The state of Stock and Mod hydroplane and runabout racing 2012

[kampenracing]

We have all read and commented on a lot of posts about the future of our sport. There are many opinions and ideas thrown about all of the time. Most always come down to the fact that we need more exposure to the general public. This past weekend the ODA held a NBRA race at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. This race was sponsored by the largest sponsor of all racing in the country. They sponsor everything racing. We gave away over $7000 in cash this weekend which every driver and crew got some of it. We offered free entry into the track and dirt track racing for Saturday night. It was held on a lake that was purpose built for boat racing, located in the middle of the country. How much more perfect can you get? Well apparently it was not perfect enough to even entice one single trailer that was not an NBRA regular. I just don't get it!!! We do everything we can to put on the best boat race in the country and still can't get outside trailers to show up. In my opinion the future of the sport I love and work very hard for is very bleak!!! We had plenty of trailers and entries to make a great show and great impression and I'm sure we will go back, but it could have been better if more trailers had showed. I can guarantee this, if this race had not been an NBRA race, I still would have been there no matter the location just because I feel this was the best opportunity to advance the sport I love.In the months and weeks prior to this race I recieved many emails and phone calls saying that yes we will be there, but again not one of those trailers showed up. We have put together a format that works, and includes every engine that currently races in every organization, except the OMC A engine, so that is no excuse for not showing up. I can understand loyalty to your organization, I have lots of it myself, but for a race like this, at a location like this, with a sponsor like this, with $$$$ like this I can't understand any reason not to come.

[Andrew 4CE]

People should have made a huge effort to go to this. I am shocked no one outside of NBRA did.

Just so you know... I talked to the NBRA guys a month or two ago about going and doing the 15 hour trip from Toronto because it would have been cool to just be a part of it... but as you say, it turned out they have no class for the OMC 15's or Sidewinder A. This really surprised me.

One of our club members is suppose to be going in September to display his outboard and help out with the Drag event.

Best of luck and I hope you get to hold many more races there.

[blueskyracer]

We have all read and commented on a lot of posts about the future of our sport. There are many opinions and ideas thrown about all of the time. Most always come down to the fact that we need more exposure to the general public. This past weekend the ODA held a NBRA race at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. This race was sponsored by the largest sponsor of all racing in the country. They sponsor everything racing. We gave away over $7000 in cash this weekend which every driver and crew got some of it. We offered free entry into the track and dirt track racing for Saturday night. It was held on a lake that was purpose built for boat racing, located in the middle of the country. How much more perfect can you get? Well apparently it was not perfect enough to even entice one single trailer that was not an NBRA regular. I just don't get it!!! We do everything we can to put on the best boat race in the country and still can't get outside trailers to show up. In my opinion the future of the sport I love and work very hard for is very bleak!!! We had plenty of trailers and entries to make a great show and great impression and I'm sure we will go back, but it could have been better if more trailers had showed. I can guarantee this, if this race had not been an NBRA race, I still would have been there no matter the location just because I feel this was the best opportunity to advance the sport I love.In the months and weeks prior to this race I recieved many emails and phone calls saying that yes we will be there, but again not one of those trailers showed up. We have put together a format that works, and includes every engine that currently races in every organization, except the OMC A engine, so that is no excuse for not showing up. I can understand loyalty to your organization, I have lots of it myself, but for a race like this, at a location like this, with a sponsor like this, with $$$$ like this I can't understand any reason not to come.

That is amazing but almost expected.. Were you suprised?? I am not.. If we had know sooner we would of come for that race and not made plans for Centralia..See ya in three weeks and 1900 miles later

[fhafer]

I didn't know NBRA raced the 15 HP Mercury motor...that's been keeping me from pursuing an NBRA club in Virginia. Thanks for letting us know the APBA J motors are raced in NBRA...I get started this week switching over!

[18W]

Dilema

Keith-
We considered it heavily. But with an A, B, and C stock runabout on our trailer,where would we race? Distance was about the same as Divisionals without the Chicago mess. We knew we would have national caliber fields at the Divisionals and would race. The schedule conflict was the determining factor. Hope to do it next year.

[Top Gun 3-Z]

Feed back

My biggest thing is noing about these races? That's my biggest thing is nowing about these races? I can never find out about these races? Trying to plan races for next year or even in the fall ? Apba Nbra Aof there all the same ? You always hear bout it a week or to before race.There is a schedule for every club but half the time half the races aren't even posted? Any ways ? All clubs Apba ? Nbra should at least have a joint web for there racing schedule? Just a thought?

[blueskyracer]

Just curious but so far this year what has been the biggest class in NBRA?

[A/B Speedliner]

Schedule

Schedule publication is not the problem, I believe i downloaded the NBRA one in March. It getting people to do a little home woirk on their own and be spoon feed the information. I am not an NBRA member but I am interested enough in boat racing to search out the info I need to plan my schedule.

[reed28n]

Boat Races

It is not enough to just host a race. We all suffer from the same issue. The people hosting need to attend other races to spread the word face to face about up comning events, you need to have infomrative advertising, and you have to offer competitive racing.

The biggest turn out we had at Crystal Lake, NY was after two years of my brother and I aong with many other Fishers Landing Racing Club members traveling to races outside of our Region. There was a sense of people wanting to support our race because we supported theirs. Over the last 10 years The FLRC has lost local racers and worse yet we have had a reduction in the number of racers that travel very far. It is not a criticism it is a fact of the evolution in Region 2.

NBRA - this year is tough, because as APBA racers look to race at the Nationals in Grass Lake they are spending their resources attending APBA points events to plan for the year and face competitors that will be in Grass Lake which is drawing racers close to your core.

Personally with limited time for racing and even more limited funds for racing I am looking for events in striking distance from my home and that fit the family calender (Piano recitals, Dance recitals, Softball, Soccer, Birthdays, Anniversaries....etc.)

[thetrailergod]

I do know that this race Was put on the schedule, and even posted HERE ON HR, because I personally put it here in APRIL of this year, as soon as I had a date for this event, Where have you been, it has only been the most advertised race here on HR this year, SO ther wernt any excuses for missing the posts about it, unless you all cant read. or just felt like not reading the posts because NBRA was putting it on, I worked for over 1 year to put this race on, and did logistics on the site to hold the race for 3 months, I didnt do all this work for The NBRA only , I did it all for the ENTIRE SPORT of kneel down outboard racing, to strenghten numbers of the sport and enlighten the general public that we even exist, I personaly am not missing the boat on races such as this was, Keith is absoulty right in what he said < I only feel sorry for the guys that could not attend this race because of illness, or very finacailly broke, I have NO symapathy for those of you that didnt come because we are NBRA

[D_Allen_III]

Conflicting Dates

Like Davey said, it was hard trying to make the choice between our 2nd biggest of the year and the Lucas race. Even more disappointing was as we drove home we were talking about trying to make the Centralia race later in the year. After looking at the schedule we realized it is the same date as our stock Nationals. I understand that schedules won't always line up but it makes it hard to gain members from a different organization when the 2 biggest races for NBRA are the same weekend as the 2 biggest races for APBA members in the mid-west. Everyone in the car I was riding in pretty much admitted the days of being exclusive to only one organization are ending, but the conflicting weekends for large races was a major barrier this summer. TRULY hoping the races don't conflict next year. I talked a long time with Len Miller at our Pleasant Prairie race this spring and I was looking forward to getting down there and racing with you guys. Especially at Lucas, that place is the location I've always dreamed of. Now we just need some lights to make it really interesting.

[blueskyracer]

I really dont care who is putting on the race if it within our travel distance and will be fun and does not interfere with other events on our calander than we will come..

I personally think that if things stay the way they are with no "changing the course" than only one group will remain in ten years for Kneeler racing with a couple of us crippled laydown racers thrown in.

[jswain3]

Dates

I am with Don & Davey. We wanted to go but how can we when it's the same weekend as the Midwest divisionals? I hope you guys can get it back again soon as we plan on attending.

[blueskyracer]

Like Davey said, it was hard trying to make the choice between our 2nd biggest of the year and the Lucas race. Even more disappointing was as we drove home we were talking about trying to make the Centralia race later in the year. After looking at the schedule we realized it is the same date as our stock Nationals. I understand that schedules won't always line up but it makes it hard to gain members from a different organization when the 2 biggest races for NBRA are the same weekend as the 2 biggest races for APBA members in the mid-west. Everyone in the car I was riding in pretty much admitted the days of being exclusive to only one organization are ending, but the conflicting weekends for large races was a major barrier this summer. TRULY hoping the races don't conflict next year. I talked a long time with Len Miller at our Pleasant Prairie race this spring and I was looking forward to getting down there and racing with you guys. Especially at Lucas, that place is the location I've always dreamed of. Now we just need some lights to make it really interesting.

It would be nice if all the groups could communicate when they are working up the schedules but................. Its not just the midwest or East Coast either

[bosv23]

We also were planning on attending. Along with jordan we would hae brought 3-4 boats for csh. Had it not been divisionals weekend we would have been there.