We need to save the sport.

[Lights]

What's up with everyone selling out? Are They scared to race me the rookie in ASH, CSH and maybe OSY-400 this year. JK. But seriously I mean G. Lewis, P, Hooten and the site master Dan. Just to mention a couple of them. I hope this does not continue.

Maybe I should have stuck to flying model airplanes and hunting. I know my wife would be happier. Oh well I still want to make boats fly. Come on guy's we need to save the sport.

Mark

[Bill Huson]

Here's the deal . . .

to keep the sport alive we must constantly recruit new drivers. Very few race drivers started young and kept racing until their banged up knees prevented them from climbing in a boat. Life gets in the way. The youngsters go off to college, that puts a crimp in racing. And then they get a real job, get married, and have kids. No time and no budget room for racing.

Plan B: We need to stay in touch with those former racers. hydroracer.net does exactly that. How many former racers landed on this site and said, man, that was a lotta fun. And they think, now I have the time and money to do it again, and they do it again. Stand up and be counted, recycled racers!

Clubs can help keep in touch with former racers as well. So maybe they don't want to climb in a boat again, but we sure can use support folks to help a race run smoothly. Give them a job to do! This is very sneaky `cause after a season of watching while running a tow boat or whatever they may get the *itch* and decide it's more fun to be in the spray than to watch the spray.

[David Weaver]

Equipment for Sale

Do not despair, racers come and go all the time. Many go off to other forms of racing, but notice how many times boat racers return to the "fold". I believe that you observing the routine flow.

[Lights]

Yes Dave I think it is probably just a come and go flow going on.

Bill, I could probably be considered a racer. I did not drive when my dad and uncle were racing. But I did a lot of wrenching. Now I got the itch to race about 2 years ago. After being out of the scene for 18 years. This year I finally had the some money to purchase gear.

[HRTV]

Hey Mark you cant really count me, everyone here already knows that I come and go like the wind drivers like Hooten and Lewis are the ones that might make people take notice and start to wonder is this a trend ?

[David Weaver]

Not the first time...

Hey Mark you cant really count me, everyone here already knows that I come and go like the wind drivers like Hooten and Lewis are the ones that might make people take notice and start to wonder is this a trend ?

..that Paul has made the decision to take a break (hopefully) from racing....We can look forward to him returning or (better) changing his mind....

[888race]

Yes that is true

I love boat racing, so make sure that you have fun first and be safe all the rest will come to you . stay out of politics support your local club and your class . and if you know anyone looking for three great boats I have them 4 sale

[Lights]

Oh I'm planing on having fun this year. I'm also staying out of the politics.

Wish I had the money for your banner rig Paul. I love the paint job.

[Joe J]

I would guess that Gary selling his stuff has something to do w/ their not being much, if any, of a stock class in Region 12.

Joe

[YankeeRacing]

Local Racing Support

Way back in time...it didn't matter where you lived, there was lots of local racing. Supporting your local club was what it was about. I think we've gotten away from that. Maybe it is because there aren't as many racers as there used to be. Not sure. Just in case you missed the post on the cancellation of Altoona, FL, here it is. This is just an example of what could happen in other regions. Carl Staron has worked hard to bring about 8-12 week ends of racing to Florida, (and would do more). --if he had some suppport. So, he gets disgruntled and leaves. Then everyone is forced to find races themselves, do the work, or-travel great distances to race-or sell their equipment and get into something else.
We really need to save our sport by supporting local races.:
Altoona, FL Cancelled
-------------------------------------------------------------------------The race in Altoona FL has been cancelled due to low participation. (April 22-23
Soap box:
Carl Staron has had this on the schedule for a year. He put in a lot of money concerning this race as it could open up race sites at these private camps throughout the country. He cannot compete with a SE divisionals, and that is understood and accepted. However, IF anyone cares about local racing in Florida, now would be a good time to call Carl and give him some encouraging words concerning future races at Lake Placid and Altoona. (Can be rescheduled because he has already paid for the lake use, and it is a shame to let that go to waste.)
In Pineville an agreement was signed between APBA/AOF/NBRA. We need to honor that agreement.
We also need to support local races and those who work so hard to put them on. (ie/ Carl Staron, Paul Hooten, etc.)-or, plan on driving many miles to all of your races.
End of soap box.
Connie

[Cameraboy]

Upward trend in NW

We have at least 8-10 new racers this year, most new to the sport, in classes from J to D. And that doesn't count Daren relocating from California. What does count is how generous people like Daren (sold equipment and gave advice to at least two new race teams up here in the last couple of years) and others (the HARM J Project) have been with their time, equipment, and knowledge. The next step is making sure that all the new folk have enough fun to stick with it.

If you're a couple of years into the sport running your original old equipment - upgrade. Buy Paul and Gary's stuff. It's less frustrating (i.e. more fun)working with good equipment. And I'll bet both Paul and Gary will be glad to point you in the right direction set up wise.

[HYDRO21Z]

Soap box:
Carl Staron has had this on the schedule for a year. He put in a lot of money concerning this race as it could open up race sites at these private camps throughout the country. He cannot compete with a SE divisionals, and that is understood and accepted.
Connie

Connie, and Carl et al,
I am sorry that I scheduled the Divisionals on the same Weekend.
Unfortunatly it never occured to me that it might conflict with another
race this early in the season.
In the future I will make a better effort to learn about all scheduled races
in order to prevent something like this from happening again.
I understand the work that goes into putting on a race and hopefully you
will be able to put your race back on the schedule, and I will try to attend,
to at least add my entries to your race.
Again I apologize for my mistake.
Sincerely,
Dennis Burke 21Z

[YankeeRacing]

Dennis,
That is cool. That is the kind of cooperation we need TO save the sport. Carl is suggesting to everyone that now they have no excuse not to attend your race, and that is cool too.
Connie

[mercguy]

no worries..........

What's up with everyone selling out? Are They scared to race me the rookie in ASH, CSH and maybe OSY-400 this year. JK. But seriously I mean G. Lewis, P, Hooten and the site master Dan. Just to mention a couple of them. I hope this does not continue.

Maybe I should have stuck to flying model airplanes and hunting. I know my wife would be happier. Oh well I still want to make boats fly. Come on guy's we need to save the sport.

Mark

I also thought of getting out myself, but changed my mind. The racing was not the most important part of which might be missed, but rather the people involved and of which you associate with..........those people are who I would miss the most. People come and go, but most do come back. You have seen here a couple people "going", but also there are more "coming", which is good. Don't count Dan in, as like he says...."he comes and go, like the wind".........next season he will buy a CSR...LOL!! We definatle know he is not an investment banker, as he takes a heavy loss each year he buys, then sells his equipment!

be careful with.................." I still want to make boats fly".................as they can get "too flighty"...........

[RacerX]

Where is APBA when you need them?

What does APBA do for kneel down racing? What does the President do? Any of you guys ever wonder? Where is the support? What is the headquarters doing to help boost membership? Maybe I am just not informed and would love to be corrected!!! Please do. Tell me all about it!!! Is it up to the drivers to recruit or do you think the guys that take our checks every years should have some part in this process? It baffles me how so many people are so loyal to an organization that hands out plastic cards! I would love to hear why nobody says a darn thing about such an obvious question and how the members feel. There has got to be someone out there that shares my thoughts and questions............ ......... It seems like so many other topics always come up and to me this topic is the most important of all! I would love to have local races again like when I was a teenager. The local races were like the Nationals now. In my opinion it shouldn't be up to a couple local heros to save the sport which is that it has been for to long. Help APBA!!! Do something for a change!!!!!