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Over the last few years I've paid very little attention to what's been going on in boat racing. I raced a bit, but when I wasn't there, neither was my mind. On catching up with what's been happening, one thing is plainly clear: This sport is a mess. The only thing is, it doesn't seem to be a mess at the races. It's a mess in the rulebook. At the races, I see new motors racing in every class, good competition, growth in classes where numbers were dwindling(region 4 now has a BSH class). And, yet, we've got this mess where you can run this motor in this class and that class, or this motor in those 3 classes, no you can't put that on a runabout, yeah, that's a B motor but good luck winning the Nationals unless you're Ed Hearn. There is no organization. You guys all have your microscopes zoomed in on each class, trying to make it viable, while the whole sport is just becoming a jumbled mess where the classes are all starting to look alike. We've got to take a step back, and look at the sport at a whole. We have to remember, the classes don't belong to the drivers. The classes belong to the sport, the drivers belong to the classes. And, similarly, it is the same with the motors, they, too, belong to the class. That is why I think it is paramount for the survival of the sport that we very quickly get some sort of clear definition of class structure. And, of course, I have an idea my self.
First, why restrictor plates are bad for racing:
-Confuses class identity(as I mentioned above).
-Makes scheduling complicated
-Makes inspection complicated
-Assumes 'one race isn't good enough' mentality(this can be addressed with format change)
-Makes tuning motors more difficult, giving advantage to more tech-minded racers-disadvantage new guy.
Class Structure:
AX-Evinrude and Mercury(the J motors, now this class is a viable stepping stone class again)
A Stock-15 cubic inch class-Hot Rod and SW 15S-allow SW to jack up which would probably make them comparable in speed and clear up some of the issues they've been having running deep.
B Stock-20 cubic inch class-Yamato 80 and SW 20S-Despite what some have said, I(and I don't think I'm alone) don't see why two 20 motors shouldn't be pretty comparable. In racing the class I feel that they already are, parity would arise naturally.
C Stock-25 cubic inch class-Yamato 102, 302 and Merc 25xs(maybe lower to 1 3/8" height? or, this maybe the one case where you need a restrictor. I think I recall these classes running very similar lap times when the Mercs ran restricted)
D Stock-Tohatsu and Merc
This accomplishes, of course, a number of things:
-Makes the sport, and the classes, easier to talk about, and, therefore, easier to sell. The motors can be easily recognized and associated with their class.
-Gives racers a new motor option and a used motor option in every class.
-Gives each new motor it's own class to identify with, while still allowing the used option to remain competitive. This means getting the benefit of manufacturer competition without pitting two production motors against each other.
-Classing by cubic inch should be the easiest way to obtain parity. The way it's been tried, it seems, cubic inches always win out anyway, even with a restrictor. It seems the restrictors always get smaller and the bigger engine still wins.
-Scheduling is now easier, allowing the opportunity for a format change to give more 'bang for the buck', possibly as simple as adding laps, or maybe running 3 heats.
-Gives the opportunity to promote runabouts as a second class option.
-Gives EVERY class the opportunity for growth nationwide. We would no longer be just keeping classes alive. Every class has a clear future because every class has viable motor options. And, by classing by cubic inch(as racing should be done anyway!), it gives the classes identity beyond the motors we are racing now. It will ease this hardship next time around.
-It puts an end to the fluffing of classes with motors that don't belong, while giving every engine a viable class to run nationwide.
In order to sell the sport to new racers it has to be sellable. There has to be a clear picture of just what's going on. As it stands every class is on shaky ground except for C and D. INDECISION is KILLING this sport more than anything. We gotta zoom out, look at the big picture, think long term, because this fiddling around class by class is just tangling the web further and further. We have to fix the SPORT, once that is done, the classes will be just fine.
Peace.
First, why restrictor plates are bad for racing:
-Confuses class identity(as I mentioned above).
-Makes scheduling complicated
-Makes inspection complicated
-Assumes 'one race isn't good enough' mentality(this can be addressed with format change)
-Makes tuning motors more difficult, giving advantage to more tech-minded racers-disadvantage new guy.
Class Structure:
AX-Evinrude and Mercury(the J motors, now this class is a viable stepping stone class again)
A Stock-15 cubic inch class-Hot Rod and SW 15S-allow SW to jack up which would probably make them comparable in speed and clear up some of the issues they've been having running deep.
B Stock-20 cubic inch class-Yamato 80 and SW 20S-Despite what some have said, I(and I don't think I'm alone) don't see why two 20 motors shouldn't be pretty comparable. In racing the class I feel that they already are, parity would arise naturally.
C Stock-25 cubic inch class-Yamato 102, 302 and Merc 25xs(maybe lower to 1 3/8" height? or, this maybe the one case where you need a restrictor. I think I recall these classes running very similar lap times when the Mercs ran restricted)
D Stock-Tohatsu and Merc
This accomplishes, of course, a number of things:
-Makes the sport, and the classes, easier to talk about, and, therefore, easier to sell. The motors can be easily recognized and associated with their class.
-Gives racers a new motor option and a used motor option in every class.
-Gives each new motor it's own class to identify with, while still allowing the used option to remain competitive. This means getting the benefit of manufacturer competition without pitting two production motors against each other.
-Classing by cubic inch should be the easiest way to obtain parity. The way it's been tried, it seems, cubic inches always win out anyway, even with a restrictor. It seems the restrictors always get smaller and the bigger engine still wins.
-Scheduling is now easier, allowing the opportunity for a format change to give more 'bang for the buck', possibly as simple as adding laps, or maybe running 3 heats.
-Gives the opportunity to promote runabouts as a second class option.
-Gives EVERY class the opportunity for growth nationwide. We would no longer be just keeping classes alive. Every class has a clear future because every class has viable motor options. And, by classing by cubic inch(as racing should be done anyway!), it gives the classes identity beyond the motors we are racing now. It will ease this hardship next time around.
-It puts an end to the fluffing of classes with motors that don't belong, while giving every engine a viable class to run nationwide.
In order to sell the sport to new racers it has to be sellable. There has to be a clear picture of just what's going on. As it stands every class is on shaky ground except for C and D. INDECISION is KILLING this sport more than anything. We gotta zoom out, look at the big picture, think long term, because this fiddling around class by class is just tangling the web further and further. We have to fix the SPORT, once that is done, the classes will be just fine.
Peace.
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