SO/MO/PRO Nationals @ DePue

[spunky64w]

Over the years a few of our Region 7 Leaders have had conversations of a 3 catagory combined Nationals centered around Depue and the Pro Nationals.

The thinking is the SO/MO's would come in either the week before or the week after the PRO's have thier event, not to upset the current program which I think is great since I was there for 4 days this year. As a result we put the 125CCH on the Pleasant Prairie event which was great!!

We have discussed this for a few years but have been relutant(sp) to bring this concept forword because we as catagories want to play in our own sandbox and not look at the big picture of promoting our sport and catagories as a APBA team approach.

With the up coming Detroit Annual meeting it would be great to get membership veiws on this concept as we will be setting National Championship dates for 2010 and beyond.

I as a stock commisioner, commordore of BSOA, and pre race Chair for many WakeField events kinda know the pro's and con of this concept, but lets here it from the membership to get a feel for the Annual meeting.

Bring it on BOYS and Ladies !

Warbs

[spunky64w]

Sorry

Rachel is still signed on at HOME!

Warbs

[Merc1]

I Think that is a great idea! Kinda like the mother of all boat races. I would love to see it happen. May even get regional news coverage if done right, can you say possible shot in the arm for our sport!

[Ron Hill]

DePue: APBA'S SUPER NATIONALS

Seems to me, that every FIVE (5) years there should be a "SUPER" Nationals and DePue would be an EXCELLENT LOCATION.


With some "PUSH" they could build a larger launch ramp or two and run OPC and Inboards also....

But this would mean there would be change and OH MY GOD everyone knows what heappens when you change things...


See, I like Cracker Boxes...they are a West Coast Class and basically always have been...But there are about 20 "TEAMS" that race yearly.....I like the idea of CLASSES having Nationals at an ALL CLASS EVENT.....but every five years, would be a goal that all would try to make... APBA'S Super Nationals....and APBA would ACTUALLY take part in promoting this race.....

In my Super Nationals Concept, I would try to schedule a mixed schedule for the MONTH OF August....with as few conflicks as possible...Also, some classes could race during the week...Like Sport C Marathon , Stock Marathons...

[Gootz 142M]

Have a 45 boat marathon for say 1/2 hour, flying start! WOW fun!- I'M IN

Marathon did you say? Count me in for that one too.

[sam]

The Super Nationals

Warbs, I think it is a great idea and I like Ron's name for it. Every 5 years sounds like a good concept too ... 2010, 2015, 2020 etc - even a boat racer could keep track of it.

It would probably increase entries in some of the PRO classes ... eliminations in 1100ccr for example ... more eliminations in 125 ... 50 or 60 OSY400's ... WOW! You might need to set aside an extra day on the PRO schedule ...

Run Stock and Mod before the PRO's ... build up to the "Main Event"

[Brian10s]

I think a SUPER Nationals is a trememdous idea. It would make what is already 2-3 premier events into one event of all time. And it could work a couple different ways, either with the SO/MO & J's all running before or after the Pros or as a true intergrated event. An intergrated event would give each inspection and Judgestand teams on both sides a set or two off each day. Do an entire swap, just like turnboat. Either way it is done, it would be the must attend event for the country. And Sam is correct, I can see a full day just for OSY elims.

I think the biggest question is would the Depue Men's Club be willing to stretch their resources from a 4 day event to a 10 day event?

[YankeeRacing]

That is a great idea. AOF has run their nationals several times either the week before or after the Pro nationals at Depue. It worked out well.
The course is already set up, and the barge is in place.
The biggest problem would be that the Men's club does so much work for the Pro Nationals they have not wanted to add anymore agenda's and I am guessing that this will remain the case.
The Men's club did help out with the AOF nationals by suggesting alternative local workers. There was a youth group one year and the churches another. You would have to see and talk to the Mayor of DePue to see what could be worked out. After the success of the boat racers reunion, the concept should be an easier sell.
Connie Payn

[22W]

We would have to get Casa Blanca to order more beer and come up with more staff!

[Dave M]

Once iN 5 Years

Is plenty. As one who runs two categories, Mod and Pro, I would not be able to take two weeks off work to attend. One week for a combined Mod/Stock is bad enough when you only run a class or two. But one time in five years sounds like a good idea, and bill it as a Super Nat's.

If this happened this would mean the regular Nat's for both Mod & Stock would not happen, just transforme din the Super Nat's, right ?

I think a better location for a Super Nationals would be Omaha NB. That is very centrally located for each coast. Lots of casinos in the area, a pretty decent race course that each category has raced on before, Mod, Pro & Stocks. Lots of pit area, lots of local watering holes, and if someone had the time could be promoted just as well as DePue. Not sure if shutting down the lake for two solid weeks would go over well though, who knows. At DePue that is not a problem, as I don't think recreational boating is that popular in that water. I know I would not water ski in it. I also feel the pit area in DePue would not be sufficient for a combined event. There would be a LOT of back row spots. If you packed 400 trailers in there it would leave little room for boats and carts. I was at the PRO Nat's and it was standing room only. And the attendence for that race would be nowhere near a combined Mod/Stock Nationals.

Just food for thought.

[drbyrne55]

Dates....

dates for 2008 national meeting?

SO nationals 2009 location?

Over the years a few of our Region 7 Leaders have had conversations of a 3 catagory combined Nationals centered around Depue and the Pro Nationals.

The thinking is the SO/MO's would come in either the week before or the week after the PRO's have thier event, not to upset the current program which I think is great since I was there for 4 days this year. As a result we put the 125CCH on the Pleasant Prairie event which was great!!

We have discussed this for a few years but have been relutant(sp) to bring this concept forword because we as catagories want to play in our own sandbox and not look at the big picture of promoting our sport and catagories as a APBA team approach.

With the up coming Detroit Annual meeting it would be great to get membership veiws on this concept as we will be setting National Championship dates for 2010 and beyond.

I as a stock commisioner, commordore of BSOA, and pre race Chair for many WakeField events kinda know the pro's and con of this concept, but lets here it from the membership to get a feel for the Annual meeting.

Bring it on BOYS and Ladies !

Warbs

[jkimble12]

I think that this is a very, very cool idea. But, I don't think that it will ever, ever happen at DePue.

Josh Kimble
L-32

[3rd Chance]

Dave's got it pegged

Even if you could get everyone to agree to this "super nationals," we would have find find a much larger venue to run it in............not only a big course, you're going to need a ton of pit space, hotels, etc...........

[YankeeRacing]

I don't think pit area would be a problem if you ran the stock/mod nationals the way AOF did it, either before or after the Pro nationals. The pro drivers would be gone with their big rigs, or they could be staged out in the streets or even over on city property if they chose to come early or stay late to watch. As David said, most racers cannot take off two weeks, so any PRO driaver who wasn't racing could and would just leave. (I am assuming that the stock/mod would be the week after as that seems to be the traditional dates for either the stock or mod nationals anyway).
On the other hand, any of the crossovers now already run the Pro nats and then head out to the Stock or mod races for the next week end at another location. Having the stock/mod nationals the following week end would elieviate that problem of travel. Just kick back, stay parked where you are at, and drink up the normal gas money instead of feeding it to your vehicle.
If it worked for AOF then it should work for APBA. It would just take a lot of planning and volunteers-no different than any other nationals.
I am very sure that the Men's Club would not be involved in the following week, though, and another local entity would need to be involved.
Connie

[14-H]

One Category

Why don't we just do it like AOF and have one Outboard Category? Wouldn't that make sense? I mean really: do we need three commissions of 15 people each to govern 400 racers?

We could still have subordinate bodies for the like-classes and have nationals for certain groups of classes that are not all at the same site. We could even divide up the HOC enductees amoung groups of classes.

Just seems like a lot of duplication of effort in having three bodies discuss such issues as flak material in jackets, rounded points on boats and other matters when they really affect all of us essentially the same.

Eddie; 25 - 1/2 days and counting...