Check out the sponsor tower at the 2007 APBA PWC Nationals

[YankeeRacing]

[QUOTE=Dave M;91593]Did anyone notice how close the spectators can get to the pits, and the action ? I think that is important. You let them roam the pits, see it up close and the interest level is a lot more than the distant spectator areas.

At the Long Course Nat's they had a sponsor tower, right next to the beer garden. It listed all the sponsors, and I think there was even some banners of the sponsors.

QUOTE]

Just wondering Dave,
Have you filled out a sanction or insurance app for a boat race? You mention spectators in the pits and beer tents. Man, just don't let the insurance company see that post. All our sport needs is someone getting hurt who was in the pits who has been drinking (or not even). And, since NBRA has the same insurance as APBA, I am wondering how they get away with it.
Now, after or before the race is a different story.
Jean Tennell made up some driver cards for the USTS. Handing them out at the spectator area and allowing the fans to come find the driver after the races worked out great. It also bolstered the ego's (which after all, is all we really race for), of the racers who were asked for an autograph.

Connie Payn

[mercguy]

Problem is, they only want to race against them selves and do not want any laydowns, or pro hydros involved with them. We've been there tried that. They are a bunch of nice guys, drank some beers with some of them, but they don't want us. How can you support an organization that does not want you?

USTS is where it is at period! They are the Elite Pro Club in the US!

Anyone back east got a place to store my truck and enclosed trailer for 08 race season? I'll fly back and forth

hey Mike, ya got any spare room for another boat in that trailer???

[David Weaver]

Not true!!

QUOTE]
Jean Tennell made up some driver cards for the USTS. Handing them out at the spectator area and allowing the fans to come find the driver after the races worked out great. It also bolstered the ego's (which after all, is all we really race for), of the racers who were asked for an autograph.

Connie Payn[/QUOTE]

Now wait a minute Connie, I turned in my ego when I said "I do"!!

[pro350hydro]

Mike,
We'd be glad to store your stuff here at the farm.
Connie Payn

Thanks Connie. I'll be in contact

[pro350hydro]

hey Mike, ya got any spare room for another boat in that trailer???

errr, maybe. or maybe i just get a bigger trailer

[Joe J]

Now David, we know you turned something in when Ellen walked down the isle, but we are not sure it was your ego

Joe

[/QUOTE] Now wait a minute Connie, I turned in my ego when I said "I do"!! [/QUOTE]

[mercguy]

errr, maybe. or maybe i just get a bigger trailer

ya, bigger trailer!!! Sounds good to me!

[YankeeRacing]

QUOTE]
Jean Tennell made up some driver cards for the USTS. Handing them out at the spectator area and allowing the fans to come find the driver after the races worked out great. It also bolstered the ego's (which after all, is all we really race for), of the racers who were asked for an autograph.

Connie Payn

Now wait a minute Connie, I turned in my ego when I said "I do"!! [/QUOTE]

Good man, David. Better woman!
Connie

[Dave M]

Yes

[QUOTE=YankeeRacing;91744]

Did anyone notice how close the spectators can get to the pits, and the action ? I think that is important. You let them roam the pits, see it up close and the interest level is a lot more than the distant spectator areas.

At the Long Course Nat's they had a sponsor tower, right next to the beer garden. It listed all the sponsors, and I think there was even some banners of the sponsors.

QUOTE]

Just wondering Dave,
Have you filled out a sanction or insurance app for a boat race? You mention spectators in the pits and beer tents. Man, just don't let the insurance company see that post. All our sport needs is someone getting hurt who was in the pits who has been drinking (or not even). And, since NBRA has the same insurance as APBA, I am wondering how they get away with it.
Connie Payn

I have put races on in the past. The insurance people are the ones who need to see this. Or are they against growth as well ?

At Centrallia the beer garden and sponsor tower are on the point so it is not near the hot pits. The hot pits and the pits are seperate. The insurance specifies Hot Pits. So with that, spectators can walk up to you at your trailer and be fine. Hot pits were defined as the boat ramp area that served as the launching point. I do believe if you read through all the big words that only a lawyer can understand on the insurance papers it defines Hot Pits. At a lot of races you can seperate the two. Trailers are not allowed on the beach and that is where you launch. So Hot Pits is defined as the beach area, and is roped off. The regular pits are far enough away they can wander through. I doubt any racer is going to tell a spectator to get out of their pit area when they are in like the second row or back farther. I know I won't. I let the kids walking through with their parents get into the boats and the parents snap some photos. They love it when you let them wear a helmet.

From your post it sounds like insurance may be one of the things holding the sport back even though it is making it more safe. Maybe the wildcat clubs will be the racing of the future.

[YankeeRacing]

Hi Dave,
I guess I misunderstood you. Sorry. It seemed to me that you were saying that a spectator with a beer could walk through the pits. We all know that is a no-no, hot or cold pits.
I am not sure what the insurance says, but all it takes is one child to be running around and fall on a prop sitting on the ground, fall off someones trailer and get hurt, etc.
Also, I don't think the insurance companies are trying to thwart or help grow the sport. They are only concerned with insuring the race. I would be surprised if we ever got any help from them in promoting the sport. I wish I was wrong.
I actually believe, (my opinion only), that every trailer should carry a release of liability form. It should be given out at registration. When the kids come through, and you are putting them in your boat the parents should sign a waiver. Maybe I am too cautious.
I do know that at Omaha we let a little boy help us out, sit in the boat, etc. (We had his dad sign a release at judges stand) Turns out his Dad was the manager of a very nice restaurant in Omaha. He turned out to be a potential sponsor and promoter of our racers there. So you are on the right track.
Connie

[Al Peffley]

Trailer Pits or Hot Pits, We Need Some Fresh Thinking

If you go to Leguna Seca for the annual sports car or motorcycle races, the pits are purposely split up so the fans can travel through the Team Trailer Pits prep area and see the drivers and crew close up and personal. The special "Pit Pass" badge (a racing souvenier in itself!) draws more fans, and adds to the proceeds they collect from the fans. We have made it too EASY to get in the hot pits for FREE after signing a waiver -- try to do that at an APBA Limiteds or Unlimiteds race, hah!

I went to a local APBA Limiteds race this year at Black Lake in Washington State where they charged a small fee for fans to sit in the stands next to the pits. They had a beer garden at that Limiteds race and a local radio station broadcasting live from that local event! All Race Teams had to wear uniforms and they had a limit on the number of crew/vistor passes per team for the crane area/hot pits.

Most boat and motorcycle race sites around here are limited to alcohol consumption by local government park rules and public property usage laws, so we would have to find more private beaches to race out of if we offered a beer garden. The Seafare event in Seattle now has beer gardens and fenced-off drinking areas; it is a cleanup nightmare, but still is a "big draw" for boat racing fans in past years (GM has been a big sponsor).

Many places we race have limted parking available for fans. There are a lot of factors for local racing other than towers and beer.

Now the Depue USTS/APBA Pro Nats and the upcoming UIM Worlds in Florida are another story. I think we need more event sponsors like motor parts companies (spark plugs), boat hardware retailers (West Marine, Boaters World, etc.), racing oil manufacturers (Redline, etc.), GPS hardware companies (Garmen), enclosed trailer companies, truck manufacturers (GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota), and telecom suppliers (look at the typical advertisements on UIM hydros.)

Forget about wooing pro or stock racing motor sponsors right now and focus more on national parts and equipment manufacturers, distributers (like NAPA and Pep Boys), and boating/hardware retailers that supply many useful products for both pro/stock racers and the general public boaters/fans. Think out of the old "Mercury Challenge" box... Think of what every boater uses a lot of and that company is a potential event sponsor. APBA should help wooing potential sponsors more and thinning down the field to reduce the number of three-boat races, local or national, instead of over-managing details within the muriad of specialty racing classes...but yet I regress, again.

Al
R-25