SO/MO/PRO Nationals @ DePue

[Steve Johnson]

Do It

Best idea on here in a while. Almost , ANYTHING CAN BE MADE TO HAPPEN , depends how bad you want it. I like this because crossover participation would be VERY easy. use the USTS model , List classes, times in which they will run, allow time for restarts , ect... many hands will make for light work. This shouldn't tax the mens club much more , still set up and take down once. I'd go one further, I'd require pre registration, and let drivers arrive for their class (at own risk). 20 min drivers meeting every morning for those classes set to run that day. A big thing like this would have a lot of marketing potential. Think national news. Think Sturgis.

[Tim Weber]

I,m for it too. I think this years nationals would make a case for it by itself.
My primary class, CSR didn't even have elims in Washington.

I ran antiques at Depue. To then leave and log an additional 2500 miles on top of the 800 miles already logged was a deal breaker. I was looking at a 6600 mile round trip to make both races. The cost in gas would have been about $2000 alone. At least those who run mutiple catagories, can load up the trailer and spend a full week in one place vs. the additional week on the road.

Let's face it, we are going to have to try and be one big happy family at some point. The only decent races we can field in a single catagory are nationals and frankly the nationals don't field as many boats as we used to have at a good Sunday race.

Tim

[jeff55v]

a great idea...

Sounds very exciting!
I like Rachel's idea, why not run a combined nationals?
I like Ed's idea, why not combine catagories?
I like Ron's idea, why not call it a super national and do it every five years?

Like others, I wonder if the DePue area has the infrastucture to support so many people? But, regardless of exactly where it is held, it sounds like a great idea!

[Big Don]

Man I get excited just reading this thread. 2 weeks of racing…We all would think we had died and gone to heaven. OK maybe we don’t need two weeks but maybe something like 7/8 days of nationals caliber racing...does not get any better than that. Might have to start looking for a 250

[sam]

very little extra pit space needed

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...........

Sean, you aren't the only one who is misreading the plan ... I see a lot of people misreading this idea. The plan is to have the races one week after another, not all at once. A lot of extra pit space would not be needed, extra hotel rooms not needed (well some but not triple). Some CSH drivers would stay to race OSY, some FER drivers would stay to race 1100 runabout. Non-racers would have to be out of the pits when the next category came in, but most would pack up and go home after their class was done anyway.

Guys already want to show up the day their class runs and go home that night from the Nationals as it is. Race committee driver's meeting rules are the only thing that stops it now.

[jkimble12]

This shouldn't tax the mens club much more , still set up and take down once.

Steve,

I don't know if you know this or not, but alot of the Men's club members use their personal vacation time to volunteer at the PRO Nationals. There is a ton of planning, effort and $$$$$ that the Men's Club put out each year for the Nationals. So saying that it shouldn't tax them much more to put on all three Nationals is a load of B.S.

As a DePue Men's Club member I feel very confident in saying that they will only be putting on the PRO Nationals. I agree with Connie, that lake is not used for much other than racing and duck hunting, so if you can get diffrent sponsers to pick up the next week of racing I am sure the town would be ok with it.


Josh Kimble
L-32

[DougMc]

Good idea. Only problem is I don't believe the Pros want to run with Stock or Mod.

[Lights]

Good idea. Only problem is I don't believe the Pros want to run with Stock or Mod.

Doug don't start that s*#t. Let it go man let it go.

Mark

[sam]

Good idea. Only problem is I don't believe the Pros want to run with Stock or Mod.

OK, I'm the broken record ... the different categories will not run "together" The proposal is to run the races 2 or 3 consecutive weeks, not all together as one monster race.

Warbs, it sure is a good thing you brought this out now, seems like it is very hard to get the word out correctly. Maybe by January everyone will have read the thread carefully enough to understand the proposal.

[Big Don]

I don't think anyone is mis-reading anything...

Pros can still have their weekend and the stocks and mods can follow...if that is what would be decided.

Doug thanks for speaking for the entire pro category...or were you only speaking for yourself. Some may not want to, like maybe yourself, but I can bet there are others that would like 10 days of solid racing one category after another.

[YankeeRacing]

First, Josh is correct. I am not in the men's club, but I live close enought to DePue to know that the Men's club will not offer any more time for racing. (I say that with confidence as I have many friends in the Men's club). However, another local organization could step up during the week before or after the Pro nationals and would love to make the money and do the work. That is the way AOF did it and it worked out just fine. I beleive AOF started racing on like Wed after the PRO nationals when they did it. That gave time for the pits to clear, and lots of test time on Mon and Tuesday. AOF made sure that the OSY was run first to accomodate anyone who would be staying over and then ran CSH immediately. At that time PR was also run at the PRO nats and some cmods were picked up for that class and then run in the AOF c mod class early so that anyone who had to get back to work could go early.
Ron said it best, people do not like change. To most, change is a four letter word. Ed's idea of one category works well in AOF and there is no reason why it could not and SHOULD not work in APBA. (I can say that because my family is all in Raleigh this week end with my other PRO friends who might like to skin me alive for saying this). My opinion is much like Ed's, there should be a "Kneel down" division. Or call it something else. AOF combines stock, mod and pro and some even run together and it works well. With the PRO rules this would be easiest, and the stock and mod would have to learn to adjust. This is all for the best of the sport. Forget the personal stock/mod/pro agendas and think about what is best for the whole entire picture of boat racing.
I have been at this a long time, and realize that change is a necessity and realizing that we have already changed as a sport is a realization. We must accept it, at least until we can build ourselves up again.
DePue might not be the best place, but at least a starting site. Alexandria would be better but not in the center of the country. Omaha is a very doable site and lots of potential for sponsorship.
Someone needs to make a bid to all 3 divisions after the work is done (spnsorhip, dates site, etc) and make it happen. Maybe an unofficial committee could work on it. I would volunteer. The ideas put on Hydroracer are just ideas until someone makes them realities.
Connie Payn

[DougMc]

I don't think anyone is mis-reading anything...

Pros can still have their weekend and the stocks and mods can follow...if that is what would be decided.

Doug thanks for speaking for the entire pro category...or were you only speaking for yourself. Some may not want to, like maybe yourself, but I can bet there are others that would like 10 days of solid racing one category after another.

Sam,
What ever. Talk to the hand.

Don'
No, I'm a gas burning stocker who speaks for himself. Just saying what I believe from my past observations. I wish Warbs well and would show up to run - just think he's wasting his time. Why beat a dead horse when the past has shown they want to do their own thing? Let the Pros do their own thing and don't stick your hand in the hornet's nest.

Lights,
You have gone over to the dark side of the force. :P

[Steve Johnson]

I am unaware of the particulars.....

Steve,

I don't know if you know this or not, but alot of the Men's club members use their personal vacation time to volunteer at the PRO Nationals. There is a ton of planning, effort and $$$$$ that the Men's Club put out each year for the Nationals. So saying that it shouldn't tax them much more to put on all three Nationals is a load of B.S.

As a DePue Men's Club member I feel very confident in saying that they will only be putting on the PRO Nationals. I agree with Connie, that lake is not used for much other than racing and duck hunting, so if you can get diffrent sponsers to pick up the next week of racing I am sure the town would be ok with it.


Josh Kimble
L-32

Thanks for the enlightenment. I think dispensing B.S. is perhaps a bit harsh. merely running with an Idea and lending my skewed perspective. Still think many of the tasks would dovetail. BSOA has plenty of expertise in running large regattas,and I'm quite sure would find another civic group to help as well. I'm of the belief that the extra work , would lead to much more income for the host.
FYI, was at Depue in 91 and it was as well run of a race as any I've been to. Thank you, Mens club.
Bottom line.. if enough folks want it too, it could happen. And I think it would be good for everyone.. good night and happy debating.

As an aside: what exactly does the Mens club take on as it's part of putting on the nationals ?

[Richard K.C. Mo.]

Doug?

What's wrong with wearing uniforms?
Been to So Mod , most stay clean anyways.!!!@

Good idea. Only problem is I don't believe the Pros want to run with Stock or Mod.

[Lights]

Don'
No, I'm a gas burning stocker who speaks for himself. Just saying what I believe from my past observations. I wish Warbs well and would show up to run - just think he's wasting his time. Why beat a dead horse when the past has shown they want to do their own thing? Let the Pros do their own thing and don't stick your hand in the hornet's nest.

Lights,
You have gone over to the dark side of the force. :P

Doug, Warbs had put the 125H on the sanction for Pleasant Prairie and Us Pro drivers that showed up had a good time running at a Stock race. Stop stirring the pot man.

Mark