2013 Whitney Point Schedule / Updates

[Howie Nichols]

As a current SORC member I will be voting no for continuing the championships at any venue. I would do this even if I was qualified in every class and they were awarded to the lake closest to me, its the fairest thing to do for all. We should now concentrate on how to fairly award HOC honors...

[Tim Weber]

I just got back home.

Wow, What a trip. Qualified for CSR, had to scratch, missed CMR, scratched 25ssr. I had a trip to the ER. I tore up a finger. It's a long story but I had a blast.

The great flood was a story of epic proportion. I was woke up at 2 AM with a river running around my tent, moved the tent to higher ground, moved boats, put boats on open bunks not knowing who's trailer or boat, chased floating gas cans, sponges, shoes, other odds and ends, rescued easy ups with water up to the top of the frame.

Taste of the regions, AWESOME!

Would I do it again? YES!

Racing was done but what an experience!

Thanks to Scoot Reed. Rich Palmer and the rest of the crew.

Tim

[bill boyes]

I too want the best for the attendee's. We cannot bend the rules though.
Question. What were the drivers told at the drivers meeting by the Race Committee and Referee?
That the remaining events were cancelled or were postponed?
If cancelled is the SORC going to overrule the Referee???

[G Stillwill]

Luck and drawing out of a hat although luck has a a lot to do with winning so does work and effort and how anyone could accept a win like that would be beyond me and Im in the finals in two classes. To have it somewhere else and not have all the ones there that made it in would be unfair to everyone and to let drivers qualify to fill the field that never made the trip to Whitney Point would be more then unfair.

[snyder]

We showed up at the Pits at 8:30 on Friday morning and were shocked by the flooded Pits.

We were amazed by the team effort to move all of the Trailers and equipment to a safe area.

A HUGE THANKS to our Boat Racing Family!!!

Team Snyder 31-W

[bill boyes]

I suggest to the SORC that NO HOC points are awarded for this event.
In any event it is a SORC decision. That is why they get paid the big bucks. LOL

[DiGia54D]

If it was CANCELLED at the meeting then whats the issue? Its over.
Also just the thought of letting other boats fill the field of 12 is just stupid.theres a list of 12 names and some alternates who qualified for those finals. Those are the only boats that should be able to race. Who wakes up every day and just decides these things?

[Hutch06]

Communication

The race director and race committee should answer Mr. Boyes question of 'postponed' VS 'cancelled' - from my understanding, we were told that racing at Whitney Point was done for the weekend at an impromptu Driver's Meeting Friday at noon. From my understanding, the Referee is not a true member of the Race Committee, only the interpreter of the rules. The SORC would have to overrule the race committee - can someone correct me please if I'm wrong?

Regardless, the SORC/MORC/J Committee need to notify their members the status of the remaining Nationals' heats within the next 24 hours despite what the 'final decision' may be (even if there is not one by that point!). Kneeldown APBA Racing needs a better means of communication for this than an online forum. An official statement, email, posting, etc. needs to be made to at least 'clear the air'. I'm sure that those members of their respected commissions/committees are working on a means of doing this as this dialogue happens.

However, IF the Nationals are postponed to another race site on another date, the following information needs to be made clear ASAP:

1. What do I do if I have a sealed/painted motor? I cannot break those seals for at least the next two weeks, possibly longer? Do I have to take that motor to an approved inspectors' location to break that seal? I have a motor in which needs to be maintained - I do not want to go through hoop-jumping for 2+ weeks in order to do so, in part, risking the state of my equipment which would not normally occur.

2. What happens when the 'rescheduled' Nationals fall on the same weekend as a previously scheduled race that has been planned for 9+ months in advance? Does that race site cancel their already scheduled race which many local racers and community members have planned on since the winter/spring, even though the Nationals did not go as planned? This 'unfairness' which is getting thrown around trumps 'unfairness' in regards to HOC points and a National Champion patch.

3. What happens when less than 8 drivers start the rescheduled National Finals' heat? It's no longer a "true" National Championship even though there may have been 12 at roll call on Thursday nights' Drivers' Meeting. Filling in "local" drivers here should absolutely NOT be an option. Those who were present, raced, and qualified (whether it be in the starting 12 or as an alternate) should be the ONLY racers eligible for the rescheduled Nationals. I have no animosity towards those who cannot attend the Nationals, but they should not have the opportunity to win a rescheduled Nationals (even if it were God's Will) when they were not present to qualify or attend Driver's Meeting at the first go-around.


Among other details, these are what stick out to a racer, race director, and new member coordinator who is qualified for a championship which has not been run. This is a very unique situation at a very unique time in APBA/SO/MO/J Racing history. What is decided at this point in time will set a precedent for things to come in the future (hopefully something a natural disaster will not have to affect again). Please think long-term. Not just what should happen 'this year'.

Regards,

Elek Hutchinson
36M

[daveracerdsh]

nationals

Very thoughtful post Elec...the issues you bring up show what a mess it would be to re-schedule any nationals heats. Does Seattle Outboard Association cancel any races that are held on the same weekend as the makeup nationals? Its in the rules that you can't hold another event same weekend as nationals...Was it last year that the APBA gold cup was not awarded due to high winds? I do not want to re-hash things already posted, but the precedent within APBA has been set for something like this. No Gold Cup..you get the idea. As far as the HOC points? I think we need to not use any results from Whitney Point. It is a tough break for a few people...but fair is fair. Oh yeah...did anybody film the heats that ran? Would love to see some of the tight racing again before the flood. Thanx.

[bill boyes]

I agree Howie, However, if the J Category ran all their races. JSR,JSH,AXR,AXH then I would be inclined to vote to award them HOC points.

[G Stillwill]

Bill AXR and AXH didnt get to run the finals

[bill boyes]

Thanks George, Then the J category should not receive HOC points for this event.

[Racerkyle20]

On the road till Tuesday

As I read all these posts on my 3000 mile trip home from nationals I ponder every scenario that has been mentioned and a few that have not. I am in a unique situation being a driver of 3 classes in finals that did not run (csh, csr, 25ssr) and a commissioner on the sorc. Add to that I am one of three trailers from Seattle that made the cross country trip.

There is absolutely no fair way to do this. It's unfortunate. Think of this, How fair is it for zach malhiot and I to come back out east/Midwest for csh and csr. Is APBA going to pay for my gas to drive back out? Or how about my time off work? Which I used 2 weeks to drive 6000 miles to come to original nationals.....

It sucks either way but fairest deal is to call it cancelled and move on. There is already a precedent for losing a nats to Mother Nature (82 Wakefield). We should not deviate from that to reward the few who could make another nationals this year.

Also I am the race director for the next stock:mod:j nationals in Moses lake, Washington. If something like this came up I would not expect not want people to come back to the west coast for a second time.

As for the hoc, there plenty of opportunity left to be eligible:
1. Win your class High point
2. Go to Marathon nationals and win (new for 2013)
3. Win a Marathon high point (new for 2013)
4. Set a record (3 races are currently sanctioned plus a kilo/quarter mile)
5. Winter nationals (already done, but those who attended Bakersfield are now in a decent spot).

In closing the nationals is done and over with IMO. We should move on after the commission meets coa phone tomorrow. Thank you ssoa and Dvroa for putting on a fun nationals! I enjoyed it, even if I only raced one day.

[bill boyes]

Kyle. That is the only decision what can be made. Hard as it is, It is the correct one.

[guedo499]

I've got an idea! I vote to rerun the nationals, here's my plan:

Give all of the mod classes to the Midwest, they have the fastest mods and someone from there should win anyways, no reason they should have to drive to somewhere weird.

For ASH, run that in the north east. A Sidewinder is going to win, so might as well be in their back yard.

BSH & BSR, run at Dayton. We all know the reasons there...go Coop go...

20ssh & CSH Region 10 gets, after all, they are the biggest region in ABPA (by three members!) and we are the only region that have 20+ CSH/20ssh's at normal, local races which will give it a real nationals feel.

25ssh goes to the Canadians, eh. Not "eh?"

CSR can just be awarded to the same person who wins the CSR marathon championship. Double Down!

AXR and AXH can just be awarded to the winners of ASH and ASR as the are really just the same class. Congrats Pete! Another Double Down! And never mind about stepping on the Junior category's toes, we write (right?) our own rules to our our own personal interests here in the stock category! Lead by example!

So now that we all agree to that, I cordially invite you all to Region 10's Seattle Outboard Association Speed Freek Week! I say lets run 20ssh at Soap Lake on the 3/4 mile record course and CSH at the Lake Lawrence 1 mile record course! Forget triple, quadruple double down!

Don't worry, no bias coming from me, I didn't attend the original Nationals, but I'm excited for the Nationals part deuce.