rule proposal 21

[Dave M]

Outsider Views

I am not a stocker but between all the bantering stock seems to have, some points I picked up here that might need highlighted.

1. Treat it as a business.
2. Status
3. Cost

Think about these, if you don't satisfy your customer, being the spectators, you have no status.

Cost, perhaps the powers should look at this more. Everyone complains about this. Perhaps the focus should shift from growing numbers to decreasing costs for current racers. Decrease costs means something to compete with for new customers. How do you think Wal-Mart became the worlds largest retailer ? They attracted customers with lower prices.

I hate to say it, but for a parent to get into racing "J" it will cost well over 5 thousand dollars for one rig. Is that cheap ? Nope. If I want to go buy a D stock it will cost right around 6K. If I want to go buy a C stock it would cost me around 3500 - 4000. And you wonder why it is the largest class in Stock ?

All I am saying is I see this in all the posts here. Seems to me costs should be reduced first..................

[14-H]

**

I hate to say it, but for a parent to get into racing "J" it will cost well over 5 thousand dollars for one rig. **......

Dave: take a gander at my "New J Engine?" thread. Ed.

[14-H]

Ron Hill

Ronnie: You were making a really good point until you brought up the 36 Runabout thing. Ed.

[Andrew 4CE]

Dave: take a gander at my "New J Engine?" thread. Ed.

APBA has outboards on the path to being so regulated now... minus the motor a person is looking at about $5k for a J outfit...

boat with carbon and kevlar fiber sides, break away pickles
life jacket with flak material
kevlar safety gear
I can see neck restraints being ruled in the coming years...

All the old used equipment is obsolete...

Not saying some of the stuff is not a great invention and saving people... but face it... this Hobby costs a lot...

How much will the new "save our sport" Sidewinder be? $4k+?

[Ron Hill]

Status Symbol....

In 1962, there was a girl who lived on the corner of my street...(Bill Boyes will remember her....brown hair)...I **** near wrecked my car everytime I went by her house, as I had just moved to Garden Grove in 1962, the 91 Freeway went through our old house....and looking at her and driving wasn't easy...

She was alway out watering her lawn or something.... Everyone in town called her " The garden Grove Status Symbol" but not to her face...... I usually came around the corner, in my'53 Chevy, on one wheel and never stopped just looked......

I was taking this photography class at Orange Coast College, and "The Garden Grove Status Symbol" came by me on campus......I stopped her with my ORIGINAL LINE, "Hey, Listen..." and said, "Hey, everyone in town tells me you are called 'The garden Grove Status Symbol' and I need a picture of a 'Status Symbol'"....for my class..."

Well, I took several pictures of her....Thanked her and SPLIT for the photo lab... I spent about two or three hours there, which was easy because there was usually plenty of Surfer Chicks hanging out in and around the lab........

The next day I hand delivered the pictures to "The Garden Grove Status Symbol" personally, and introduced myself....She was "SERIOUSLY HOT" and with the help of my teacher I had made some great enlargements of her... We dated for three years, off and on...I always introduced her to anyone and everyone as "The Garden Grove Status Symbol"....She loved the title...We enjoyed our times together...She became a teacher, we never fought, we just drifted apart...

I was in Garden Grove Sunday, drove by my folks old house...and by
"The Garden Grove Status Symbol's" house, I wondered if she ever thinks about me....

Did anyone happen to see Chad Hill and Pat Bowman's pictures in Powerboat, Hot Boat and Performance and and Family Boating??? Only 40 boat raced at The Blue Water Resort and Casino 300...but if Chad never wins another race, his status will always be mentioned with his dad, Jimbo McConnell...Johnny Sanders...Renato Molinari and other greats of Boat Racing...

We have built one new boat for Parker 2007 and are building another... A National class for a V-6 Outboard on a ski boat??? We don't care what others think...we'll be at Parker in October.... We'll probably have Bob Wartinger driving one of our boats...Timmy Seebold will be driving another...Pat Bowman and and Chad Hill will be there.... Status???

Todd Bowden is coming out of retirement to race The 2007 Blue Water Resort and Casino 300....and Fred Bowden may drive with him....and maybe Sean Torrente will too!!!!

As Max McPeek said in 1967......."In Grand Ledge, Michigan, I'm important..."

Add "D" Motors....Where do I buy a new 44 XS? And IS the Tohatsu a legal "D" Stock motor????

When we show up at the races...we cook BRATS...we race...we have FUN with FAMILY AND FRIENDS......Status??? My friends like me!

[Dr. Thunder]

Ryan, In general I like your thinking but I do have some questions about your last post ...

<snip> ...As Dana Holt stated earlier, there are going to be exemptions from this rule for these new motors as they are phased in.

I didn't vote for any exemptions ... don't recall seeing it on the ballot!

These kinds of things are being taken into consideration.

who is doing the considering? How will this affect my vote?

Both the Merc and Tohatsu motors have been available for the last couple of years. The DSR class has still shown no growth. Right around 15 drivers for the last 10 years. Is that a nationally viable class?

It will have growth when SORC stops screwing around with the "parity" issue. Will DSR have an exemption while SORC figures out the parity issue?

Does DSR have a Tohatsu height restriction?

[G Stillwill]

As I have been away for the past two weeks could someone post the 21 rule ballot and the date it has to be returned by.

[race4kaos]

ballots...?

I've talked to a couple people since this thread heated up.

Several people have not got their ballots in the mail. What are the requirements to get them?

[Jeff Brewster 59s]

here's my first attempt at our new printer, hope it works!

4M, the rule on who get's to vote is in the first sentence.

Hey Ed, give Tammy a break! Heck, I always wanted a sister!

Remember, I do not disagree with the entire idea of this ballot. If the rest of Dana's considerations would have been added it would have changed my vote.

Boy, I sure like the idea of a different point system based on entries in your class! Sure would be a scorer's nightmare!

Here's the question of the day......If I beat six 25SSH in a two heat race and get 400 pts. at Lock Haven for example. Why should Shanon Bowman only receive 400 pts. when he just beat 22 CSH's???

Yes, this would make it harder for me to get in the hall of champions, but wouldn't this idea be more fair???

See attached attempt at a scanned copy of the ballot

[Andy111]

Here's the question of the day......If I beat six 25SSH in a two heat race and get 400 pts. at Lock Haven for example. Why should Shanon Bowman only receive 400 pts. when he just beat 22 CSH's???


The way most kart tracks do it is to give points based upon number of entries:

10 karts; 1st place gets 10 pts, 10th place gets 1 pt.
It gives more credit where it is due. I would think everyone could agree that winning CSH at Loch Haven should get more points than at a regular region race with 4 boats, but you get the same 400 pts as if it was an equal accomplishment. I doubt changing the point system would ever be considered. The majority of boat racers don't ever seem to want to change anything.

[Ron Hill]

Andy111

Well see...Karts have tires and they have about 400 karts at each race, why would we want to look at what they are doing? You know, we get too many boats at the races we wouldn't have room to Bar-B-Que BRATS...

And if we had 36 Cubic Inch Runabouts, we wouldn't need patrol boats....to tow in all the boat with flat tires...

Never work changing the point system ...especailly if the point system was fair....Where is MY ADVANTAGE???

Last year, we had the APBA Stock Outboard Marathon Nationals at Indio. My son won. He didn't get Hall of Champion Points. I don't think APBA gave him any thing for the is win. We had enough 45 SS boats and SST 45's to pay for the race at Indio....

This year, there is no Indio race and there is a concert in town...AND no one really wanted to race the week after a SERIES RACE.....We think we'll just go to Port Neces, Texas or Louisiana.....or wherever it is...

Races are expensive to put on, you need boats...Region 12 Has a, 20 45 SS, and C Hydro.... We should have lots of boats with only four classes.....But we have three-four A's, 3-4 20's and 3 C hydros...and 12 or so 45 SS's.......Get rid of 45 SS and the problem of lack of boats will be fixed... Yea, that'll do it! Get rid of 45 and save Region 12's outboard Boat Racing!

10 boats you get points....(National)...(Still score the races on heat points of 400, 300, 225...)...

22 points for 22 boats...Never work, see boats don't have tires!

[mrlou40]

Ron makes a good point as far as region 12 is concerned as the stats show if you eliminate the 45 class you might as well kiss region 12 stock outboard racing good bye since with the other 14 or so boats to make a race and pay an APBA sanction , it is not going to happen.

on the west coast BSH (31 who ran more than 31 races) and BSR (23 who ran more than 3 races) are not run at all so should we also do away with them as well?

Ah but wait Mr.Selewach is building a new motor so I guess even though their numbers are less than 35 we should hold off since someone has made a substantial investment for the future of a class that "might" get up to 40 entries???????

here's my question to all the s.o. clubs more less East of the Mississippi,
I see last year in ABPA hi points there were around 50 plus SST45's getting points, do you schedule the stock 45 class for them at your race sites?
if not why not? if so why do they not show up?

I DO agree in the future we need to have less classes for a better show at SOME race sites since I'm not a fan of warm beer and trying to cook stakes by flashlight. (35-45 heats of racing and way to many 3-4 boat heats)

but the smaller clubs who do not have the entries, might not ever have the entries, we should sell them short from our sanctioned racing for lack of the right classes of boats for national points? I dont know, but I do know if you kick the dog in the head enough times he will either leave or crap on your new carpet either way it is not good.

The DSH & DSR class will grow with the new motor available if the SORC gets some parity going, by that I mean it is better to keep 30 people interested in stock rather than mod and not listen to the few friends who want to dictate how the rules should be written for a new motor. (get ready for this one MR. seleawach just ask Mr. Bass !!

Anyone can take capsule training you might even get a ride in a 45 think its cool and buy one!!

I think every one needs to take a little time this year and see what we can do to either build up the classes or find a way to combine a few somehow.

Thanks for listening, ready for the bashing
Carl 94-R

[bill boyes]

Carl, Well said.

[Steve Johnson]

Clarifaction please

Is the proposed rule to replace Rule21 C pg 34 which reads... "The SORC may declare that any racing class, either hydro or runabout,or both shall be eliminated. ect.. ect.. ? Or is the proposed an addendum to?

[Ron Hill]

That's Good...

45 SST is safe, it is a TUNNEL!!!