Three heat racing at Nationals

[Hydro doc]

NBRA will race three heats at the Claremore Nationals "Where Boats Fly". If there is more than twelve boats then one heat elimination will be used to get to the best 12 boats. So if you come to Claremore, you will have a chance to race four heats. We are excited to tell you that Ray Rodda will be our announcer. NBRA has both stock and Modified classes and the only place you can race the forty Mercury. The D class is one of the most popular class in NBRA with full fields in hydro and runabouts combining the Tahatsu motors and the 40 Mercury. If you have a 10 year or older guy or gal and a C stock boat or AX Mercury they can compete on the big stage as a novice. Restrictors will be provided to the novice driver. If you have competed in NBRA C or A class then you would not qualify, however AX drivers would qualify. The A class is the same class as the 20 class in APBA with a 385 lb weight. Claremore Lake Park is a Oklahoma jewel guaranteed to suprise.

[David Weaver]

Just a thought - It appears that classes with more than 12 boats are being punished. It is mentioned that there will be a one heat "elimination". So one or more drivers will be automatically be bumped to the shoreline after one heat. In the meantime, a class with 8 boats will see every boat have an opportunity to compete in three heats. A suggestion is that each driver be given the chance to race at least 2 heats in a class and eliminate on cumulative points for the final heat. It would be ashame if you had 16 500 mod hydro's and 4 of those drivers only had a chance to run one heat. Just a suggestion.

[Larry M]

We did discuss how we would do the elimination and decided to keep it the same as we have always done in the past and that is a single heat. This is the same as the AOF did it also. It has worked for 40 years that I have been in boat racing. I actually think this would insure that the best racer would win the Nationals. If you count the elimination points toward the National win you could have a winner in a heat race that might be 3rd or 4th if he was in another heat that had all the faster boats so this wouldn't be right.
Larry Mac.

[David Weaver]

No problem. It is just a thought. If it has always worked then it might fine as is. Only making a suggestion.

USTS and APBA PRO (nationals) run 3 heats also. If there are more than 12, only the top 12 point earners race in the final heat. Why penalize the drivers racing in classes with greatest participation at your events? Good luck and have a successful event!

[Hydro doc]

We have tried to expand the time that you get to race. We limite the event to three days, so we have come up with a compromise. We would love to have forty boats in a class but typically its 14-15 entries. That's six to eight boats in a elim. Yes, you have to do well, but it's not really a problem except for the guy or gal that their spark wire falls off.