A new perspective, PLEASE READ

[Bill Huson]

Plan I proposed to the APBA . . .

All I wanted from the APBA/Insurance folks was reduced weekend fee for multi-single event. Say $200 for 6 drivers. While bugging the main office I constructed a 6 boat trailer with a *tented* center section and pair of boats displayed on each side, decks out to the public, and another pair in normal trailering position on the top racks. Plan was to aquire 6 like boats (ASH?) with engines and pull the rig to a race where the town would volunteer 6 interested residents (victims?) for a single event competition race!

APBA & insurance folks offered no interest in this promotional scheme.

[Ron Hill]

Steve Johnson: Get Posts....

It has entered my mind that APBA should do something.....Like, every year they should promote one Nationals...Inboard, Cracker Box, GN, AXS, or 1100 CC. Why don't they? Because no one has DEMANDED ANYTHING FROM APBA.

We were promoting a 300 Mile Regatta at Parker. We had INSURANCE, all of a sudden APBA Special Events met our insurace rates. We ended up adding more than 50 one day members to APBA...Bottom Line, they met our insurance requirments, but made MONEy on our one day memberships.... will we use APBA again??? Probably, because we have ALWAYS USED APBA.....

When Bill Boyes and I rolled into Alexandria, Louisiana and we saw that BILL BOARD with a couple of hydros, I wanted to stop and take picutres...Bill was tired of my 50,000 stories and didn't want to stop...But, why doesn't APBA have Bill Boards all over the USA??? Don't frigging tell me they ain't got the bread...(Bread is MONEY for those of you who didn't live in the 60's)...Because, we haven't demand that they do it.

I really have no problem with marketing our sport, I sometimes WISH we had a Class or two that was a true INTRODUCTORY CLASS...A class where the "DUDE" off the street with some cash could maybe get a trophy....

I get almost a hundred e-mails a day in the boating season....Most e-mails are for guys with boat that has less than 60 HP, but wants to go FASTER.....

An OUtboard NOSTALGIA class with a 60 MPH speedlimit needs to be tried...

I have sold more than 500 propellers to people who are building or restoring a "CLASSIC OUTBOARD"...

I have a propeller on E-BAY, RIGHT NOW, THAT is offering a "FREE" COLLECTORS PROGRAM from the 2006 Winter Nationals...From just this one listing I have many more views, just to see the program....

Steve is so right about referrals...at one time, about 1977, 80 per cent of our club members had come from boat shows, boat shows where I had worked....

If you bring in NEW PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T BRING THEM IN TO BEAT......which has always been one of our problem...we bring new people into the sport to beat..we sell tem old boats, old motors and junk props....and then we say, "Why did they quit?"

Soap Box Derby's OPEN CLASS was in the dumpster....they started a "KIT CLASS". Now, the "KIT CLASS" is Soap Box Derby's largest class.

You tell me we couldn't come up with a "KIT CLASS" for boat racing??? Oh, but maybe it wouldn't have a "RACING LOWER UNIT"....A class "B" Kit boat with any 25 HP Outboard would be a start....

But why would APBA do anything??? They never have??? Why would they begin now??? If anything is to be done, it wil be by someone who has a PROFIT MOTIVE...like a Yamaha...or...

[AOFoffice]

All I wanted from the APBA/Insurance folks was reduced weekend fee for multi-single event. Say $200 for 6 drivers. While bugging the main office I constructed a 6 boat trailer with a *tented* center section and pair of boats displayed on each side, decks out to the public, and another pair in normal trailering position on the top racks. Plan was to aquire 6 like boats (ASH?) with engines and pull the rig to a race where the town would volunteer 6 interested residents (victims?) for a single event competition race!

APBA & insurance folks offered no interest in this promotional scheme.

Bill,
Just curious. Why didn't you ask AOF? That is exactly the type of activity we fund each year with excess profits made from the previous year. AOF is non profit so your entire project might have been funded.
AOF Office

[Bill Huson]

Aof ???

At that time the AOF was about 60 drivers who raced in south central US and wasn't even on the radar on the East Coast.

[AOFoffice]

Your idea sure was a good one. You were just ahead of your time, I guess.
Connie

[Steve Johnson]

Ron Hill

Perhaps I misunderstood your previous posts
The second one I GET... I been saying that s##t for years.
77G
Bill H. I have unfortunatly resorted to "out of My pocket" doing the same demo ride thing.I am putting together a turn key CSR with trailer. I'm driving clear past one of my favorite sites, 1000 mi out of my way to do it. I hope I can find members one at a time by letting them try it. A check from the promotonal fund would help. If this works I'll do it again , and again till we have a class.

Connie, Terry look in the mail next week. any chance of freeing up that old Kreir for the cause?
Steve

[acr924]

When Bill Boyes and I rolled into Alexandria, Louisiana and we saw that BILL BOARD with a couple of hydros, I wanted to stop and take picutres...Bill was tired of my 50,000 stories and didn't want to stop...But, why doesn't APBA have Bill Boards all over the USA??? Don't frigging tell me they ain't got the bread...(Bread is MONEY for those of you who didn't live in the 60's)...Because, we haven't demand that they do it.

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If you bring in NEW PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T BRING THEM IN TO BEAT......which has always been one of our problem...we bring new people into the sport to beat..we sell tem old boats, old motors and junk props....and then we say, "Why did they quit?"

Ron,
I TOTALLY argree with you on the billboard. When I saw it, I was so excited, I've never seen a billboard for a race before! I don't know who was in charge of advertising in Pineville, but they did a heck of a job. We should have some sort or advertising for each race, whether it be radio, tv, posters, and even billboards for the big races.

BUT, about bringing new people in just to beat them...ummm, I don't think I have ever met a boatracer that was that shallow. Racers want more people for COMPETITION, not to sell them crappy equipment just to say that they beat someone else. Every "new guy" that I have met has had plenty of good equipment sold to him and tons of people in the pits willing to help.
Honestly, it's kind of insulting that you would think that racers would intentionally sell bad equipment to a new guy.

My two cents...
Allie Runne

[Dave M]

Billboards

I believe an NBRA guy was in charge of promoting the race. They do an excellent job of it. I see billboards a lot once in town for the NBRA races. They also manage to get a lot of prize money for their races, and a lot of spectators...... So far nobody has even mentioned that their model works......... dam shame. I guess we might as well wipe our butts with that agreement signed at the Pineville race.

Why can't hardcore APBA people see that other sanctioning bodies have models that work as well, or maybe better ? Why would one not want to try and improve ? Business models need a growth plan, or they go under, period.

I am not saying change everything to NBRA, because I think each organization has pieces that are better than the other. Why not take all those pieces and come up with the best plan ? I hear all the talk about how small steps need to be taken to change, well dammit people have been trying for the last 20 years or more to improve the sport, and so far no small steps have worked with great sucess. Time for a big change I guess.

Anyways, now that I am done venting, everyone have a good race season, and good luck.

[Dave M]

Yup

Dan, I agree.

But I see how many leaps and bounds NBRA has made since day one. Look at Oklahoma clubs. They have went from no races there except for maybe a Nat's that drew a lot, to a few. They are growing it in OK. Dudly Malone and Rick Miller are buying CSH stuff any chance they get. They offer these rigs to people to race at local races. They draw prize money at their races, and the numbers are not huge in OK for racers. How do they do that ? Hmmm......

Anyways, the sport needs to be revamped, and I for the record think NBRA is on the right track. To bad a lot of people are too ignorant or bias to see that fact.

[BP125V]

question for Dan

Hi Dan,

I'm not that familiar with Region 3 or 4 races, have any race sites been lost since last year? Or is June just down time? Here in Region 7 we deliberately left all of July open(I guess I'm not counting our DePue race July 1-2) due to the work that needs to be done for Wakefield. Next year I'm sure we'll be back to a race early/mid month.

thanks,
Bill

[csh2z]

Dave et al,
Are you suggesting that the Stock/Mod program needs to cut classes? If so I tend to agree, although it will cause a financial shortfall due to APBA sanction & insurance rates. I would like to propose, to the insurance co. that we be charged by the number of classes on each sanction rather than a flat fee. This would encourage clubs to run only classes that will bring in enough money to cover their own percentage of insurance cost.
John 2-Z

[mercguy]

Since we no longer race Dave we are considered trouble makers and outcast I dont think I am welcome ant any region 4 races since I started speaking my mind on here

yes, you are!!!!!!! But, i thought that was my job???

[bill van steenwyk]

Dan The Troublemaker

Dan:

Troublemakers and outcasts are great because they get listened to.Just hope you don't become irrelevent, (or is that irreverent?) Seriously, you have done more for the sport of boat racing in the last several years than most everyone else put together. You have provided the forum for many new ideas, both good and bad. You need all those kinds of ideas to make this sport grow again and your efforts have brought many new viewpoints that need to see the light of day. I found out real quick several years ago when I had differences with the powers that be, in both the PRO Division and the APBA hirearchy, that they won't debate you in public, but just hunker down and hope you will go away. You need to keep on their case and along with anyone else who has new ideas, DON'T SHUT UP. That is just what this sport needs, is a whole bunch of new ideas and new people in charge. When the commission meetings become more of a social event and a place to stroke each others 20 year old ideas, it is no wonder the whole sport is in the shape it is in. DONT GIVE UP, it might make too many of the wrong people happy.

[Kristi Ellison]

Region 4 has not lost race sites. It is difficult to get race sites this time of year as the locals don't like to give up their lakes for the weekend. If it is a city park one must pay based on usage and potential lost revenue for closing the park...this can get pretty pricey. Kids are still in school and that means down time also. We just had a race in Wilson and the turnout was less than planned so no need to take another hit so soon.

As to the "Masters of the Obvious"....I think we all recognize the sport is dying compared to 20 or 30 years ago. How about more brainstorming(followed by action) as to how to fix it and less pointing out what we know and attempting to place blame. We are self governed therefore we are all to blame so we all need to make it right.

Kristi

[Bill Huson]

To Ron Hill . . .

That was Plan B, our "rent-a-driver" program. Both me'n my son had ASH rigs but were running our 15ssH and BSH rigs, so the deal was if somebody wanted to try racing all they had to do was borrow safety gear and be at Port HokeyHydro when the van pulled out for the next race. They used our A rigs and occassionaly bummed a ride from another Region 4 racer. We aquired several racers by doing this.