KPRO age

[bill van steenwyk]

Somebody ought to start listening to this girl. She talks more common sense than some of the people that have been on the PRO Commission the last 20 years. She shows maturity beyond her years in trying to include instead of trying to exclude . Amy, I think you ought to run for PRO commissioner next time.

[thirlbym-14]

Amy- I love your enthusiasm for your class. And I think you make some very
good points towards your argument, but….. Then again I have to disagree
with you at the same time. The thing that catches my eye the most is that
you keep repeating that you’re not ready to step up to a new class. And you
think that one more year of KPRO is going to change that. That bothers me!
I’ve watched pretty much every heat that you’ve raced on the USTS circuit
and you are at the top of your game. You are more that ready to move on to
bigger and faster things (I think you should take over for Jason, just between
you and me). If you don’t think you can handle a 125 this season, I guarantee that one more year of Kid Pro is not going to change that, at all. You also pointed out that you would have to race against some “real pro’s, world and national champions”. But ask Chris Hellsteen and John Stevens how old they were (14) when they won theirs in 125. You also stated that 18 was a good age because you would have your drivers license for a while, but maybe it’s just me but having a drivers license has nothing to with learning the “in’s and out’s” of boat racing. I also disagree with the point you made about “the biggest reason for the rule change was that certain drivers were running kpro and other pro classes and getting into the hall of Champions”.1st of all, the only person that this includes is my good friend and fellow racer Jamie Nielson, and the only reason why he kept racing it is because he could still kick everyone’s as*, including my own, while still being 50lbs heavier then most of the other drivers, wouldn’t you do the same? 2nd I think the PRO commission is a little more level headed then that to make a decision for that reason. I’m sorry if I offended you in any way, I admire you’re passion for the sport. I just think that this was a good decision by the PRO commission. I personally stopped racing Kid Pro at the age of 14. Maybe I wasn’t ready for it but by the age of 16 I was racing right up there with the “Real Pro’s world and national champions”. YOU ARE READY AMY,I GARUNTEE IT! And as far as Bill's comment on the PRO Commission, he's just pissed off because they might be listening to a 15 year old more then they listened to him the last 50 years!

Brandon

[sesailer]

Expressing Opinions

I'm very happy everyone posting to this thread has learned to air his or her beliefs and opinions - this IS a good thing. Let's just make sure we all try to be a little diplomatic in what is posted.

I'll stop there!

[BratChild]

Brandon....thanks for the comments, I appreciate it...and now for my side... o jeeze yes i know...a lot to read.

After seeing Tim flip and get his arm cut, Nic flipping and breaking his neck, watching Bruce Burton flip and become paralized, things like that, I am going to make sure that I feel I am ready. Boat racing is dangerous, it really is. I mean for me everything is dangerous, I'm always hurt somehow, but in reality boat racing is dangerous. On average, how many flips are there per year and out of those, how many send the driver and maybe others to the hospital? More than there should be. I am not going to go risk jumping into a faster, larger class when I'm not ready and get all nervous and tense and flip and hurt myself badly. I want to make sure. Like on those pregnancy test commercials on tv..."be sure" something like that...well I'm going to "be sure" that I am ready to go out there and race against these older drivers who really know what they are doing. Sorry that I had to use a pregnancy test commercial, but I just saw it a few minutes ago and thought of it now. I mean I know that KPRO is dangerous also, it's not like in KPRO there are no flips and if there ever was no one gets hurt, no! I'm not saying that, but in KPRO, we are all around the same age and yea, some of us may have 1 or 2 years more experiance, but that's what the class is for! To keep us together and on the same page! When you have been racing for 2 years and are 14 and move up to 125H and are racing against 70+- year olds that have been racing for 62ish years, that is a little awkward...if I do say so myself. Yes, Brandon, if you say so I am "at the top of my game" (and I believe I heard you say that before), yea, I may look good on the outside, but if I'm not ready on the inside, then I'm not ready. Pretty simple. And next; you said you moved out of KPRO at 14...well when did you start racing? If I believe correctly, you either started at either 9 or 11? If you started at 11, then you would have been in the class for maybe 4 years. If 9, then about 6 years. And be honost. I started when I was 13, and now I'm 15. This is my 3rd season racing. When you were 14, you had already been racing for a long while. I have not. And if you were 9 when you started and ran until 14, that would be equivalent to (in today's standards from legal starting age of 11) about 17 years old when you would have stopped, somewhere around there. Anything look firmiliar? And you also race cars, not many other drivers do that; that is probably one of the reasons that you were ready to move up so quick. And my Dad read your post and he told me that Chris Hellsten and John Stevens won 125 at 14, but the rest of the drivers out there with them were also 13, 14, and 15...he said it was basically KPRO before they had the actual KPRO class, because only kids ran it. So, yea they won titles and what not, but that's like me saying 10 years down the road from now if this discussion ever comes back up) "Oh, yea, I remember when Jonathon Nielsen, Jamie Nielsen, and Joel Brown won national champions at the ages of 16!" (and this is an example) Yea, Jon may a few years down the road get into an accident and not drive as hard, Jamie may get married, have kids, and want to be there for them and drive more careful, letting his wife know that he will not get hurt, and Joel may go skating one day and fall off a curb and bust his head and get kind of messed up, but still able to race, just not hard. You can tell your kids that the three J's(jon Jamie Joel) won at 16, but that may not mean anything now. Yes, Chris is still a really good driver and I believe John isn't racing anymore but I do remember he was a good driver, but that doesn't always mean anything. Maybe they all jumped the gun and he spun out coming up for the start and was the only legal one. You can never be too sure. About the lisense. I have my permit, and it has taught me some about racing. Yes, it will never be enough, but it still is there. Like turning with someone on your outside or inside, it may teach you how to stay in your lane when turning. You at least have SOME prior driving experiance, that's why I say it may be helpful. And with what I said about the drivers getting into the Hall of Champions with KPRO and another class, that is what I heard from the meeting, or what I was told. Yes, I wasn't there, but when I was told that they were lowering the age of KPRO, I asked why, and that was the answer I was given. If that is not correct, someone please correct me. This is just Amy talking, yes the "blondeboatracer" but hey, I love KPRO with a passion. I want to stay in this class, along with AXSH and ASH for as long as I can, until I get so fat and old that i can't walk or kneel down or move (oh, wait, I've already been there!!!) I just want what's best for the drivers, young and old. I don't want young drivers going out with older drivers and getting in their way or getting so scared that they don't want to do it anymore, I have heard of this before, I'm not making it up. I just want what's best, and to help. I have seen too much in this sport, and I want to keep it up and running, not see it push people away. My dad is already talking about switching over to just stock, and as much as I love stock, I love PRO, too. Personally, I think the rule was just fine how it was. But that is just me. And no Brandon, no offense taken. Thanks for your comments, this is what I posted it here for.

amy

[Nilsen Racing]

First, Brandon thank you for the kind comments regarding Jamie. He is off at college and I don't know if he will read this, but I will forward it to him. I know he had a great time racing 500cch, 700cch, and 1100cch for the first time at DePue this past year, against you (the two of you, the under 21 year old crowd) and the rest of the guys. And is excited about the possiblity of running Howard Anderson's equipment again this year at DePue, if Howard allows and he is allowed to take a break from his commitment to his baseball team (I'd bet on him being at DePue).

Second, Amy I agree with Brandon...I have only seen you at nationals the past two years, but you are ready to move on. BUT, you (personally) have to be MENTALLY ready yourself to move. That is where I see your hang up at the present time. If things don't change, gain experience (testing and racing) and build confidence this next year.

Third, but Amy??? What did you have for dinner tonight? Are you trying to depress my family? I know it is not what you meant, but I want to be a little more optimistic about my boys, boat racing, and their future. Even though injury is a possibility and/or a reality of the sport, I'm not ready to have them hurt or married with kids quite yet.

Just an aside, Jon was 14 the first year he won J-Pro and Jamie was 15 and we/you don't have to have deep pockets to be successful. Our OMC-A motors are stock, stock and the prop that the boys used for the past 6 years is a 2 blade prop that I bought for $100 nine years ago (not for sale by the way). Lucky? Probably, but anything is possible if you test and come prepared?

Enough on this subject for me. Take care all and have a fun and enjoyable racing season.
Jim

[James Luce]

Brandon....thanks for the comments, I appreciate it...and now for my side... o jeeze yes i know...a lot to read.

After seeing Tim flip and get his arm cut, Nic flipping and breaking his neck, watching Bruce Burton flip and become paralized, things like that, I am going to make sure that I feel I am ready. Boat racing is dangerous, it really is. I mean for me everything is dangerous, I'm always hurt somehow, but in reality boat racing is dangerous. On average, how many flips are there per year and out of those, how many send the driver and maybe others to the hospital? More than there should be. I am not going to go risk jumping into a faster, larger class when I'm not ready and get all nervous and tense and flip and hurt myself badly. I want to make sure. Like on those pregnancy test commercials on tv..."be sure" something like that...well I'm going to "be sure" that I am ready to go out there and race against these older drivers who really know what they are doing. Sorry that I had to use a pregnancy test commercial, but I just saw it a few minutes ago and thought of it now. I mean I know that KPRO is dangerous also, it's not like in KPRO there are no flips and if there ever was no one gets hurt, no! I'm not saying that, but in KPRO, we are all around the same age and yea, some of us may have 1 or 2 years more experiance, but that's what the class is for! To keep us together and on the same page! When you have been racing for 2 years and are 14 and move up to 125H and are racing against 70+- year olds that have been racing for 62ish years, that is a little awkward...if I do say so myself. Yes, Brandon, if you say so I am "at the top of my game" (and I believe I heard you say that before), yea, I may look good on the outside, but if I'm not ready on the inside, then I'm not ready. Pretty simple. And next; you said you moved out of KPRO at 14...well when did you start racing? If I believe correctly, you either started at either 9 or 11? If you started at 11, then you would have been in the class for maybe 4 years. If 9, then about 6 years. And be honost. I started when I was 13, and now I'm 15. This is my 3rd season racing. When you were 14, you had already been racing for a long while. I have not. And if you were 9 when you started and ran until 14, that would be equivalent to (in today's standards from legal starting age of 11) about 17 years old when you would have stopped, somewhere around there. Anything look firmiliar? And you also race cars, not many other drivers do that; that is probably one of the reasons that you were ready to move up so quick. And my Dad read your post and he told me that Chris Hellsten and John Stevens won 125 at 14, but the rest of the drivers out there with them were also 13, 14, and 15...he said it was basically KPRO before they had the actual KPRO class, because only kids ran it. So, yea they won titles and what not, but that's like me saying 10 years down the road from now if this discussion ever comes back up) "Oh, yea, I remember when Jonathon Nielsen, Jamie Nielsen, and Joel Brown won national champions at the ages of 16!" (and this is an example) Yea, Jon may a few years down the road get into an accident and not drive as hard, Jamie may get married, have kids, and want to be there for them and drive more careful, letting his wife know that he will not get hurt, and Joel may go skating one day and fall off a curb and bust his head and get kind of messed up, but still able to race, just not hard. You can tell your kids that the three J's(jon Jamie Joel) won at 16, but that may not mean anything now. Yes, Chris is still a really good driver and I believe John isn't racing anymore but I do remember he was a good driver, but that doesn't always mean anything. Maybe they all jumped the gun and he spun out coming up for the start and was the only legal one. You can never be too sure. About the lisense. I have my permit, and it has taught me some about racing. Yes, it will never be enough, but it still is there. Like turning with someone on your outside or inside, it may teach you how to stay in your lane when turning. You at least have SOME prior driving experiance, that's why I say it may be helpful. And with what I said about the drivers getting into the Hall of Champions with KPRO and another class, that is what I heard from the meeting, or what I was told. Yes, I wasn't there, but when I was told that they were lowering the age of KPRO, I asked why, and that was the answer I was given. If that is not correct, someone please correct me. This is just Amy talking, yes the "blondeboatracer" but hey, I love KPRO with a passion. I want to stay in this class, along with AXSH and ASH for as long as I can, until I get so fat and old that i can't walk or kneel down or move (oh, wait, I've already been there!!!) I just want what's best for the drivers, young and old. I don't want young drivers going out with older drivers and getting in their way or getting so scared that they don't want to do it anymore, I have heard of this before, I'm not making it up. I just want what's best, and to help. I have seen too much in this sport, and I want to keep it up and running, not see it push people away. My dad is already talking about switching over to just stock, and as much as I love stock, I love PRO, too. Personally, I think the rule was just fine how it was. But that is just me. And no Brandon, no offense taken. Thanks for your comments, this is what I posted it here for.

amy

Holly crap, thats longer than my enitre Social studies report !

[James Luce]

You typed
- 1,099 words
- 4,400 charicters without spaces
- 5,501 charicters with spaces
- 70 lines

I bet thats the longest post on this entire site

[BoatRacer2009]

Amy...................Look you have way more boat time than i do and im racing 125, it's not like your goning to die when you hit the water. Ive been racing less time than you actually and im OK im not dead or injured (involving boat racing). It's not that bad its just like a KPRO with a little more thoght and if I can do it a majority of the world can do it believe me. People get hurt yes but that life nothing is perfect!! All you gotta do is go slow and you don't have to race really hard your first year look at me I wasnt set to go fast and I did fine its really alot more fun than KPRO. And about those old guys their not gonna kill you if u move in there lane, I mean yes they will most likely talk to you about it after the race but no harm done nobodyu was hurt. I get that from old guys all the time. Look your a pretty experiedcned(sp) driver you have more boat time than me!! So just RELAX!!! and that all im saying becuase Idont Know how you can type that much


Mike Z-11

[RuthieRae]

Third, but Amy??? What did you have for dinner tonight? Are you trying to depress my family? I know it is not what you meant, but I want to be a little more optimistic about my boys, boat racing, and their future. Even though injury is a possibility and/or a reality of the sport, I'm not ready to have them hurt or married with kids quite yet.

Jim

C'mon GRANDPA, why not???
PS, Ashley got on here last night and saw your post about how she could run a sweet set up at DePue, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE NOW.......just kidding, her mother won't let her! Actually she has to get by Susan first.

[DougMc]

Forget KPRO and 125. You need to run OSY.

After my getting spanked by both Joey Pinner and Nick Hooten in OSY this past weekend , I have changed my mind on your and Joel Brown's needing to run OSY.

[wdlong1226]

doug

that rough water was no help this weekend it sure did,nt help betsy at all she took a real good flip this time. soon we,ll have to put flipper on the side of her boat. swelled up her lip alittle ,swelling gone down already.

[David Weaver]

K PRO Age - revisited

I believe/hope that the PRO Commission will have further disucssion on this topic either via conference call / e-mail or at DePue (Nationals). The voices on each side of the topic have been heard loud and clear. So, let's give the process a chance to re-look at the change and how it is being made. My suggestion is that drivers contact their respective PRO commissioners with comments regarding the rule change. You may get a better dialouge than on an open discussion board.

[HRTV]

I would like to thank everyone for keeping this thread clean courteous and very professional but in the interest of all the members of HydroRacer.Net I feel it might be time to close this thread and end it on a positive note.

History shows that such a hot topic might take a turn for the worst should someone not agree or perhaps say the wrong thing with no intent to harm another board member.

Once again I would like to thank everyone for the responsible post made in this thread and wish everyone the best of luck during the 2006 racing season.