to get printed. South Shore Outboards monthly news letter has more info in it.

Wayne,

Why would any other companies invest in advertising in the propeller? In 2012 Powerboat racing for the most part is still a unknown sport in most parts of the modern world and has zero to very little following or fan base. Please don't get me wrong I understand that organizations like the MHRA and many others have done an outstanding job on promoting the sport but this is not enough.

For nearly a decade now the APBA has done nothing to further the sport while other forms of racing have spent millions developing diversity programs, marketing campaigns etc.

Look at these photos taken the other night at Charlotte Motor Speedway in NC. Never in my lifetime did I dream of seeing little black children on the track at Charlotte let alone a black driver. This is not by mistake Wayne, drivers like Darrell are part of Nascar's Diversity program.

Sadly in 2012 you guys are still racing for yourselves off the beaten path and in many case still in the back woods rural areas where people only come out when they hear the noise.

I have nothing but respect for each and every one of you. That said the organization "APBA" as it is known today is a complete failure in my opinion. It is an outdated antiquated sanctioning body that can no longer support the needs of today's youth when it comes to powerboat racing.

Dave Holley of Peters and May would be a better person to lead the youth movement and restructure the APBA under his own brand.

“We are committed to supporting powerboat racing from the grass roots up,” said Dave Holley, the chief executive officer of Peters and May, in a press release from the company. “It is a privilege to be involved with a talented and motivated driver such as Ben, who will drive the sport to a wider audience in the future.”

To promote powerboat racing among young people, Peters and May works closely with the Union Internationale Motonautique and the Royal Yacht Association, and is a Funding Partner of the UIM Youth Development Program.

Read more: http://www.boats.com/blog/2012/07/pe...#ixzz1zmuPjuaV




http://www.boats.com/blog/2012/07/pe...racing-talent/

[Danny Pigott]

noise

If you run DMH 3 laps = 3 min. 3 min gun =3 min. Two heats 12 min. a day DMR the same 24 min a day total. If this small amount of time gets you kicked out they don't want you there in the first place. All i ever hear is D MOD makes too much noise never a word said about Inboards with open headers or Drag boats with 2,000 hp making noise. I know there will always be people that will complain about it, but some will complain about anything. I can't remember what but some kind of bug in the water lost a race in CA. at the last min. do you think that was true, I don't somebody just didn't want the race there.

[Jack Stotts]

NBRA is holding their first race at Lucas Speedway this weekend where they like noise. Boats all day on Sat and cars Sat evening. What a way to go! Jack

[G Stillwill]

We lost a ton of good race sites when the conversion kit came out for the 20-H just because of the noise. Most were close to churches or hospitals but the sites did draw alot of people. This plan does away with the B Stock class completly and makes them all A Mods I run both as do a few others so I loose one ride I save about 525.00 in entery fees but also the clubs loose that much. 20 hydro is gone and runs B Mod now so you have the cost of making a mod motor out of the 80 plus getting another boat that is bigger. This plan just takes a buch of stock motors and makes Mods out of them. Danny the J division is doing quite well and if you cant give the kids the time on the water where is the future of boat racing. Oh and the last time I looked if you have an AXH doing 40 your in dire need of help.

[26V]

Hi all,
I have watched this thread with dread and hope. And so far the general premise is that if we consolidate stock and mod we will survive.
In my humble opinion consoldation will cost the local clubs money with the gain of a shorter race day. Many of us run the stock and mod class that uses the same motor, maybe not all the time but enough to have an impact on the clubs entry fees. IF the shorter race day makes us more marcketable (ie gets us race sponsors) then it would be a step in the right direction.
I think that without securing race sponserships we are done, and most clubs will fold for lack of money. The NBRA has managed to do better then just survive with fewer racer and fewer classes. Yes their over head is less, but I think it's more because of a dedicated few with the time and energy to get race sponsors that allow the clubs to stay afloat and pay out tow money.

The page we need to copy out of the NBRA handbook is how to promote ourselves in a manner that allows us to secure race sponsorships. This may mean a drop in races and we all my take a hit in the high points. But if it means a little tow money at every race and the clubs stay afloat I think it would be worth fewer races.
Sorry for the spelling, and IPhone spell check sucks.

[jeff55v]

Category combination.

I think the first step is to:
1. Combine the SORC and MORC.
2. Give the new category a new name.
3. Inform everybody they'll pay less than before if they raced both old categories. (for annual membership fees)
4. Let the new racing commission sort out class eliminations (if any)

Don't even discuss #4 until AFTER the first 3 are done! Or nothing will ever get done.

[HRTV]

Hi all,
I have watched this thread with dread and hope. And so far the general premis is that if we consolidate stock and mod we will survive.
In my humble opinion cosoldation will cost the local clubs money with the gain of a shorter race day. Many of us run the stock and mod class that uses the same motor, maybe not all the time but enough to have an impact on the clubs entry fees. IF the shorter race day makes us more marcketable (ie gets us race sponsers) then it would be a step in the right direction.
I think that without securing race sponcerships we are done, and most clubs will fold for lack of money. The NBRA has managed to do better then just survive with fewer racer and fewer classes. Yes their over head is less, but I think it's more because of a dedicated few with the time and energy to get race sponsors that allow the clubs to stay afloat and pay out tow money.

The page we need to cope out of the NBRA handbook is how to promote ourselves in a manner that allows us to secure race sponcerships. This may mean a drop in races and we all my take a hit in the high points. But if it means a little tow money at every race and the clubs stay afloat I think it would be worth fewer races.
Sorry for the spelling, and IPhone spell check sucks.

Good post Gene,

The current president of the APBA and his entire staff should be spending every waking hour doing everything humanly possible to sign at least one major title sponsor. Until this is done you can shift classes around all you want. Rename it this, that or the other and nothing will change.

Look at the Texas ProKart Challenge (TPKC) presented by 3G Kart Racing/Burger King™/Fernelius Alvarez

http://www.texasprokartchallenge.com...-Sponsor-News/

They don't have huge multi million dollar corporate sponsors but in this day and age you are nothing without at least a few mid size corporate dollars to support your efforts.

[mercguy]

I believe the difficulty with combining classes is that we keep trying to conform the class structure around the “current” equipment that we have. I believe this is a backwards way of thinking. I believe we need to construct a class structure first, and then place our current classes within that structure and allow the equipment to modify and adjust to it. The elected group should construct the classes with an unbiased view. What I mean is that it needs to be constructed with minimal thought as to “how is my class going work in this structure?” – That would be addressed in step 2. The structure should be based on some basic values such as: cost, flexibility, diversity

Below is a very basic example:

Class 1R – Small boat (10ft) – small power source (15ci) – min weight (300) – Junior class
Class 2R – Small boat (10ft) – Small power source (15ci) – min weight (350)
Class 3R – Small boat (10ft) – Large power source (30ci) – min weight (400)
Class 4R – Large boat (12ft) – Small power source (30ci) – min weight (475)
Class 5R – Large boat (12ft) – Large power source (40ci) – min weight (525)

Class 1H – Small boat (10ft) – small power source (15ci)
Class 2H – Small boat (10ft) – Small power source (15ci)
Class 3H – Small boat (10ft) – Large power source (30ci)
Class 4H – Large boat (12ft) – Small power source (30ci)
Class 5H – Large boat (12ft) – Large power source (40ci)

This would only be the start. The committee would set up the overall weights (discussion in itself); set up the overall boat dimensions (discussion in itself); Set up the motor sizes (discussion in itself); Set up all the basic class rules. Once the overall class structure is set, THEN decide how to infuse our current classes into these parameters. We the drivers will then adapt and adjust accordingly. I think setting up the overall class structure first would help secure our future, simplify our sport and unify our talents.

This should be the first step in my opinion. I like what Howie has proposed, however I believe this to be step 2 in the process.

My 2 cents..
Josh

finally.........someone comes up with an idea for class/classes for the "bigger" guys to race, as the proposed categories/combinations pretty leave the bigger guys out to dry.......

[Danny Pigott]

Karts

We have run Karts from 85 to now at first it was only for fun no money Now they pay 25,000 to win at some tracks in the south one even payed 50,000 to win, this is with a motor that cost $99.00 to buy They had more than .. that in the motor maybe $6,00 in it but the tires and what has to be done to them makes the cost go up to about $ 400 a race an this is just to get you going . They had a race about 50 miles from me that payed $25,000 to win but there were 125 Karts trying to make the race only 30 could start, and if you were not in the top 10 you didn't have a chance We have done very well in Kart racing but it is cut thoart (sp) you better know how to fight because you will get your chance. They lie to you if you ask for help and never try to help the new guy. Just like APBA the Kart Shops make the rules so they can make money

[Ron Hill]

Slow Down Danny

I am a great one to think and talk too fast, but you lost me here.

Explain your post so I can understand it.

[BP125V]

thank you Jeff

I think the first step is to:
1. Combine the SORC and MORC.
2. Give the new category a new name.
3. Inform everybody they'll pay less than before if they raced both old categories. (for annual membership fees)
4. Let the new racing commission sort out class eliminations (if any)

Don't even discuss #4 until AFTER the first 3 are done! Or nothing will ever get done.

Don't even discuss #4 until AFTER the first 3 are done! Or nothing will ever get done


Please reread what Gene Schertz posted. I will speak for BSOA/MRC only, we do not NEED a shorter race day, we need to run the classes we have in order to have entry fee income. We start at noon and are typically done by 4 pm, how much shorter do we want the day?

1. Combine Stock/Mod commissions/dictator
2. reduce insurance costs.
3. Class combos are not a priority right now.

[BP125V]

The NBRA has managed to do better then just survive with fewer racer and fewer classes. Yes their over head is less, but I think it's more because of a dedicated few with the time and energy to get race sponsors that allow the clubs to stay afloat and pay out tow money.

Finally, someone speaks the truth. There is NO FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNEEL DOWN RACING IN THE APBA AND NBRA. The difference is that right now the NBRA has people getting sponsorships. My club only put on one race this year, WHY? because as a club we did not make it happen. Plain and simple. When we have people working on "good" race sites with sponsors we have them - ie Candlewick.

[HRTV]

Finally, someone speaks the truth. There is NO FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNEEL DOWN RACING IN THE APBA AND NBRA. The difference is that right now the NBRA has people getting sponsorships. My club only put on one race this year, WHY? because as a club we did not make it happen. Plain and simple. When we have people working on "good" race sites with sponsors we have them - ie Candlewick.

Good post Bill, this is not about bashing the APBA or being the least bit negative. This is also not preaching doom and gloom. This is simply about the bottom line. As stated in my post above the current President and entire staff of the APBA should spend every waking hour in search of at least one major title sponsor. Cancel all conventions and meaningless banquets and focus on one thing and one thing only. Don't waste the companies time or resources on efforts like social media message boards or Facebook.

Hit the payment with every single resource you have and don't come back until you can "show me the money"

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, be safe

[G Stillwill]

Until we get put in the public's view and let it be known that there is a sport like we have it will hard to grow the sport. The clubs that are doing the schools are doing a great job bringing in new people. I know they put a lot of time and effort into it.

[Matt Dagostino]

Correct

Don't even discuss #4 until AFTER the first 3 are done! Or nothing will ever get done

1. Combine Stock/Mod commissions/dictator
2. reduce insurance costs.
3. Class combos are not a priority right now.

Bill is correct..........the class structure is the least of the issues to be discussed.

Combining the Stock/MOD/J Class's will give the new "Outboad Division" around 700-800 members strong and a MAJOR voice in APBA Politics!!

Like Dana said, till we ALL realize the wagons are being circled and certain death is near will we all embrace this kind of a move!! Just hope we are in time to save ourselves!!