Combined Class & Category Proposal

[Danny Pigott]

Nbra

Great idea Alex if the east coast went NBRA and it may come soon. The thing is most APBA people won't give up the points I don't know how many gal. of gas a point will buy, but it must be a lot for people to want them so bad. I didn't hear of any APBA boats running at the NBRA Lucas race. This same thing has been going on from when the AM PRO Div. in NOA started to disagree with each other. Part of them formed AOF and the rest went to APBA to form the MOD div.in 1972 and it is still going on today.

[dholt]

Josh,

I think the point Alex is making is to sanction races in his area with NBRA.

The same would be true everywhere. You wouldn't have to drive to Oklahoma or Louisiana.

If MHRA, TRORA, MRC, etc.. can't survive under these obscene costs (sanction/insurance) then something's got to give.

$2400 for insurance for a weekend kneeldown race. Really? $400 for sanction? Why?

$35-$40 entry fees are not good for growth...or even stability. Not sustainable in long run.

[blueskyracer]

I guess I race for the wrong reasons..I like to see how I stack up against others and we race for the fun of racing..Then you have the points chasers..Need I say anymore.......

[DtwSailor]

off track - Call to action!

Guys, I just read this on my lunch break, and think we are starting to get a tad off topic. The question for debate is do we combine Stock and Mod, not should we leave APBA or such...

In one way or another, we are all connected to the sport, so instead of sitting in our offices and homes and posting about it, get out and do the following:

-Attend your local club meeting

-Attend at least 2 races outside your region this year

-Bring one new name to a race this year.

We do these three things, we can survive.

and I personally agree that racing stocks and mods in one class is fine. I don't care who I race or if I get high points, I just want to race! Coming from a guy that races 1 motor, 1 prop, and 1 boat!

my 2 cents..

[Dave M]

A Few

Great idea Alex if the east coast went NBRA and it may come soon. The thing is most APBA people won't give up the points I don't know how many gal. of gas a point will buy, but it must be a lot for people to want them so bad. I didn't hear of any APBA boats running at the NBRA Lucas race. This same thing has been going on from when the AM PRO Div. in NOA started to disagree with each other. Part of them formed AOF and the rest went to APBA to form the MOD div.in 1972 and it is still going on today.

Danny,

There was actually a few APBA racers there. But with the divisionals scheduled in APBA the majority chose to points chase. That's okay too. It is very sustainable right now on its own. Our racer schools work well, and the novice class approach seems to work very well too. There is also a lot of seat time if you want it. Typically testing on Friday before the race, and always before the race on Saturday for a couple hours. It is an exception to the normal way if this does not occur. Sometimes it does. Most of the races currently are inside the city limits too..... some are not, but a lot are. The Oklahoma races are usually out in the country, but I think that is because the only water in Oklahoma is in the country !

Back on topic I guess, wrong thread for this I have been told.

[ram95]

A family affair

Won’t lie… looks really tempting. I like the simplicity. There are 2 big reasons why I haven’t switched. One is location. I can’t drive to Oklahoma for race weekends. The second is a little more sentimental. I’ve grown up with the folks in APBA. These guys and girls are like extended family. It’s hard to leave that. Race weekends are not just about racing, it’s also about the people. Just sayin…

That's why I said "East Coast". If "the family" out here went NBRA our brethren could still come to race with us. NBRA welcomes boat racers from other recognized organizations. They even let you share in the prize money. And just think... with the Crown Royal "social site" you can still stay in touch (huh??? uh oh... gotta be a 'social-lite' to do that $$$). That way we wouldn't need to drive to Oklahoma.. but maybe the Okies would come to Maine as honored tourists.
Alex

[ram95]

Off topic?

Guys, I just read this on my lunch break, and think we are starting to get a tad off topic. The question for debate is do we combine Stock and Mod, not should we leave APBA or such...

In one way or another, we are all connected to the sport, so instead of sitting in our offices and homes and posting about it, get out and do the following:

-Attend your local club meeting

-Attend at least 2 races outside your region this year

-Bring one new name to a race this year.

We do these three things, we can survive.

and I personally agree that racing stocks and mods in one class is fine. I don't care who I race or if I get high points, I just want to race! Coming from a guy that races 1 motor, 1 prop, and 1 boat!

my 2 cents..

MHRA is a great group with a fantastic number of race sites not too distant from each other. And, I do applaud the real effort being made to bring in new racers & volunteers to our sport. Region 10 is also fortunate to have race sites reasonably close. The rest of us are not nearly as fortunate due simple demographics. I don't feel this discussion is "off topic" because we need to NOT re-invent the wheel when there is a working rulebook available for all of us to read. You don't have to be a member to download the mutha. Nor do you have to have Acrobat777 to access it.

This thread is a brainstorming session where everyone has a place to race... errr ahh say their piece

I look at as a real privilege for me to be able to post and read ideas here. Thx HR
Alex

[Danny Pigott]

Dave this is not off topic .This thread was about combining SO and MOD I really don't see that happening soon. Apba has got to see that NBRA is doing the best job they both need to support each other. There was talk of a combined Nat's at one time but it never got off the ground . #1 reason we can't get new people in this sport is when you tell them they will have to drive two to five hundred miles to race they are done. Some places may have races that are not very far from a lot of drivers but most are not. The last AM PRO NOA Nat's were in Portmouth Oh. in 1971 It was a big race with $ 5,000 prize money (1971 dollars) When AM PRO left NOA it died a slow death with PRO and OPC. This could happen to both NBRA and SO/Mod APBA if they don't work at this.

[David_L6]

One thing I would like to see: Leave the 44 class (APBA D Mod, NBRA E) just as it is.

[DrRick34-0]

we really apprieate all the pub. for Oklahoma, it is great place with people who are friendly and care about others. We believe that high cost can be prevented by joining NBRA. We charge 25 dollars per class and less if you sign up for a second class. All races pay tow money and championships pay prize and tow. At McAlester, first place paid 100 dollars. We have two million coverage for each incident. which is less than APBa. Do we need five million? and can you pay for that much coverage? We like to race everother weekend.

[blueskyracer]

Another great thing about NBRA is no height measuring in the classes..Just check fuel and weight..Also they have a class called D mod where the Tohatsu's and 40Mod mercs run together..

[dcrummett]

And, we'd love to have Maine racers putting on NBRA races next year, along with other clubs who'd like to affiliate from the Northeast...anywhere. The classes are straight forward, we've forged ourselves out of controversy and done a good job of keeping the governance workable, we're pretty much all still friends after 10 years and we figure..."the more the merrier!"

Dan Crummett
NBRA President

[Dave M]

Well Said

Danny, well said. We all need each other in the long run. We are all boat racers. Lets not have history repeat itself.

Dan C, good words.

I just want to point out the rules are simple, with little gray area. And we are not about changing that. We are not about adding classes, and transforming what has grown in ten years. With the corporate sponsorship NBRA has and is receiving there is no need to change the program, it is working. Hopefully that point is driven home. A lot of times I see people people comparing ABPA and NBRA on this site, and others. I sometimes notice that people tend to say "well APBA dos it this way" and this implies we should too. We are not about comparing ourselves with APBA, we are about growing boat racing, in particular stock & mod. The Pros do it with the USTS and I can only imagine how much more expensive it is to put on a Pro race sanctioned with APBA. Thankfully they have a good program to market in the USTS.

At some point the costs to put on a race become prohibitive for a local club to survive. you can only stay in the red ink for so long. You have to fight the fights you can win in business.

[immulmen]

I joined NBRA this spring about the time I sent off my $200 bucks to APBA. I wanted a first hand look at their rulebook and newspaper. It's been worth the price. Check out this site out: http://www.racenbra.net/

A Racing Membership in NBRA is eighty ($80) bucks; $35 for Novices!! Single event membership is $45 and can be credited. You get a RULE book you can throw in your truck along with a newspaper which you can give to your neighbors kid to look at.

It gets better.. sanction fee for a regular race is $100 bucks. And, the cost of insuring the event appears to be around 800 bucks less with as good or better coverage.

Be sure to check out the NBRA site. AND go straight to "CLASS BREAKDOWN". You'll see a class structure which is very much like the one Howie Nichols described in the first part of this thread. No need to re-invent the wheel. Wouldn't it be something if the entire East Coast went NBRA this December!! Put that extra $100 bucks in your kids Xmas stocking.

Alex

I like what NBRA is doing. If SSOA was to switch it would be better for Silas and I. [Would I get tow money for Standish????] We hope to do 1 or 2 races beyond Thompson CT next year. I would love to go to lucas speedway but 1500 miles and 24 hours of driving would make it hard. Do you think Lucas would sponsor a race somewhere over here?
Chris

[bill boyes]

The problem of many Region Clubs is economics. With APBA Sanction fees. Insurance, Ambulance, Rescue etc there is just not enough entries to pay the Bills,
I can see a change coming if racers want to race. This is not whom is better NBRA or APBA.